〃It was necessary；〃 Thyrol said in a muted voice； 〃to add the merest trace of a ramp to ascend to the Music Center。〃
〃I wouldn't have known it if you hadn't told me；〃 Killashandra said； unable to restrain her facetiousness。
〃One ought to approach on foot；〃 Pirinio went on in a repressive tone； 〃but some latitude is permitted so that the audience may assemble punctually。〃 His gesture called Killashandra's attention to the many small switchback paths to one side of the promontory。
Killashandra repressed a second facetious remark which Pirinio's tone provoked。 It wouldn't be the installation on Optheria； not the organ； nor the planet which were hazardous： once again it was the inhabitants。 Was she always to encounter such intolerant； inflexible； remorseless personalities？
〃What sort of local brew do you have here on Optheria？〃 she asked； keeping her tone casual。 If the reply was 〃none；〃 she'd book out on the next available craft。
〃Well； ah； that is； possibly not at all to your taste； Guildmember。〃 Mirbethan's startled reply was hesitant。 〃No beverages can be imported。 I'm sure you saw the notice in the Port Authority。 Our brewmasters produce four distinct fermented beverages： quite potable； I'm told。 Spirits are distilled from the Terran grains which we have managed to adapt to Optherian soil； but I've been told that these are raw to educated palates。〃
〃Optheria produces excellent wines；〃 Pirinio said rather testily； with a reproving glance at Mirbethan。 〃They cannot be exported and indeed； some do not travel well even the relatively short distance to the City。 If wine is your preference； a selection will be put in your quarters。〃
〃I'll try some of the brews； too。〃
〃Wine and beer？〃 Polabod exclaimed in surprise。
〃Crystal singers are required to keep a high blood…alcohol content when absent from Ballybran。 I'll have to decide which is the best for my particular requirement。〃 She sighed in patient forebearance。
〃I wasn't informed that members of your Guild required special diets。〃 Thyrol was clearly perturbed。
〃No special diet；〃 Killashandra agreed； 〃but we do require larger intakes of certain natural substances from time to time。 Such as alcohol。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 Thyrol replied； although clearly he did not。
Does no one on this repulsive planet have a sense of humor？ Killashandra wondered。
〃Ah； here we are so soon；〃 Pirinio said； for the vehicle had swung down the curving drive to the imposing main entrance of the largest building on this musical height。
In orderly fashion but in decorous haste； a second weling mittee formed itself on the wide and shallow marble steps under the colonnaded portico that shielded the massive central doors of the edifice。 Although large urns had been planted with some sort of weeping tree to soften the harsh architecture； the effect was forbidding； rather than weling。
Killashandra emerged from the vehicle； ignoring Thyrol's outstretched hand。 The Optherian's obsequious behavior could quickly bee a major irritant。
She had just straightened up and turned to step forward when something slammed hard into her left shoulder and she was thrown off balance against the vehicle。 The fleshy point of her shoulder stung briefly then began to throb。 Thyrol began to bellow incoherently before he attempted to embrace her in the misguided notion that she needed his assistance。
For the next few moments total chaos erupted： Thyrol； Pirinio； and Polabod dashed about； issuing conflicting orders。 The throng of dignitaries turned into a terrified mob； splintering into groups which fled； stood paralyzed； or added their shouts to the tumult。 A flock of airborne sleds reared up from the plateau to hover above the Music plex； darting off on diverse errands。
Mirbethan was the only one able to keep her wits。 She tore a strip from the hem of her gown； and despite Killashandra's protestations that she required no aid； bound the wound。 And it was she who discovered the weapon； imbedded in the upholstery of the back seat。
〃That's a businesslike piece of wickedness；〃 Killashandra remarked as she studied the asterisk…bladed object； three of its lethal blades buried in the seat back。 The one which had wounded her pointed outward； a strand of her sleeve material laid neatly along the cutting edge。
〃Don't touch it〃 Mirbethan put out her hand to prevent such action。
〃No fear；〃 Killashandra said； straightening up。 〃Local manufacture？〃
〃No。〃 Mirbethan's voice took on a note of indignant anger。 〃An island implement。 An outrage。 We shall spare no effort to discover the perpetrator of this deed。〃
There was a subtle； but discernible； alteration in Mirbethan's tone between her first two remarks and the last which Killashandra caught but could not then analyze； for the rest of the mittee suddenly recalled that there had been a victim of this 〃outrage〃 and more attentions were showered on Killashandra by the concerned。 Despite her protestations； she was carried into the vaulting entrance hall of the main building； and whisked along a corridor； lined floor to ceiling with portraits of men and women。 Even in her swift passage she noticed that they all smiled in the same tight； smug way。 Then she was conducted to a lift while dignitaries bickered about who should acpany her in the limited space。
Once again； Mirbethan won Killashandra's approval by closing the door on the argument。 They were met at their destination by a full medical convention and Killashandra was made to lie on a gurney and was wheeled into diagnostics。
At the moment of truth。 when the temporary bandaging was reverently unwound from the injury； there was a stunned silence。
〃I could have spared everyone a great deal of unnecessary effort；〃 Killashandra remarked dryly after she glanced at the clean； bloodless cut。 〃As a crystal singer； I heal very quickly and am not the least bit susceptible to infection。 As you can see。〃
Consternation was rampant； with all the medics exclaiming over the wound； and others cramming forward in an attempt to witness this miracle of regeneration。 Glancing up； Killashandra saw the very smug smile on Mirbethan's face； so very like the smiles on the portraits。
〃To what agency do you attribute such remarkable healing properties？〃 asked the eldest of the medical people in attendance。
〃To living on Ballybran；〃 Killashandra replied。 〃As you must surely be aware； the resonance of crystal slows down the degenerative process。 Tissue damage regenerates quickly。 By this evening this minor cut will be pletely healed。 It was a clean swipe and not all that deep。〃
She seized the opportunity to slip off the gurney。
〃If we may take a sample of your blood for analysis；〃 the elder medic began； reaching for a sterilely packaged extractor。
〃You may not；〃 Killashandra said and again felt a wave of incredulous dismay and surprise from her audience。 Was contradiction forbidden on Optheria？ 〃The bleeding has stopped。 Nor will analysis isolate the blood factor which slows degeneration；〃 she went on with a kind smile。 〃Why waste your valuable time？〃
She strode purposefully toward the door； determined to end this interlude。 Just then； Pirinio； Thyrol； and Polabod arrived； breathless in their haste to rejoin her。
〃Ah； gentlemen； you are just in time to escort me to my quarters。〃 And when there were stumbled explanations about receptions and Music Center faculty waiting and the prospect of attendance by the Elders； she smiled gently。 〃All the more reason for me to change。。。〃 and she gestured to the torn sleeve。
〃But you've not been attended！〃 Thyrol cried； astonished to see an unbandaged slash。
〃Very well； thank you；〃 she said and walked past him into the corridor。 〃Well？〃 She swung round to face a throng of very confused people。 〃Will no one escort me to my quarters？〃 This farce was beginning to pall。
The corridor； too； had its occupants； mostly in the universal green garb of the medical profession。 Therefore； the young man； clad in a dark tunic； his bronzed legs bare to the soft leather ankle boots； stood out among them。
Lanzecki might swear that the Ballybran spore did not confer any psychic enhancement but Killashandra was entertaining severe doubts on that score。 She had defin