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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28486-h.zip b/28486-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5cf3f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28486-h.zip diff --git a/28486-h/28486-h.htm b/28486-h/28486-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fa687c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28486-h/28486-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4175 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Weakling, by Everett B. Cole</title> +<style type="text/css"> + /* + Note: Minor typographical etc corrections are documented + in comments beginning "TN:" + */ + /* slight differences for print and screen */ + @media print { + hr.pg {display: none; visibility: hidden; } + .main p {margin-bottom: 0.25em; + text-indent: 2em; } + body {margin-right: 0!important; + margin-left: 0!important; } + } + @media screen { + span.pgmark {border-top: thin solid silver!important; + border-bottom: thin solid silver!important; + display: inline!important; visibility: visible!important;} + div.illus {margin: 4em -20%!important; } + } + + body {font-size: medium; + font-family: serif; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; } + + p {margin-bottom: 0.75em; + text-indent: 0; } + + div.main {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + margin-top: 0; + padding-top: 3em; + padding-bottom: 1em; + max-width: 35em; } + div.main p {text-align: justify; + margin-top: 0; + margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0! important; } + div.main h1, h2 {font-family: sans-serif; + font-weight: bold; + word-spacing: 0.5em; + text-indent: 0; + text-align: left;} + div.main h1 {width: 60%; + font-size: 200%; + margin: 2em 0 1em auto; } + div.main h2 {width: 55%; + font-size: 160%; + line-height: 1.8; + margin: 1em 0 4em auto; } + div.main p.illo {width: 55%; + text-indent: 0; + text-align: left; + margin: 6em 0 1em auto; + font-size: 90%;} + div.main p.callout {width: 60%; + text-indent: 0; + text-align: left; + margin: 1em auto 6em 0; + font-size: 110%; + line-height: 1.8;} + p.fin {margin: 4em auto! important; + text-align: center! important; + text-indent: 0! important; } + p.dropcap {text-indent: 0!important; + margin-top: 3em ! important; } + p.dropcap span {text-transform: uppercase; margin-left: -9px; } + p.dropcap img {float: left; clear: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;} + div.illus {text-align: center; + margin: 4em 0; } + .framed {border: thin solid black; } + .padded {padding: 10px;} + div.wrapfig {margin: 0 -10% 0 -10%; + background-image: url("images/illus-039.png"); + background-position: right top; + background-repeat: no-repeat; + min-height: 903px; + page-break-inside: avoid !important;} + div.wrapfig p {margin-left: 8.333%!important; margin-right: 8.333%!important; } + .bag1, .bag2, .bag3, .bag4 {margin: 0! important; + clear: right; overflow: hidden;} + .bag1 {float: right; + width: 320px; + height: 487px;} + .bag2 {float: right; + width: 380px; + height: 40px; } + .bag3 {float: right; + width: 440px; + height: 35px; } + .bag4 {float: right; + width: 100%; + height: 351px; } + div.clearout {clear: both; } + + /* for transcriber's note at the beginning */ + div.tnote {border: dashed 1px; + padding: .5em; + margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em; + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; } + div.tnote p {text-indent: 0; + margin-top: .5em; + font-size: 85%;} + div.tnote h3 {text-indent: 0; + text-align: left; + font-size: 110%; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: bold; + padding-top: 0; + letter-spacing: 0;} + + hr {background-color: black; color: inherit; padding: 0; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; + clear: left; } + hr.pg {width: 100%; + height: 5px; + margin-top: 15px; + margin-bottom: 15px; } + + span.pgmark {font-size: x-small; + font-family: serif; + font-variant: normal; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + line-height: 1.2; + letter-spacing: 0; + text-indent: 0; text-align: left; + margin: 0; padding: .05em 0.5em !important; + position: absolute; left: 1%; + border: 0 ; + display: none; visibility: hidden; /* over-ridden for screen devices */} + + .ns {display: none; visibility: hidden; } + .newpg {page-break-before: always; } + cite {font-style: italic; } + .nw {white-space: nowrap; } + .tb {padding-top: 1.7em; } + + +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Weakling, by Everett B. Cole + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Weakling + +Author: Everett B. Cole + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: April 3, 2009 [EBook #28486] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WEAKLING *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, David Wilson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<hr class="pg" /> + +<div class="tnote"> +<h3>Transcriber’s note:</h3> + +<p>This story was published in <cite>Analog Science Fact & Fiction</cite>, February 1961. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.</p> + +<div class="illus"><img class="framed" src="images/cover.jpg" width="346" height="500" + alt="Analog Science Fact & Fiction" title="Magazine Cover" /></div> + +</div> + +<div class="main"> + + + + +<h1><a name="png.001" id="png.001"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">8</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>THE WEAKLING</h1> + +<h2>By<br + />EVERETT B. COLE</h2> + + +<p class="callout"><i>A strong man can, of course, be dangerous, +but he doesn’t approach the vicious +deadliness of a weakling—with a weapon!</i></p> + +<p class="illo"><i>Illustrated by van Dongen</i></p> + +<div class="illus newpg"><a name="png.002" id="png.002"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">9</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span><img class="framed padded" src="images/illus-002.png" width="398" height="600" + alt="Portrait of the Weakling" title="Frontispiece" /></div> + +<div class="illus newpg"><a name="png.003" id="png.003"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">10</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span><img src="images/saurians.png" width="600" height="203" + alt="Caravan of saurians" title="" /></div> + +<p class="dropcap"><img src="images/dropcapn.png" width="100" height="100" + alt="N" title="" /><span>aran Makun</span> looked +across the table at the +caravan master.</p> + +<p style="clear: none!important;">“And you couldn’t +find a trace of him?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing. Not even a scrap of his +cargo or so much as the bones of a +long-neck. He just dropped out of +sight of his whole train. He went +through this big estate, you see. Then +he cut back to pick up some of his +stops on the northern swing. Well, +that was all. He didn’t get to the first +one.” The other waved a hand.</p> + +<p>“Weird situation, too. Oh, the null +was swirling, we know that, and he +could have been caught in an arm. It +happens, but it isn’t too often that an +experienced man like your brother +gets in so deep he can’t get out somehow—or +at least leave some trace of +what happened.” The man picked up +his cup, eying it thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>“Oh, we’ve all had close ones, sure. +We’ve all lost a long-neck or so, now +and then. Whenever the null swirls, +it can cover big territory in a big hurry +and most of that northern swing is +null area at one time or another. One +of those arms can overrun a train at +night and if a man loses his head, he’s +in big trouble.” He sipped from his cup.</p> + +<p>“Young caravan master got caught +that way, just a while back. A friend +of mine, Dr. Zalbon, was running +the swing after the null retracted. He +found what was left.”</p> + +<p>“Told me he ran into a herd of +carnivores. Fifteen or twenty real big +fellows. Jaws as long as a man. He +killed them off and then found they’d +been feeding on what was left of Dar +Konil’s train.”</p> + +<p>He shook his head. “It’s not a nice +area.”</p> + +<p>“Hold everything.” Naran leaned +forward. “You said my brother went +through this big estate. Anyone see +him come out?”</p> + +<p><a name="png.004" id="png.004"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">11</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>Dar Girdek smiled. “Oh, sure. The +Master of the Estates, Kio Barra, +himself. He saw him to the border +and watched him go on his way.”</p> + +<p>Naran looked doubtful. “And what +kind of a character is this Barra?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, him!” Dar Girdek waved a +hand. “Nothing there. In the first +place, he holds one of the biggest estates +in the mountain area. So what +would he want to rob a freight caravan +for?” He laughed.</p> + +<p>“In the second place, the guy’s +practically harmless. Oh, sure, he’s +got a title. He’s Lord of the Mountain +Lake. And he wears a lot of +psionic crystalware<!-- TN: original reads "crystalwear" -->. But he’s got about +enough punch to knock over some +varmint—if it’s not too tough. Dar +Makun might be your weak brother, +but he’d have eaten that guy for +breakfast if he’d tried to be rough.”</p> + +<p>“Psionic weakling, you mean? But +how does he manage to be a master +Protector of an Estate?”</p> + +<p><!-- 005.png -->Dar Girdek smiled wryly. “Father +died. Brother sneaked off somewhere. +That left him. Title’s too clear for +anyone to try any funny business.”</p> + +<p>“I see.” Naran leaned back. “Now, +what about this null?”</p> + +<p>“Well, of course you know about +the time the pseudomen from the +Fifth managed to sneak in and lay +a mess of their destructors on Carnol?”</p> + +<p>“I might. I was one of the guys +that saw to it they didn’t get back to +celebrate.” Naran closed his eyes for +an instant.</p> + +<p>“Yeah. Way I heard it, you were +the guy that wrapped ’em up. Too +bad they didn’t get you on the job +sooner. Maybe we wouldn’t have this +mess on our hands now.” Dar Girdek +shrugged.</p> + +<p>“Anyway, they vaporized the city +and a lot of area around it. That was +bad, but the aftereffect is worse. +We’ve got scholars beating their +brains cells together, but all they can +tell us is that there’s a big area up +there just as psionically dead as an +experimental chamber.” He grinned.</p> + +<p>“I could tell ’em that much myself. +It’s a sort of cloud. Goes turbulent, +shoots out arms, then folds in again.</p> + +<p>“We’d by-pass the whole thing, +but it’s right on the main trade route. +Only way around it is plenty of days +out of the path, clear down around +the middle sea and into the lake region. +Then you have to go all the way +back anyway, if you plan to do any +mid-continent trading. And you still +take a chance of getting caught in a +swirl arm.”</p> + +<p><a name="png.006" id="png.006"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">12</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>Naran tilted his head. “So? Suppose +you do get into a swirl? All you +need to do is wait.” He smiled.</p> + +<p>“You know. Just sort of ignore it. +It’ll go away.”</p> + +<p>“Uh huh. Sounds easy enough. It’s +about what we do when we have to. +But there are things living there. +They can be hard to ignore.”</p> + +<p>“You mean the carnivores?”</p> + +<p>“That’s right. If you meet one of +those fellow out in normal territory, +he’s no trouble at all. You hit him +with a distorter and he flops. Then +you figure out whether to reduce him +to slime or leave the carcass for his +friends and relations.” He smiled.</p> + +<p>“From what your brother said, you +wouldn’t need the distorter.”</p> + +<p>Naran smiled deprecatingly. +“That’s one of the things they pay me +for,” he remarked. “We run into some +pretty nasty beasties at sea.”</p> + +<p>“Yeah. I’ve heard. Big, rough fellows. +Our varmints are smaller. But +what would you do if you ran into +twenty tons or so of pure murder, +and you with no more psionic power +than some pseudoman?”</p> + +<p>Naran looked at him thoughtfully. +“I hadn’t thought of that,” he admitted. +“I might not like it. Jaws as longs +as a man, you said?”</p> + +<p>The other nodded. “Longer, sometimes. +And teeth as long as your hand. +One snap and there’s nothing left.</p> + +<p>“When they kill a long-neck, they +have a good meal and walk away +from whatever’s left. But people are +something else. They just can’t get +enough and they don’t leave any +crumbs.” He waved a hand.</p> + +<p><!-- 007.png -->“There’ve been several trains +caught by those things. A swirl arm +comes over at night, you see, and the +caravan master loses his head. He +can’t think of anything but getting +out. Oh, he can yell at his drivers. +They’ve got a language, and we all +know it. That’s easy. But did you ever +try to get a long-neck going without +psionic control?”</p> + +<p>“I see what you mean. It could be a +little rough.”</p> + +<p>“Yeah. It could be. Anyway, about +this time, everybody’s yelling at everybody +else. The long-necks are +squealing and bellowing. Drivers are +jerking on reins. And a herd of carnivores +hears the commotion. So, +they drop around to see the fun. See +what I mean?”</p> + +<p>Naran nodded and Dar Girdek +went on.</p> + +<p>“Well, that’s about it. Once in a +great while, some guy manages to get +into a cave and hide out till the null +swings away and another caravan +comes along. But usually, no one sees +anything but a little of the cargo and +some remains of long-necks. No one’s +ever come up with any part of man or +pseudoman. As I said, one snap and +there’s nothing left.”</p> + +<p>Naran smiled wryly. “Tough to be +popular, I guess.” He leaned forward.</p> + +<p>“But you’ve been over the trail +several times since he disappeared. +And you said you’ve seen nothing. No +trace of the train. That right?”</p> + +<p>The other shook his head. “Not +even a cargo sling.”</p> + +<p>“You’re making up a train now, +aren’t you? I’d like to go along on this +<a name="png.008" id="png.008"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">13</span><span class="ns">] + </span>next trip. Fact is, I’ve been thinking +some nasty thoughts. And I’m going +to be uneasy till I find out whether +I’m right or not.”</p> + +<p>Dar Girdek rubbed his chin. “Want +to buy in, maybe?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t think so. I’ll work my +way—as your lead driver.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no!” Dar Girdek laughed. +“You don’t put a psionic on some +long-neck. Lead driver’s pseudoman, +just like the rest.” He sobered.</p> + +<p>“Oh, sure. You could handle the +drivers, but it just isn’t done.”</p> + +<p>Naran smiled. “Oh, as far as the +other drivers’ll know, I’m just another +pseudoman. I’ve been a ship’s non-psi +agent, remember? We earn our +keep by dealing with the people in +non-psi areas.”</p> + +<p>“It won’t work.” The<!-- TN: original reads "Th" --> caravan master +shook his head. “These drivers can +get pretty rough with each other. +You’d have to set two or three of +them back on their heels the first day. +It would be either that, or get a lot of +bruises and end up as camp flunky.”</p> + +<p>“Could be,” Naran told him. “Tell +you what. You turn me loose in an +experimental chamber so I can’t +fudge. Then send your toughest driver +in and tell him to kick me out of there. +I’ll show him some tricks I learned +from the non-psi’s overseas and he’ll +be a smarter man when he wakes +up.”</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Leuwan, Kio Barra, Lord of the +Mountain Lake, Master of the Estates +Kira Barra, and Protector of the +Common Good, stood examining the +assortment of crystals in a cabinet. +<!-- 009.png -->He hesitated over a large, brilliantly +gleaming sphere of crystallized carbon, +then shook his head. That one +would be pretty heavy going, he was +sure. The high intensity summary +said something about problems of the +modern world, so it could be expected +to be another of those dull reports on +the welfare of the Commonwealth.</p> + +<p>Why, he wondered, did some projection +maker waste good time and +effort by making up things like that? +And why did they waste more time +and effort by sending them around? +When a man wanted to relax, he +wanted something to relax with. +What he was looking for was something +light.</p> + +<p>He turned his attention to other +crystals, at last selecting a small, blue +prism. He held it up, regarding it, +then nodded and placed it on the +slender black pedestal near his chair, +where he could observe without undue +effort.</p> + +<p>He turned, examining each corner +of his empty study, then took his sapphire-tipped +golden staff from under +his arm, placing it carefully on a rack +built into his chair arm, where it +would be convenient to his hand +should the need arise.