Zor Ala nodded. "I know how you feel," he said. "But you can do your friends far more good alive than—"
He left the sentence unfinished. Then, as if he had been considering something, he continued: "You're an engineer, Malherne, and I think it's time for you to have a talk with Gordo Lanson concerning an idea we have in mind. How do you feel by now?"
"A little creaky," said Malherne, rising and stretching painfully. "But let's get started."
V
He followed Zor Ala out of the central hut and across to a smaller one. At Zor Ala's knock, a voice called, "Come in."
As they entered, Gordo Lanson looked searchingly at the two men, then through the open door beyond them. His expression became concerned.
"What happened to your companions?" he asked. "You ran into trouble?"
Malherne laughed rather embarrassedly. "I don't know about the others," he said. "But I stupidly picked a fight with a whole army of Kralons, and ended up back here, right where I started."
The stocky physicist grimaced. "Well, I'm afraid your companions will have to look out for themselves," he said. "You certainly can't help them by doing something noble and frantic."