Simin, his own being stretched to the limit, sensed the other's weakness and made it his island of hope. He continued.
And at the last, driven to a supreme and final effort, he drove his foe to the ground in a shallow depression, and with a trembling foreclaw, slashed his throat.
The man looked up with terror in his eyes, which slipped to sorrow, then to death. His body lay still, and the sound was gone. The landscape was as before.
Not only the Marshall, but all his men lay dead. The Armadillos were as shadows of a dark, machinated dream. His orbiting fleet, as well as the landing craft, stood emptied of life.
Simin crawled slowly out of the depression, and turned to Shin.
"Shannon's life has bought your freedom. Go, then find some way to fight them again."
His life and energies spent, his quest ended, Simin opened his foreclaws to the sky in a gesture of invocation. The body split apart, and his spirit flew toward the stars.
Battle Plan