</p> + +<p>One could never be too careful, he +thought. Of course, he could deal with +any recalcitrant slave by other means, +but the distorter was convenient and +could be depended upon to give any +degree of pressure desired. And it +was a lot less trouble to use than to +concentrate on more fatiguing efforts +such as neural pressure or selective +paralysis.</p> + +<p><a name="png.010" id="png.010"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">14</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>One must conserve one’s powers +for times when they might be really +needed.</p> + +<p>Too, there was the remote possibility +that some lackland wanderer +might come by and find a flaw in the +protection of the Estates—even somehow +penetrate to the Residence. Barra +shuddered at that thought, then +shrugged it off. Kira Barra was well +protected, of that he had made sure. +Ever vigilant surrogates were deposited +in all the strategic spots of the +Estates—not only to allow quick observations +of the condition of the +lands, but also to give automatic +warning of the approach of anyone of +inimical turn of mind.</p> + +<p>He eased his bulk into the chair, +twisted about for a few moments as it +adjusted to fit his body, then leaned +back with a sigh of relaxation and directed +his thoughts to the crystal before +him.</p> + +<p>Under the impulses of his amplified +thought, the crystal glowed, appeared +to expand, then became a +three-dimensional vista.</p> + +<p>The high intensity summary and +excerpt leader had been not too deceptive, +Barra told himself as the +story unfolded. It was a well done adventure +projection, based on the war +with the Fifth planet. Critically, he +watched the actions of a scout crew, +approving of the author’s treatment +and selection of material. He, Barra, +was something of a connoisseur of +these adventure crystals, even though +he had never found it necessary to +leave the protection of Earth’s surface.</p> + +<p><!-- 011.png -->He shrugged, taking his attention +from the projection.</p> + +<p>The lacklanders, he told himself—entertainment +people, caravan masters, +seafarers, other wanderers of +light responsibility—were the natural +ones to be selected to go out and +deal with remote emergencies.</p> + +<p>Like all stable, responsible men of +property and worth, he was far too +valuable to the Commonwealth to +risk himself in wild dashes to the +dead, non-psionic lands, or out into +the emptiness of space. As far as risking +himself on combat missions of +interplanetary war— He shook his +head. This was pure stupidity.</p> + +<p>He frowned uneasily. It had been a +bit unfair, though, of the Controllers. +They had completely excused him +from service on the basis of inaptitude. +It had rankled ever since.</p> + +<p>Of course he couldn’t be expected +to dash madly about in some two-man +scout. Even as his brother’s assistant, +he had been a person of quite +definite standing and responsibility +and such antics would have been beneath +his dignity. He had made that +quite plain to them.</p> + +<p>There had been responsible posts +where a man of his quality and standing +could have been of positive value. +And, as he had pointed out, they +could have assigned him to one of +those.</p> + +<p>But no! They had merely excused +him. Inapt!</p> + +<p>As far as that went, he told himself +angrily, he, Kio Barra, could comport +himself with the best if necessity +demanded.</p> + +<p><a name="png.012" id="png.012"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">15</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>Those dashing characters in this +projection were, of course, the figments +of some unstable dreamer’s +imagination. But they showed the instability +of the usual lackland wanderers. +And what could such men do +that a solid, responsible man like +himself couldn’t do better?</p> + +<p>He returned to the crystal, then +shook his head in disgust. It had become +full—flat—meaningless. Besides, +he had matters of real import +to take care.</p> + +<p>He directed his attention to the +chair, which obediently swung about +until he faced his large view crystal.</p> + +<p>“Might as well have a look at the +East Shore,” he told himself.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />As he focused his attention, the +crystal expanded, then became a huge +window through which he could see +the shores of the inland sea, then the +lands to the east of the large island on +which he had caused his Residence to +be built. He looked approvingly at +the rolling, tree-clad hills as the view +progressed.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, he frowned in annoyance. +The great northern null was in +turbulence again, thrusting its shapeless +arms down toward the borders of +Kira Barra. He growled softly.</p> + +<p>There, he told himself, was the result +of the carelessness of those lackland +fools who had<!-- TN: original reads "has" --> been entrusted +with the defense of the home planet. +Their loose, poorly planned defenses +had allowed the pseudomen of the +Fifth to dash in and drop their destructors +in a good many spots on the +surface. And here was one of them.</p> + +<p><!-- 013.png -->Here was a huge area which had +once been the site of a great city and +which had contained the prosperous +and productive estates of a Master +Protector, now reduced to a mere +wasteland into which slaves might +escape, to lead a brute-like existence +in idleness.</p> + +<p>He had lost pseudomen slaves in +this very null and he knew he would +probably lose more. Despite the vigilance +of the surrogates, they kept +slipping across the river and disappearing +into that swirling nothingness. +And now, with that prominence +<span class="nw">so close—</span></p> + +<p>He had no guards he could trust to +go after the fellows, either. Such +herd guards as he had would decide +to desert their protector and take up +the idle life which their fellow pseudomen +had adopted. A few of them +had gone out and done just that. +Their memories of the protection +and privileges granted them were +short and undependable. He sighed.</p> + +<p>“Ungrateful beasts!”</p> + +<p>Some Master Protectors had little +trouble along that line. Others had +managed to hire the services of halfmen—weak +psionics, too weak to +govern and yet strong and able +enough to be more than mere pseudomen.</p> + +<p>These halfmen made superb, loyal +guards and overseers—for some—but +none had remained at Kira Barra. +They had come, to be sure, but they +had stayed on for a time, then drifted +away.</p> + +<p>And, he thought angrily, it was illegal +to restrain these halfmen in any +<a name="png.014" id="png.014"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">16</span><span class="ns">] + </span>way. Some soft-headed fool had +granted their kind the rights of Commonwealth +citizenship. Halfmen had +even managed to take service with +the fleet during the war with the +Fifth Planet. Some of them had even +managed somehow to be of small value—and +now many of them held the +status of veterans of that victorious +war—a status he, one of the great +landholders, was denied.</p> + +<p>No, he told himself, until such +time as the nulls were solved and +eliminated, such pseudomen as managed +to cross the northeastern river +were safe enough in their unknown +land. And, he thought sourly, the +scholars had made no progress in +their studies of the nulls.</p> + +<p>Probably they were concerning +themselves with studies more likely +to give them preferment or more immediate +personal gain.</p> + +<p>Of course, the wasteland wasn’t entirely +unknown, not to him, at least. +He had viewed the area personally. +There were hilltops on the Estates +from which ordinary eyesight would +penetrate far into the dead area, even +though the more powerful and accurate +parasight was stopped at its borders. +Yes, he had seen the affected +area.</p> + +<p>He had noted that much of it had +regained a measure of fertility. There +was life now—some of it his own +meat lizards who had wandered across +the river and out of his control. And +he had even seen some of the escaped +pseudomen slinking through the +scrub growth and making their crudely +primitive camps.</p> + +<p><!-- 015.png -->“Savages!” he told himself. “Mere +animals. And one can’t do a thing +about them, so long as they let that +dead area persist.”</p> + +<p>Eventually, the scholars had reported, +the dead areas would diminish +and fade from existence. He smiled +bitterly. Here was a nice evasion—a +neat excuse for avoiding study and +possible, dangerous research.</p> + +<p>So long as those nulls remained, +they would be sources of constant loss +of the responsible Master Protectors, +and would thus threaten the very +foundations of the Commonwealth.</p> + +<p>Possibly, he should— He shook +his head.</p> + +<p>No, he thought, this was impractical. +Parasight was worthless beyond +the borders of the null. No surrogate +could penetrate it and no weapon +would operate within it. It would be +most unsafe for any true man to enter. +There, one would be subject to +gross, physical attack and unable to +make proper defense against it.</p> + +<p>Certainly, the northern null was no +place for him to go. Only the pseudomen +could possibly tolerate the conditions +to be found there, and thus, +there they had found haven and were +temporarily supreme.</p> + +<p>Besides, this matter was the responsibility +of the Council of Controllers +and the scholars they paid so +highly.</p> + +<p>He concentrated on the crystal, +shifting the view to scan toward the +nearest village.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Suddenly, he sat forward in his +chair. A herd of saurians was slowly +<a name="png.016" id="png.016"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">17</span><span class="ns">] + </span>drifting toward one of the arms the +null had thrust out. Shortly, they +would have ambled into a stream and +beyond, out of all possible control. +Perhaps they might wander for years +in the wastelands. Perhaps they and +their increase might furnish meat for +the pseudomen who lurked inside +the swirling blankness.</p> + +<p>He snarled to himself. No herders +were in sight. No guard was in attendance. +He would have to attend +to this matter himself. He concentrated +his attention on the power crystals of +a distant surrogate, willing his entire +ego into the controls.</p> + +<p>At last, the herd leader’s head came +up. Then the long-neck curved, snaking +around until the huge beast stared +directly at the heap of rocks which +housed the crystals of the surrogate +himself. The slow drift of the herd +slowed even more, then stopped as +the other brutes dimly recognized +that something had changed. More of +the ridiculously tiny heads swiveled +toward the surrogate.</p> + +<p>Kio Barra squirmed in his chair. +Holding these empty minds was a +chore he had always hated.</p> + +<p>Certainly, there was less total effort +than that required for the control +of the more highly organized pseudomen, +but the more complex minds +reacted with some speed and the effort +was soon over. There was a short, +sometimes sharp struggle, then surrender.</p> + +<p>But this was long-term, dragging +toil—a steady pushing at a soggy, unresisting, +yet heavy mass. And full +concentration was imperative if +<!-- 017.png -->anything was to be accomplished. The +reptilian minds were as unstable as +they were empty and would slip away +unless firmly held. He stared motionlessly +at his crystal, willing the huge +reptiles to turn—to waddle back to +the safe grasslands of the estate, far +from the null.</p> + +<p>At last, the herd was again in motion. +One by one, the huge brutes +swung about and galloped clumsily +toward more usual pastures, their +long necks swaying loosely with their +motion.</p> + +<p>Switching from surrogate to surrogate, +Barra followed them, urged +them, forced them along until they +plunged into the wide swamp northeast +of Tibara village.</p> + +<p>He signed wearily and shifted his +viewpoint to a surrogate which overlooked +the village itself. What, he +wondered, had happened to the +herdsmen—and to the guards who +should be overseeing the day’s work?</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Half hidden among ferns and the +mastlike stems of trees, the rude huts +of Tibara nestled in the forest, blending +with their surroundings, until +only the knowing observer could +identify them by vague form. Barra +shifted his viewpoint to the central +village surrogate.</p> + +<p>There were other open spaces in +the village, but this was the largest. +Here was the village well, near which +a few children played some incomprehensible +game. An old man had +collected a pile of rock and had started +work on the well curb. Now, he +sat near his work, leaning against the +<a name="png.018" id="png.018"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">18</span><span class="ns">] + </span>partly torn down wall. Spots of sunlight, +coming through the fronds high +above, struck his body, leaving his +face in shadow. He dozed in the +warmth, occasionally allowing his +eyes to half open as he idly regarded +the scene before him.</p> + +<p>Before some of the huts surrounding +the rude plaza, women squatted +on the ground, their arms swinging +monotonously up and down as they +struck their wooden pestles into +bowls of grain which they were +grinding to make the coarse meal +which was their mainstay of diet.</p> + +<p>A few men could be seen, scratching +at small garden plots or idly repairing +tools. Others squatted near +their huts, their attention occupied by +fishing gear. Still others merely leaned +against convenient trees, looking at +each other, their mouths moving in +the grotesque way of the pseudoman +when he could find an excuse to idle +away time.</p> + +<p>Barra listened to the meaningless +chatter of grunts and hisses, then disregarded +the sounds. They formed, he +had been told, a sort of elementary +code of communication. He coughed +disparagingly. Only some subhuman +could bring himself to study such +things.</p> + +<p>Of course, he knew that some lacklanders +could make vocal converse +with the pseudomen and caravan +masters seemed to do it as a regular +thing, but he could see no point in +such effort. He could make his demands +known without lowering himself +by making idiotic noises.</p> + +<p>His communicator crystals would +<!-- 019.png -->drive simple thoughts into even the +thick skulls of his slaves. And he +could—and did—thus get obedience +and performance from those slaves +by using normal, sensible means as +befitted one of the race of true men.</p> + +<p>And what would one want of the +pseudomen other than obedience? +Would one perhaps wish to discuss +matters of abstract interest with these +beast men? He regarded the scene +with growing irritation.</p> + +<p>Now, he remembered. It was one +of those days of rest which some +idiot in the Council had once sponsored. +And a group of soft-headed +fools had concurred, so that one now +had to tolerate periodic days of idleness.</p> + +<p>Times had changed, he thought. +There had been a time when slaves +were slaves and a man could expect +to get work from them in return for +his protection and support.</p> + +<p>But even with these new, soft laws, +herds must be guarded—especially +with that null expanding as it was. +Even some lackland idiot should be +able to understand that much.</p> + +<p>He turned his attention to the +headman’s hut.</p> + +<p>The man was there. Surrounded by +a few villagers, he squatted before his +flimsy, frond-roofed hut, his mouth in +grotesque motion. Now, he stopped +his noisemaking and poised his head. +Then he nodded, looking about the +village.</p> + +<p>Obviously, he was taking his ease +and allowing his people to do as they +would, without supervision.</p> + +<p>Barra started to concentrate on the +<a name="png.020" id="png.020"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">19</span><span class="ns">] + </span>surrogate, to make his wishes and his +displeasure known. Then he turned +impatiently from the crystal, seizing +his staff. Efficient as the surrogates +were, there were some things better +attended to in person.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />He got to his feet and strode angrily +out of the study, sending a peremptory +summons before him. As he +entered the wide hallway, an elderly +slave came toward him. Barra looked +at the man imperiously.</p> + +<p>“My cloak,” he demanded, “and the +cap of power.”</p> + +<p>He projected the image of his fiber +cloak and of the heavy gold headpiece +with its precisely positioned +crystals, being careful to note the red, +green and blue glow of the various +jewels. Meticulously, he filled in details +of the gracefully formed filigree<!-- TN: original reads "filligree" --> +which formed mounts to support the +glowing spheres. And he indicated +the padded headpiece with its incrustation +of crystal carbon, so his +servitor could make no mistake. The +man was more sensitive than one of +the village slaves, but even so, he was +merely a pseudoman and had to have +things carefully delineated for him.