  // if the number of assistants is odd, add a dummy assistant, to make the count even
          if (acount % 2 == 1) {
            const dummy = net.createVertex();
            net.addVertex(dummy);
            net.linkVertexes(parent, dummy, asstedges.first().link);
          }
          // now PARENT should get all of the assistant children
          eit = asstedges.iterator;
          while (eit.next()) {
            parent.addDestinationEdge(eit.value);
          }
          // create substitute vertex