"What are you trying to say?" Cercy got to his feet.
"I'm sorry," Malley apologized, "there wasn't a damned thing I could do. Darrig fought the whole thing out in his mind, and when he couldn't fight any longer, he—retreated. I'm afraid he's hopelessly insane."
"Let's see him."
They walked down the corridor to Malley's laboratory. Darrig was relaxed on a couch, his eyes glazed and staring.
"Is there any way of curing him?" Cercy asked.
"Shock therapy, maybe." Malley was dubious. "It'll take a long time. And he'll probably block out everything that had to do with producing this."
Cercy turned away, feeling sick. Even if Darrig could be cured, it would be too late. The aliens must have picked up the Ambassador's message by now and were undoubtedly heading for Earth.
"What's this?" Cercy asked, picking up a piece of paper that lay by Darrig's hand.
"Oh, he was doodling," Malley said. "Is there anything written on it?"
Cercy read aloud: "'Upon further consideration I can see that Chaos and the Gorgon Medusa are closely related.'"