</p> + +<p>As the man walked toward a closet, +Barra looked after him unhappily. +The heavy power and control circlet +was unnecessary in the Residence, +for amplifiers installed in the building +took care of all requirements. But +outside, in the village and fields, a +portable source of power and control +was indispensable and this heavy +gold cap was the best device he had +been able to find.</p> + +<p><!-- 021.png -->Even so, he hated to wear the circlet. +The massive crystals mounted +on their supporting points weighed a +couple of pounds by themselves and +though the gold insulating supports +were designed as finely as possible, +the metal was still massive and heavy. +It was a definite strain on his neck +muscles to wear the thing and he always +got a headache from it.</p> + +<p>For an instant, envy of the powerful +psionics crossed his mind. There +were, he knew, those who required no +control or power devices, being able +to govern and direct psionic forces +without aid. But his powers, though +effective as any, required amplification +and when he went out of the +Residence it was essential that he +have the cap with him.</p> + +<p>Proper and forceful handling of +the things of the Estates, both animate +and inanimate, demanded considerable +psionic power and this +made the large red power crystal at +the center of his cap most necessary.</p> + +<p>Besides, simultaneous control +problems could be difficult—sometimes +even almost impossible—without +the co-ordinating crystals which +were inset at the periphery of the +headband.</p> + +<p>And there was the possibility that +he might meet some trespassing lacklander +who might have to be impressed +with the resources of the master +of Kira Barra. He knew of more +than one instance wherein a Master +Protector had been overcome by some +predatory lackland wanderer, who had +then managed by one means or another +to secure his own accession to +<a name="png.022" id="png.022"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">20</span><span class="ns">] + </span>the estates of his victim. He smiled +grimly.</p> + +<p>Carelessness could be costly. He +had proved that to his brother.</p> + +<p>Kio Barra still remembered the +first time he had quarreled violently +with Boemar. He still remembered +the gentle<!-- TN: original reads "gently" -->, sympathetic smile and the +sudden, twisting agony that had shot +through him as his power crystal +overloaded. The flare of energy had +left him incapable of so much as receiving +a strongly driven thought for +many days.</p> + +<p>He laughed. But, poor, soft fool +that he had been, Boemar had carefully +nursed his brother’s mind back +to strength again.</p> + +<p>Yes, Boemar had been a powerful +man, but a very unwise one. And he +had forgotten the one great strength +of his weaker brother—a strength +that had grown as Leuwan aged. And +so, it was Leuwan who was Kio Barra.</p> + +<div class="illus"><img src="images/illus-022.png" width="600" height="364" + alt="Saurian being rescued from the null" title="" /></div> + +<p>But such a thing would never +again happen at Kira Barra. With his +controls and amplifiers, he was more +than a match for the most powerful of +the great psionics—so long as they +didn’t meet him with affectionate +sympathy.</p> + +<p>He stood silently as the servitor +put the cap on his head and placed +the cloak about his shoulders. Then, +tucking his heavy duty distorter under +his arm, he turned toward the +outer door. The control jewels on his +cap burned with inner fire as he +raised himself a few inches from the +floor and floated out toward the dock.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Not far from the forest shaded village +of Tibara, logs had been lashed +together to form a pier which jutted +from the shore and provided a mooring +for the hollowed logs used by +men of the village in harvesting the +fish of the lake. Several boats nested +here, their bows pointing toward the +fender logs of the pier. More were +<a name="png.023" id="png.023"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">21</span><span class="ns">] + </span>drawn up on the gravel of the shore, +where they lay, bottoms upward, that +they might dry and be cleaned.</p> + +<p>A few villagers squatted by their +boats and near the pier. Others were +by the nets which had been spread +over the gravel to dry.</p> + +<p>One large section of the pier was +vacant. Always, this area was reserved +for the use of the Lord of the +Mountain Lake.</p> + +<p>As Barra’s boat sped through the +water, he concentrated his attention +on the logs of the pier, urging his +boat to increasing speed. The sharp +prow rose high in the water, a long +vee of foam extending from it, to +spread out far behind the racing +boat.</p> + +<p>As the bow loomed almost over the +floating logs, Barra abruptly transferred +his focus of attention to his +right rear, pulling with all the power +of the boat’s drive crystals. The craft +swung violently, throwing a solid +sheet of water over pier and shore, +drenching the logs and the men +about them.</p> + +<p>Then the bow settled and the boat +lay dead in the water, less than an +inch from the pier’s fender logs.</p> + +<p>Barra studied the space between +boat and logs for an instant, then +nodded in satisfaction. It was an adequate +landing by anyone’s standards.</p> + +<p>His tension somewhat relieved, he +raised himself from the boat and hovered +over the dock.</p> + +<p>Sternly, he looked at the villagers +who were now on their feet, brushing +water from their heads and faces. +They ceased their movements, eying +<!-- 024.png -->him apprehensively and he motioned +imperiously toward the boat.</p> + +<p>“Secure it!”</p> + +<p>The jewels of his control cap +glowed briefly, amplifying and radiating +the thought.</p> + +<p>The villagers winced, then two of +them moved to obey the command. +Barra turned his attention away and +arrowed toward the screen of trees +which partially concealed the village +proper.</p> + +<p>As he dropped to the ground in the +clearing before the headman’s hut, +men and women looked at him, then +edged toward their homes. He ignored +them, centering his attention +on the headman himself.</p> + +<p>The man had gotten to his feet and +was anxiously studying his master’s +face.</p> + +<p>For a few seconds, Barra examined +the man. He was old. He had been +headman of the village under the old +Master Protector, his father—and his +brother had seen no reason for +change, allowing the aging headman +to remain in charge of the welfare of +his people.</p> + +<p>But this was in the long ago. Both +of the older Kio Barra had been soft, +slack men, seeking no more than +average results. He, Leuwan, was different—more +exacting—more demanding +of positive returns from the +Estates.</p> + +<p>Oh, to be sure, Kira Barra had +somehow prospered under the soft +hands of his predecessors, despite +their coddling of the subhuman pseudomen, +but there had been many laxities +which had infuriated Leuwan, +<a name="png.025" id="png.025"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">22</span><span class="ns">] + </span>even when he was a mere youth. He +frowned thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>Of course, if those two hadn’t been +so soft and tolerant, he would have +been something other than Lord of +the Mountain Lake. He would have +had to find other activities elsewhere. +He dropped the line of thought.</p> + +<p>This was not taking care of the +situation.</p> + +<p>He put his full attention on the +man before him, driving a demand +with full power of cap amplifier.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />“Why are all your people idling +away their time? Where are your +herdsmen and guards?”</p> + +<p>The headman’s face tensed with effort. +He waved a hand southward and +made meaningless noises. Faintly, the +thought came through to Barra.</p> + +<p>“In south forest, with herd. Not +idle, is rest day. Few work.”</p> + +<p>Barra looked angrily at the man. +Did this fool actually think he could +evade and lie his way out of the trouble +his obvious failure to supervise +had brought? He jabbed a thumb +northward.</p> + +<p>“What about that herd drifting toward +the north river?” The two +green communicator crystals gleamed +with cold fire.</p> + +<p>The headman looked confused. +“Not north,” came the blurred +thought. “No herd north. All south +forest, near swamp. One-hand boys +watch. Some guard. Is rest day.”</p> + +<p>Unbelievingly Barra stared at the +pseudoman. He was actually persisting +in his effort to lie away his failure. +Or was he attempting some sort +<!-- 026.png -->of defiance? Had his father and brother +tolerated such things as this, or +was this something new, stemming +from the man’s age? Or, perhaps, he +was trying the temper of the Master +Protector, to see how far he could go +in encroaching on authority.</p> + +<p>He would deal with this—and +now!</p> + +<p>Abruptly, he turned away, to direct +his attention to the central surrogate. +It was equipped with a projector +crystal.</p> + +<p>The air in the clearing glowed and +a scene formed in the open space. +Unmistakably, it was the northern +part of Kira Barra. The lake was +shown, and sufficient landmarks to +make the location obvious, even to a +pseudoman. Carefully, Barra prevented +any trace of the blank, swirling +null from intruding on the scene. +Perhaps the subhuman creature before +him knew something of its properties, +but there was no point in making +these things too obvious.</p> + +<p>He focused the scene on the stream +and brought the approaching herd +into the picture, then he flashed in +his own face, watching. And he +brought the view down closely +enough to indicate that no human +creature was near the herd. Finally, he +turned his attention to the headman +again.</p> + +<p>“There was the herd. Where were +your people?”</p> + +<p>The old man shook his head incredulously, +then turned toward one +of the few men who still remained in +the clearing.</p> + +<p>He made a series of noises and the +<a name="png.027" id="png.027"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">23</span><span class="ns">] + </span>other nodded. There were more of the +growls and hisses, then the headman +waved a hand southward and the other +nodded again and turned away, to +run into the trees and disappear.</p> + +<p>The headman faced Barra again.</p> + +<p>“Send man,” he thought laboriously. +“Be sure herd is still south.” He +pointed toward the area where the +projection had been.</p> + +<p>“That not herd,” he thought. “That +other herd. Never see before.”</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Barra scowled furiously.</p> + +<p>“You incapable imbecile! You dare +to call your master a liar?”</p> + +<p>He swung about, his furious gaze +scanning the village. The pile of +stones he had noticed before caught +his attention. He focused on it.</p> + +<p>A few stones rose into the air and +flew toward the headman.</p> + +<p>The old man faced about, his eyes +widening in sudden fear. He dodged +one of the flying stones, then turned +to flee.</p> + +<p>Barra flicked a second control on +him briefly and the flight was halted.</p> + +<p>More stones flew, making thudding +sounds as they struck, then +sailing away, to gain velocity before +they curved back, to strike again.</p> + +<p>At last, Barra turned from the litter +of rock about the formless mass on +the ground. He stared around the village, +the fury slowly ebbing within +him.</p> + +<p>A few faces could be seen, peeping +from windows and from between +trees. He motioned.</p> + +<p>“All villagers,” he ordered. “Here +before me. Now!” He waited +<!-- 028.png -->impatiently as people reluctantly came +from their huts and out of the trees, +to approach the clearing.</p> + +<p>At last, the villagers were assembled. +Barra looked them over, identifying +each as he looked at him. +Apart from the others, one of the +younger herd guards stood close to his +woman. Barra looked at him thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>This man, he had noted, was +obeyed by both herds and herdsmen. +He had seen him at work, as he had +seen all the villagers, and obviously, +the man was capable of quick decisions—as +quick, that was, as any pseudoman +could be. He pointed.</p> + +<p>“This village needs a new headman,” +he thought peremptorily. “You +will take charge of it.”</p> + +<p>The man looked toward the huddled +mass in the center of the litter of +rocks, then looked back at his woman. +A faint wave of reluctance came +to Barra, who stared sternly.</p> + +<p>“I said you are the new headman,” +he thought imperiously. “Take +charge.” He waved a hand.</p> + +<p>“And get this mess cleaned up. I +want a neat village from now on.”</p> + +<p>As the man lowered his head submissively, +Barra turned away, rose +from the ground, and drifted majestically +toward the lake shore. He +could check on the progress of the +village from his view crystal back at +the Residence.</p> + +<p>The situation had been taken care +of and there was no point in remaining +in the depressing atmosphere of +the village for too long.</p> + +<p>Besides, there was that adventure +<a name="png.029" id="png.029"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">24</span><span class="ns">] + </span>projection he hadn’t finished. Perhaps +it would be of interest now.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />As the projection faded, Barra +looked around the study, then got out +of his chair and picked the crystal +from its pedestal. He stood, looking +at it approvingly for a few seconds, +then went over to the cabinet and set +it back in its case. For a time, he +looked at the rest of the assortment.</p> + +<p>Finally, he shook his head. Some of +them, he would sell unscanned. The +others—well, they could wait.</p> + +<p>Yes, he thought, the record crystals +had better be left alone for a while. +He hadn’t finished his inspection of +the Estates and the situation at Tibara +might not be an isolated case. It +would be well to make a really searching +inspection. He sighed.</p> + +<p>In fact, it might be well to make +frequent searching inspections.</p> + +<p>Shortly after his accession to the +Estates, he had seen to the defense of +Kira Barra. He smiled wryly as he +thought of the expense he had incurred +in securing all those power +and control crystals to make up his +surrogate installations. But they had +been well worth it.</p> + +<p>He had been most thorough then, +but that had been some time ago. His +last full inspection had been almost +a year ago. Lately he had been satisfying +himself with spot inspections, +not really going over the Estates +from border to border.</p> + +<p>Of course, the spot inspections +had been calculated to touch the potential +trouble spots and they had +been productive of results, but there +<!-- 030.png -->might still be hidden things he should +know about. This would have to be +looked into.</p> + +<p>He turned and went back to his +chair, causing it to swivel around and +face the view crystal.</p> + +<p>There was that matter of Tibara, +as far as that went. Possibly it would +be well to count that herd and identify +the animals positively.</p> + +<p>Maybe the pasturage was getting +poor and he would have to instruct +the new headman to move to better +lands. Those strays had looked rather +thin, now that he thought of it.</p> + +<p>Maybe some of the other long-necks +had strayed from the main herd +and he would have to have the headman +send out guards to pick them up +and bring them in.</p> + +<p>He concentrated on the viewer, +swinging its scan over to the swamp +where he had driven that small herd.</p> + +<p>They were still there, wallowing in +the shallow water and grazing on the +lush vegetation. He smiled. It would +be several days before their feeble +minds threw off the impression he +had forced on them that this was +their proper feeding place.</p> + +<p>Idly, he examined the beasts, then +he leaned forward, studying them +more critically. They weren’t the +heavy, fat producers of meat normal +to the Tibara herd. Something was +wrong.</p> + +<p>These were the same general breed +as the Tibara long-necks, to be sure, +but either their pasturage had been +unbelievably bad or they had been +recently run—long and hard. They +looked almost like draft beasts.</p> + +<p><a name="png.031" id="png.031"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">25</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>He frowned. If these were from the +Tibara herd, he’d been missing something +for quite a while.</p> + +<p>Thoughtfully, he caused<!