Morgenson's voice chattered in their ears. "Blips showing, coming—" And then he suddenly yelled, "I see them! They—"
Halfrich swung around with ponderous swiftness. There was nothing between them and the fire-fountain, nothing around the spouting flames.
"Above you, coming down!" shouted Morgenson. "My God, what—?"
Kellard slowly raised his head. Because he knew what to look for, he saw them while Halfrich was still gazing around searching.
They came flashing down out of the sky. There were four of them this time—no, five. They were like five individual swirls of shining light, so bright that the sun-bleached heavens seemed to darken around them.
Halfrich said bewilderedly, "I don't see—"
Kellard pointed upward. "There."
"Those flakes of flame?"
"Not flakes of flame," said Kellard. "They are the children of the stars."
Halfrich went rigid, staring upward. And now Kellard knew that there was no more hope. No hope at all.