"It's dead," he said.

"What will we do?"

"Leave it here. The sands will cover it."

They returned to the installation, and Jarry entered the event in thelog.

During their last month of duty, Sanza asked him, "Will everything diehere but us? The green birds and the big eaters of flesh? The funny littletrees and the hairy caterpillar?"

"I hope not," said Jarry. "I've been reading back through thebiologists' notes. I think life might adapt. Once it gets a start anywhere,it'll do anything it can to keep going. It's probably better for thecreatures of this planet we could afford only twenty Worldchangers That waythey have three millennia to grow more hair and learn to breathe our air anddrink our water. With a hundred units we might have wiped them out and hadto import coldworld creatures or breed them. This way, the ones who livehere might be able to make it."

"It's funny," she said, "but the thought just occurred to me that we'redoing here what was done to us. They made us for Alyonal, and a nova took itaway. These creatures came to life in this place, and we're taking it away.We're turning all of life on this planet into what we were on our formerworlds--misfits."

"The difference, however, is that we are taking our time," said Jarry,"and giving them a chance to get used to the new conditions."

"Still, I feel that all that--outside there"--she gestured toward thewindow--"is what this world is becoming: one big Deadland."

"Deadland was here before we came. We haven't created any new deserts."

"All the animals are moving south. The trees are dying. When they getas far south as they can go and still the temperature drops, and the aircontinues to harm their lungs--then it will be all over for them."

"By then they might have adapted. The trees are spreading, aredeveloping thicker barks. Life will make it."