-- TN: first two characters obscured in scan --> the scan to +shift. As he followed a small river, he +noted groups of the huge, greenish +gray beasts as they grazed on the tender +rock ferns. Here and there, he +noted herdsmen and chore boys either +watching or urging the great +brutes about with their noisemakers, +keeping the herd together. He examined +the scene critically, counting +and evaluating. Finally, he settled +back in his chair.</p> + +<p>The herd was all here—even to the +chicks. And they were in good shape. +He smiled wryly.</p> + +<p>Those brutes over in the swamp +really didn’t belong here, then. They +must have drifted into the Estates +from the null, and been on their way +back. The <span class="nw">headman—</span> He shrugged.</p> + +<p>“Oh, well,” he told himself, “it was +time I got a new headman for Tibara, +anyway. And the discipline there +will be tighter from now on.”</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />He started to shift scan again, then +sat up. The view was pulsing.</p> + +<p>As he watched, the scan shifted automatically, +to pick up the eastern +border of the Estates. Stretching +across the landscape was a thin line of +draft saurians, each with its driver +straddling its neck. The train had +halted and a heavily armored riding +lizard advanced toward the surrogate. +Its rider was facing the hidden crystals.</p> + +<p>As Barra focused on him, the man +nodded.</p> + +<p><!-- 032.png -->“Master Protector?”</p> + +<p>“That is correct.” Barra activated +his communicators. “I am Kio Barra, +Master of the Estates Kira Barra.”</p> + +<p>The other smiled. “I am Dar Makun, +independent caravan master,” he +announced. “The null turbulence +forced me off route. Lost a few carriers +and several days of time. I’d like +to request permission to pass over +your land. And perhaps you could +favor me by selling some long-necks +to fill my train again. The brutes I’ve +got left are a little overloaded.”</p> + +<p>Barra considered. It was not an unusual +request, of course. Certain caravans +habitually came through, to do +business with the Estates. Others were +often detoured by the northern null +and forced to come through Kira +Barra.</p> + +<p>Of course, the masters of the caravans +were lacklanders, but they had +given little trouble in the past. And +this one seemed to be a little above +the average if anything. In his own +way, he was a man of substance, for +an owner master was quite different +from someone who merely guided +another’s train for hire.</p> + +<p>The northern null was a menace, +Barra thought, but it did have this +one advantage. The regular caravans, +of course, passed with the courtesy of +the Estates, doing business on their +way. But these others paid and their +pasturage and passage fees added to +the income of the Estates.</p> + +<p>In this case, the sale of a few draft +saurians could be quite profitable. He +shifted the view crystals to allow two-way +vision.</p> + +<p><a name="png.033" id="png.033"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">26</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>“To be sure.” He waved a hand. +“Direct your train due west to the +second river. Cross that, then follow +it southward. I will meet you at the +first village you come to and we can +kennel your slaves there and put your +beasts to pasture under my herdsmen. +From there, it is a short distance +to the Residence.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you.” Dar Makun nodded +again, then turned and waved an arm. +Faintly, Barra caught the command to +proceed.</p> + +<p>He watched for a few minutes and +examined the long train as it moved +over the rolling land and lumbered +into a forest. Then he shifted his +scan to continue his inspection of the +rest of the lands. It would be several +hours before that caravan could reach +Tibara and he could scan back and +note its progress as he wished.</p> + +<p>He relaxed in his chair, watching +the panorama as the Estates unrolled +before him. Now and then, he halted +the steady motion of the scanner, to +examine village or herd closely. Then +he nodded in satisfaction and continued +his inspection.</p> + +<p>The Estates, he decided, were in +overall good condition. Of course, +there were a few corrections he would +have to have made in the days to +come, but these could be taken care +of after the departure of the caravan.</p> + +<p>There was that grain field over in +the Zadabar section, for example. +That headman would have to be +straightened out. He smiled grimly. +Maybe it would be well to create a +vacancy in that village. But that could +wait for a few days.</p> + +<p><!-- 034.png -->He directed the scan back to the +eastern section, tracing the route he +had given the caravan master. At last, +the long line of saurians came into +view and he watched their deceptively +awkward gait as the alien crawled +through a forest and came out into +deep grass.</p> + +<p>They were making far better progress +than he had thought they would +and he would have to get ready if he +planned to be in Tibara when they +arrived.</p> + +<p>He was more careful of his dress +than usual. This time, he decided, +he’d want quite a few protective devices. +One could never be quite sure +of these caravan masters.</p> + +<p>Of course, so long as they could +plainly see the futility of any treacherous +move, they were good company +and easy people to deal with, but it +would be most unwise to give one of +them any opening. It just might be he +would be the one who was tired of +wandering.</p> + +<p>He waited patiently as his slave attached +his shield brooches and placed +his control cap on his head, then he +reached into the casket the man held +for him and took out a pair of paralysis +rings, slipping one on each of his +middle fingers. At last, he dismissed +the man.</p> + +<p>He floated out of the building and +let himself down on the cushions in +the rear of his speedboat. Critically, +he examined the condition of the +craft. His yardboys had cleaned everything +up, he noted. The canopy +was down, leaving the lines of the +boat clean and sharp.</p> + +<p><a name="png.035" id="png.035"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">27</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>He turned his attention to the +power crystal and the boat drew out +of its shelter, gained speed, and cut +through the water to the distant +shoreline.</p> + +<p>With only part of his mind concentrated +on controlling the boat, Barra +looked across the lake. It was broad in +expanse, dotted with islands, and +rich in marine life.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he might persuade this +Dar Makun to pick up a few loads of +dried lake fish, both for his own rations +and for sale along the way to +his destination. Some of the warehouses, +he had noted, were well +stocked and he’d have to arrange for +some shipments soon.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />The boat was nearing Tibara pier. +He concentrated on setting it in +close to the dock, then made his way +to the eastern edge of the village, +summoning the headman as he passed +through the village center.</p> + +<p>His timing had been good. The +head of the long train was nearly +across the wide grassland. For a moment, +the thought crossed his mind +that he might go out and meet the +caravan master. But he discarded it. +It would be somewhat undignified +for the master of the estate to serve +as a mere caravan guide. He stood, +waiting.</p> + +<p>He could see Dar Makun sitting +between the armor fins of his riding +lizard. The reptile was one of the +heavily armored breed he had considered +raising over in the northwest +sector.</p> + +<p>They were, he had been told, +<!-- 036.png -->normally dryland creatures. Such brutes +should thrive over in the flats, where +the long-necks did poorly. He would +have to consider the acquisition of +some breeding stock.</p> + +<p>The caravan master drew his +mount to a halt and drifted toward +the trees. Barra examined the man +closely as he approached.</p> + +<p>He was a tall, slender man, perfectly +at ease in his plain trail clothing. +A few control jewels glinted +from his fingers and he wore a small +shield brooch, but there was no heavy +equipment. His distorter staff, Barra +noted, was a plain rod, tipped by a +small jewel. Serviceable, to be sure, +but rather short in range. Barra’s lip +curled a trifle.</p> + +<p>This man was not of really great +substance, he decided. He probably +had his entire wealth tied up in this +one caravan and depended on his fees +and on the sale of some few goods of +his own to meet expenses.</p> + +<p>As Dar Makun dropped to the +ground near him, Barra nodded.</p> + +<p>“I have instructed my headman to +attend to your drivers and beasts,” he +said. “You have personal baggage?”</p> + +<p>The other smiled. “Thank you. I’ll +have one of the boys bring my pack +while the drivers pull up and unload. +We can make our stack here, if you +don’t mind.”</p> + +<p>As Barra nodded in agreement, Dar +Makun turned, waving. He drew a +deep breath and shouted loudly, the +sounds resembling those which Barra +had often heard from his slaves. The +Master Protector felt a twinge of +disgust.</p> + +<p><a name="png.037" id="png.037"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">28</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>Of course, several of the caravan +masters who did regular business at +Kira Barra shouted at their slaves at +times. But somehow, he had never +become used to it. He much preferred +to do business with those few +who handled their pseudomen as +they did their draft beasts—quietly, +and with the dignity befitting the +true race.</p> + +<p>He waited till Dar Makun had finished +with his growls and hisses. One +of the caravan drivers had swung +down and was bringing a fiber cloth +bundle toward them. Barra looked at +it in annoyance.</p> + +<p>“This,” he asked himself, “is his +baggage?” He recovered his poise +and turned to Dar Makun.</p> + +<p>“He can put it in the boat,” he told +the man. “I’ll have one of my people +pick it up for you when we get to the +island. Now, if you’ll follow me, the +pier is over this way.” He turned and +floated toward the dock.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />As they pulled out into the lake, +Dar Makun settled himself in the +cushions.</p> + +<p>“I never realized what a big lake +this is,” he remarked. “I’ve always +made the northern swing through this +part of the continent. Oh, I’ve seen +the lake region from the hills, of +course, but—” He looked at the water +thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>“You have quite a lot of fresh-water +fish in there?”</p> + +<p>Barra nodded. “We get a harvest.”</p> + +<p>Dar Makun closed his eyes, then +opened them again. “I might deal +with you for some of those,” he +<!-- 038.png -->commented. “People out west seem to +like fresh-water stuff.” He looked at +Barra closely.</p> + +<p>“I’ll have to open my cargo for +you,” he went on. “Might be a few +items you’d be interested in.”</p> + +<p>Barra nodded. “It’s possible,” he +said. “I always need something +around the place.” He speeded the +boat a little.</p> + +<p>The boat came to the dock and +Barra guided his guest into the Residence +and on into the study, where he +activated the view crystal.</p> + +<p>“There’s still light enough for you +to get a look at some of the herds,” he +told Dar Makun. “I believe you said +you might need some more draft +beasts.”</p> + +<p>Makun watched as the hills of Kira +Barra spread out in the air before +him.</p> + +<p>“It’s a good way to locate the herds +and make a few rough notes,” he admitted. +“Of course, I’ll have to get +close to the brutes in order to really +choose, though.”</p> + +<p>“Oh?”</p> + +<p>“Fact. You see, these big lizards +aren’t all alike. Some of ’em are really +good. Some of ’em just don’t handle. +A few of ’em just lie down when you +drop the first sling on ’em.” Makun +nodded toward the projection.</p> + +<p>“That big fellow over there, for instance,” +he went on. “Of course, he +might slim down and make a good +carrier. But usually, if they look like +a big pile of meat, that’s all they’re +good for. A lot of ’em can’t even +stand the weight of a man on their +necks. Breaks ’em right down.”</p> + +<div class="wrapfig"><div class="bag1" + > </div><div class="bag2" + > </div><div class="bag3" + > </div><div class="bag4" + > </div><p><a name="png.039" id="png.039"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">29</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>“A good carrier can handle a dozen +tons without too much trouble, but +some of these things have it tough to +handle their own weight on dry land +and you have to look ’em over pretty +closely to be sure which is which. +Can’t really judge by a projection.”</p> + +<p>Barra looked at the man with +slightly increased respect. At least, he +knew something about his business. +He shifted the viewer to the swamp.</p> + +<p>Of course, he thought, there were +draft animals over in the western sector. +But this small herd was convenient.</p> + +<p>“Well,” he said, “I’ve got this little +herd over here. They got away some +time ago and lost a lot of weight before +I rounded them up again.”</p> + +<p>Makun examined the projection +with increased interest.</p> + +<p>“Yeah,” he remarked. “I’d like to +<a name="png.040" id="png.040"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">30</span><span class="ns">] + </span>get out there in the morning and +look those fellows over. I just might +get the five I need right out there. +Might even pick up a spare or two.”</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />The swamp was a backwater of the +lake, accessible by a narrow channel. +Barra slowed the boat, easing it along +through the still water. Here, the +channel was clear, he knew, and it +would soon widen. But there were +some gravel bars a little farther along +that could be troublesome if one +were careless. And his attention was +divided. He glanced at his companion.</p> + +<p>Makun leaned against the cushions, +looking at the thick foliage far overhead. +Then he turned his attention to +the banks of the channel. A long, +greenish shape was sliding out of the +water. He pointed.</p> + +<p>“Have many of those around +here?”</p> + +<p>“Those vermin?” Barra looked at +the amphibian. “Not too many, but I +could do with less of them.”</p> + +<p>He picked up his distorter from +the rack beside him and pointed it +ahead of the boat. The sapphire +glowed.</p> + +<p>There was a sudden, violent +thrashing in the foliage on the bank. +The slender creature reared into the +air, tooth-studded jaws gaping wide.</p> + +<p>It rose above the foliage, emitting +a hissing bellow. Then it curled into a +ball and hung suspended in the air +for an instant before it dropped back +into the shrubbery with a wet plop.</p> + +<p>Barra put the jewel-tipped rod +back in its hanger.</p></div> + +<p><!-- 041.png -->“I don’t like those nuisances,” he +explained. “They can kill a slave if he +gets careless. And they annoy the +stock.” He tilted his head forward.</p> + +<p>“There’s the herd,” he went on, +“at the other end of this open water. +I’ll run up close and you can look +them over if you wish.”</p> + +<p>Makun looked around, then +shrugged. “Not necessary. I’ll go +ahead from here. Won’t take me too +long.”</p> + +<p>He lifted himself into the air and +darted toward one of the huge saurians. +Barra watched as he slowed +and drifted close to the brute’s head, +then hovered.</p> + +<p>A faint impression of satisfaction +radiated from his mind as he drifted +along the length of the creature. He +went to another, then to another.</p> + +<p>At last, he returned to the boat.</p> + +<p>“Funny thing,” he commented. “A +couple of my own carriers seem to +have wandered clear through that +null and mixed with your herd.” He +smiled.</p> + +<p>“Stroke of luck. Too bad the rest +didn’t manage to stay with ’em, but +you can’t have everything. I’ll pay +you trespass fees on those two, of +course, then I’d like to bargain with +you for about four more to go with +’em. Got them all picked out and I +can cut ’em out and drive them over +to the train soon’s we settle the arrangements.”</p> + +<p>Barra frowned.</p> + +<p>“Now, wait a minute,” he protested. +“Of course, I’ll bargain with +you for any or all of this herd. But +I’m in the breeding and raising business, +<a name="png.042" id="png.042"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">31</span><span class="ns">] + </span>remember. I certainly can’t give +away a couple of perfectly good +beasts on someone’s simple say-so. +I’d like a little proof that those two +belong to your train before I just +hand them over.”