t that is relevant now. The bombs
fall at twelve, and even then they may drop too late. A ship is
already on its way from Nyjord with my replacement. I exceeded my
authority by running a day past the maximum the technicians gave me.
I realize now I was gambling the life of my own world in the vain
hope I could save Dis. They can't be saved. They're dead. I won't
hear any more about it."

"You must listen--"

"I must destroy the planet below me, that is what I must do.
That fact will not be changed by anything you say. All the
offworlders--other than your party--are gone. I'm sending a ship
down now to pick you up. As soon as that ship lifts I am going to
drop the first bombs. Now--tell me where you are so they can come
for you."

"Don't threaten me, Krafft!" Brion shook his fist at the radio in an
excess of anger. "You're a killer and a world destroyer--don't try
to make yourself out as anything else. I have the knowledge to avert
this slaughter and you won't listen to me. And I know where the
cobalt bombs are--in the magter tower that Hys raided last night.
Get those bombs and there is no need to drop any of your own!"

"I'm sorry, Brion. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but at the
same time I know the futility of it. I'm not going to accuse you of
lying, but do you realize how thin your evidence sounds from this
end? First, a dramatic discovery of the cause of the magters'
intransigency. Then, when that had no results, you suddenly remember
that you know where the bombs are. The best-kept magter secret."

"I don't know for sure, but there is a very good chance it is so,"
Brion said, trying to repair his defenses. "Telt made readings, he
had other records of radioactivity in this same magter keep--proof
that something is there. But Telt is dead now, the records
destroyed. Don't you see--" He broke off, realizing how vague and
unprovable his case was. This was defeat.

The radio was silent, with just the hum of the carrier wave as
Krafft waited for him to continue. When Brion did speak his voice
was empty of all hope.

"Send your ship down," he said tiredly. "We're in a building that
belonged to the Light Metals Trust, Ltd., a big warehouse of some
kind. I don't know the address here, but I'm sure you have someone
there who can find it. We'll be waiting for you. You win, Krafft."

He turned off the radio.

XVII

"Do you mean what you said, about giving up?" Lea asked. Brion
realized that she