The platform had buckled slightly, the 'copter was tilted over, one of the rotors twisted, its end buried in sand. Tobias Whiting wasn't there. "No," Steve said. "It's hardly damaged at all. Your father got out of it all right." "To go--to them?" "I think so, Mary. I don't want to pass judgment until we're sure. I'm sorry." "Oh, Steve! Steve! What will we do? What _can_ we do?" "Find him, if it isn't too late. Come on." "North?" "North." "And if by some miracle we find him?" Steve said nothing. The answer--capture or death--was obvious. But you couldn't tell that to a traitor's daughter, could you? As it turned out, they did not find Tobias Whiting through their own efforts. Half an hour after setting out from the unicopter, they were spotted by a roving band of Kumajis, who came streaking toward them on their _thlots_. Mary raised her atorifle, but Steve struck the barrel aside. "They'd kill us," he said. "We can only surrender." They were hobbled and led painfully across the sand. They were taken that way to a small Kumaji encampment, and thrust within a circular tent. Tobias Whiting was in there. * * * * * "Mary!" he cried. "My God! Mary...." "We came for you, Dad," she said coldly. "To stop you. To ... to kill you if necessary." "Mary...." "Oh, Dad, why did you do it? Why?" "We couldn't start all over again, could we? You have a right to live the sort of life I planned for you. You...." "Whiting," Steve said, "did you tell them yet?" "No. No, I haven't. I have information to trade, sure. But I want to make sure it's going to the right people. I want to get our...." "Dad! Our money, and all those deaths?" "It doesn't matter now. I--I had changed my mind, Mary. Truly. But now, now that you're a prisoner, what if I don't talk? Don't you see, they'll torture you. They'll make you talk. And that way--we get nothing. I couldn't stand to see them hurt you." "They can do--what they think they have to do. I'll tell them nothing." "You won't have to," Whiting said. "I'll tell them when we reach the larger settlement. They're taking us there tomorrow, they told me." "Then we've got to get out of here tonight," Steve said. The low sun cast the shadow of their guard against the _thlot_skin wall of their tent. He was a single man, armed with a long, pike-like weapon. When darkness came, if the guard were not increased.... They were brought a pasty gruel for their supper, and ate in silence and distaste, ate because they needed the strength. Mary said, "Dad, I don't want you to tell them anything. Dad, please. If you thought you were doing it for me...." "I've made up my mind," Tobias Whiting said. Mary turned to Steve, in despair. "Steve," she said. "Steve. Do--whatever you have to do. I--I'll understand."