Breathless, Grandfather sank back into the pillows. "But you're going to do it?"

"I must, Sectuib," said Klyd, both humble and stubborn, a combination Valleroy had thought impossible.

"Well, then promise you won't try to qualify him unless Denrau is standing by-just in case..."

"You will have Denrau low-field by then."

"No I won't, Charnye will serve me, just as he always has."

"Denrau has more experience in-"

"And you require his experience more than I! You are Head of Zeor. You are Sectuib here whether you like it or not. All the rest of us depend on you... and you depend on Denrau. It's about time you learned when to take the best for yourself!"

"A lesson," said Klyd softly, "which you learned many years ago but have forgotten."

"Nobody depends on me any more."

"I do, Grandfather."

"Hah!" It was parody of a laugh. "When have you ever taken my advice?"

"Now for example."

"About Denrau..."

"No, about Hrel."

"Who?"

"Our newest disjunct."

"What's he got to do with Denrau?"

"Not with Denrau, with Naztehr Hugh."

"Naztehr...?"

"The Arensti Designer, our newest candidate."

"The Arensti Designer is a Gen?"

"You authorized it yourself, Grandfather."

"I did?"

"Besides," said Denrau, "you liked the design he's submitted." Surreptitiously, the Companion motioned Valleroy to hold the board up again.

One wizened hand came up, ventral tentacles waving at the design. "That one? But wasn't that last year's winner?"

"No, Grandfather. It's the one you authorized for this year's entry."

"Oh, yes, definitely a winner. Day after tomorrow. I haven't forgotten. But what has that to do with Hrel?"

"We have reason to believe he's been spying for Andle."

"Ridiculous. Disjuncts don't spy. They have to be loyal or they'd never make it."

"So I have believed. But Naztehr Hugh is the one who discovered Feleho this morning..."

"Dead?" said Grandfather as if he still couldn't believe. "Our little Feleho, slaughtered!"

"He wasn't dead when Hugh found him. He had a message."

"He told who killed him?"

"Perhaps. He said, Tell Klyd, Hrel spies for Andle...' It must have been that discovery that earned him martyrdom."

"Andle!" breathed the old man, suddenly sharp-eyed. "So, Andle killed our little boy! But are you sure? This new Gen, he might have mixed up the tenses, spies for spied?"

"I know it seems impossible, Grandfather, but it can be no other way. It was something Hugh said at Hrel's disjunction party that made me send Feleho into Andle's organization. The only way he could have been caught is if Hrel overheard and reported to Andle... after disjunction."

"It was a genuine disjunction?"

"I served him myself. It was genuine."

"Then Hrel killed Feleho."

"Apparently."

"But we can't turn him out."

"No, we can't."

The old man lay back with a sigh. "Times are changing. People are changing."

"How many times have you told me people don't change?"

"That's true. They haven't."

"I don't know what to do with Hrel. I seek guidance, Sectuib."

"For once, perhaps, you'll take some advice?"

"You have a solution?"

"Appoint Hrel to officiate at Feleho's funeral."

"But that honor belongs..."