Karl, who had been leaning against the door, suddenly sat down on a hard bench against the wall. "Damn," he complained, "this whining noise gives me a headache." The woman allowed herself a moment of curiosity. "What whining noise? There is no noise." "They are conditioned to it," Franz spoke to Sten. "It's a part of their lives. We never hear the pounding of our hearts." The woman sat down on the bench and buried her face in her hands. "Tell me," Sten said, "Has she no husband?" "Husband? In Panamia there is no such thing. Everyone lives alone. When they reach maturity, they are summoned to a meeting with The Leader, and mated with him or one of his representatives. That is all. The child is raised by The Leader's nurses. It is all a very impersonal business. They never speak of it." The lights in the apartment dimmed. Immediately the woman rose and walked mechanically to a bunk set in the wall, curled up, and was asleep almost before the men could notice her. "What was that?" "Just The Leader's signal that it is time for sleep," Franz said. "Did you see how she obeyed?" "They live like clockwork," Sten muttered. Several hours later the lights came on again. The woman rose without speaking to the men, who had slept on the floor, and sat down at the table to eat. "Hey, don't we get invited to breakfast?" asked Karl, sitting up in the corner. Johnathon sniffed the air. "From the smell of it I don't think I want any." The woman looked up annoyed. "When are you going to leave? I have to go to my work. It's important to Panamia." This last was said with a fierce pride. "Will she be missed?" Sten asked Franz. "Yes, but they allow one day away for illness. The second day they check." "Don't worry," Sten told the woman. "We will leave when we have what we came for." "And what is that?" "Freedom." "But you say freedom is outside. Why didn't you stay?" "Because there must be freedom for our children--and for their children." "You have children?" she looked interested. "We shall soon." "Yes," she said scornfully, "freedom for the children of the Root-Diggers. But you come to Panamia for that freedom!" "We told you we're not Root-Diggers," Johnathon said. "You can hardly compare us with that tribe of poor devils. But even their state is better than living like a slave in Panamia." The woman laughed bitterly. "If you are not Root-Diggers, why do you come to hurt Panamia and The Leader? It is because of you people that we are warred upon and must always sacrifice." Franz rose and faced the woman. "Kathryn, you're wrong," he said. "The Root-Diggers are not warring with Panamia. They are only men and women like ourselves who have been banned from Panamia. The Leader had them purged before they were forced outside so that they are sterile and have only half their wits. They have to live like animals, eating roots and berries and bugs and insects. Those are the Root-Diggers your Leader uses to frighten you."