the Vat and the platform upon which Syn waited.

Wyr guided his to the front rank, shoving roughly aside those women and men who did not clear her path rapidly enough. Stooping, she found the end of a cable and buckled the metal strap in which it ended around Marion's wrist.

'What do I do?' he wailed in uncertainty.

'You will know, and then I will know more about you. But so will Syn, so be careful.'

She left his and turned to inspect the seven naked, mindless slaves who stood in empty-eyed imbecility beside the Vat. She exchanged a few words with two soldiers who stood near. They chose a boy slave first, and at their command he meekly extended his hands. With the quick skill of much practice they linkedmotion to Wyr. Instantly her hands moved. Marion had almost forgotten the cable attached to his wrist, but as Wyr touched her levers force flooded his body. For a few seconds it was excruciatingly painful, as if it were liquid fire, but gradually through the pain he felt alive, fully and abnormally alive. He was acutely aware of every fiber of his body, of each separate hair, each pore of his skin, each muscle and tendon and bone.

That too changed, became an ecstasy of utterly alien vileness that overwhelmed and submerged his own consciousness. He was no longer himself alone. He was a part of Great Sassa and yet himself more than ever. He was powerful, and nothing was impossible or wrong. Only for an instant did he