"They have been," he says. "Their leadership has been crushed. This is mere reflex action of a corpse. But as we know, a corpse can still do considerable harm."

"No, I agree, Abigail. This is a deliberate act, to stretch us thin and force me back into the system. Yet I cannot abandon the postulants. Even if my hands and gestures did not require reinforcement, you are the heirs of the Houses. A devastating blow to our leadership."