Our three brave travelers Estrella, Slout, and Kscheeech are led into a large private office by Henriff Abrafrilric.  There the trio intend to inform the obese fellow of how the pathogen has likely made its way across the galaxy and may now be infecting the population.  The assassination of Gilt Duroc gives them every reason to believe the normally peaceful - if not occasionally temperamental - citizens of Suidonj may continue degenerating into random acts of violence.  But that ends up being the least of their concerns when it turns out Prime Minister Abrafrilric seems to recognize Admiral Slout.  The two actually have a past!  And if they're going to resolve the issue of threats to the peace and tranquility of the galaxy's most industrialized planet, this will first have to be resolved.  Even if they can there's still one very sticky issue left to deal with:  namely how in the world they're going to get access to the only available suspect following the assassination of Gilt Duroc.  Not just to interview the beast.  They're going to need his brain.