“Except for humans. Are we being invited?”

“We are. The Stellar Group requires that our representative be present, otherwise the Assembly will not occur.”

“That’s you, isn’t it? You are the human Ambassador to the Stellar Group.”

“I am the Ambassador. That is quite true.” Dougal MacDougal stood up straighter, but at the same time he seemed to Flammarion to have mysteriously shrunk a few inches. “However, this will be an exception to the usual rules for Assembly. Although I will be permitted to be present — as an observer — the Stellar Group insists that a different human be present as a participant. They inform us, very specifically, that Chan Dalton — you — have to be that human.”

“Do they indeed.” Dalton sat up higher in his raised chair and became very much a top advisor to the Duke of Bosny: cold and thoughtful, with an unreadable look in his eye. “The Stellar Group wants me to leave the Gallimaufries and travel out to Ceres. Very interesting. But pardon me, Ambassador, if I say I find that hard to believe. On the other hand, I can very easily believe that there are acquaintances of mine — I won’t go so far as to call them enemies — who for a variety of reasons might want me away from Earth for a while.”

MacDougal’s face reddened. “I know nothing of such things, or such people. I am telling you only that the members of the Stellar Group demand your presence. And they have hinted that this might have some bearing on the present quarantine of humanity.”

“Fine. So tell me this: Why do they want me, and only me? What do they want me for ?”

“Well …” Dougal MacDougal stood woodenly to attention.

Looking up at that tall figure, Kubo Flammarion felt his first moment of sympathy for the man. There was a good reason why the Ambassador had not taken Flammarion into his confidence concerning the reason for bringing Chan Dalton to Ceres.

The Ambassador didn’t know the reason, any more than Flammarion himself did. The need for Chan Dalton, and Chan Dalton alone, was apparently a mystery to every human.