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Nor were Gorr Holl and Magro worried. The big Capellan, even now when they awaited the decision, was still
jubilant.
 Hell, what can they do? he said to Kenniston, for the twentieth time.  The thing's done. The Arnol process
is proved practicable, and by now the whole galaxy knows of it. They can't refuse now to let the humanoids'
dying worlds make use of it. They wouldn't dare!
Magro added,  Nor can they force your people to evacuate Earth now that it is getting warmer. It wouldn't
make sense.
Kenniston said,  They can keep us locked up for the rest of our lives, and I wouldn't enjoy that.
Gorr Holl grinned widely at him.  Remember, man, we're only emotional primitives, and they'll have to make
allowances for that.
When they were led back into the big room for the verdict, Kenniston's eyes swung, not to the group of three
men and a humanoid that sat behind the table, but to Varn Allan. He knew that her own career was at stake in
this hearing. She did not look upset, and she met his gaze with a grave little smile.
Lund, beside her, looked alert and faintly worried now. He shot a hard glance at Kenniston, but Kenniston had
to turn his gaze as the reading of the verdict began.
The aging man who read it, the oldest of the four Governors, had no friendliness in his face. He spoke as one
who reluctantly performs an unpleasant duty.
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The City at World's End
 You, the ringleaders in this thing, have rendered yourselves liable to the extremest penalties of Federation
law by your direct defiance of the Governors, he said.  It would be quite in order to direct a sentence of life
imprisonment
He looked down at them coldly. Gorr Holl whispered,  Just trying to scare us  but he did not sound very
confident now.
The old Governor continued.  But in this case it is quite impossible to reach a verdict on purely legalistic
grounds. We must admit that your fait accompli has created a new situation. The Board of Governors has now
given approval to the use of the Arnol process on certain other planets 
Kenniston found it hard, hard, to realize that a long, great battle for the survival of worlds was ending in these
phrases.
  on certain other planets, and that presents us with a legal impasse. To punish you now for your use of it
here would be, morally if not legally, punishing you for infraction of a no-longer-existing law.
Gorr Holl uttered such a long and noisy exhalation of relief that he was promptly glared into silence.
 We are unable, therefore, to do other than dismiss you with the official reprimand of the Board of Governors
for your behavior.
Now that the moment had come, now that it was over, Kenniston found that he felt very little emotion, after
all. The issues had been so vast that they had dwarfed his personal fate. He knew that that feeling would pass,
that later he would be glad and thankful, but now
The Governor, though, had not finished. He was speaking directly now to Varn Allan.
 Over and above the main issue, there remains the conduct of the responsible officials in dealing with it We
are forced to express official censure of what appears to be inexcusable bungling of a psychological problem
by the Administrator in charge, and  here he looked toward Norden Lund  and on the part of the
Sub-Administrator, obvious attempts to hamper his superior for selfish reasons.
The cold voice ended with the brief, hard phrases,
 We recommend, for Administrator Allan: Demotion one grade. For Sub-Administrator Lund: Demotion one
grade. This hearing is concluded.
Kenniston looked across the big room at Varn Allan. Her face had not changed, and silently she turned to go.
Gorr Holl was slapping him mightily on the back, Magro was saying something excitedly, but he wrenched
away from them and went after her. She saw him coming, and waited. But Norden Lund was between them.
Lund's face was white with controlled rage, and his voice was thick as he told Kenniston,  So you primitives
have ruined my career?
Varn Allan cut in contemptuously.  You ruined it yourself, Norden, with your ambitious plotting.
He turned and strode away from them. Varn Allan, looking after him, sighed and said,  You have made a
deadly enemy.
Chapter 21 waking world 109
The City at World's End
He was not thinking of that. He waited until she turned back toward him, and he asked,  Are you my enemy
too, for what I've done to you?
She shook her head gravely.  No. That was not your doing. In a new and confused situation, I failed. That is
all.
 The hell it is! he burst out.  They were unfair to you! You did your best, and 
 And it wasn't quite good enough, she finished. And then she smiled a little at him.  It's not a tragedy. An
Administrator's burden is not easy. I shall not be entirely sorry.
He had never admired her courage so much as now. He wanted to say so, he wanted so say many things, but
she turned away from him a little, and said,  This is a great day for you, Kenniston. For this is the day when
they are allowing those of your people who wish to, to return to your old town.
 Yes, I heard that it was today.
 And you will be going back there, with your Carol. She will be very happy.
He said,  Varn 
But she would not face him. She said,  This is not goodbye. You'll come back before we leave Earth.
He stood, oppressed by emotions he could not define, and finally he said,  Yes. Yes, I'll come back before
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