It was morning. Lyte came shouting and sobbing down a corridor, and ran
full into his arms. She had changed again. She was older, again, more
beautiful. She was shaking and she held to him. "Sim, they're coming
after you!"
Bare feet marched down the corridor, surged inward at the opening.
Chion stood grinning there, taller, too, a sharp rock in either of his
hands. "Oh, there you are, Sim!"
"Go away!" cried Lyte savagely whirling on him.
"Not until we take Sim with us," Chion assured her. Then, smiling at
Sim. "_If_ that is, he is with us in the fight."
Dienc shuffled forward, his eye weakly fluttering, his bird-like hands
fumbling in the air. "Leave!" he shrilled angrily. "This boy is a
Scientist now. He works with us."
Chion ceased smiling. "There is better work to be done. We go now to
fight the people in the farthest cliffs." His eyes glittered anxiously.
"Of course, you will come with us, Sim?"
"No, no!" Lyte clutched at his arm.
Sim patted her shoulder, then turned to Chion. "Why are you attacking
these people?"
"There are three extra days for those who go with us to fight."
"Three extra days! Of living?"
Chion nodded firmly. "If we win, we live eleven days instead of eight.
The cliffs they live in, something about the mineral in it! Think of
it, Sim, three long, good days of life. Will you join us?"