in the individual power of its component
personnel. The sphere of activity of each supervisor, however small or
great, will be clearly and sharply defined. Rank, from the operators at
planetary-population levels up to and including the Eddorian
Directorate, will be a linear function of ability. Absolute authority
will be delegated. Full responsibility will be assumed. Those who
succeed will receive advancement and satisfaction of desire; those who
fail will die.

"Since the personnel of the lower echelons will be of small value and
easy of replacement, it is of little moment whether or not they become
involved in reverses affecting the still lower echelons whose activities
they direct. The echelon immediately below us of Eddore, however--and
incidentally, it is my thought that the Ploorans will best serve as our
immediate underlings--must never, under any conditions, allow any hint
of any of its real business to become known either to any member of any
lower echelon or to any adherent of Civilization. This point is vital;
everyone here must realize that only in that way can our own safety
remain assured, and must take pains to see to it that any violator of
this rule is put instantly to death.

"Those of you who are engineers will design ever more powerful
mechanisms to use against the Arisians. Psychologists will devise and
put into practice new methods and techniques, both to use against the
able minds of the Arisians and to control the activities of mentally
weaker entities. Each Eddorian, whatever his field or his ability, will
be given the task he is best fitted to perform. That is all."

* * * * *

And upon Arisia, too, while there was no surprise, a general conference
was held. While some of the young Watchmen may have been glad that the
open conflict for which they had been preparing so long was now about to
break, Arisia as a whole was neither glad nor sorry. In the Great Scheme
of Things which was the Cosmic All, this whole affair was an
infinitesimal incident. It had been foreseen. It had come. Each Arisian
would do to the fullest extent of his ability that which the very fact
of his being an Arisian would compel him to do. It would pass.

"In effect, then, our situation has not really changed," Eukonidor
stated, rather than asked, after the Elders had again spread their
Visualization for public inspection and discussion. "This killing, it
seems, must go on. This stumbling