</p> + +<p>“Well, now, if it comes to that, I +could prove ownership. Legally, too. +After all, I’ve worked those critters +quite a while and any competent +psionic could—” Makun looked at +Barra thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>“You know, I’m not just sure I like +having my word questioned this way. +I’m not sure I like this whole rig-out. +Seems to me there’s a little explaining +in order about now—and kind of +an apology, too. Then maybe we can +go ahead and talk business.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see any need for me to explain +anything. And I certainly don’t +intend to make a apology of any +kind. Not to you. I merely made a reasonable +request. After all, these +brutes are on my land and in my +herd. I can find no mark of identification +on them, of any kind.” Barra +shrugged.</p> + +<p>“As a matter of fact, I don’t even +know yet which two you are trying to +claim. All I ask is indication of which +ones you say are yours and some reasonable +proof that they actually came +from your train. Certainly, a mere +claim of recognition is … well, +you’ll have to admit, it’s a little thin.”</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Makun looked at him angrily.</p> + +<p>“Now, you pay attention to me. +And pay attention good. I’m not +stupid and I’m not blind. I can see +all those jewels you’re loaded down +<!-- 043.png -->with and I know why you’re wearing +them. They tell me a lot about you, +you can be sure of that. Don’t think I +haven’t noticed that patronizing air +of yours, and don’t think I’ve liked it. +I haven’t and I don’t.</p> + +<p>“I know you’re scared. I know +you’re worried to death for fear I’m +going to pull something on you. I +spotted that the first time I talked to +you.” He paused.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’ve been trying to ignore it +and be decent, but I’ve had about +enough. I’ve been in this caravan +business for a long time. I’ve dealt +square and I’m used to square dealing. +Now, you’ve been putting out a +lot of side thoughts about thievery +and I don’t appreciate being treated +like some sneak thief. I’m not about +to get used to the idea, either.</p> + +<p>“Now, you’d better get the air +cleared around here and then we can +talk business. Otherwise, there’s going +to be a lot of trouble.”</p> + +<p>Barra felt a surge of fury rising +above his fear. This lacklander clown +actually dared to try to establish +domination over a member of the +ruling class? He breathed deeply.</p> + +<p>“I don’t have—”</p> + +<p>“All right, listen to me, you termite. +You’ve come way too far out of +your hole. Now, you just better crawl +back in there fast, before I turn on the +lights and burn your hide off.”</p> + +<p>The surge of mental power blazing +at Barra was almost a physical force. +He cringed away from it, his face +wrinkling in an agony of fright. +Makun looked at him contemptuously.</p> + +<p><a name="png.044" id="png.044"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">32</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>“All right. Now, I’ll tell you—”</p> + +<p>Smoothly, Barra’s hand went to the +haft of his distorter. The jewel +seemed to rise of its own accord as it +blazed coldly.</p> + +<p>For an infinitesimal time, Makun’s +face reflected horrified comprehension +before it melted into shapelessness.</p> + +<p>Barra put the distorter back in its +rack, looking disgustedly at the mess +on the cushions. There was nothing +for it, he thought. He’d have to destroy +those, too. Cleaning was out of +the question. He shook his head.</p> + +<p>Like all these strong types, this +Makun had neglected a simple principle. +With fear as his constant companion, +Barra had been forced to +learn to live with it.</p> + +<p>Extreme mental pressure was +merely another form of fright. It +could paralyze a braver soul—and often +did. It merely made Barra miserably +uncomfortable without disturbing +his control. And the hatred that was +always in him was unimpaired—even +amplified by the pounding terror.</p> + +<p>The more thoroughly Barra was +frightened, the more effectively he +attacked.</p> + +<p>He leaned back in his seat, letting +the drumming of his heart subside. +Eventually, he would recover enough +to guide the boat out of the swamp +and back to the Residence.</p> + +<p>Tomorrow? Well, he would have +to inventory the freight the man had +carried. He would have to check +those draft beasts. Perhaps he could +discern the hidden identification +Makun had mentioned.</p> + +<p><!-- 045.png -->And he would have to make disposition +of some twenty slaves. He +summoned up a smile.</p> + +<p>Now that he thought of it, this +affair could be turned to profit. After +all, Dar Makun had been diverted +from his route and he had lost some +of his train. And caravans had been +known to disappear in the vicinity +of turbulent nulls.</p> + +<p>All he had to do was deny knowledge +of the fate of Dar Makun’s caravan +if there were any inquiry. Oh, +certainly, he could tell any inquirer, +Dar Makun had arrived. He had +stayed overnight and then taken his +departure, saying something about +cutting around the null and back to +his normal, northern swing.</p> + +<p>He was feeling better now. He +turned his attention to the control +crystal and the boat swung about, to +make its way back toward the lake.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />It took longer than he had thought +it would. It was evening of the day +after the death of Dar Makun when +Barra turned in his seat and raised +his hand, then waved it in a wide +circle.</p> + +<p>A quickly directed thought halted +his mount and he looked about once +more, at the thick forest.</p> + +<p>This clearing was as close to the +village of Celdalo as he wanted to +come. The villagers never came into +this heavy screen of trees, but beyond +the forest, there might be some +who would watch and wonder. He +smiled grimly.</p> + +<p>Of course, it didn’t make too much +difference what slaves might think—if +<a name="png.046" id="png.046"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">33</span><span class="ns">] + </span>they could think at all, but there +was no reason to leave unnecessary +traces of the day’s work.</p> + +<p>He swung about in his cushions +and looked back at the line of draft +beasts. They were swinging out of +line now, to form a semicircle, facing +the trees ahead.</p> + +<p>He impressed an order on his +mount to stand, then lifted himself +out of the cushioned seat between +the armor fins. For a few seconds, he +hovered, looking down at the beast +he had been riding.</p> + +<p>Yes, he thought, he would do well +to raise a few of these creatures. +They were tractable and comfortable +to ride. A good many caravan masters +might be persuaded to get rid +of their less comfortable mounts in +exchange for one of these, once they +had tried a day’s march.</p> + +<p>One by one, the big saurians came +to the forest edge and entered the +clearing, then crouched, to let their +drivers swing to the ground. Barra +looked at the lead driver.</p> + +<p>“Make your cargo stack over here,” +he ordered, “at this side of the clearing. +You will wait here for your +master.”</p> + +<p>The man looked confused. A +vague, questioning thought came +from him. It wasn’t really a coherent +thought, but just an impression of +doubt—uncertainty. Barra frowned +impatiently.</p> + +<p>It had been much the same when +he had ordered this man to load up +back at Tibara. Perhaps it was no +wonder Dar Makun had been forced +to learn vocalization if this was the +<!-- 047.png -->best slave he could find to develop +into his headman.</p> + +<p>Carefully, he formed a projection. +It showed the carriers gathering in +their unloading circles. He made one +of the projections turn and drop its +head over another’s back. The wide +mouth opened and stubby, peg teeth +gripped the handling loop of a cargo +sling. Then the long-neck swiveled +back, to repeat the performance.</p> + +<p>Barra watched as the man before +him nodded in obedient understanding. +He shot out a sharp, peremptory +order.</p> + +<p>“Do it, then! Do it as shown.”</p> + +<p>The man made noises, then turned, +shouting at the other drivers.</p> + +<p>Barra watched as the stack of cargo +grew. At last, the final sling was positioned +and a heavy cloth cover was +dropped over the great piles. Barra +looked at the headman.</p> + +<p>“Bring your drivers close,” he ordered. +“I have something for them +to see.”</p> + +<p>Again, there was the moment of +confusion, but this time the man had +gathered the main sense of the command. +He turned again, shouting.</p> + +<p>The drivers looked at each other +questioningly, then moved slowly +forward, to form a tight group before +Barra, who watched until they were +in satisfactory position.</p> + +<p>He concentrated on the group for +a few seconds, starting the formation +of a projection to his left.</p> + +<p>As the air glowed and started to +show form, the eyes of the drivers +swung toward it. Barra smiled tightly +and swung his distorter up. The +<a name="png.048" id="png.048"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">34</span><span class="ns">] + </span>crystal flamed as he swept it across +the group of slaves.</p> + +<p>He kept the power on, sweeping +the distorter back and forth until all +that remained was a large pool of +slime which thinned, then oozed into +the humus. At last, he tucked the rod +back under his arm and examined the +scene.</p> + +<p>There was the pile of goods. There +were the carrier beasts. But no man +or pseudoman remained of the caravan. +His smile broadened.</p> + +<p>Once he had sorted this cargo and +moved it to the Residence and to +various warehouses about the Estates, +all traces of Dar Makun and +his train would be gone.</p> + +<p>To be sure, a few villages would +find that their herds had increased, +but this was nothing to worry about. +He sighed.</p> + +<p>It had been a hard day and it +would be a hard night’s work. He +would have to forget his dignity for +the time and do real labor. But this +was necessity. And there was plenty +of profit in it as well.</p> + +<p>So far as the rest of the world +might know, Dar Makun and his +caravan had left Kira Barra to cut +back to the northern swing. And the +turbulent null had swallowed them +without trace.</p> + +<p>He turned away. He would have +to bring work boats in to the nearby +beach. Their surrogates were already +attuned and ready, and one of them +had been equipped with an auxiliary +power crystal. He would need that.</p> + +<p>As the boats arrived at village +piers, the various headmen would +<!-- 049.png -->merely follow instructions as given +by the boat’s surrogates. He would +be done with this operation in a few +hours.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />The days went on, became weeks, +then hands of weeks. Little by little, +Barra changed his attitude toward +caravan masters. Once, he had been +cautious about dealing with them, +allowing only a chosen few to do +business within his borders.</p> + +<p>Now, however, he had found a +whole, new source of income. And a +new sense of power had come to +him. Caravans were more than welcome +at Kira Barra.</p> + +<p>He leaned back on his new chair, +enjoying the complete ease with +which it instantly shaped to fit his +body. It was precisely like hovering +a short distance above the floor, yet +there was no strain of concentration +on some control unit. He allowed +himself to relax completely and +turned his attention to the viewer +crystal.</p> + +<p>It was new, too. The old one of his +father’s which he had brought to the +new Residence had seemed quite inadequate +when the Residence was +redone. This new viewer had been +designed for professional use. It was +a full two feet in diameter and could +fill thousands of cubic feet with solid +projection.</p> + +<p>Animals, trees, pseudomen, all +could be brought before him as +though physically present in the +study. Too, it was simpler than the +old one and much more accurate in +its control. He sighed.</p> + +<p><a name="png.050" id="png.050"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">35</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>The Estates had prospered. Of +course, he had been cautious. Many +caravans had come to Kira Barra and +left again, their masters highly +pleased with the fair dealings of the +Estates. Several had returned, time +and time again.</p> + +<p>There had been others who had +come through during times when the +null was in turbulence and it was +from these that he had taken his harvest. +He had been particular in his +choices, making careful evaluation +before taking any action.</p> + +<p>By this time, his operation was +faultless—a smooth routine which +admitted of no error. He smiled as he +remembered his fumbling efforts +with the first caravan and his halting +improvements when he had dealt +with the next. What were those fellows’ +names?</p> + +<p>He shrugged. He could remember +that first fellow practically begging +him to take action and he could remember +his own frightened evaluation +of the situation after the first +step. He had gone over a whole, long +line of alternative choices, rejecting +them one by one until the inevitable, +ideal method of operation had come +out. He smiled.</p> + +<p>When he had finally settled on his +general method, it had been elegantly +simple. But it had been very nearly +perfect. Basically, he was still using +the same plan.</p> + +<p>Now, of course, it was smoother +and even more simplified. There +were two general routines involved.</p> + +<p>Most caravan masters were treated +with the greatest of consideration. +<!-- 051.png -->They were allowed to pass through +the Estates with only nominal fees +and invited to avail themselves of the +courtesy of the Estates at any time in +the future. If trades with the Estates +were involved, the fees were waived, +of course. And many of them had returned, +bringing goods and information, +as well as taking away the +produce of the Estates.</p> + +<p>Then, there were those caravans +which came during turbulences in +the null and which seemed worthwhile +to the now practiced eyes of +Kio Barra. These were the ones ripe +for harvest. Their owners had been +offered the courtesy of the Estates—and +more.</p> + +<p>They had been taken for sightseeing +tours—perhaps of the lake—perhaps +to see valuable carrier stock +which could be had at bargain rates.</p> + +<p>Then, in complete privacy, a distorter +beam had made neat disposition +of them.</p> + +<p>Their goods had been distributed +through the various warehouses and +later disposed of through the safe +channels which Barra had carefully +cultivated. Their slaves, of course, +had been eliminated.</p> + +<p>Barra regretted this waste of valuable +property, but this way there +could be no leak of information +and no inquiry could be successful.</p> + +<p>There had been an inquiry at one +time, but that had been in the earlier +days.</p> + +<p>The inquirer had gone away with +no suspicion in his mind. He had examined +the null from the hills and +had agreed with Kio Barra that it was +<a name="png.052" id="png.052"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">36</span><span class="ns">] + </span>indeed a menace. He had listened +sympathetically to Barra’s rueful +comments about slaves and stock +which had drifted into the null, never +to be heard from again.</p> + +<p>Barra activated the view crystal. It +was time for another inspection of +the Estates.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />The projection formed and Barra +was suddenly in a wood, looking +across a wide field. Grain waved in +the breeze and here and there, the silhouettes +of both long-neck and fin-back +could be seen, half hidden by +grass and trees.</p> + +<p>The scanner progressed, crossing +the field and continuing to another +forest, operating on the route impressed +on it. Barra relaxed as he +watched. As the scan progressed +through field, swamp and forest, he +nodded in satisfaction. The Estates +were in far better shape than ever +before.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, he halted the scan, looking +critically at the scene. He was in +the central clearing of Tibara. And +the village didn’t match with the +standards he wanted.</p> + +<p>He looked critically at the huts. +They were becoming run-down. It +had been too long since the roof +thatches had been replaced. Uprights +were bending a little here, a trifle +out of plumb there.</p> + +<p>There were broken stones again in +the well curb and the pile of stone +brought for repair wasn’t neatly +stacked. He frowned.</p> + +<p>This was not the first time he’d +had to take a firm hand in Tibara. +<!-- 053.png -->Of course, he had replaced headmen +in other villages—more than once in +some cases. But Tibara was working +on its third headman. There was +something really wrong in that village.</p> + +<p>To be sure, Tibara was the village +where most caravan slaves were quartered. +A lodge had been built there +for that purpose and it was in frequent +use. Naturally, it was maintained +by the villagers. But that was +even less excuse for shoddiness. This +should be the neatest, best kept village +in all Kira Barra. It wasn’t.