everything else. We have only learned many ways in which it cannot be
done. It cannot be done with oomphel, or with anything that is in our
own world. But the Oomphel-Mother made us ships to go to other worlds,
and we have gone to many of them, this one among them, seeking things
from which we try to make spirits. We are trying to make spirits for
ourselves from the crystals that grow in the klooba plants; we may fail
with them, too. But I say this; I may die, and all the other Terrans now
living may die, and be as though they had never been, but someday we
will not fail. Someday our children, or our children's children, will
make spirits for themselves and live forever, as you do."

[Illustration]

"Why were we not told this before, Mailsh Heelbare?"

"We were ashamed to have you know it. We are ashamed to be people
without spirits."

"Can we help you and your people? Maybe our magic might help."

"It well might. It would be worth trying. But first, you must help
yourselves. You and your people are sinning against the Great Spirit as
grievously as did the Terrans of old. Be warned in time, lest you answer
it as grievously."

"What do you mean, Mailsh Heelbare?" Old Shatresh was frightened.

"You are making magic to bring the Sky Fire to the World. Do you know
what will happen? The World of People will pass whole into the place of
the Gone Ones, and both will be destroyed. The World of People is a
world of death; everything that lives on it must die. The Place of the
Gone Ones is a world of life; everything in it lives forever. The two
will strive against each other, and will destroy one another, and there
will be nothing in the Sky Fire or the World but fire. This is wisdom
which our oomphel teaches us. We know this secret, and with it we make
weapons of great destruction." He looked over the seated shoonoon,
picking out those who wore the flame-colored cloaks of the fire-dance.
"You--and you--and you," he said. "You have been making this dreadful
magic, and leading your people in it. And which among the rest of you
have not been guilty?"

"We did not know," one of them said. "Mailsh Heelbare, have we yet time
to keep this from happening?"

"Yes. There is only a little time, but there is time. You have until
the Always-Same passes across the face of the Sky-Fire." That would be
seven hundred and fifty hours. "If this happens, all is safe. If the Sky
Fire blots Out the Always Same, we are all lost together. Yo