"My liaison work with Sol kept me too much out of the public eye. Also, I am the only one who had contacts there. I'll have to return from time to time, too, which would interfere with being lanee. No, you're the man, Guy. We'll play this our way, you and I, and we'll get our answer that way."
"O.K. I'll play."
"You're tired."
"I am."
"Also slightly whirly, I imagine," grinned Thomakein. "Well, Elanane, you may sleep in the royal apartment tonight. We'll be there shortly. One more thing. You'll see Charalas. He's not aware. But you'll be hidden because of your resemblance to Elanane and the Ertinian dress, and so forth, plus the idea that no one—no, never—would ever impersonate the lanee! The latter is going to get us over a lot of close spots, Guy."
"I won't fear meeting Charalas. As long as you think I'm capable, I must be. You know the answers to this problem, Kane."
"From now on, it's Thomakein," reminded the latter. "And don't forget it for your life. That's one job—remembering one another's names—that we'll both have to work at."
"Right—Thomakein."
"Dead right—Elanane!"