</p> + +<p>The frown deepened. This time, +Tibara was going to be cleaned up, +and he’d keep his attention on it. The +village would stay clean if the villagers +had to spend every second of +their time on it when they weren’t +taking care of their herds, their boats, +and their guest lodge.</p> + +<p>And there’d be no slacking in +those other areas, either.</p> + +<p>He looked around the clearing. +There were, he was forced to admit, +no idlers about at the moment. The +only people he could see were women +and children. And the women +were busily occupied.</p> + +<p>Again, he studied the scene. The +men would be coming in from their +fields and from the lake in another +hour. He would examine a few other +villages, then return his attention to +Tibara.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Wearily, Retonga, headman of Tibara, +pulled himself to a sitting position. +He looked over to the other side +of the room. Mir was already on her +<a name="png.054" id="png.054"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">37</span><span class="ns">] + </span>feet. She smiled at him uncertainly.</p> + +<p>“It’s morning,” she said. “Rest day, +at last.”</p> + +<p>“Yes.” Retonga closed his eyes for +an instant. It had been bad for her, +too, he knew. He’d probably been +pretty hard to live with these past +few days. He sighed.</p> + +<p>“Rest day,” he mused.<!-- TN: original has comma --> “But it +means nothing. There’s still work. +There’s always work these days.” He +got to his feet.</p> + +<p>“I wish I were just a herd boy—in +some other village.” He went to +the door and looked out.</p> + +<p>Someone had disturbed the pile of +building stones. Children had been +playing in the clearing the night before +and the earth was scuffed up. +Bits of wood and cloth lay scattered +here and there.</p> + +<p>He looked at the houses. Folshan’s +roof was sagging a trifle, he noticed. +And there were a couple of dolls lying +outside his door. He shook his +head and went out into the clearing.</p> + +<p>Old Tamiso was squatting by the +well. Retonga walked over to him.</p> + +<p>“Your stone pile,” he said. “A few +of the stones are scattered.”</p> + +<p>The old man looked over, then +shrugged.</p> + +<p>“I just picked this one out,” he explained. +“When I get it laid, I’ll have +to get another. I’ll straighten the pile +when I finish here.”</p> + +<p>Retonga smiled wearily. “And if +the master sees your pile now?”</p> + +<p>Tamiso pushed himself to his feet, +rubbing his back thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” he said. “The master can +give great pain, and it seems he is +<!-- 055.png -->always watching these days.” He +walked over to the stones.</p> + +<p>For a moment, Retonga watched +as he rearranged his pile, then he +turned, tilting his head back.</p> + +<p>“Awaken,” he shouted. “For the +sun looks down and shall he find us +asleep?”</p> + +<p>A head poked out of a door.</p> + +<p>“It’s a rest day. We’ll be at it soon +enough, but what’s the hurry?”</p> + +<p>Retonga shook his head. “I know +it’s rest day. You know it’s rest day. +But there’s one who forgets these +things. Remember the other evening?”</p> + +<p>Folshan winced and Retonga +pointed.</p> + +<p>“Better get those dolls picked up. +And there’s that roof of yours. I’ll +give you a hand with it.”</p> + +<p>Folshan came out of his hut, then +looked back.</p> + +<p>“No,” he said slowly. “You’re headman. +Remember how that happened? +Let the master catch you +helping with the work and we’ll +need yet another headman.” He +shook his head.</p> + +<p>“This time, it could be me.” He +bent over to pick up the toys his +daughter had left.</p> + +<p>“Kina,” he called, “tell Chama to +keep her toys picked up, or she +might be needing a new father.” He +turned again.</p> + +<p>“I’ll get Kesonta to help with that +roof. It’ll be straight in an hour or +so.”</p> + +<p>Retonga looked after him for a +moment, then caught the eyes of a +couple of the women. He made a +<a name="png.056" id="png.056"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">38</span><span class="ns">] + </span>sweeping motion toward the earth of +the clearing, then walked back to his +own door.</p> + +<div class="illus"><img src="images/huts.png" width="600" height="252" + alt="The village" title="" /></div> + +<p>He turned, inspecting each detail +of the village.</p> + +<p>“Let’s see. Is there anything else +for the master to find wrong?” Again, +he examined each house closely.</p> + +<p>At last, he turned away, walking +toward a path.</p> + +<p>“He’ll probably be looking at the +waterfront, too,” he told himself, +“and at the lodge.”</p> + +<p>He walked slowly along the path, +checking the forest floor as he went. +As he got to the beach, he looked +toward the pier, then winced.</p> + +<p>A few hundred yards out in the +lake, a high wedge of water was +sweeping toward him. At the apex of +the vee, he could see the shape of a +boat, its bow riding high over the +water.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” he groaned to himself. +“Trouble again!” He waited.</p> + +<p>As the wave splashed to the pier, +he dashed forward to secure the boat. +Kio Barra merely glanced at him. +Briefly, he caught the impression of +a wide field. A line of great beasts +were crossing it, their long necks +bobbing as they walked. He nodded +in understanding.</p> + +<p>A caravan was coming in. That +would be trouble, of course, but of +minor nature. He turned, to follow +the glittering figure as it floated toward +the path and on, into the village.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />As the caravan came to a stop, +Naran’s beast bent its knees and +<a name="png.057" id="png.057"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">39</span><span class="ns">] + </span>crouched. He swung himself to the +ground.</p> + +<p>He was getting the hang of this, +he told himself. At first, he had been +forced to fight an almost uncontrollable +compulsion to float down normally, +but now it seemed quite sensible +to grab the heavy fiber strands +and swing forward till his feet were +solidly on the ground. He spun +about.</p> + +<p>“All right,” he shouted. “Take your +reins. Form your unloading circles +on me. We’ll be here for a day or +two.”</p> + +<p>He watched as the slings were +lifted from the brutes’ backs, then +turned his attention to the man who +was greeting Dar Girdek.</p> + +<p>So this was the Lord of the Mountain +Lake. He shook his head. The +fellow glittered almost from head to +foot. Naran examined the jewelry +<!-- 058.png -->appraisingly. He wore a fourth-order +cap. They didn’t make them any +heavier than that one. And if there +was a device that had been left out, +he had never heard of it.</p> + +<p>In addition, he could identify three +heavy-duty shields, a power levitator, +a handful of destructor and paralysis +rings, and a projector medallion capable +of forming several hundred cubic +feet of solid, detailed illusion. He +shook his head.</p> + +<p>This man must have spent the entire +income of his estate for several +years in assembling this array. There +was enough there to outfit a battle +group of competent psionics.</p> + +<p>“If this guy needs all that stuff just +to get by, he’s as near to psionic zero +as you can get,” Naran told himself. +“Either that, or he’s loaded with a +power compulsion that’s never been +equalled.” He frowned.</p> + +<p>“Or both,” he added thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>He looked again at the blaze of +jewelry.</p> + +<p>Faintly, he could sense the sour +feel of fear. It acted as a carrier for a +mixture of hatred, envy, and contemptuous +hauteur. Naran whistled +softly. There was more, too. He +wished he dared try a probe, but with +all that arsenal of psionic crystalware, +it would be unwise.</p> + +<p>“Hit those shields of his and I’d +bounce off with a noise like a million +bells,” he thought. He turned away.</p> + +<p>He’d have to keep his own mind +fully hooded around here. He looked +back again, glancing at the distorter +rod Barra carried. His eyes widened +a little.</p> + +<p><a name="png.059" id="png.059"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">40</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>“Given adequate drive, that thing +would stop a Fifth Planet battleship.” +He grinned.</p> + +<p>“Arm a couple of hundred men +with those things and they could go +out and take the Fifth apart, bit by +bit. Then we wouldn’t have to worry +about those people and their mechanical +gadgets.”</p> + +<p>He dragged his attention back to +the business at hand, tapping in on +Dar Girdek’s thoughts.</p> + +<p><span class="nw">“… And</span> we can tour the Estates +later today,” Barra was saying. +“I may be able to show you some +worthwhile goods, as well as a few +good draft beasts to carry them.”</p> + +<p>Naran risked a light probe, taking +advantage of Barra’s diverted attention.</p> + +<p>He had been right, he thought. It +was the “or both.” He shook his head. +The guy was almost pathetic. Obviously, +he wanted to be the greatest +man on the planet. And equally obviously, +without his amplifier jewels, +he’d be little stronger psionically +than one of Dar Girdek’s drivers.</p> + +<p>As Dar Girdek followed his host +toward the village, Naran turned his +attention back to his drivers. He +would have to make camp and then +get together with that village headman. +There’d be plenty of arrangements +they would have to make.</p> + +<p>He was surprised at the arrangements +Retonga had already made. +There wasn’t much question about it, +the entertainment of caravans was +familiar business with this headman. +He knew all the problems—and their +answers.</p> + +<p><!-- 060.png -->Of course, Dar Girdek had told +him about the hospitality of Kira +Barra, but this had to be seen to be +believed. He spent his first really restful +night in weeks.</p> + +<p>The next morning, he walked +slowly along the path to the drivers’ +lodge, paying little attention to his +surroundings. Somehow, in spite of +the reception given the caravan, he +was uneasy.</p> + +<p>He recalled his conversation with +Retonga the night before.</p> + +<p>The man had asked questions +about the conditions of the trail. He +had been curious about the treatment +of the drivers by the master of the +train. Then he had shaken his head, +looking out over his village.</p> + +<p>“It is far different here. This is an +estate of death and terror, and our +master is the very lord of these. I +was a child when his father died, but +I think things were different then.” +He had looked searchingly at Naran.</p> + +<p>“I’ve never mentioned these things +before,” he went on. “But there’s +something—” He had looked down at +the ground, then up again.</p> + +<p>“Our master became Kio through +the death of his brother,” he went on, +“and it was through the deaths of +other headmen that I was placed in +charge of this village.” He had +glanced back into the door of his hut.</p> + +<p>“I had no part in causing those +deaths. The life of a headman here +in Tibara is short and none but a fool +would fight for this position of mine. +It is not a good one. The master’s +demands are heavy and his hand is +even heavier.”</p> + +<p><a name="png.061" id="png.061"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">41</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>This didn’t match with the reputation +of Kio Barra as a considerate +host—a fair man to do business with. +It made him wonder.</p> + +<p>Had his brother actually ever left +this place? But if not, where were +his drivers? What had happened to +his train of draft brutes? How had +the cargo he carried been disposed +of?</p> + +<p>Oh, of course, he knew there were +caravan masters who would accept +freight and ask a minimum of questions. +Goods could be disposed of. +And this was a breeding estate. The +slaves? He shook his head. Too simple!</p> + +<p>He brought himself back to the +present, looking thoughtfully at the +drivers’ lodge ahead of him. Then +he probed gently, trying to establish +rapport with Dar Girdek. The man +could be in real danger.</p> + +<p>He frowned and probed with more +force. There was nothing. The frown +deepened.</p> + +<p>After his talk with Retonga, he had +established rapport with the caravan +master, but the older man had attached +no importance to his suspicions.</p> + +<p>“No,” he had thought back, “you +are seeing a robber behind every rock +now. Kio Barra is a tough master, of +course. He’s got a big estate here, and +he really keeps it up to the mark. +He’s a good host and a really good +man to deal with—liberal trader. Remember, +I know this guy. I’ve been +here before.” There had been the +impression of a smile.</p> + +<p>“Besides, this guy’s harmless, +<!-- 062.png -->remember? Sure, he’s a businessman. +But if he should try anything violent, +I could take care of him without +taking time out to think about +it.” A final, dismissing thought had +come.</p> + +<p>“Look, forget about it, will you? +If you had to suspect someone of +dirty work, pick on some of those +northerners. Kio Barra’s too well +known for fair dealing. I’ll make a +deal with him, then we can go up to +the northern swing and really look +around to see if we can find any trace +of that caravan of your brother’s.”</p> + +<p>Naran kicked at the trail. Dar +Girdek was a good trader and a successful +caravan master. He knew +goods and their value, and he was expert +in handling beasts and drivers. +But he had never been too sensitive. +And he’d absolutely refused to wear +a probe amplifier.</p> + +<p>“Look,” he’d thought disgustedly, +“how would you like to do business +with some guy that wore a great, big, +yellow headlight to tell you he wanted +to poke around in your mind?”</p> + +<p>Naran put his foot on the lowest +rung of the short ladder leading to +the lodge door.</p> + +<p>Unless he was badly mistaken, he +knew now where his brother had +gone. And now Dar Girdek had +joined him. The details? He +shrugged.</p> + +<p>They were unimportant. But what +was next? What would be the next +step in Barra’s plans? And what +could be done about this guy? He +climbed the ladder and went into the +lodge.</p> + +<p><a name="png.063" id="png.063"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">42</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>Of course, if the Council found out +about this, they could deal with the +situation. All they’d need would be a +little proof and Kio Barra would be +well and promptly taken care of. +But how would someone get word +out?</p> + +<p>The estate was loaded with surrogates, +he knew that. A caravan—even +a single man—would find it impossible +to either enter or leave +without the knowledge and consent of +the Master Protector. He smiled.</p> + +<p>He could just visualize Kio Barra +letting anyone out with proof of his +activities. The smile faded.</p> + +<p>A distant projection? There were +those surrogates again. They were +broad tuned and he knew it. They’d +flare like a field of beacons.</p> + +<p>Of course, he could get out a flash +appeal and it would be heard. He +grinned.</p> + +<p>Now, there was a nice way to commit +suicide. There’d be no time for +help to arrive, he was sure of that. +And no shield would stand up under +that heavy-duty distorter, even if +Barra could only summon a minimum +of power to operate it. He +shook his head, looking around the +room.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Drivers were beginning to stir and +get to their feet. Naran looked at the +flunky.</p> + +<p>“Better get with it, Bintar,” he +said. “Going to be a bunch of hungry +men around you in a couple of minutes.”</p> + +<p>“Yeah.” The man started out the +door, yawning. “Got to eat, if we +<!-- 064.png -->don’t do anything else.” He climbed +down the ladder.</p> + +<p>Naran glanced at the drivers.</p> + +<p>“Soon’s we’ve eaten,” he said, “I’d +like to check up on the long-necks. +See whether they’ve wandered during +the night. I’d hate to have them +get mixed up with the village herd.”</p> + +<p>A driver looked around at him.</p> + +<p>“Aw,” he protested, “the master +probably pinned ’em down good before +he left. Besides, he can identify +’em anyway. They won’t go far—not +with those herd boys running +around.”</p> + +<p>“Sure,” Naran told him. “The master +would really like spending half a +day cutting out his long-necks from +the village herd. And how about that +Master Protector? What would he +think of our caravan?”</p> + +<p>The other looked at him disgustedly. +“Aw, who cares about that? +Why worry about what one of them +witchmen thinks about another? +Long’s we don’t get twisted around, +what’s the difference?”