The woman clenched her fists until the knuckles showed white. "You lie!" she screamed. "The Leader tells the truth." "No, it's not a lie. We have all seen them," Sten said quietly. The men sat in silence while the woman wept. Karl reached out and ate a bit of the woman's food. "What sort of gruel is this stuff, I wonder. It needs salt." "Salt," commented Franz, "is the greatest luxury in the city. Because of the Root-Diggers, you know. There is a grave shortage. The people crave it more than anything else and will go to any lengths to get an extra ration of it." Sten shook his head. "And they blame it on those poor beasts outside." He rose and began nervously pacing the floor. "Franz, we have to move quickly. The others will leave if we don't meet them on time. Do you think she will go with us? Will she help us get others?" "Who knows about her?" Franz shrugged. "I know some others here who may want to go. We can see them now, but someone has to stay here with Kathryn." Sten watched the hungry eyes of Karl and Johnathon as they looked at the now silent woman, sitting dejectedly at the table. "I'll stay," he said. The two men moved reluctantly as they followed Franz from the room. Sten sat in silence after they were gone, watching the woman, who was staring sullenly at the table top. He felt the pressure of the room close in on him, and wished he were back in the openness of the mountains. With a start he realized that he no longer noticed the whine unless he listened for it, and that the sound somehow created a feeling of warmth within him. He rose, slammed his fist into his open palm, and shook the woman vigorously. "Kathryn, how would you like to leave here? Go to a new land, a valley that is still green and fertile? There you could look up at the sky and live and feel free--and raise your children free." Kathryn looked up dumbfounded. "I couldn't leave here. What would I do? Don't you know that this is real freedom? Here where we have The Leader to take care of everything for us?" "No! This is bondage. Being told when to sleep and when to eat and what to eat, and slaving for a grain of salt." "Do you have salt?" she seemed incredulous. "Out there, Kathryn, you can have as much as you want. Believe me, this is no good. Where is the purpose of your life? Man wasn't born to be a slave to anyone or anything, but to build his own life. You're a woman, meant to have children, to mother them, and teach them, and love them, doesn't that mean anything to you?" "I ... I don't know. I've never thought about it before." "You must think about it! Would you have it all end here? Living always at the command of an unknown voice?" The woman's eyes searched the room, as if seeking some sign of reassurance. "But ... I've never thought of any other kind of life. I'm happy here!" "Happy? Being a living robot? You've never touched real happiness. Think, Kathryn. Think hard about this. It's the most important thing in the world."