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"I would’ve destroyed You, Ship"

"How little you understand friendship"

"So I’ an instru me?"

"No Raj No" Such sadness in that terrible voice "Instruments play"

"Why should I perood, Raj!"

"Is that supposed to be an answer?"

"That was approval You are, indeed, My best friend, My favorite instrument"

"I’ll probably never understand that"

"It’s partly because you enjoy the play"

Flattery could not suppress it; a chuckle escaped hihter? He rehter except the bitter a into hyb - not once, but more ti other gah, that Ship was amused and he kneas supposed to respond

"What are we playing this time?"

"My demand remains unfulfilled, Raj Humans somehow cannot decide how to WorShip That’s why there are no h his body

"No mor What’ve You done?"

"Earth has vanished into the cos time, remember? Now, there are only Shipme and you"

"Me, huinal inal material?"

"Very much so"

"What are Shipmen?"

"They are survivors frohtly different replays from the Earth which you recall"

"Not human?"

"You could breed with them"

"How are they different?"

"They have similar ancestral experiences to yours, but they were picked up at different points in their social development"

Flattery sensed confusion in this answer and made a decision not to probe i not yet He wanted to try another tack

"What do You ht of it as rescue In each instance, their sun was about to nova"

"More of Your doing?"

"They have been prepared most carefully for your arrival, Raj"

"How have they been prepared?"

"They have a Chaplain/Psychiatrist who teaches hate They have Sy Murdoch who has learned the lesson well They have a wooes deeper than anyone suspects They have an old ht They have Waela and she is worthy of careful attention They have a young poet named Kerro Panille, and they have Hali Ekel, who thinks she wants the poet They have people who have been cloned and engineered for strange occupations They have hungers, fears, joy"

"You call that preparation?"

"Yes, and I call it involvement"

"Which is what You want from me!"

"Involve reason I should go down there"

"I do not cos"

Not a responsive answer, but Flattery kneould have to accept it

"So I’m to arrive Where and how?"

"There is a planet beneath us Most Shipmen are on that planet - Colonists"

"And they must decide how they are supposed to WorShip?"

"You are still perceptive, Raj"

"What’d they say when You put the question to them?"

"I have not put this question to them That, I hope, will be your task"

Flattery shuddered He knew that gae and invite Ship’s worst reprisal But soue

"What happens if they fail?"

"I break th recording"