"No, knife blade against the fire—that is not equal."
Raf started, amazed and then irritated that the other had read his thoughts so easily.
"But what else can be done? Some stand must be taken, even if a whole tribe goes down to the Great Dark because they do it."
"What do you mean?" Raf demanded.
"Is it not the truth that Those Others went across the sea to plunder their forgotten storehouse of knowledge?" countered the other. He spoke slowly as if he found difficulty in clothing thoughts with words. "Sssuri said that was why they came."
Raf, remembering what he had seen—the stripping of shelves and tables of the devices that were stored on them—could only nod.
"Then it is also true that soon they will have worse than fire with which to hunt us down. And they shall turn against your colony as they will against Homeport. For the mermen, and their own records, have taught us that it is their nature to rule, that they can live in peace only when all living things on this world are their slaves."
"My colony?" Raf was momentarily diverted. "I'm one of a spacer's crew, not the member of any colony!"
Dalgard stared at the stranger. His guess had been right. A new ship, another ship which had recently crossed deep space to find them had flown the dark wastes even as the First Elders had done! It must be that more outlaws had come to find a new home! This was wonderful news, news he must take to Homeport. Only, it was news which must wait. For the sea people had come to a decision of their own.