"Without a plan of action?" Keith said.
"No. Our plan is the same. Find out all we can and return to Earth.
Seers has to know. He doesn't want to prepare a secret attack unit to
send up here unless he's absolutely sure it's necessary."
"Even if we live long enough to find out something, how do we get back
to Earth? By teleportation?"
"We'll have to get a ship, or try," Danton said.
The sound of explosions drifted to them, the flat reverberating roar of
bombs. Van Ness looked to the right and said, "That way. And not so far
either."
* * * * *
Ten miles from the lake, the three crawled into the dense brush beside
the trail. They could hear now the approach of laboring gasoline
motors, the shouts of men. Danton waited. He waited tensely, as though
somewhere inside of him was a knowledge of what he waited for.
The moons moved across the high valley. The light was clear, still,
with a reddish cast. Purple shadows bent and swayed in the slight and
cooler wind. Through the odd light, a column of wheezing amtracs came.
Broad wheels grinding, coughing engines, voices murmuring, bodies
wearily slogging, humans, weary ghosts.