Jarry waited. At the bottom of a chasm, parked beneath a shelf of rock,Jarry waited. An opened bottle stood upon the control board of his flier.Next to it was a small case of white metal.

Jarry took a long, last drink from the bottle as he waited for thebroadcast he knew would come.

When it did, he stretched out on the seat and took a nap.

When he awakened, the light of day was waning.

The broadcast was still going on...

"...Jarry. They will be awakened and a referendum will be held. Comeback to the main cavern. This is Yan Turl. Please do not destroy any moreinstallations. This action is not necessary. We agree with your proposalthat a vote be held. Please contact us immediately. We are waiting for yourreply, Jarry..."

He tossed the empty bottle through the window and raised the flier outof the purple shadow into the air and up.

When he descended upon the landing stage within the main cavern, of coursethey were waiting for him. A dozen rifles were trained upon him as hestepped down from the flier.

"Remove your weapons, Jarry," came the voice of Yan Turl.

"I'm not wearing any weapons," said Jarry. "Neither is my flier," headded; and this was true, for the fire-cannons no longer rested within theirmountings.

Yan Turl approached, looked up at him.

"Then you may step down."

"Thank you, but I like it right where I am."

"You are a prisoner."

"What do you intend to do with me?"

"Put you back to sleep until the end of the Wait. Come down here!"

"No. And don't try shooting--or using a stun charge or gas, either. Ifyou do, we're all of us dead the second it hits."

"What do you mean?" asked Turl, gesturing gently to the riflemen.

"My flier," said Jarry, "is a bomb, and I'm holding the fuse in myright hand." He raised the white metal box. "So long as I keep the lever on