"I know," said Gerd. "I know."
"He's your mental superior too?" asked Wilks uncertainly.
Gerd nodded. "I can try, though. My mental superior he may be, but I am possessed of the knowledge of certain arts of which he knows nothing. That is the heritage of my race: the things I played with as a child. I still ... occasionally ... like to play—"
Wanniston entered the basement workshop of Gerd Lel Rayne and watched while the emissary made adjustments on a bit of complex apparatus.
"Tricky gadget," said Wanniston.
"It is that."
"Energy collector—director, converter," said Wanniston. "You're about to release the secret of galactic power?"
"No, I was just tinkering," said Gerd. "I have no intention of telling Terra about it."
"I know about it now."