"This new one will take us from you," Fred went on, "just as you took
us from Alpha Centauri IV. Help us now."
_Can't. It would mean my death. All my reserves of life force._
Fred heard noise in the corridor outside. There could be only one
reason why they'd come--New Earth would prevent his action by killing
him.
Desperate now, Fred tried once more. "Earth, die if you must! Die for
the 46 other populations that died for you. Your life is almost over;
ours has just begun. You owe us something. We battled our way up from
nothingness; you held us back. Because of you, we hated one another.
Fought. Killed. We could have been creating--"
* * * * *
The door burst open. Four things, lacking any semblance of reason,
advanced on him.
_Now you'll stop!_ The new planet's voice was vibrant, confident.
"Earth! Give us back our lives--"
Fred went down under the rush of Charlesworth and Lodgesen.
Fingernails--what used to be feminine--tore at his face. A foot crashed
into his ribs. Then, as fast as it had begun, the torment stopped.
He raised his head, saw the two screens. In view aft, the intruder
planet was barely visible; Earth definitely seen in view forward.
Neither changed appearance, but Fred's four companions, held in stasis,
were an indication. A cosmic battle raged, an impossible mental
battle: age versus youth, weakness versus strength, experience versus
inexperience.
Suddenly, the four came at him again. He hadn't the power to resist.
What was the use? We've lost again; shall we lose always?
_No ... you've won ... use the gift wisely._ As the voice faded out,
the view-aft screen flared brilliantly with sudden energy released from
a destroyed planet.
There was nothing but the sound of heavy breathing.
Fred tried to raise himself to a sitting position, sank back. Then Jo
was cradling him. Her tears, he thought, mixed well with her laughter.
"You did help. However you managed it, you saved the five of us. Are
you all right?"