ituation is so bad that it
looks hopeless. I can't think of a thing we can do that would help
us."

The Sun was high in the center of the dome. Sun? More like a very
bright star. It cast no shadows; the lights in the dome did. They
flickered and with monotonous regularity went out again. The general
swore constantly and emotionlessly until service was restored.

A guard approached with his captive. "I think I've found her, sir."

Cameron looked at the girl in dismay. "Guard, where's your decency?"

"Orders, sir," the man said.

"Whose orders?"

"Yours, sir. You said she was sound of body. How else could I find
out?"

Cameron scowled and thrust a scalpel deep into the girl's thigh. She
looked at him with a tear-stained face, but didn't move a muscle.

"Plastissue, as any fool can see," he commented dourly.

The guard looked revolted and started to lead her out.

"Let her go," snapped the doctor. "Both of you will be safer, I
think."

The girl darted away. The guard followed her, shuddering, his eyes
filled with a self-loathing that Cameron realized would require hours
of psychiatric work to remove.

Docchi smiled. "I have a request to make."

"Go ahead and make it," snorted the general. "We're likely to give you
anything you want."

"You probably will. You're going to leave without her. Very soon. When
you do go, don't take all your ships. We'll need about three when we
come to another solar system."

General Judd opened his mouth in rage.

"Don't you say anything you'll regret," cautioned Docchi. "When you
get back, what will you report to your superiors? Can you tell them
that you left in good order, while there was still time to continue
the search? Or will they like it better if they know you stayed until
the last moment? So late that you had to abandon some of your ships?"

The general closed his mouth and stamped away. Wordlessly, Cameron
dragged after him.

* * * * *

The last ship had blasted off and the rocket trails had faded into
overwhelming darkness. The Sun, which had been trying to lose itself
among the other stars, finally succeeded. The asteroid was no longer
the junkpile. It was a small world that had become a swift ship.

"We can survive," said Docchi. "Power and oxygen, we have, and we can
grow or synthesize our food."

He sat beside Anti's tank, which had been returned to the usual place.
A small tree nodded overhead in the artificial breeze.