"Dear God! We've never lived before! A new world, and we're not strong enough to live there, Lucifer—Not strong enough yet! I can't go back to it—but I want to—I want to so much."
They skirted the compound, just within the fringe of the forest. As they ran, other shadow forms joined them in the scramble toward the meeting place. Children, awed momentarily to silence, ran nimbly ahead of their parents. A baby wailed.
Seachlights probed through the rain, thrusting at the forest. Blocks of light and shadow flickered between the trees. It was like a film running wild in its projector.
The light in the bow of the spaceship blazed on, and the misty twilight became a phosphorescent glow, a great dome of brilliance that arched up to the churning black clouds.
A shouting came from the direction of Center. The first attack group had struck.
Sounds of the second attack came from the area of the spaceship. The dome of light shimmered, then steadied, with eye-aching brightness. The second diversionary group, the one led by the little man with the huge nose, was now engaged.
The clearing opened ahead. It already teemed with activity. Fetzer and his sector leaders were channeling all comers into groups of about fifty, each under one of the leaders. The groups were fanned out along the edge of the clearing, facing toward the compound. Except for the muted crying of the very young, and the low-voiced commands from the sector leaders, the groups were quiet.
Fetzer ran to Lucifer.
"Better stay with me. This is your show from now on! Just tell me what you want us to do, and I'll pass the signal along. My God! Did you see what happened to the guard tower?"