In the clearing behind Lucifer, children chattered gleefully.
Lucifer stood by the window and listened in silence as Albert Fetzer made his report.
The Earth people had returned to their quarters. Those whose dwellings had been destroyed or badly damaged were sheltered with friends for the night. Fifty-three of Huth's men and thirty of the women had survived. A score of Goolies had come crawling and whimpering out of the forest. All were put under guard in one of the training buildings. Dr. Thame, his own shoulder smashed, was helping with the injured.
A twenty-four hour guard was set up to watch for return of the supply ship, or any other that might come.
"What about the children?" Lucifer asked.
"Mostly asleep. Some of them got a little frisky and started knocking over things—until their mothers marched them off to bed."
Lucifer shivered, and he was not cold.
"You'd better get some sleep," he told Fetzer. "We'll meet with the section leaders early in the morning."
When Fetzer was gone, Lucifer remained by the window. Nina came out of the bedroom to join him. Together they watched the clouds close out the stars, listened to the sweep of the rising wind and the drumbeat of the returning rain. The eternal rain.