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‘Murristo 527 inquired of his former partner in vivipar miming what the purpose was of the latter’s cluster-mate in improperly supplying him with information, the Na 14 answered that he did not understand the question.
    In point of fact, he did understand it, for he had not erased the subject from his mind at all. It was fortunate that hypervocalization between Chulpex and Chulpex was impossible — as it seemed also to be between vivipar and vivipar. The Na intended henceforth to be most circumspect, to cease from giving evidence of identity-assertion as much as he could help. He was, after all, not yet a sire — he was still very far from even the proximate possibility. There were dangers in the many-pathed ways, then. This was true, the instructor-Na had as much as admitted it. Such being the case, it was well to avoid all dangers here at hand.
    The Na was learning, he was learning fast, and by no means was his learning confined to matters on the instruction-schedule.
    • • •
    Arristemurriste did not follow the more-or-less solitary life favored by Arrettagorretta in the latter’s chamber. Hence, it was by the agitated scurryings of his many attending-Nas that he first had notice of the latter’s unprecedented approach. The days of Sire warring upon sire had long since passed; it was not for this that the war-Nas drilled and trained, although no doubt many of the tactics and maneuvers used dated back to the time when Chulpex lived on the world surface, when Sun Sarnis had not begun to cool, and it was not even unknown (so the records said) for swarm to fight swarm. Still, there were traces of protocol established in those hot, harsh days which still endured. As witness:
    “The Sire, the Sire!”
    “Why this commotion? Speak, informing me clearly and briefly.”
    “Arrettagorretta, the ‘Gorretta-Sire, is approaching on our ramp!”
    Not showing the astonishment he felt, he inquired in what state the other Sire was approaching — and was informed, slowly and alone.
    “ ‘Slowly and alone …’ Thus. When he reaches the summit of the ramp he will ask for my permission to proceed further. Inform those there that the permission is already accorded him. Prepare food, the Nas.”
    Wave after wave of ‘Murriste Chulpex informed their Sire of his peer’s progress. He had indulgently granted to all those adjacent to the other’s route, who were not occupied in tasks of an emergency priority, consent to leave their duties and watch; for scarcely any of them had ever seen another sire before. When at last the vast bulk appeared in the great entrance-way of his chamber, he rose respectfully a trifle and greeted him.
    “What, ‘Gorretta, has word been brought you that I have refused to breed?”
    Arrettagorretta paused in his approach. “Not so, ‘Murriste, assuredly it is not so.”
    “Assuredly not. I spoke in an exaggerated manner merely to indicate my surprise at your approach. Does not every Sire know that ‘Gorretta never leaves his dais but to breed or to exercise anger-outlet, the only known exception in multicycles having been the misfortunate and unprecedented matter of the ‘Parranto? Come, ‘Gorretta, share my dais.”
    He rose on all sixes and moved to make way. “Not that even that was a complete exception, you having taken his Mas to nest. Why did you not share them among us?”
    Ponderously the other Sire ascended to the dais and sank down upon it. At a gesture from his host, attending-Nas brought him food, and he took it. After a while he said, “It was designedly that I did not do so. I desired to express in a strong manner my abhorrence of the unnatural deed of the ‘Parranto without utterly destroying the spirit of his swarms…. What reports have you? What new things?”
    Arristemurriste gestured his Nas to withdraw a distance. Then he told his guest that all reports were more or less as might have been predicted. The continued loss of heat from the planetary core would require