</p> + +<p>Naran growled to himself. He’d +blundered on that one. There was no +answer to that argument that he +could present. He had learned to +understand—and in some measure +sympathize with—the deep-seated +resentment of the non-psi for the psionic. +The non-psionics felt they were +just as good men as anyone, yet here +were these psionics with their incomprehensible +powers. And there was +nothing to be done about it except +obey.</p> + +<p>Of course, they didn’t like it—or +their masters.</p> + +<p><a name="png.065" id="png.065"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">43</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>As far as that went, the caravan +herd was unimportant now. The only +trouble was Retonga. If the herds +were mixed, he would be in real +trouble.</p> + +<p>“Well,” he said aloud, “I’m not +about to get the master to spinning. +Long’s we keep him happy, we’ll all +be a lot better off. As I said, right +after breakfast. I want everyone out +on the herd.” He started to turn +away.</p> + +<p>“Aagh,” growled the other. “Why +don’t you face it? You’re just one of +those guys likes to toss orders around +and make people jump. It’s about +time someone showed you a few +things.”</p> + +<p>Naran turned back. Rosel had been +resentful ever since the caravan had +formed. He had expected to be lead +driver on this trip and he’d made no +effort to hide his fury and disappointment +at being displaced in favor of a +newcomer.</p> + +<p>For an instant, Naran considered. +There was no point in continuing his +masquerade any further. Dar Girdek +was gone and he’d have to take the +caravan back anyway—if he could +work his way out of here, past Barra.</p> + +<p>If he couldn’t get out—if he joined +his brother and Dar Girdek—it +would make no difference what the +caravan drivers thought.</p> + +<p>He could put this man in his place +right now. Then, he could give him +the job of lead driver.</p> + +<p>But there was something else to +think of. If he got the train out of +here, he would have to work with +this guy. And there would always be +<!-- 066.png -->an even greater resentment added to +the normal fear and hatred of the +psionic. That could demoralize the +whole train. Naran sighed.</p> + +<p>Rosel had put his feelings in the +open now and Naran would have to +play out the role he had assumed.</p> + +<p>He crossed the room to confront +Rosel. Abruptly, he thrust a hand out. +The other made a grab for it and Naran +moved smoothly forward, locking +the grasping hand.</p> + +<p>Quickly he extended a leg and +threw Rosel over it. As the man hit +the floor, Naran retained his grip and +brought his other hand over, twisting +the man’s arm. His foot went out, to +smack into the man’s face, pinning +him to the floor. Slowly, he put pressure +on the prisoned hand.</p> + +<p>“Once more,” he said coldly, “I’m +going to have everyone out on the +herd right after breakfast. Now, do +you want to go out and work with +’em, or do I keep winding up on this +thing and then have ’em load you up +with the rest of the spare gear?”</p> + +<p>“Aw, look.” Rosel’s voice was muffled. +“Didn’t mean a thing, I was just +making a crack.”</p> + +<p>“Yeah, sure.” Naran’s voice was +scornful. “Just having a little fun before +breakfast. Now you listen to me. +So long as I’m lead driver, you’re going +to do what I say—when I say it. +If you give me any more trouble, I’ll +pull your head off and make you carry +it under one arm. Got it?”</p> + +<p>“Ow! Yeah, I got it. You’re the +lead driver.”</p> + +<p>Naran released his pressure and +stepped back.</p> + +<p><a name="png.067" id="png.067"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">44</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>“All right,” he said. “Let’s forget +it. Now, we’ll get breakfast over with +and then we’ll take care of the long-necks. +You take the drivers out, +Rosel. I’m going to make some arrangements +in the village. Be with +you later.” He swung away.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />Barra looked at his reflection with +satisfaction. It was too bad, he +thought, that he didn’t have some +companion to appreciate his wealth +and power. He examined his equipment +carefully.</p> + +<p>Everything was clean. Everything +was in order. There was no device +lacking.</p> + +<p>Proudly, he looked down at the +huge, yellow pendant he was wearing +for the first time. It was funny, he +thought, that he had never considered +a probe unit before. Now that +he thought of it, this was a most satisfactory +device. Now, he could look +into his villagers’ minds and see +clearly what lay there. Even, he could +get some ideas of the intentions of +visiting caravan masters.</p> + +<p>Fitting the device and becoming +familiar with it had been hard work, +of course, but he had mastered it. +And today, he could wear the jewel +and use it. It would make the day’s +work easier.</p> + +<p>He activated his levitator, floated +to his boat, and pulled it away from +its shelter, setting the course toward +Tibara.</p> + +<p>The hard part of this operation +was over, he thought. The rest was +simple routine.</p> + +<p>This caravan master had given him +<!-- 068.png -->a bit more trouble than some of the +others, but his final reaction had been +just like all the others. He smiled.</p> + +<p>That flash of incredulity, followed +by sudden, horrified comprehension, +then blankness, was becoming perfectly +familiar. In fact, even this was +simple routine.</p> + +<p>He wondered if he might be able +to extend just a little. Perhaps he +could operate on a wider scale. There +should be some way he could work +out to take over a neighboring estate +and go from there.</p> + +<p>Surely, there must be some outlet +for his abilities, beyond mere increase +in the wealth of Kira Barra. +And there must be some way to gain +a companion of sorts. He would have +to think that over.</p> + +<p>He swung the boat to the pier and +floated away, grandly ignoring the +pseudomen who hurried to secure his +lines.</p> + +<p>He examined the village with approval +as he stood in the center of +the clearing. There had been a great +improvement since he had taken that +headman in hand. Perhaps this fellow +would be satisfactory—might +even learn to take some pride in the +appearance of his village—if, that +is, a pseudoman were capable of +pride.</p> + +<p>He looked over toward the headman’s +hut.</p> + +<p>The fellow had come out, followed +by the lead driver of the caravan. +Good, that would save the trouble of +hunting the fellow out.</p> + +<p>He concentrated on the caravan +slave.</p> + +<p><a name="png.069" id="png.069"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">45</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span>“Your master has decided to remain +at the Residence for a time,” he +thought confidently. “You may have +your drivers load up and move to a +more permanent location.”</p> + +<p>The answering thought was unexpectedly +distinct.</p> + +<p>“This location looks as though it +were designed for a caravan’s stay. +Where’s Dar Girdek?”</p> + +<p>Barra looked at the man in surprise. +What was this? This fellow +didn’t think like any pseudoman. +Had Dar Girdek somehow managed +to persuade a halfman to act as his +lead driver? But why?</p> + +<p>He drew back a little, tensing. +There was something wrong here.</p> + +<p>“Now, look,” persisted the man before +him. “I’d like to see Dar Girdek. +I’d like to know why I haven’t been +able to get in touch with him this +morning.”</p> + +<p>Barra blinked, then activated the +new probe. He would have to find +out what this man knew—how much +others might know. Abruptly, he felt +a violent return of the fear sickness +which had temporarily subsided with +the death of Dar Girdek.</p> + +<p>The probe was met by an impenetrable +barrier. Barra’s eyes widened. +This man was no halfman, either. He +was one of the great psionics. Frantically, +Barra’s thought retraced the +past.</p> + +<p>Was this an investigator from the +Council? Was he, Kio Barra, suspect? +But how had any leak occurred? The +fear grew, till he could almost smell +the sour stench of it. And with it, +came a buoying lift of pure fury.</p> + +<p><!-- 070.png -->This man may have unmasked +him, to be sure. The Council might +even now be sending men to take +him, but this spy would never know +the results of his work. He would +profit nothing here.</p> + +<p>He flipped the distorter from under +his arm.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />As the Master Protector started to +raise his distorter, Naran felt a sharp +twinge of regret. He had resigned +himself to this, and had made his +preparations, but he hated to leave +Barra to someone else. Of course, the +man had no chance now. The disturbance +he had keyed himself to +make if he were hit with a distorter +would be heard by every scholar in +Ganiadur, and by half the Council. +<span class="nw">But—</span></p> + +<p>Suddenly, he felt a sort of pity for +the killer before him. The guy wasn’t +really altogether to blame. He’d been +living for all these years with everything +against him.</p> + +<p>Born into a psionic family, he had +been the family skeleton—a thing of +disgrace—to be hidden from the rest +of the world and given tolerant protection.</p> + +<p>And when this barely tolerated +being had managed somehow to gain +power and get amplifying devices? +<span class="nw">Well—</span></p> + +<p>The crystal was leveled at him +now. He looked at it indifferently, +thinking of the man who held it.</p> + +<p>“Poor, lonesome weakling!”</p> + +<p>Abruptly, the clearing was lit up +by a blinding red glare. Naran closed +his eyes against the searing light. +<a name="png.071" id="png.071"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">46</span><span class="ns">] + </span>Seconds went by and he opened his +eyes again, looking about the village +in confusion.</p> + +<p>Had he somehow managed to retain +full consciousness of ego, even +after being reduced by a distorter +beam? Was there a release into some +other state of being? He had <span class="nw">felt +no—</span></p> + +<p>He looked at Kio Barra. The man +stood, slack-faced, still holding his +distorter rod, but gradually allowing +it to sag toward the ground. Naran +shook his head.</p> + +<p>“Now, what goes on?”</p> + +<p>He probed at the man’s mind.</p> + +<p>There was consciousness. The man +could think, but the thoughts were +dim and blurred, with no trace of +psionic carrier. The control and amplifier +jewels he wore had lost their +inner fire—were merely dull, lifeless +reflectors of the sunlight. This man +could do no more toward bringing +life to the jewels than could the village +headman—perhaps, even less.</p> + +<p>Naran looked at him in unbelieving +confusion, then turned as a sudden, +screaming thought struck his +mind.</p> + +<p>“A stinking, high-nosed witchman! +And we thought he was one of +us! Ate with him. Argued with him. +Even fought with him. I’ve got to get +away. Got to!”</p> + +<p>There was desperation in the +thought. And there were hatred overtones, +which blended, then swelled.</p> + +<p>As the terrorized ululation went +on, Naran swung his head, locating +the source. He’d have to do something +about that—fast. The fellow +<!-- 072.png -->would really demoralize the caravan +now—even infect the big saurians—cause +a stampede.</p> + +<p>This guy had some power of projection +and his terror was intensifying +it till anyone could receive the +disturbing impulses, even though +complete understanding might be +lacking.</p> + +<p>Naran lifted himself from the +ground, arrowing rapidly toward the +caravan, his mind already forming +the thoughts which he hoped would +soothe the frantic fear and—at least +to some degree—allay the frenzy of +hatred<!-- TN: original reads "hated" --> that swelled and became +stronger and stronger.</p> + +<p>Barra could wait.</p> + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />As Barra swung his distorter to +bear, he concentrated on the violent +pulse needed to trigger the jewel, his +mind closed to all else. He turned his +attention on his target.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, he recognized the curiously +tender expression which had +formed on the face of the man before +him.</p> + +<p>Frantically, he tried to revise his +thoughts—to recall the blaze of +energy he had concentrated to build +up.</p> + +<p>It was too late.</p> + +<p>With a sense of despair, he recognized +the sudden, lifting, twisting +agony that accompanied the flare of +the overloaded power crystal. For an +eternal instant, his universe was a +blinding, screaming, red nightmare.</p> + +<p>The flare died and he watched +dully as the unharmed man before +him looked about unbelievingly, then +<a name="png.073" id="png.073"></a><span class="ns">[p </span><span + class="pgmark">47</span><span class="ns">] + </span>looked back to carefully examine him.</p> + +<p>“Oh,” he told himself dully. “I suppose +they’ll take care of me, but what +of it? They’ll put me somewhere. I’ll +lose everything. It’ll be just like the +place Boemar thought of sending me, +<span class="nw">when I—”</span></p> + +<p>Furiously, he tried to summon +some tiny bit of energy to activate +the distorter.</p> + +<p>Nothing happened.</p> + +<p>The man whose pity had destroyed +him suddenly frowned, then turned +and darted away. Dully, Barra +watched him, then he turned, to look +around the village. His face contorted +in new terror.</p> + +<p><!-- 074.png -->Some of the village men were +moving toward him, curious expressions +on their faces. He backed away +from them and turned.</p> + +<p>A few more had moved to block +his path.</p> + +<p>They were grunting and hissing to +each other. Barra looked from face to +face, then looked over toward the +well.</p> + +<p>There were men over there, too, +by the pile of stones. The old man +who worked on the retaining walls of +the village had picked up some of +his building material.</p> + +<p>He stood, eying Barra calculatingly, +a stone poised in each hand.</p> + + +<p class="fin"><small>THE END</small></p> + + +</div> + +<div class="tnote"> +<h3>Transcriber’s note:</h3> + +<p>Minor typographical corrections are documented in the source code.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="pg" /> + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Weakling, by Everett B. 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Cole + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Weakling + +Author: Everett B. Cole + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: April 3, 2009 [EBook #28486] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WEAKLING *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, David Wilson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +THE WEAKLING + +By EVERETT B. COLE + + + _A strong man can, of course, be dangerous, but he doesn't + approach the vicious deadliness of a weakling--with a weapon!