"It's not a play, Letha. We act an _unconscious_ drama, and thus the
drama becomes more important than living. And death takes precedence
over life."
She shuddered slightly and stared into his eyes, unbelieving.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Can you understand?--that I love you, and yet my ... my...." He groped
for a word for "duty". "My death-allegiance to the ship-people takes
precedence? I can neither take you nor remain with you."
Something went dead in her eyes. "Let us go to the glade," she said in a
monotone. "It's growing late."
"_And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear,
Edward, Edward?
And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear,
My dear son, now tell me, O?"
"The curse of hell frae me sall ye bear,
Mither, mither;
The curse of hell frae me sall ye bear;
Sic counsels ye gave to me, O!_"
--ANONYMOUS
* * * * *
The trouble had begun on the eighteenth day of the ninth month. A party
of unidentified men had stolen into the occupied zone during the night.
Without warning, they killed three guards, seized control of the
dispensary, raided the pharmacy, taking the entire supply of fungus
immunization serum, together with a supply of the deadly phials and
needles. They stole a flyer and departed to the south, skimming low over
the forest to avoid fire from the grounded fleet. The following day, a
leaflet appeared, circulating among the fleet personnel.
NOTICE OF SANCTUARY
TO: ALL PERSONNEL
FROM: AUSLAND COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: FREEDOM
1. ANY OFFICER OR MAN WHO WISHES TO RESIGN FROM THE SERVICES OF
THE IMPERIAL FORCES OF THE SECESSION MAY DO SO OF THIS DATE.
2. THE PROCEDURE FOR RESIGNATION INVOLVES NO FORMAL STATEMENT.
A MAN MAY TERMINATE HIS PERIOD OF SERVICE BY DEPARTING FROM THE
OCCUPIED ZONE.
3. ANY OFFICER OR MAN WHO ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE WITH THE
RESIGNATION OF ANOTHER SHALL BE TRIED IN ABSENTIA BY THIS
COMMITTEE, AND IF FOUND GUILTY, SHALL INCUR THE DEATH PENALTY.