For the survival of the many, the few shall be sacrificed. For the survival of the few, the self shall be sacrificed. For the survival of the self, the principle shall be sacrificed. Koans of the Cuckoo You are safe now,” the servomech assured Sam. “The levithons cannot penetrate this building.” “Levithons? There are more of the things?” “Thousands. They are universal scavengers, biological constructs about which we knew nothing until their spores descended from space.” Sam sat down suddenly, and all the energy sagged out of him. Tears coursed down his cheeks; he felt like throwing up. “She’s dead. Nerydd. Why wasn’t she protected by a building, if that’s all it takes?” He tried to summon up techniques from his training as lifesoul-healer. He knew the self-delusional traps. It still hurt.
