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"The Venusians took thehtful way of drowning you It takes about eight hours to drown the way they work it Really delightful"

"I bet there isn't any food here at all" Pickard laughed

The lieutenant frowned at him, nodded at him so Simmons could see Simmons shook his head and went back to a room at one side of the oval chay loaves of bread, and h a hundred holes in the kitchen roof

"Brilliant" The lieutenant glanced up at the holes "I don't suppose we can plug up all those holes and get snug here"

"Without food, sir?" Simmons snorted "I notice the sun machine's torn apart Our best bet is to make our way to the next Sun Dome How far is that from here?"

"Not far As I recall, they built two rather close together here Perhaps if aited here, a rescue ht----"

"It's probably been here and gone already, soo They'll send a crew to repair this place in about six ress I don't think we'd better wait"

"All right then, we'll eat what's left of our rations and get on to the next Dome"

Pickard said, "If only the rain wouldn't hit my head, just for a few minutes If I could only remember what it's like not to be bothered" He put his hands on his skull and held it tight "I remember when I was in school a bully used to sit in back of me and pinchHe did that for weeks and months My arht I'd go crazy froone a littlehurt and hurt, and I turned around and took aand I almost killed that bastard I almost cut his lousy head off I aled , 'Why don't he leave me alone? why don't he leave me alone?' Brother!" His hands clenched the bone of his head, shaking, tightening, his eyes shut "But what do I donow? Who do I hit, who do I tell to lay off, stop bothering , always on you, that's all you hear, that's all you feel!"

"We'll be at the other Sun Dome by four this afternoon"

"Sun Doone? What then? What if there are holes in all the ceilings, and the rain co in!"

"We'll have to chance it"

"I' it All I want is a roof and some quiet I want to be alone"

"That's only eight hours off, if you hold on"

"Don't worry, I'll hold on all right" And Pickard laughed, not looking at them