With a fatalistic shrug, Florin replied, "I cannot go back to Klynos. My education was paid for by my stock in corporation-men here. That is now, as you know, worthless." Yma spoke to him for the first time. "Then don't you feel resentment towards the men who--who betrayed you?" Her eyes awaited his answer. Florin smiled. "I do not feel that I have been betrayed. I know that the corporation-men, representing the most intelligent element of Lyrane, wouldn't do this thing without a sound reason." Erol said, "Apparently you wish to throw in your lot with us, rather than the mob." "My loyalty to my teacher and his associates compels me to do so. It is also my personal desire." "You won't get any luxury pay for that loyalty," Yma snapped. "That's unfair. You know Tomlin always advocated proper living from a moral obligation rather than for mercenary reward." Their conversation was interrupted by a faint humming. Out over the valley three gyros were approaching at a low altitude. Bitterly, Yma said, "Apparently Tomlin's servant has talked to other people--or perhaps Mr. Brite here--." Florin shrugged again. "I have no defense except to say that I talked to no one. Either you believe me or you don't." Erol chimed in, "You'll have to excuse my daughter; she's upset. I expected them to discover me long before this. This abandoned hunting lodge was too well known." Yma's mind jumped on that. Yes, she thought, How well it is known--to me. My childhood is stuffed full of memories of this place, all pleasant. I know the woods around here better than the streets of the city. Now it will be the scene of this furtive hiding, suspense, and God knows what new violence. While she was thinking, Erol was still talking. "I will ask you, since you are young and more adept in this sort of emergency. What shall we do?" Florin glanced at Yma, and saw that the bitterness had left her in the face of danger. She too looked anxiously to him for help. "If we stay here," he said, "we will be killed without question. I have no doubt that those ships are part of the mob. Even if it is the police, and I doubt there are any left after the rioting, they will imprison us." Erol said, "This is a hunting lodge. There are some weapons here. We have nothing but your gyro to escape in, and it's too slow. I can see that those are police gyros." "Then we'll fight," Yma declared and rushed inside, with Florin and Erol following her. "This place is not much for defense," Florin said while they rummaged for rifles, for nothing more deadly was allowed outside the hands of the Galactic Patrol. "I suggest we make it seem peaceful and surprise them." "Good idea, boy," Erol said. "If you want, I'll sit outside as a decoy." "That's great!" Florin said quickly, ignoring Yma's protest. "If they see you, they will probably land and talk; but if nobody's in sight, they might bomb us."