"I have little longer to live. It would be worthwhile if, in that hour left to me, I could complete the task of extinction--or at least enable you to do so. If one of you is willing to take the risk, I will do what I can." "No risk is too great! But what can be done?" "As far as I know, it has never been attempted, but perhaps my own _abasa_ could be transferred to you." Dreyer translated the offer, his glance going from Illia to Underwood. Something of hope seemed to come again into his eyes. Underwood caught his breath sharply. "A set of fully developed _abasa_ transferred to my own body! There would be one of us to meet Demarzule on his own level. Illia--" Her face was suddenly white. "It's impossible, Del! I couldn't perform such an operation without any previous study with their anatomy. I can't do it!" "It's got to be done, Illia. I'll take a chance on your skill." "That's an utterly ridiculous statement. I have no skill in a case like this. Tell him, Dr. Dreyer. He can't expect that much of me." "I don't know, Illia," said the semanticist. "It seems to me that you are confusing your analysis by your own personal emotions. You cannot be evaluating properly under such conditions." She bit her lips to hold back a further outburst. Then, at last she said, "Don't ask the impossible of me, Del. I saw the way they split the nerves in the operation we watched. It couldn't be done without long practise. Most of all, I couldn't do it to you." As if sensing the meaning of their argument, Jandro spoke suddenly. "You will have great difficulty in making a successful installation because you are unfamiliar with the anatomy of the _abasa_, true, but I can help. I can guide and direct your hands up to the very point of cutting the nerves to the _tri-abasa_. You shall succeed if you allow me to guide you." * * * * * Underwood kept his eyes upon Illia. Her face was as pale as her shining hair. "I'll try, Del," she said. News of the projected experiment sped swiftly through the ship, and its significance was greeted with awed incomprehension as if Underwood has suddenly stepped from their midst into a misty realm beyond their reach. And their awe was magnified by the knowledge that it could very well mean death. Within minutes of the decision, assistants were rolling the tables bearing the white sheeted forms of Underwood and Jandro into the surgery. A strange peace, a sort of ecstasy, seemed to have come over Jandro. Underwood had seen and heard of resignation in the face of death, but never such serenity as possessed Jandro. It had a calming effect upon Underwood and he shed the thoughts of his own possible death or maiming as a result of the strange operation. He thought only of the mission that would be his once he owned the powers of the Dragbora.