"Here sits Elin Lol, blessed by God. He chose the Lol family, tried and tested them, and they did not waver. Two years ago, their son died in changeover, and they found strength in the thought that God took him before he could kill. Last year Riled Lol died, and her husband turned his energies to caring for his daughter, remaining always a good and pious man. And finally the test came upon Elin. Her father was brutally murdered. She questioned, and yet she placed her faith in God's justice and mercy. And now the Lol family has been blessed.

"Let us all pray that Elin Lol will continue to live in God's grace. May she find good friends across the border. May God bless her with a good husband and healthy children, none of whom bear the Devil's curse."

There was a prayer in unison at that point, in which Rimon and Kadi did not participate. Rimon was fascinated by the way Veritt had taken the harsh facts, of a hard and sorrowful life and woven them into a story of faith and hope. Yet life wasn't that simple, and Rimon was certain Veritt himself knew that. He deliberately kept his teachings to black and white, good and evil to ensure that his people didn't have to think too deeply about their faith.

Hope and joy permeated the nager in the chapel and seemed to enter Kadi, too, lifting her to a euphoric contentment. Rimon basked in it until he felt Jord Veritt zlinning Kadi from all the way across the room, despite the heavy nager. Rimon took her hand protectively. She looked at him, then at Jord, and suddenly became transparent, visible to Sime senses only as a brightness. Startled, Rimon had to look to see that it was still Kadi sitting beside him.

The prayers ended. Elin Lol and Jord came to the table. Jord poured water into the three cups. Abel Veritt said a blessing over them, and handed cups to Elin and Jord, keeping one himself.

"We celebrate our sameness," he announced. "All life, from the smallest plants and animals to man himself, both Sime and Gen, must have water to exist. Thus we remind ourselves that we are all part of God's plan, even those who bear the curse of the Sime nature."

The three drank from the cups, and Jord set them off to one side, placing the lamp in the center of the table. Then he gave Elin the lighted candle. It caught the tears swimming in her eyes and picked out highlights in her hair. All in white, she looked like a shimmering apparition, a vision of hope.

Abel Veritt said, "Elin Lol, you leave us now for a better life here on this earth. Live it so that you may know an even more blessed existence after death, and that your children may never be cursed with the Devil's form. Go with God, Elin Lol, leaving behind you the flame of hope."

Tears streaming down her face, Elin turned to the congregation. "I—I love you all. I'll never forget to pray for you. May God bless and protect you."

Then she lit the lamp from her candle. Jord put the chimney on, and the flame flared brightly as around the chapel all the other lamps were extinguished, and then Elin blew out her candle. The only light in the chapel now was the lamp on the table. The Simes, though, could perceive Elin's nager, even low-field as she was, as a glowing, growing flame of hope.

Of course, there wasn't supposed to be another Gen in the chapel. Kadi's nager was much brighter than Elin's, but there was nothing to be done about it. Perhaps, though the strange custom of Fort Freedom's Simes of not zlinning under formal circumstances extended to their religious practices. As the Veritts guided Elin down the aisle, Rimon put his arm around Kadi's waist and guided her out. He knew she didn't miss the way he deftly avoided Jord Veritt and kept his own body between Jord and her. As they were mounting up, she whispered, "What's the matter, Rimon?"

"Nothing," he said tersely. "Button your coat. It's going to be a chilly ride."

The stars were bright and clear, the moon just rising. There would be frost by morning. Rimon and Kadi joined the band of ten Simes escorting Elin to the border, for they would take her to the easy crossing-place on the edge of their homestead.

They took the hill trail, passed Rimon and Kadi's home, and went on to the border crossing. There Abel Veritt asked Rimon to go up to the top of a hill with the most sensitive Simes of Fort Freedom to zlin any danger spots ahead.

Elin knelt before Abel Veritt for a last blessing, and then made as if to kiss his wife good-bye, but the woman stepped back sharply, warding off the contact. Just past turnover, Rimon judged. They exchanged a formal little gesture he didn't quite follow.

"It's all clear as far as I can zlin," Rimon reported, and with stiff determination, Elin Lol mounted and rode away, leading a heavily laden packhorse, the discipline of Fort Freedom keeping her from looking back. Blinking back a tear, Kadi pulled Rimon's arm around her. The Simes stayed at the top of the hill, watching until no one could perceive Elin's nager any longer. Then they all turned and rode back along the trail.

Abel Veritt dropped back to ride with Rimon and Kadi. "I was sorely tempted tonight to say something about the hope you have brought to our community. When we put the lights out, I was sorry I hadn't, for Kadi—"

"I know," she said. "I shouldn't have been there to distract from Elin's moment."

"No, no. It was as if our ceremony were reflected and expanded. The little candle flame beside the flaring lamp, and Elin's low-field beside yours. Kadi, you are a symbol of hope."

"She's the Devil sent to tempt us, Father." Jord Veritt had come up beside them. Rimon bit back bitter words.

"You will not speak so!" ordered Veritt.

"It's time I spoke out. If this Gen has formed an unholy alliance with a Sime, what can she be but a demon in Gen form? What other form would you, our leader, trust more?"

"Jord, you will be silent," said Veritt. "Rimon and Kadi have learned to live together, Sime and Gen, without killing. One day, may God be willing, they'll teach us, and then our children will not have to leave us."

"Father, they're seducing our people from the faith. Mrs. Lodge left us to live with one of their Godless followers. Who will be next?"

"Mrs. Erick comes to all our services, and brings her children," Veritt replied. "She lives with her husband, as is only right and proper. Jord, I want you to apologize for this outburst. You have no excuse—not even need."

"Father, these people are blinding you to your own teachings."

"Jord," said Rimon stiffly, "Kadi and I had no intention of coming between you and your father, but how can one prove intentions—or spiritual merit?"

Jord studied Rimon. "You are willing to give proof?"

"Certainly, if you can think of a way."

Jord looked Kadi up and down while Rimon fought for self-control. "Since you already know how not to kill, take one of the Gens from Slima's Pens this month—and let Mrs. Farris teach me."

"Why you—!" Rimon leaped for Jord's throat, tentacles spread for a killing grip, knocking the other man from his horse, the two of them rolling, struggling on the ground.

Abel Veritt dismounted in a flash of augmented motion, coming between the fighters, his wife at his side in an instant, pulling their son back while Veritt grasped Rimon. "Stop this!" he thundered. "Will you prove that Simes are no better than beasts?"

Kadi came up beside Rimon, trying to project calm. "Rimon, please!" she begged. "Jord doesn't understand!" Veritt relinquished Rimon into her care, turning to his son.

"Oh, he understands!" he said, advancing to where Jord stood. "You disgust me! Flesh of my flesh and child of my sin. You're the punishment God has meted out to me for being seduced into the Freehand Raiders when I first changed over. Your birth killed your mother, who had rescued me from a life of sin. Now you stand there, a disgrace to the woman who raised you as her own son."