"Orthis," Kerrel said, "was not able to see what, fortunately, others did see--that giving the mutation to all the races of the galaxy would mean wars and conflicts of such staggering dimensions that whole solar systems, including ours, might very well be destroyed. He clung stubbornly to his views and eventually fled from Llyrdis in defiance of the government, determined to have his own way. He was pursued, of course, and driven away from his objective, so that his attempt failed, but he was never captured. He vanished far out on the rim of the galaxy, and the process went with him. And that's where the trouble is, Trehearne. Some time later Orthis sent back a certain message, which gave his adherents hope that his ship had not been destroyed, that it was, in fact, waiting somewhere to be found again, and the process with it. Now, after a thousand years, they still hope." Trehearne shook his head. "I certainly can't tell them where the ship is. So how does it affect me?" "Don't you see how you could be used? An alien, a mongrel, but able to fly the stars--the effect on the Orthist movement would be tremendous, and not only on Llyrdis. People all over the galaxy, wanting what we have, would take you up as a symbol of what they consider their emancipation. I have a lively imagination, but it balks at trying to conceive all the trouble that could breed out of that situation." A cold sensation was creeping over Trehearne, centering in the pit of his stomach. What Kerrel said made sense. He hated to admit it, but it made sense. He said harshly, "All right, but there must be a way around it. Around me, I mean. I take it that the Vardda Council is made up of politicians, and a politician can get around anything he wants to." "They can," said Shairn from the doorway. "Particularly when the right people convince them they should." Both men swung around, surprised. She strolled in, smiling at them impartially. Trehearne made nothing out of it but a smile, but Kerrel's face went suddenly hard. "I don't know," she said to Trehearne, "whether anyone has mentioned it, but I'm quite an influential person on Llyrdis." Kerrel said, "Would you mind very much leaving us alone?" "Yes. You see, Kerrel, I feel rather possessive about him. It's my fault in a way he's here, and I'm going to look out for him, whether he likes it or not." "That's fine," Trehearne said. "That puts me right in the middle." "You're there anyway. Isn't he, Kerrel?" "Shairn, I don't wish to quarrel with you here--" "I'm not going to quarrel. I'm only stating a fact. Michael has developed into a very proper Vardda, and I don't intend to have him tucked away on Thuvis until he's done something to warrant it." Kerrel said, as though it were a statement and not a question, "You're going to make an issue of this." "I'm going to fight you for him. You need to be fought with, Kerrel. You're getting too sure of practically everything."