But yet, a lingering doubt remained, a last suspicion. The silent voice of the unborn superman said, _He still is not convinced._ "I'm afraid he's right," Harris murmured. "I see, and I believe--and yet all my conditioning tells me that it's impossible. Medlins are hateful creatures; I _know_ that, intuitively." Beth smiled. "Would you like a guarantee of our good faith?" "What do you mean?" To the womb-bound godling she said, "Link us." Before Harris had a chance to react a strange brightness flooded over him; he seemed to be floating far above his body. With a jolt he realized where he was. He was looking into the mind of the Medlin who called herself Beth Baldwin. And he saw none of the hideous things he had expected to find in a Medlin mind. He saw faith and honesty, and a devotion to the truth. He saw dogged courage. He saw many things that filled him with humility. The linkage broke. Beth said, "Now find the mind of his leader Carver, and link him to _that_." "No," Harris protested. "Don't--" It was too late. He sensed the smell of Darruu wine, and the prickly texture of thuuar spines, and then the superficial memories parted to give him a moment's insight into the deeper mind of the Darruui who wore the name of John Carver. It was a frightening pit of foul hatreds. Shivering, Harris staggered backward, realizing that the Earther had allowed him only a fraction of a second's entry into that mind. He covered his face with his hands. "Are--we all like that?" he asked. "Am I?" "No. Not--deep down," Beth said. "You've got the outer layer of hatred that every Darruui has--and every Medlin. But your core is good. Carver is rotten. So are the other Darruui here." "Our races have fought for centuries," Coburn said. "A mistake on both sides that has hardened into blood-hatred. The time has come to end it." "How about those Darruui outside?" "They must die," Beth said. Harris was silent a moment. The five who waited for him were Servants of the Spirit, like himself; members of the highest caste of Darruui civilization, presumably the noblest of all creation's beings. To kill one was to set himself apart from Darruu for ever. "My--conditioning lies deep," he said. "If I strike a blow against them, I could never return to my native planet." "Do you _want_ to return?" Beth asked. "Your future lies here. With us." Harris considered that. After a long moment he nodded. "Very well. Give me back the gun. I'll handle the five Darruui outside." Coburn handed him the disruptor he had dropped. Harris grasped the butt of the weapon, smiled, and said, "I could kill some of you now, couldn't I? It would take at least a fraction of a second to stop me. I could pull the trigger once." "You won't," Beth said. He stared at her. "You're right." * * * * *