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specific.
When this Book is translated into the many tongues of the galaxies and made available
everywhere, it will be our greatest missionary.
Yess looked across the table into Carmody's eyes, and Carmody felt the hairs on the back of his
neck rise. It was the aura, though much attenuated, that he had felt when he went into the Temple with
the other Fathers for the birth of Yess -- when Boonta had made Her presence known.
Abruptly, the feeling stopped. Yess rose and said, I will see you, Father.
Carmody stood up also. Am I free to make your decision known?
No. You will say nothing of it.
Yess strode around the table, embraced Carmody and kissed him. Do not grieve, Father. There
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are things beyond your understand-ing. You must accept them, just as you accepted the things of the
Night and my conception by a creature of your mind.
I would like to do so, Carmody replied. But I cannot accept needless suffering and death.
They are not needless. Boonta be with you.
And God with you -- son.
Tand greeted the priest as he entered the waiting room on the ground floor. How did it go, John?
How do you feel?
Downcast. And troubled. I feel somewhat like an actor who has walked onto the stage only to
find himself in the wrong theater and the wrong play.
You've completed your mission. Why don't you go home?
I don't know why, but I can't. Something tells me I have unfinished business here. Perhaps it's to
find out the truth, if that's possible. I'll tell you one thing. Yess' theory of one universal savior disturbs me
very much. Are divine truths revealed little by little as sentients become ready for them? And is Yess
about to reveal one, a valid one?
Carmody went home and to bed. He slept until late in the morning, an event rare for him. When
he went down to the hotel dining room for breakfast, he found it empty of all non-Kareenans except for a
number of Terrestrial converts to Boontism. He ate a sad breakfast alone. Just before he finished, he was
interrupted by a priest of Boonta.
Carmody looked up at the green robes and peacocktail-like head-dress, and it was a few
seconds before he recognized Skelder.
Carmody stood up and joyfully threw his arms around him. It was an indication of the change in
the once dour and withdrawn priest that he responded as eagerly.
I wanted to see you before the Night started, Skelder said. After that, who knows?
There's no need for me to ask if you still think you made the right choice? Carmody said.
No. I'm perfectly happy about my decision. Never regretted it. And you?
Same here. Well, shall we sit down and talk?
I'd like to, Skelder said, but I must be at the Temple. Yess is going to make the announcement at
noon, you know.
No, I didn't. What then?
What happens is in the hands of Boonta. Tand told me that you know much about events behind
the scenes. So, you must know that we wouldn't be surprised if Rilg tried to keep Yess from making the
public announcement. Not that he'd dare lay hands on Yess -- officially, anyway. But he could try to cut
off the electrical power or jam the broadcast.
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He must be desperate.
He is. Well, I must be off. Oh, yes, Tand said that Lieftin is still at large. And he must be
desperate, too. The last ship has left, he can't get off. However, he may expect to be put to Sleep during
the Night and so escape its effects. We think he'll try whatever he has planned before the broadcast.
Maybe that is what Rilg is hoping for.
Skelder said good-type and left in a swirl of long green robes. Carmody signed the government
credit slip for his breakfast and went out into the street. He was unaccompanied, since there no longer
seemed any reason to guard him. Many people were in the streets. They stood silently on the corners by
the large public TV screens, evidently awaiting Yess. Many had removed their masks.
Carmody tried to talk to some of those standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. After
several attempts, he gave up. They not only did not want to talk to him, they scowled and turned away or
muttered under their breaths.
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