to the problem or to his
treatment of it.

"The package was delivered while she was at this suicide party," he
considered. "It must, therefore, have been sent by somebody who either
did not know she would be out of the apartment, or who did not expect
it to function until after her return. On the other hand, if her
disappearance was due to hostile action, it was the work of somebody
who knew she was at the feast and did not want her to reach her
apartment again. This would seem to exclude the sender of the package
bomb."

Tortha Karf nodded. He had reached that conclusion, himself.

"Thus," Verkan Vall continued, "if her disappearance was the work of
an enemy, she must have two enemies, each working in ignorance of the
other's plans."

"What do you think she did to provoke such enmity?"

"Well, of course, it just might be that Dalla's normally complicated
love-life had got a little more complicated than usual and
short-circuited on her," Verkan Vall said, out of the fullness of
personal knowledge, "but I doubt that, at the moment. I would think
that this affair has political implications."

"So?" Tortha Karf had not thought of politics as an explanation. He
waited for Verkan Vall to elaborate.

"Don't you see, chief?" the special assistant asked. "We find a belief
in reincarnation on many time-lines, as a religious doctrine, but
these people accept it as a scientific fact. Such acceptance would
carry much more conviction; it would influence a people's entire
thinking. We see it reflected in their disregard for death--suicide as
a social function, this Society of Assassins, and the like. It would
naturally color their political thinking, because politics is nothing
but common action to secure more favorable living conditions, and to
these people, the term 'living conditions' includes not only the
present life, but also an indefinite number of future lives as well. I
find this title, 'Independent' Institute, suggestive. Independent of
what? Possibly of partisan affiliation."

"But wouldn't these people be grateful to her for her new discoveries,
which would enable them to plan their future reincarnations more
intelligently?" Tortha Karf asked.

"Oh, chief!" Verkan Vall reproached. "You know better than that! How
many times have our people got in trouble on other time-lines because
they divulged some useful scientific fact that conflicted with the
locally revered nonsense? You show me ten men who cherish some