"You know, this will probably go down in Hulgun
history as the Reformation of Ghullam the Holy. I've always wondered
whether the theory of the divine right of kings was invented by the
kings, to establish their authority over the people, or by the
priests, to establish _their_ authority over the kings. It works about
as well one way as the other."
"What I can't understand is this," Brannad Klav said. "It was entirely
because of my respect for the Paratime Code that I kept Stranor Sleth
from using Fourth Level weapons and other techniques to control these
people with a show of apparent miraculous powers. But this Fourth
Level Mineral Products Syndicate was operating in violation of the
Paratime Code by invading our franchise area. Why didn't they fake up
a supernatural reign of terror to intimidate these natives?"
"Ha, exactly because they _were_ operating illegally," Verkan Vall
replied. "Suppose they had started using needlers and blasters and
antigravity and nuclear-energy around here. The natives would have
thought it was the power of Muz-Azin, of course, but what would you
have thought? You'd have known, as soon as they tried it, that First
Level paratimers were working against you, and you'd have laid the
facts before the Commission, and this time-line would have been
flooded with Paratime Police. They had to conceal their operations not
only from the natives, as you do, but also from us.
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