"This is deeper than I thought, Ruut. You did very well to put him under nego. The man can't control his endocrine system properly."
"Well do something," Ruut demanded. "Don't just float there."
"All I can do," Curl said, raising his voice exactly one decibel to show his irritation, "is give advice. Obviously, in his condition, the man can't follow it."
Ruut gazed unhappily at his friend. He was in authority over Tensor, and therefore far inferior in native gifts. Now it seemed that Tensor was regressing in some obscure way to his own level, a tragic and uncivilized situation.
"This has happened before," Curl admitted. "But I can't quite remember when." He sighed resignedly. "I guess I'll have to teleport again. Somebody probably remembers."
He disappeared for a few minutes and returned again, face beaming despite the fatigue.
"Oh yes," he said cheerfully. "Now I know."
Tensor stared at him with uninterested eyes.
"The man is dying," Curl explained with satisfaction.
"Dying?" Ruut murmured incredulously. "But that's impossible unless the Council orders him to destroy himself. Why—why that would make him just like an animal."