less confusing for him that way. For Akin, it meant sudden, terrible pain, then slow alleviation. Not euphoria. He did not want Gabe drunk on his own endorphins. But the man could be made to feel good and alert. It was almost like making music?balancing endorphins, silencing pain, maintaining sobriety. He made simple music. Ooloi made great harmonies, interweaving people and sharing pleasure. And ooloi contributed substances of their own to the union. Akin would feel that soon when Dehkiaht changed. For now, there was the pleasure of healing.
Gabe began to breathe easier as his lungs improved. He did not notice when his flesh began to heal. Akin let the useless burned flesh slough off. Gabe would need water and food soon. Akin would finish by stimulating feelings of hunger and thirst in the man so that he would be willing to eat or drink whatever Akin could spot for him. It was especially important that he drink soon.
?Someone?s coming,? Gabe whispered.
?Gilbert Senn,? Akin said into his ear. ?He?s been searching for some time. If we?re still, he may not find us.?
?How do you know it?s???
?Footsteps. He still sounds the same as he did when I was here before. He?s alone.?
Silently Akin finished his work and withdrew the filaments of his sensory tentacles from Gabe. ?You can move now,? he whispered. ?But don?t.?
Akin could move too, a little more, although he doubted that he could walk.
Abruptly Gilbert Senn found them?all but stumbled over them in the moonlight and the firelight. He leaped back, his rifle aimed at them.
Gabe sat up. Akin used Gabe to pull himself up and managed not to fall when he let go. He could hurry everyone?s bodily processes but his own. Gilbert Senn looked at him, then carefully avoided looking at him. He lowered the rifle.
?Are you all right, Gabe?? he asked.
?I?m fine.?
?You?re burned.?
?I was.? Gabe glanced at Akin.
Gilbert Senn carefully did not look at Akin. ?I see.? He turned toward the fire. ?I wish that hadn?t happened. We would never have burned your home.?
?For all I know, you did,? Gabe muttered.
?Neci did,? Akin said quickly. ?She and the man who wanted to get into the house to see me. I heard them.?
The rifle came up again, aimed only at Akin this time. ?You will be quiet,? he said.
?If he dies, we all die,? Gabe said softly.
?We all die no matter what. Some of us choose to die free!?
?There will be freedom on Mars, Gil.?
The corners of Gilbert Senn?s mouth turned down. Gabe shook his head. To Akin he said, ?He believes your Mars idea is a trick. A way of gathering in the resisters easily to use them on the ship or in the Oankali villages on Earth. A lot of people feel that way.?
?This is my world,? Gilbert Senn said. ?I was born here, and I?ll die here. And if I can?t have Human children?fully Human children?I?ll have no children at all.?
This was a man who would have helped cut sensory tentacles from Amma and Shkaht. He had not wanted to do such things to children, to females, but he honestly believed it was the right thing to do.
?Mars is not for you,? Akin told him.
The gun wavered. ?What??
?Mars isn?t for anyone who doesn?t want it. It will be hard work, risk, and challenge. It will be a Human world someday. But it will never be Earth. You need Earth.?
?You think your childish psychology will influence me??
?No,? Akin said.
?I don?t want to hear it from you or from Yori.?
?If you kill me now, no Humans will go to Mars.?
?None will go anyway.?
?Humanity will live or die by what you do now.?
?No!?
The man wanted to shoot Akin. Perhaps he had never wanted anything as much. He might even have come into the field hoping to find Akin and shoot him. Now he could not shoot Akin because Akin might possibly somehow be telling the truth.
After a long time, Gilbert Senn turned and went back toward the fire.
After a moment, Gabe stood up and shook himself. ?If that was psychology, it was damn good,? he said.
?It was literal truth,? Akin told him.
?I was afraid it might be. Gil almost shot you.?
?I thought he might.?
