f we want to prevent any more losses.
There simply won't be time to run all over the island dosing with
Trematox and taking temperatures, and while that sort of thing is
routine, it should be supervised. Besides, you'll see the advantages of
this method. Soon enough."

"I hope so," Blalok said as he braked the jeep to a stop in front of the
hospital. "I suppose you'll want to take some things along."

"So I will," Kennon said. "I'll be back in a minute." Kennon slid from
the seat, leaving Blalok looking peculiarly at his departing back.

The minute stretched to nearly ten before Kennon returned followed by
two Lani carrying bags which they loaded into the back of the jeep.
"I had to reorganize a little," Kennon apologized, "some things were
unfamiliar."

"Plan on taking them?" Blalok said, jerking a thumb at the two Lani.

"Not this time. I'm having them fit up an ambulance. They should be busy
most of the day."

Blalok grunted and started the turbine. He moved a lever and the jeep
floated off the ground.

"An airboat too," Kennon remarked. "I wondered why this rig was so
boxy."

"It's a multipurpose vehicle," Blalok said. "We need them around here
for fast transport. Most of the roads aren't so good." He engaged the
drive and the jeep began to move. "We'll go cross country," he said.
"Hillside's pretty far out--the farthest station since we abandoned
Olympus."

The air began whistling past the boxlike body of the jeep as Blalok
increased the power to the drive and set the machine on automatic.
"We'll get a pretty good cross-section of our operations on this trip,"
he said over the whine of the turbine. "Look down there."

They were passing across a series of fenced pastures and Kennon was
impressed. The size of this operation was beginning to sink in. It
hadn't looked so big from the substratosphere in Alexander's ship, but
down here close to the ground it was enormous. Fields of grain, wide
orchards, extensive gardens. Once they were forced to detour a huge
supply boat that rose heavily in front of them. Working in the fields
were dozens of brown-skinned Lani who paused to look up and wave as
the jeep sped by. Occasional clusters of farm buildings and the low
barrackslike stations appeared and disappeared behind them.

"There's about twenty Lani at each of these stations," Blalok said,
"They work the farm area under the direction of the stationmaster."

"He's a farmer?"

"Of course. Usually he's a gra