On Fri, 20 Jun 2003, Philip Hart wrote: #I don't understand how anyone can actually launch a successful coup #against an Emperor able to use the Orb, which I believe gives one the #ability to fry anyone linked to it. This is the second or third time in the current thread that I've seen this power attributed to the Orb. Is this correct? The only similar thing I remember is from a conversation between Vlad and (Aliera? Kiera?). Vlad is surprised to learn that any citizen of the Empire can use his or her (sorry, Steve!) link to the Orb to contact the Emperor directly, but the Emperor can fry the person if he thinks his time is being wasted.* That attack might well use the current or just-used link through the Orb; we're not told so, but it's a reasonable possibility. It is certainly not the same as being able to fry anyone who has an Orb link. To the left, the stated danger in _Issola_ that if the Jenoine got control of the Orb, they could use it to control everyone who has an Orb link does suggest that the Emperor could, indeed, fry anyone linked to it, as you say. * I started to make the Emperor references gender-neutral in that sentence and quickly saw the merit of Steve's position. -- Mark A. Mandel http://world.std.com/~mam/Cracks-and-Shards/ a Steven Brust Dragaera fan website