Hippocrates relays:
Katya has learned some more from reading an advanced (requires Psi
substat of 12) section of the Hegemonicon.
First, it seems that this section was only expected to be read after
the Flames ritual. Its writers thought that the psionic power
required to read it could not be achieved prior to doing the Flames
ritual. Katya points out that other people on the ship seem to be
advancing in power very quickly. What this means, or what is causing
it, is unclear.
Various conclusions:
- There should be only one more instance of the Flames after the
current instance.
- The normal method of focusing psychic energy on bloodline scions is
to have them assume political leadership. This isn't the only
possible way, but others (a religious movement, for example) are a lot
harder to set up.
- Bloodlines can be empowered in parallel or in serial.
The book doesn't address the exact psychic energy budget involved.
Katya thinks that the current situation (somewhat less than half of
the population of the Linked Worlds focused on Donella) is not
adequate to empower the bloodlines for the next instance of the
Flames.