itical recalcitrance or, as was probably more often die case, moral and ethical backsliding Such an instance probably was that of Reverend Mother Denote, whose assignment on Ecaz was sabotaged by her personal involvement with a minor functionary named Theos The Truthsayer s special talents and abilities were thus subverted to the service of political intrigue-a personal power struggle within the Impenum seriously jeopardized the Sister hood's plans for an advanced breeding program m that geographical area A highly secret document, lately come to light, reported the malefactions of the Truthsayer Denora to her Patroness What punishment was meted out is not recorded Still, Denora's name was removed from the Sacred Index of Servitors, effectively erasing her from the rolls forever The informer's motives and identity are unknown With few exceptions, membership on the Council was a life term A vacancy remained open until a suitable replacement was found A list of prospective Council members was developed by means of recommendation, reputation, training or birth, providing a small pool of candidates available at all times to the Holy Mother m charge ot the selection process The responsibilities laid upon a Truthsayer were arduous and the spartan existence, the self discipline, the daily regi men of obedience meditation and avowal demanded constant vigilance, dedication and restraint A prospective candidate for the office was required to undergo various trials to test her mettle One of the most gruelling tests put to a novice Truthsayer was an appearance before the Council to answer questions devibed by the Patroness These interrogative disputa tions posed questions of a philosophical and political nature, occasionally branching out into matters of cosmology Once the various tests had been successfully passed, however, the initiation ceremony could commence The candidate was led through darkness into a hall of immense proportions wherein only three lights shone Surrounded by darkness the chosen one was treated to a lanterna magica display during which she was bom bardcd with flashing images of human history-its glory and its failures its hopes and its despair, its victims, its villains and its heroes For the space of a dav and a night she was initiated into the mystery of Truthsayer by confronting the darkness, alone, in order to know light Being sightless, she was expected to see At the end of the ordeal, three Sisters would appear carrying a crystal cube on which was etched three overlapping triangles set in a circle the emblem of the Nine The newest member, dressed in stark white robes, would then take her place at the Council table By all accounts, the glass enclosure nous TRUTHSAYER 493 TRUTHSAYER ing the Cogita Vera Council on Wallach IX was set in the center of a shallow pool whose waters were fed by running streams Arched walkways, like rays surrounding a sun, ex tended from the central cylinder and led to a small sealed