Pehn opened his eyes to speak to Bidagha. "Do you think you can cure me, by Ceremony alone?"
"I have cured people who were much more ill than you are, but your case is serious because you have delayed so long. It may be that we should not rely on ritual alone, and that it would be wiser to use knife."
Lord Karn gasped with horror. "Never! Have you lost faith in your own art?"
"Of course none of us like to use knife, since very few minds are skilled enough to control infection likely to follow. No, first we shall hold Ceremony just as our traditions counsel us. Tonight."
The muted chime of the visiphone interrupted them. The Premier touched his wrist and the gaunt face of Nautunal appeared in the dial.
"Signals have entered new stage, sir. Message coming at present states that Topaz planet wishes to visit any planet inhabited by intelligent race. They say they have phase space drive for spaceships, but in all their searching have not found even one inhabited world. They say they want to know that they are not alone in universe."
The Premier's face worked. "I cannot say what is right. Later. I will decide after Ceremony. Are you ready, Pehn?"
Pehn covered his face with his folded arms.
"All right," he whispered. "Sooner, better."