Kranath was puzzled. "But . . . Tenar said the legends promised they
would return. If they have gone elsewhere, how can they?"

"They cannot. The legends by now tell more of what the listeners
wanted than of what those who went before truly said. One part has
been handed down accurately--that someone would be asked to join
me--and even that has been misunderstood. I cannot ask that of you until
you know what joining me actually involves; it is far more than simply
being in my presence. When you do understand, I think you will answer
without prompting. Until that time comes, I will discuss the subject
no more."

"All right. But if you need my help to stop the fighting, you have it.
I can't claim I do it for the entire race; I do it to save St'nar. I
can see no other reason you would pick this time to involve someone in
calling the gods." Kranath suppressed his curiosity about just what
gods he was supposed to call if "those who went before" were out of
reach. Godhome had already refused to go into that. "Only . . . why
wait so long?"

"Some situations must be allowed to ripen, or their lessons will not
sink in. Had I intervened earlier, such fighting would break out again,
worse. By waiting, I insure at least relative peace afterward."

Kranath felt the computer's amusement at his next thoughts. "No, given
Traiti psychology, you will have fighters and n'Cor'naya for quite a
few more millennia. Probably as long as the race exists. And, given
my own programming, that pleases me."

Kranath smiled. He hadn't been worried about that, exactly, but since
he was Cor'naya, it was good to hear. He wondered when the computer
would begin his lessons.

"Now," Godhome replied to his thoughts, "with some history." The
landscapes on the walls faded, and the three-dimensional image of a
planet, blue-green and girdled with brilliant white clouds, appeared in
mid-air.

"Beautiful," the fighter breathed. "Is it Homeworld?"

"Yes," Godhome said, again amused. "It is your home world, but look
more closely. It is not this planet. It is quite similar; the major
differences are its shorter year and slightly lower gravity. But the
biochemistry is identical, to twenty decimals."

(The Tarlac-fragment of Kranath's awareness looked--

(--and was shocked to full self-awareness for an instant. If Terra,
pictured here, was the Traiti's true homeworld--

(He wasn't allowed to finish that thought, was forced instead