The energy-nucleus that was Dalen absorbed these thoughts, and at length sent his answer back to the Cloud:

“Sire, your venerable age and your seniority on the Galactic Council cause me to answer you with deep respect, but I find it impossible to agree.”

Mogar’s thought returned like cosmic lightning: “Then you will, I suppose, appeal to the Supergalactic Conference.”

Dalen evaded this trap. His answer swept back across the light-years of the galaxy’s length quietly but strongly:

“Sire, I do not think that is necessary.”

And of course it was not necessary. While all the nine gods in the Galactic Council had authority in any part of the galaxy, and even certain rights anywhere in the Milky Way Supergalaxy, in practice each member of the council ruled a particular sphere of the galaxy, and by unwritten law might do anything he wished in that region as long as he did not upset the dynamic balance of neighbor regions.

That was where Mogar came in, and why it was necessary to secure his approval before actually beginning the experiment. For Mogar’s ancient seniority on the council and his resultant familiarity with all conditions in the Galaxy of Orion (the IX ) had made him a sort of deputy of the Supergalactic Conference, and they had actually given him a temporary appointment as Director of Creation in the IX Galaxy. Temporary, though he had already held it for several ages. The higher gods were very conservative.

So it was most desirable to secure Mogar’s approval on any project involving creation, for creation involved the welfare of neighboring regions. But Mogar, long embittered by his own failure to advance