"And now this!" His fur was dancing. "Remember what Cat's Eye said when you asked it how long ago dark-matter life had first arisen?

'Since the beginning of all the stars combined,' he said. 'Since the beginning of the universe."" Keith nodded.

"He said they had to exist that far back — had to!" Jag's fur was rippling. "I thought it was just a philosophical position, but he's right, of course — life had to exist from the beginning of this universe, or as near to the beginning as physically possible."

Keith stared at Jag. "I don't understand."

"What arrogant fools we are!" said Jag. "Don't you see?

To this day, despite all the humbling lessons the universe has already taught us, we still try to retain a central role in creation. We devise theories of cosmology that say the universe was destined to give rise to us, that it had to evolve life like us. Humans call it the anthropic principle, my people called it the aj-Waldahudigralt principle, but it's all the same thing: the desperate, deep-rooted need to believe that we are significant, that we're important.

"We talk in quantum physics about Schredinger's cat or Teg's kestoor — the idea that everything is just potentialities, just wavefronts, unresolved, until one of us all-important qualified observers lumbers by, has a peek, and, by the process of looking, causes the wavefront to collapse. We actually allowed ourselves to believe that that is how the universe worked — even though we know full well that the universe is many billions of years old, and not one of our races is more than a million.

"Yes," barked Jag, "quantum physics demands qualified observers. Yes, intelligence is necessary to determine which possibility becomes reality. But in our arrogance we thought that the universe could work for fifteen billion years without us, and yet that it somehow was geared to give rise to us. Such hubris! The intelligent observers are not us — tiny beings, isolated on a handful of worlds in all the vastness of space. The intelligent observers are the dark-matter creatures.

They have been spinning galaxies into spirals for billions upon billions of years. It is their intellect, their observations, their sentience that drives the universe, that gives quantum potentialities concrete reality. We are nothing-nothing! — but a recent, localized phenomenon — a spot of mold on a universe that doesn't need us, or care that we exist.

Cat's Eye was absolutely right when he said we were insignificant.

This is their universe — the darmats' universe. They made it, and they made us, too!"

Chapter XXV

Keith sat in his office on deck fourteen, looking over the latest news from Tau Ceti. Reports were sketchy, but on Rehbollo, forces loyal to Queen Trath had put down the insurrection against her, and twenty-seven conspirators had been summarily executed in the traditional method of being drowned in boiling mud.

Keith set down the datapad. The report strained credulity — it was the first he'd heard of any political unrest on Rehbollo.

Still, maybe it was true — although more likely it was just a government desperately trying to distance itself from a disastrous initiative.

A chime sounded, and PHANTOM's voice said, "Jag Kandaro em-Pelsh is here."

Keith exhaled. "Let him in."

Jag entered and found a polychair. His left eyes were on Keith, but the right pair were scanning the room in the instinctive fight-or-flight pattern. "I suppose at this juncture," he said, "I must fill out some of those forms you humans are so fond of."

"What forms?" said Keith.

"Forms for resigning my position aboard Starplex, of course. I can no longer serve here."

Keith rose to his feet, and permitted himself a stretch.

It had to begin somewhere — maturity, the stage after the midlife crisis, peace. It had to begin somewhere.

"Children play with toy soldiers," said Keith, looking now at Jag.

"Child races play with real ones. Maybe it's time all of us grew up a bit."

The Waldahud was quiet for a long moment. "Maybe."

"We all have loyalties hardwired into our genes," said Keith. "I won't push for your resignation."

"Your comments assume that I am guilty of something. I reject that. But were it true, you still misunderstand.

Perhaps… perhaps your people will always misunderstand mine."

Jag paused. "And the converse, too, of course."

Another pause. "No, it is time for me to return to Rehbollo."

"There's a lot of work left to be done here," said Keith.

"Doubtless so. But the job I set for myself has been completed."

"Oh," said Keith, understanding dawning. "You mean you've accrued sufficient glory to win Pelsh."

"Exactly. The discoveries I have been a part of involving the darmats will make me the most celebrated scientist on Rehbollo." A pause.

"Pelsh will make her decision soon. I can tarry here no longer."

Keith thought for a moment. "No female Waldahud has ever worked aboard Starplex. When my term of office ends, it will be an Ib's turn to be director; I suspect Wineglass will get the job. But after the Ib, the position will then fall to a Waldahud — and I know the Waldahudin will demand a female leader. What if — what if you and Pelsh came to Starplex together? From what I've heard, she'd be a natural for the director's job."

Jag's fur rippled in surprise. "We can't do that. We will both still be part of a larger grouping. She will retain her entourage until she dies."

Keith's eyes widened a bit. "You mean the males that don't succeed with her don't get to try their luck elsewhere?"

"Of course not. We will remain a family. We have all been pledged to Pelsh since childhood."

"Perhaps you could all come to serve aboard Starplex-all six of you."

Jag moved his lower shoulders. "Starplex is for the best and brightest.

I would never speak to a Waldahud in disparaging terms about other members of my lady's entourage, but I will tell you the truth. It was never a contest between me and four others. Never. It was between me and one individual. That was clear from the beginning.

The others… lack distinction."

"But I thought Pelsh was related to the royal family.

Forgive me, but why would she have less than the most qualified suitors?"

"An entourage must continue to function even after a mate is chosen. A skillfully selected entourage Will contain several members who will be content with lesser stations.

Indeed, an entourage composed entirely of what you humans call alpha males would be doomed."

Keith thought about this. "Well, if the only way we can get you is to take your whole family, then I will see to it that we do so."

"I — I do not think you will follow through on that."

Keith blinked. "I'm a man of my word."

"The real contest for Pelsh was between me and one other.

That other, of course, has a name." Jag's four eyes locked on Keith's two. "That name is Gawst Dalayo em-Pelsh."

"Gawst!" said Keith. "Who led the attack on Starplex?"

"Yes. He escaped the darmats and is now back on Rehbollo."

Keith was still for ten seconds, then began to nod. "You had to help him, didn't you?"

"I have admitted nothing," said Jag.

"If you didn't help him, all the glory in bringing Starplex home to Rehbollo would have been his; he would have been chosen by Pelsh. By assisting him, you assured that the glory would be shared."

"There are two hundred and sixty Waldahudin aboard Starplex," said Jag.

The sentence floated between them for several moments.

Keith nodded, understanding. "So if you hadn't helped him, doubtless he would have found someone else who would have," said Keith…

"Again," said Jag, "I admit nothing." He was quiet for a time. "Of course, Queen Trath's government may bring criminal charges against Gawst. He soon may not have his liberty — or even his life."