religious doctrine or political ideology, and I'll show you nine men
whose minds are utterly impervious to any factual evidence which
contradicts their beliefs, and who regard the producer of such
evidence as a criminal who ought to be suppressed. For instance, on
the Fourth Level Europo-American Sector, where I was just working,
there is a political sect, the Communists, who, in the territory under
their control, forbid the teaching of certain well-established facts
of genetics and heredity, because those facts do not fit the
world-picture demanded by their political doctrines. And on the same
sector, a religious sect recently tried, in some sections
successfully, to outlaw the teaching of evolution by natural
selection."

Tortha Karf nodded. "I remember some stories my grandfather told me,
about his narrow escapes from an organization called the Holy
Inquisition, when he was a paratime trader on the Fourth Level, about
four hundred years ago. I believe that thing's still operating, on the
Europo-American Sector, under the name of the NKVD. So you think Dalla
may have proven something that conflicted with local reincarnation
theories, and somebody who had a vested interest in maintaining those
theories is trying to stop her?"

"You spoke of a controversy over the communication alleged to have
originated with this voluntarily discarnated nobleman. That would
suggest a difference of opinion on the manner of nature of
reincarnation or the discarnate state. This difference may mark the
dividing line between the different political parties. Now, to get to
this Darsh place, do I have to go to Venus, as Dalla did?"

"No. The Outtime Trading Corporation has transposition facilities at
Ravvanan, on the Nile, which is spatially co-existent with the city of
Ghamma on the Akor-Neb Sector, where Zortan Brend is. You transpose
through there, and Zortan Brend will furnish you transportation to
Darsh. It'll take you about two days, here, getting your hypno-mech
indoctrinations and having your skin pigmented, and your hair turned
black. I'll notify Zortan Brend at once that you're coming through.
Is there anything special you'll want?"

"Why, I'll want an abstract of the reports Dalla sent back to Rhogom
Foundation. It's likely that there is some clue among them as to whom
her discoveries may have antagonized. I'm going to be a Venusian
_zerfa_-planter, a friend of her father's; I'll want full hypno-mech
indoctrination to enable m