“It is greatly weakened. So much so that it may now be possible to destroy it forever. To have survived to realize that end would make even the sleep of millennia worthwhile.”

“The thing is here, now, on Repler,” said Philip. It wasn’t a question.

The eyes swiveled to rest on the young engineer. “Yes, that is so.” (Something/there/veiling/physical youth/hiding??/determine/what?/not now/standoff?/more than/ less than/query-query?/silence/silence/ *?*/.)

Those present got only the confirmation.

“Well for Solsake, where? Let’s be about rooting out this archaic bugaboo or whatever! The military base at the capitol can—!”

“I have evaluated your thoughts on the matter and those of the two military attachés present,” came the thoughts firmly. Both Kitten and Porsupah started. So much for classified information. “The Vom is weakened, true. Enormously so, yet it is still powerful enough so that simple energy devices will not harm it.”

“Simple, hell!” snorted Kingsley. “The rectory there mounts energy rifles on an anchor core that—”

“All is relative, my young friend. I know wherewith I say.” Kingsley subsided. Maybe, Kitten figured, the certainty in that voice got to the trader. Or maybe it was the “young friend.”

“I should, however, be glad of some help,” Peot continued, perhaps with an eye towards assuaging any feelings of racial impotence. “Yet I fear that such an attempt would but provoke a devastating response on the part of the thing, which I am currently powerless to prevent. Something simple, on the nature of gleaning the central city of all intelligent life. No, it is best to try none such . . . yet.”

“You did say it might be killed,” reminded Mal.

Kitten reflected while observing this by-play that the adaptability of the human wasn’t bad by half. Here they were standing and chatting amiably via telepathy with a completely improbable alien, only recently resurrected, about some other unknown and equally outrageous creature from another universe as though everything had been politely arranged by faxpax and when will tea be served, thank you?

“Although immensely powerful by your standards . . .”

“Look, how do you so all of a sudden know so much about our standards and such?” said Kingsley, a trifle belligerently. He was doubtless a bit put out that his prize possession had taken over its own introduction.

Peot, however, had no time for idle converse. He began again, patiently.

“Although immensely powerful by your standards, it has degenerated considerably from what it once was. The major portion of the Machine is in synchronous orbit directly above the Vom’s current location. It will stay that way regardless of how the creature moves. The Machine is directed and operated from this capsule. Certain repairs to critical functions must be made before any attempt to attack the Vom can be made. As a matter of self-protection and your own safety . . . the Vom grows stronger each day it is unopposed . . . these things must be done as soon as possible. Some of the required elements are rare. Others have deteriorated, I fear, because their life has been reduced to a point where they will no longer activate the instrumentation they affect. These must be replaced.”