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with the humans,” Gorath said, shooting a look at Gurn, “know them to be people of honor. They shed their own blood to defend us; they left their own dead on our fields of battle. And it is true that they also want this dilithium, but remember, they could have taken it from us if they wanted to. Instead, they respected our wishes for them to go. They also offered us assistance, protection, and machines, but I sent them back to their ship because we are not ready to enter their galaxy. We have much to learn, much to understand about their devices and their ways.
    â€œWhen we have learned enough, we will emerge on
our
terms. Gurn says that we need machines and a new kind of strength to defend ourselves. I say this is not true. We destroyed the Orions with the strength of our blood. We will decipher the puzzles of their machines with our minds and hands. And then we shall enter the galaxy as masters, servants to no one but our own blood and will. Gurn says the Klingons will be here in three days. I say we turn them away. The humans left our world when we asked them to. If the Klingons have honorable intentions, they will do the same. If not, I say we fight them with the last drop of our blood and the last bit of our strength. I have hunted with all of you, fought green-skins with most of you. Stand with me now and no enemy can stand against us.”
    Gorath finished and scanned the crowd. He had won some of the hearts around him, but some of the faces were impossible to read. He had no illusion that this would be easy. What Gurn was offering was tempting—immediatesafety without effort, incredible machines for worthless rocks. The path Gorath was offering would take many summers, require much of his people, and was full of uncertainty. But as his father had taught him,
If you lie down with
flen,
you wake up with mites.
    â€œWe shall vote. Those who would welcome our brothers in blood, stand with me. Those who would turn them away, stand with Gorath,” said Gurn. The clan leaders hesitated, considering the two men. Slowly, they made their way to the pit. Besides Gorath and Gurn, there were seven clan leaders. All Gorath needed now was four, yet he could see that not all were decided.
    One leader joined Gurn, one joined Gorath. Another for each side. Then another. One remained: Balen, who considered both men for a moment …
    And then stepped to Gorath’s side.
    That was it. This battle was won, at least for now. Gorath would have expected Gurn to fume, but he merely nodded and said, “Let no one challenge the will of this council.”
    Afterward, they had the customary meal, but there was little talk. At the end, Gurn approached Gorath and said, “I congratulate you. You remain a leader to us all.”
    Gorath merely nodded and turned to go. He had no desire to trade dishonest words with a snake. He wanted to get back to his village, to see his brother and his son and tell them about what had happened here tonight. It was more than just talk, and Gorath was sure that the matter was not finished. At the least, in three days they would need to be ready for battle. When the battle with the green-skins had come, Adon had been too young to fight. But since then, he had passed his fifteenth summer.This was a battle that he would join. Gorath had to make sure that he was ready.
    On his walk back, Gorath found that he was more troubled than when he knew the Orion machines might kill them all. Then he had been worried about his people’s survival. Now, he thought that they might lose something even more valuable than their lives. Even the trees and the night wind could not quiet his mind.
    He heard noises around him, but did not think much of them until he saw the five people holding torches ahead of him. He didn’t have to see their faces to know that they were Gurn and his people. Gorath was immediately alert, his hunter’s instincts automatically at work. He cursed himself for