"I see that your answer does not lie with me. Also, since you are equal to me, you must be capable of understanding the whole truth. Will you come to my home immediately?" "To solve this problem? Certainly." "Then come quickly. A member of the Ones is there now, reading my periodic report. I will prevail upon him to see you. But it must be swift, for he is due to leave in about one hour." They went from the building side by side and entered Rayne's flier. Andrew wondered whether the emissary was willing to discuss the problem before his visit, and decided to try. "Who is your visitor?" "He is Yord Tan Verde." "A sort of high overseer?" "Sort of. He is not connected with the Grand Council of Galactic Civilization in any managerial position, though. Yord is merely one of the group-leaders--a field representative." "Do you mind discussing yourself?" "I'd prefer not--though if you ask me a question that I think is not too personal, I'll be glad to answer." "Your I.Q. is 260, according to the register. If he is your immediate superior, what must his be?" Rayne shook his head. "I don't really know," he answered. "Your Terran method of rating intelligence is based upon age. Since your age is based upon a purely Terran concept, we could not possibly rate our intelligence on your basis, until we encounter your machines. Frankly, I'd say his was higher--but you shall see." * * * * * Gerd stopped Andrew at the door to his library. "Wait," he said. "I'll see if Yord is willing to see you." "If he isn't?" "I'll be as persuasive as I can. I think he may be interested when I inform him that you have artificially increased your I.Q. to my level." "You think so?" "I know so. However, Andrew, it will not be a productive interest. Your means is still artificial and not to be assumed adequate." "Why not?" "Because without the machine to step up your brain, you'd revert to your original state in a single generation. It is worse than the fabled death of power--for power is also the power to destroy. To lose the power of understanding and to leave the machines of intelligence lying around for all to play with would be disastrous. No, you wait and I'll go in and prepare Yord Tan Verde." Rayne left the door partly open. There was a greeting in an alien tongue, and then as the other voice continued, Gerd interrupted. "Please--I was trained in Terran. I think best in Terran. May we use it?" Verde's reply came in Terran. "I'd forgotten." "Thank you." Gerd Lel Rayne explained the situation to his overseer, and it was quite obvious to Andrew that Gerd accelerated the story continuously, and the emissary ended with an air that gave Andrew to understand that the overseer was quite impatient and that he was ahead of Gerd. The answer was a single word. It was unintelligible to Andrew at first, and then it soaked in that Verde had uttered the word: "Inconsistent."