“What you gonna do?” Telt asked, even his natural exuberation stilled by this. Brion only shook his head as the words penetrated. What could he do? What could possibly be done?
“Follow me,” a voice said in guttural Disan through the opening of a rear window. The speaker was lost in the crowd before they could turn. Aware now, Brion saw a native move away from the edge of the crowd and turn to look in their direction. It was Ulv.
“Turn the car—that way!” He punched Telt’s arm and pointed. “Do it slowly and don’t draw any attention to us.” For a moment there was hope, which he kept himself from considering. The building was gone, and the people in it all dead. That fact had to be faced.
“What’s going on?” Telt asked. “Who was that talked in the window?”
“A native—that one up ahead. He saved my life in the desert, and I think he is on our side. Even though he’s a native Disan, he can understand facts that the magter can’t. He knows what will happen to this planet.” Brion was talking to fill his brain with words so he wouldn’t begin to have hope. There was no hope possible.
Ulv moved slowly and naturally through the streets, never looking back. They followed, as far behind as they dared, yet still keeping him in sight. Fewer people were about here among the deserted offworld storehouses. Ulv vanished into one of these; Light Metals Trust Ltd., the sign read above the door. Telt slowed the car.
“Don’t stop here,” Brion said. “Drive around the corner, and pull up.”
Brion climbed out of the car with an ease he did not feel. No one was in sight now, in either direction. Walking slowly back to the corner, he checked the street they had just left. Hot, silent and empty.
A sudden blackness appeared where the door of the warehouse had been, and the sudden flickering motion of a hand. Brion signaled Telt to start, and jumped into the already moving sand car.
“Into that open door—quickly, before anyone sees us!” The car rumbled down a ramp into the dark interior and the door slid shut behind them.
“Ulv! What is it? Where are you?” Brion called, blinking in the murky interior. A grey form appeared beside him.
“I am here.”
“Did you—” There was no way to finish the sentence.
“I heard of the raid. The magter called together all of us they could to help them carry explosive. I went along. I could not stop them, and there was no time to warn anyone in the building.”
“Then they are all dead?”
“Yes,” Ulv nodded. “All except one. I knew I could perhaps save one; I was not sure who. So I took the woman you were with in the desert—she is here now. She was hurt, but not badly, when I brought her out.”
Guilty relief flooded through Brion. He shouldn’t exult, not with the death of everyone in the Foundation still fresh in his mind. But at that instant he was happy.
“Let me see her,” he said to Ulv. He was seized by the sudden fear that there might be a mistake. Perhaps Ulv had saved a different woman.
Ulv led the way across the empty loading bay. Brion followed closely, fighting down the temptation to tell him to hurry. When he saw that Ulv was heading towards an office in the far wall, he could control himself no longer and ran on ahead.
It was Lea, lying unconscious on a couch. Sweat beaded her face and she moaned and stirred without opening her eyes.
“I gave her sover, then wrapped her in cloth so no one would know,” Ulv said.
Telt was close behind them, looking in through the open door.
“Sover is a drug they take from one of their plants,” he said. “We got a lot of experience with it. A little makes a good knockout drug, but it’s deadly poison in large doses. I got the antidote in the car; wait and I’ll get it.” He went out.
Brion sat next to Lea and wiped her face clean of dirt and perspiration. The dark shadows under her eyes were almost black now and her elfin face seemed even thinner. But she was alive—that was the important thing.
Some of the tension drained away from Brion and he could think again. There was still the job to do. After this last experience Lea should be in a hospital bed. But this was impossible. He would have to drag her to her feet and put her back to work. The answer might still be found. Each second ticked away another fraction of the planet’s life.
“Good as new in a minute,” Telt said, banging down the heavy med box. He watched intently as Ulv left the room. “Hys should know about this renegade. Might be useful as a spy, or for information—though of course it’s too late now to do anything, so the hell with it.” He pulled a pistol-shaped hypodermic gun from the box and dialed a number on the side. “Now, if you’ll roll her sleeve up I’ll bring her back to life.” He pressed the bell-shaped sterilizing muzzle against her skin and pulled the trigger. The hypo gun hummed briefly, ending its cycle with a loud click.
“Does it work fast?” Brion asked.
“Couple of minutes. Just let her be and she’ll come to by herself.”
Ulv was in the doorway. “Killer!” he hissed. His blowgun was in his hand, half raised to his mouth.
“He’s been in the car—he’s seen it!” Telt shouted and grabbed for his gun.
Brion sprang between them, raising his hands. “Stop it! No more killing!” he shouted in Disan. Then he shook his fist at Telt. “Fire that gun and I’ll stuff
