"Only the Sons?" "The males of the masses are sterile. That task is ours." "There must be many Sons," said O'Hara. "No, unfortunately. The ratio of Sons to masses constantly grows smaller and nowadays it is only by artificial insemination that the task can be accomplished. You will go this way," the Son said, indicating a door. "This is the Guild." The chamber which they were now entering differed from the other immense halls of Emporia only in two particulars--the entrance through which they were passing consisted of double doors, like waterlocks, and in the center of the hall the metallic floor was cut away, with steps descending toward a series of still lower and smaller tunnels, the top halves of which had been removed. In one of these semi-exposed tunnels was resting at the moment a huge metal cylinder, some sixty feet long, with a hatch at its top into which various of the Sons were now descending, each bearing in his arms an infant, returning moments later empty-handed. After ten minutes of this, the last of the Sons emerged, the hatch was snapped shut and bolted, and the cylinder began moving, disappearing within a second past a valve into its tunnel. A booming voice now filled the hall. The Sons turned from all sides toward a giant metal mirror, upon which, without apparent source, a brilliant light seemed reflected. "The infants have departed?" asked the voice, and a chorus of the Sons answered in the stylized manner of a chant, "They have departed, Father." "The man who flies has departed?" "He has just arrived, Father." "Send him to me. The hour of the Deluge is at hand." The Son with O'Hara and Nedra motioned them toward a second cylinder now sliding in from its tunnel. "You must go at once," he commanded. "But you alone, not the red-haired woman of the mountains." And Nedra turned. "You promised me, O'Hara." "I promised you," he said, watching the Son's atomic gun. He remembered then the sudden, vile extrusion of the belching fire upon the mountain's side. It would happen easily. And now that it was here at last, his reluctance was gone--there was no fear, only an exaltation that was blinding to him, the first quick phase of death. "Are you ready, Nedra?" "Yes," she said, and turning, drew her arms around him. "Now--" The voice came booming through the hall. "O'Hara! Wait!" And in that instant those among the Sons close to them crouched. "Send both of them to me," the voice commanded, and the light upon the mirror gained intensity, becoming pure incandescence. "Send both of them," the voice repeated. "Will you put away your weapon now, O'Hara?" He faced the light. "Only when we go together." "You must go together into the Tube at once. The Sons will not hinder you." "You are watching, Father? You understand about the gun?"