"I think you're bluffing."
"You know how you can find out for certain."
"You'll die too, Jarry."
"At the moment, I don't really care. Don't try burning my hand off,either, to destroy the fuse," he cautioned, "because it doesn't reallymatter. Even if you should succeed, it will cost you at least twoinstallations."
"Why is that?"
"What do you think I did with the fire-cannons? I taught the Redformshow to use them. At the moment, these weapons are manned by Redforms andaimed at two installations. If I do not personally visit my gunners by dawn,they will open fire. After destroying their objectives, they will move onand try for two more."
"You trusted those beasts with laser projectors?"
"That is correct. Now, will you begin awakening the others for thevoting?"
Turl crouched, as if to spring at him, appeared to think better of it,relaxed.
"Why did you do it, Jarry?" he asked. "What are they to you that youwould make your own people suffer for them?"
"Since you do not feel as I feel," said Jarry, "my reasons would meannothing to you. After all, they are only based upon my feelings, which aredifferent than your own--for mine are based upon sorrow and loneliness. Trythis one, though: I am their god. My form is to be found in their everycamp. I am the Slayer of Bears from the Desert of the Dead. They have toldmy story for two and a half centuries, and I have been changed by it. I ampowerful and wise and good, so far as they are concerned. In this capacity,I owe them some consideration. If I do not give them their lives, who willthere be to honor me in snow and chant my story around the fires and cut forme the best portions of the woolly caterpillar? None, Turl. And these things