Leo Frankowski

survival comes first.
    “Those of you
who are living in cities and heavily populated areas must leave them at once.
Staying where you are, you are in serious danger of dying from disease, fire, or starvation.
Take what food and clothing you can, join others for self-protection, and head
for the most isolated area
you can find. Odds are a food tree will be there.
If you go far enough, you will find food.
    “Besides
developing new forms of plants, we have also developed several new forms of
animals. One of these is called a Labor and Defense Unit. They resemble a walking kitchen
table and I am afraid that they are rather ugly to look at, but they are honest
policemen and good doctors. They are intelligent, fast, and deadly.
    “There are now one million LDUs. This
is a very small force compared with the
world’s population, but it seems to
be the only one capable of acting on a worldwide basis. Because of this we are declaring martial law.
    “Murder,
slavery, and the wanton destruction of food supplies, including tree houses and food
trees, are hereby declared capital offenses. LDUs have been ordered to kill immediately
anyone found committing these offenses.
    “It is not our
intention to infringe the rights of any organized group. We will support any group
capable of maintaining order within its local area, and we urge everyone to form
such groups for mutual aid and self-protection, provided that obvious standards
of conduct are maintained.
    “To summarize,
there is more than enough food for everyone, but you must leave the cities to
find it.
    “And a force of
intelligent, strange-looking animals will be helping to maintain law and order.
Please give them your complete cooperation.
    “I am Heinrich
Copernick. I have a message that is vital to your welfare. Be patient, and it
will be repeated in your own language. The next English-language broadcast will begin in
twelve hours.”
     
    Guibedo, Copernick,
Mona, Patricia, Liebchen, and Dirk listened to the broadcast in the living room at
Oakwood, Guibedo’s home.
    “Heiny, you
make me out for such a hero, I get embarrassed,” Guibedo said, switching off
the radio.
    “You deserve it,
Uncle Martin. It’s about time you got some recognition for your
accomplishments. But when times are rough—and they’ve never been worse—people need to know that
there is someone, someplace, who can and will help them. They need a hero to
keep their spirits up, and you’re handy.”
    “Well, I still
get embarrassed.”
    “At least now
there will be fewer people trying to kill you,” Copernick said.
    “Kill
Martin!” Patricia was horrified, and Mona was startled. Liebchen was
immediately in tears.
    “Nobody did
it,” Guibedo said with his arms around Patricia and Liebchen. “Thanks mostly
to Dirk and his buddies. We didn’t tell you about it because there wasn’t any point to making
you worry.”
    “Thank you,
Dirk,” Patricia said, gently stroking the LDU’s feathery back. Gently, because
he had been badly burned in the fire a month before. LDUs with their four-stranded DNA healed
almost as slowly as humans did. By comparison, the fauns, Ohura and Colleen,
far more seriously
injured, were almost completely well, although Ohura’s hair was still short and
Colleen’s new leg was still three inches shorter than her old one.
    Liebchen was
considerably more demonstrative than Patricia, jumping up and hugging Dirk as best
she could. She kissed both of his eye stalks and then began working her way around his
oval body, kissing all eight of his fixed eyes. Dirk caressed her back, and if
her actions caused him any pain, he didn’t show it.
    “You
know,” Guibedo said, “I think they’re in love.”
    “As you know, my
lord, we’re both incapable of the romantic love of bisexual beings,” Dirk
said. “Though I must confess that I rather enjoy having her around.
Still, I wish I could join my brothers who are leaving tomorrow. There is so much
work to do and so few to do it.”
    “Somebody has
got to mind the store,” Guibedo said. “Only twenty of you will be
left in the valley, and all of you are injured. You’ll have your share of work.”
    “The Aerial Defense
Units will be ready in six months to back up your brothers,” Copernick
added.
    “I wish there
was something I could do,” Patricia said.
    “I think there is, Patty,” Mona
said. “Let’s you and me load Winnie up
with food and tree-house seeds and head out to the coast. A lot of people