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Anketam stood at the door of the rude hut, looking blindly at the ruins of the village a hundred yards away. In the past few months, weeds had grown up around the charred blobs that had once been the homes of Anketam's crew. Anketam stared, not at, but past and through them, seeing the ghosts of the houses that had once been there. Behind him, Memi was speaking in soft tones to Lady Samas.
The invaders outnumber us. They've got us cut off by a blockade, to keep us from sending out the harvest. They've got machines and weapons." He looked up suddenly, his bright blue eyes looking straight into Anketam's. "How do we know?" Anketam's grin was hard. "Look, Jac; the invaders have said that they intend to smash our whole society, haven't they? Haven't they?" Jacovik nodded.
Anketam's frown grew deeper. He knew that there were other planets besides Xedii; he had heard that some of the stars in the sky were planets and suns. He didn't really understand how that could be, but even The Chief had said it was true, so Anketam accepted it as he did the truth about God. It was so, and that was enough for Anketam. Why should he bother himself with other people's business?
Anketam still couldn't force his mind to function. "Haven't you heard? The Invaders have been looting and burning every castle in their path! And the women " Lady Samas in danger! Something crystallized in Anketam's mind. He pointed in the direction of the castle. "Get back there!" he snapped. "Get everyone out of the castle! Save all the valuables you can!
The day that the war intruded on Anketam's consciousness again had started off just like any other day. Anketam got his fishing gear together, including a lunch that Memi had packed for him, and gone over to pick up Blejjo. Blejjo was the oldest man in the village. Some said he was over a hundred, but Blejjo himself only admitted to eighty.
Anketam refused, in his own mind, to see any connection between Kevenoe's death and the fact that Basom and Zillia had disappeared the same day, probably to give themselves over to the Invader troops. A movement at the corner of his eye caught Anketam's attention. He turned his head to look. Then he spun on his heel and went into the hut. "Lady Samas," he said quickly, "they're coming.
But The Chief had taken him down a good bit when the report came through that Anketam's leaves had made more money because they were better quality. He looked all around the horizon. From here, only Jacovik's section could be seen, and only Jacovik's men could be seen moving. When Anketam's gaze touched the northern horizon, his gray eyes narrowed a little.
Even so, Anketam's faith in the power of Xedii remained constant. The invading armies were still being held off from Chromdin, weren't they? The capital would not fall, of that he was sure. What Anketam did not and could not know was the fact that the Invaders were growing tired of pussy-footing around. Instead of fighting Xedii on Xedii's terms, the Invaders decided to fight it on their own.
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