Snowflake looked over her shoulder at Malbess and asked, "I'm going to die, aren't I?" Malbess flicked her scanning laser over Snowflake's back and noted the florescent points of decay on her friend's back. Malbess tried not to sniffle, and said hoarsely, "According to that alien woman, Kyryn, Yes. Your armor didn't provide one hundred percent protection from that weapon. You have about eighteen hours before your back skin peels off. A week of continued function, and maybe a week of life past that before....before you..." Malbess couldn't finish and broke down weeping. She hugged Snowflake, who looked lost. 518 took off his helmet and looked over where Martya was comforting Capitan Rose, who had taken the news very hard. Slicey-Dicey, Snowflake's surviving sister, looked like she would collapse and leaned on the QRI machine heavily. 518 stopped wondering at that point. He had a flash of Toxic laying dead on that morgue slab, and for the first time knew what Capitan Rose was feeling. The cold alone empty pain of loss almost overwhelmed his thoughts. Scavs weren't supposed to have feelings like that. He wiped his eyes and said as the Speaker of the Consensus as he passed, "Sir! Wait. I have an idea you might want to hear." The Speaker stopped and turned to the Scav warrior, and asked,"You received artifact armor from our beloved Oracle with his dying breath. What more do you want?" "To help you and your people. We are more trustworthy than some of your own! We didn't assassinate the Oracle with another of those Spor-Line Fields! We didn't murder one hundred and two of your people with a self-destruct device, either. I want to save Snowflake, and I have an idea." The Speaker waved a hand and said,"Make it fast, 64-25518! We are in a crisis. Power is still off to some defense systems, and part of the surface city. Without the Oracle, were are vulnerable." 518 looked around and snapped,"WE ALL ARE! Your people are only ONE finger on the hand of Balaam! The Duergar are another. The Trow are another, so are Humans! So are MINE! Separate we are weak, together we make a fist that might save us from those who would destroy us all!" He continued,"Look here--Novo Paradisio was ALSO attacked by alien infiltrators. The NEW Sister of Water is ON Flying City 64. Racers and emissaries from ALL the major powers are going there within the next day or so. The powers are aligned, ripe for contact by your Cyclops Commonwealth. We can take Snowflake along, and try to get the Little Sister of Water out of prison before the idiots running the place execute her!" The Speaker asked loudly to Martya who was patting Rose's arm, "Sister of Air Martya? Is your information accurate?" Martya blinked and said back,"JUST 'Martya'! Thank you. Yes. Ahrini's arrested, Toxic is...uhhhhhoooo...OFF-LINE ...heh...and the Measure's turned to STONE or something. If Tall White Lady tells me anything else useful, I'll let you know!" The Speaker looked at 518, who then said in inspiration, "One other thing--I have the cure to the Blight in my bloodstream. You can MASS-PRODUCE it with your manufacturing facilities, and the whole planet over a barrel!" The Speaker reeled back a footstep in surprise. "You believe it to be true! We'll draw a blood-sample immediately. I'll relay this information to the Council and we'll inform the Consensus. Thank you, 64-25518." The Speaker turned and strode hurriedly out of the room. 518 turned to Snowflake,and said quietly,"I'm going to do what I can to save you. If possible." Snowflake came over and hugged him. After a moment, he hugged her back. He was tired of watching people die. --TO BE CONTINUED!--