Through the glasses, the man looked as tall and craggy as a mountain peak. No soldier, he was without helmet or other headgear. His hair, white as the snow on top of a mountain, was flying in the wind. His face looked like a statue hewn in granite. Zen guessed that he was a resident of this region, a mountaineer who had sought safety in these remote fastnesses, and who had been blasted out of his hiding place by Cuso's radioactive blooper and was wandering down this trail to die. The nurse was talking to him. Involuntarily, as if they had a will of their own, Zen's legs started carrying him up the slope. He had taken a dozen steps before he remembered the counter on his wrist. "To hell with the count!" he thought. "I'm going up there and drag her down here. She's not going to throw her life away while I skulk like a coward down below. I don't give a damn whether she's one of the new people or not. She's human!" He climbed the slope with giant strides. Then he saw that Nedra was running toward him and waving him back. "Colonel! You can't come up here." "I _am_ coming up there!" he shouted in reply. "No!" When he did not stop, she ran faster toward him. The craggy man kept pace with her. Reaching Zen, she caught his sleeve, turned him around, and started him down the slope. "You can't be here." Her voice was breathless with protest. "Are you giving me orders?" Zen growled. Secretly he was pleased because she was concerned about him. "If you will permit me, colonel, I think Nedra's intention is to save your life," the craggy man spoke. He had a voice like a bell tolling in the distance, sweet-toned and musical, but with overtones of great strength. "What about _her_ life?" Zen demanded. "I'm going down now, colonel," the nurse said hastily. "They've set up a first aid station. They will need me there." "You will need their attention is what you mean," Zen said. "Colonel, the counter!" she answered. The needle was well over the hundred mark and was still rising. "Come, colonel." Hooking her arm in his, Nedra began moving down the rough, boulder-strewn trail. Zen did not move. She tugged harder. "Your life is in danger here, sir," the craggy man said, politely. "That is of interest to me only," Zen answered. "And what about your life?" "Colonel, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine," the nurse said quickly. "Colonel Zen, Sam West. We'll talk while we walk down to the first aid station." "A pleasure to meet you, sir," West said, extending his hand. His handclasp was firm but there was a suggestion of additional power in his fingers. "Nice to meet you, Mr. West. Do you live around here?" "Over that way," the craggy man said, nodding vaguely over his shoulder. Again the nurse tugged at Zen's arm. He set his feet solidly on the mountain trail. "We'll talk right here."