_ + + +Illustrated by van Dongen + + + + +[Illustration] + + +[Illustration] + + +Naran Makun looked across the table at the caravan master. + +"And you couldn't find a trace of him?" + +"Nothing. Not even a scrap of his cargo or so much as the bones of a +long-neck. He just dropped out of sight of his whole train. He went +through this big estate, you see. Then he cut back to pick up some of +his stops on the northern swing. Well, that was all. He didn't get to +the first one." The other waved a hand. + +"Weird situation, too. Oh, the null was swirling, we know that, and he +could have been caught in an arm. It happens, but it isn't too often +that an experienced man like your brother gets in so deep he can't get +out somehow--or at least leave some trace of what happened." The man +picked up his cup, eying it thoughtfully. + +"Oh, we've all had close ones, sure. We've all lost a long-neck or so, +now and then. Whenever the null swirls, it can cover big territory in a +big hurry and most of that northern swing is null area at one time or +another. One of those arms can overrun a train at night and if a man +loses his head, he's in big trouble." He sipped from his cup. + +"Young caravan master got caught that way, just a while back. A friend +of mine, Dr. Zalbon, was running the swing after the null retracted. He +found what was left." + +"Told me he ran into a herd of carnivores. Fifteen or twenty real big +fellows. Jaws as long as a man. He killed them off and then found they'd +been feeding on what was left of Dar Konil's train." + +He shook his head. "It's not a nice area." + +"Hold everything." Naran leaned forward. "You said my brother went +through this big estate. Anyone see him come out?" + +Dar Girdek smiled. "Oh, sure. The Master of the Estates, Kio Barra, +himself. He saw him to the border and watched him go on his way." + +Naran looked doubtful. "And what kind of a character is this Barra?" + +"Oh, him!" Dar Girdek waved a hand. "Nothing there. In the first place, +he holds one of the biggest estates in the mountain area. So what would +he want to rob a freight caravan for?" He laughed. + +"In the second place, the guy's practically harmless. Oh, sure, he's got +a title. He's Lord of the Mountain Lake. And he wears a lot of psionic +crystalware. But he's got about enough punch to knock over some +varmint--if it's not too tough. Dar Makun might be your weak brother, +but he'd have eaten that guy for breakfast if he'd tried to be rough." + +"Psionic weakling, you mean? But how does he manage to be a master +Protector of an Estate?" + +Dar Girdek smiled wryly. "Father died. Brother sneaked off somewhere. +That left him. Title's too clear for anyone to try any funny business." + +"I see." Naran leaned back. "Now, what about this null?" + +"Well, of course you know about the time the pseudomen from the Fifth +managed to sneak in and lay a mess of their destructors on Carnol?" + +"I might. I was one of the guys that saw to it they didn't get back to +celebrate." Naran closed his eyes for an instant. + +"Yeah. Way I heard it, you were the guy that wrapped 'em up. Too bad +they didn't get you on the job sooner. Maybe we wouldn't have this mess +on our hands now." Dar Girdek shrugged. + +"Anyway, they vaporized the city and a lot of area around it. That was +bad, but the aftereffect is worse. We've got scholars beating their +brains cells together, but all they can tell us is that there's a big +area up there just as psionically dead as an experimental chamber." He +grinned. + +"I could tell 'em that much myself. It's a sort of cloud. Goes +turbulent, shoots out arms, then folds in again. + +"We'd by-pass the whole thing, but it's right on the main trade route. +Only way around it is plenty of days out of the path, clear down around +the middle sea and into the lake region. Then you have to go all the way +back anyway, if you plan to do any mid-continent trading. And you still +take a chance of getting caught in a swirl arm." + +Naran tilted his head. "So? Suppose you do get into a swirl? All you +need to do is wait." He smiled. + +"You know. Just sort of ignore it. It'll go away." + +"Uh huh. Sounds easy enough. It's about what we do when we have to. But +there are things living there. They can be hard to ignore." + +"You mean the carnivores?" + +"That's right. If you meet one of those fellow out in normal territory, +he's no trouble at all. You hit him with a distorter and he flops. Then +you figure out whether to reduce him to slime or leave the carcass for +his friends and relations." He smiled. + +"From what your brother said, you wouldn't need the distorter." + +Naran smiled deprecatingly. "That's one of the things they pay me for," +he remarked. "We run into some pretty nasty beasties at sea." + +"Yeah. I've heard. Big, rough fellows. Our varmints are smaller. But +what would you do if you ran into twenty tons or so of pure murder, and +you with no more psionic power than some pseudoman?" + +Naran looked at him thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought of that," he +admitted. "I might not like it. Jaws as longs as a man, you said?" + +The other nodded. "Longer, sometimes. And teeth as long as your hand. +One snap and there's nothing left. + +"When they kill a long-neck, they have a good meal and walk away from +whatever's left. But people are something else. They just can't get +enough and they don't leave any crumbs." He waved a hand. + +"There've been several trains caught by those things. A swirl arm comes +over at night, you see, and the caravan master loses his head. He can't +think of anything but getting out. Oh, he can yell at his drivers. +They've got a language, and we all know it. That's easy. But did you +ever try to get a long-neck going without psionic control?" + +"I see what you mean. It could be a little rough." + +"Yeah. It could be. Anyway, about this time, everybody's yelling at +everybody else. The long-necks are squealing and bellowing. Drivers are +jerking on reins. And a herd of carnivores hears the commotion. So, they +drop around to see the fun. See what I mean?" + +Naran nodded and Dar Girdek went on. + +"Well, that's about it. Once in a great while, some guy manages to get +into a cave and hide out till the null swings away and another caravan +comes along. But usually, no one sees anything but a little of the cargo +and some remains of long-necks. No one's ever come up with any part of +man or pseudoman. As I said, one snap and there's nothing left." + +Naran smiled wryly. "Tough to be popular, I guess." He leaned forward. + +"But you've been over the trail several times since he disappeared. And +you said you've seen nothing. No trace of the train. That right?" + +The other shook his head. "Not even a cargo sling." + +"You're making up a train now, aren't you? I'd like to go along on this +next trip. Fact is, I've been thinking some nasty thoughts. And I'm +going to be uneasy till I find out whether I'm right or not." + +Dar Girdek rubbed his chin. "Want to buy in, maybe?" + +"No, I don't think so. I'll work my way--as your lead driver." + +"Oh, no!" Dar Girdek laughed. "You don't put a psionic on some +long-neck. Lead driver's pseudoman, just like the rest." He sobered. + +"Oh, sure. You could handle the drivers, but it just isn't done." + +Naran smiled. "Oh, as far as the other drivers'll know, I'm just another +pseudoman. I've been a ship's non-psi agent, remember? We earn our keep +by dealing with the people in non-psi areas." + +"It won't work." The caravan master shook his head. "These drivers can +get pretty rough with each other. You'd have to set two or three of them +back on their heels the first day. It would be either that, or get a lot +of bruises and end up as camp flunky." + +"Could be," Naran told him. "Tell you what. You turn me loose in an +experimental chamber so I can't fudge. Then send your toughest driver in +and tell him to kick me out of there. I'll show him some tricks I +learned from the non-psi's overseas and he'll be a smarter man when he +wakes up." + + * * * * * + +Leuwan, Kio Barra, Lord of the Mountain Lake, Master of the Estates Kira +Barra, and Protector of the Common Good, stood examining the assortment +of crystals in a cabinet. He hesitated over a large, brilliantly +gleaming sphere of crystallized carbon, then shook his head. That one +would be pretty heavy going, he was sure. The high intensity summary +said something about problems of the modern world, so it could be +expected to be another of those dull reports on the welfare of the +Commonwealth. + +Why, he wondered, did some projection maker waste good time and effort +by making up things like that? And why did they waste more time and +effort by sending them around? When a man wanted to relax, he wanted +something to relax with. What he was looking for was something light. + +He turned his attention to other crystals, at last selecting a small, +blue prism. He held it up, regarding it, then nodded and placed it on +the slender black pedestal near his chair, where he could observe +without undue effort. + +He turned, examining each corner of his empty study, then took his +sapphire-tipped golden staff from under his arm, placing it carefully on +a rack built into his chair arm, where it would be convenient to his +hand should the need arise. + +One could never be too careful, he thought. Of course, he could deal +with any recalcitrant slave by other means, but the distorter was +convenient and could be depended upon to give any degree of pressure +desired. And it was a lot less trouble to use than to concentrate on +more fatiguing efforts such as neural pressure or selective paralysis. + +One must conserve one's powers for times when they might be really +needed. + +Too, there was the remote possibility that some lackland wanderer might +come by and find a flaw in the protection of the Estates--even somehow +penetrate to the Residence. Barra shuddered at that thought, then +shrugged it off. Kira Barra was well protected, of that he had made +sure. Ever vigilant surrogates were deposited in all the strategic spots +of the Estates--not only to allow quick observations of the condition of +the lands, but also to give automatic warning of the approach of anyone +of inimical turn of mind. + +He eased his bulk into the chair, twisted about for a few moments as it +adjusted to fit his body, then leaned back with a sigh of relaxation and +directed his thoughts to the crystal before him. + +Under the impulses of his amplified thought, the crystal glowed, +appeared to expand, then became a three-dimensional vista. + +The high intensity summary and excerpt leader had been not too +deceptive, Barra told himself as the story unfolded. It was a well done +adventure projection, based on the war with the Fifth planet. +Critically, he watched the actions of a scout crew, approving of the +author's treatment and selection of material. He, Barra, was something +of a connoisseur of these adventure crystals, even though he had never +found it necessary to leave the protection of Earth's surface. + +He shrugged, taking his attention from the projection. + +The lacklanders, he told himself--entertainment people, caravan masters, +seafarers, other wanderers of light responsibility--were the natural +ones to be selected to go out and deal with remote emergencies. + +Like all stable, responsible men of property and worth, he was far too +valuable to the Commonwealth to risk himself in wild dashes to the dead, +non-psionic lands, or out into the emptiness of space. As far as risking +himself on combat missions of interplanetary war-- He shook his head. +This was pure stupidity. + +He frowned uneasily. It had been a bit unfair, though, of the +Controllers. They had completely excused him from service on the basis +of inaptitude. It had rankled ever since. + +Of course he couldn't be expected to dash madly about in some two-man +scout. Even as his brother's assistant, he had been a person of quite +definite standing and responsibility and such antics would have been +beneath his dignity. He had made that quite plain to them. + +There had been responsible posts where a man of his quality and standing +could have been of positive value. And, as he had pointed out, they +could have assigned him to one of those. + +But no! They had merely excused him. Inapt! + +As far as that went, he told himself angrily, he, Kio Barra, could +comport himself with the best if necessity demanded. + +Those dashing characters in this projection were, of course, the +figments of some unstable dreamer's imagination. But they showed the +instability of the usual lackland wanderers. And what could such men do +that a solid, responsible man like himself couldn't do better? + +He returned to the crystal, then shook his head in disgust. It had +become full--flat--meaningless. Besides, he had matters of real import +to take care. + +He directed his attention to the chair, which obediently swung about +until he faced his large view crystal. + +"Might as well have a look at the East Shore," he told himself. + + * * * * * + +As he focused his attention, the crystal expanded, then became a huge +window through which he could see the shores of the inland sea, then the +lands to the east of the large island on which he had caused his +Residence to be built. He looked approvingly at the rolling, tree-clad +hills as the view progressed. + +Suddenly, he frowned in annoyance. The great northern null was in +turbulence again, thrusting its shapeless arms down toward the borders +of Kira Barra. He growled softly. + +There, he told himself, was the result of the carelessness of those +lackland fools who had been entrusted with the defense of the home +planet. Their loose, poorly planned defenses had allowed the pseudomen +of the Fifth to dash in and drop their destructors in a good many spots +on the surface. And here was one of them. + +Here was a huge area which had once been the site of a great city and +which had contained the prosperous and productive estates of a Master +Protector, now reduced to a mere wasteland into which slaves might +escape, to lead a brute-like existence in idleness. + +He had lost pseudomen slaves in this very null and he knew he would +probably lose more. Despite the vigilance of the surrogates, they kept +slipping across the river and disappearing into that swirling +nothingness. And now, with that prominence so close-- + +He had no guards he could trust to go after the fellows, either. Such +herd guards as he had would decide to desert their protector and take up +the idle life which their fellow pseudomen had adopted. A few of them +had gone out and done just that. Their memories of the protection and +privileges granted them were short and undependable. He sighed. + +"Ungrateful beasts!" + +Some Master Protectors had little trouble along that line. Others had +managed to hire the services of halfmen--weak psionics, too weak to +govern and yet strong and able enough to be more than mere pseudomen. + +These halfmen made superb, loyal guards and overseers--for some--but +none had remained at Kira Barra. They had come, to be sure, but they had +stayed on for a time, then drifted away. + +And, he thought angrily, it was illegal to restrain these halfmen in +any way. Some soft-headed fool had granted their kind the rights of +Commonwealth citizenship. Halfmen had even managed to take service with +the fleet during the war with the Fifth Planet. Some of them had even +managed somehow to be of small value--and now many of them held the +status of veterans of that victorious war--a status he, one of the great +landholders, was denied. + +No, he told himself, until such time as the nulls were solved and +eliminated, such pseudomen as managed to cross the northeastern river +were safe enough in their unknown land. And, he thought sourly, the +scholars had made no progress in their studies of the nulls. + +Probably they were concerning themselves with studies more likely to +give them preferment or more immediate personal gain. + +Of course, the wasteland wasn't entirely unknown, not to him, at least. +He had viewed the area personally. There were hilltops on the Estates +from which ordinary eyesight would penetrate far into the dead area, +even though the more powerful and accurate parasight was stopped at its +borders. Yes, he had seen the affected area. + +He had noted that much of it had regained a measure of fertility. There +was life now--some of it his own meat lizards who had wandered across +the river and out of his control. And he had even seen some of the +escaped pseudomen slinking through the scrub growth and making their +crudely primitive camps. + +"Savages!" he told himself. "Mere animals. And one can't do a thing +about them, so long as they let that dead area persist." + +Eventually, the scholars had reported, the dead areas would diminish and +fade from existence. He smiled bitterly. Here was a nice evasion--a neat +excuse for avoiding study and possible, dangerous research. + +So long as those nulls remained, they would be sources of constant loss +of the responsible Master Protectors, and would thus threaten the very +foundations of the Commonwealth. + +Possibly, he should-- He shook his head. + +No, he thought, this was impractical. Parasight was worthless beyond the +borders of the null. No surrogate could penetrate it and no weapon would +operate within it. It would be most unsafe for any true man to enter. +There, one would be subject to gross, physical attack and unable to make +proper defense against it. + +Certainly, the northern null was no place for him to go. Only the +pseudomen could possibly tolerate the conditions to be found there, and +thus, there they had found haven and were temporarily supreme. + +Besides, this matter was the responsibility of the Council of +Controllers and the scholars they paid so highly. + +He concentrated on the crystal, shifting the view to scan toward the +nearest village. + + * * * * * + +Suddenly, he sat forward in his chair. A herd of saurians was slowly +drifting toward one of the arms the null had thrust out. Shortly, they +would have ambled into a stream and beyond, out of all possible control. +Perhaps they might wander for years in the wastelands. Perhaps they and +their increase might furnish meat for the pseudomen who lurked inside +the swirling blankness. + +He snarled to himself. No herders were in sight. No guard was in +attendance. He would have to attend to this matter himself. He +concentrated his attention on the power crystals of a distant surrogate, +willing his entire ego into the controls. + +At last, the herd leader's head came up. Then the long-neck curved, +snaking around until the huge beast stared directly at the heap of rocks +which housed the crystals of the surrogate himself. The slow drift of +the herd slowed even more, then stopped as the other brutes dimly +recognized that something had changed. More of the ridiculously tiny +heads swiveled toward the surrogate. + +Kio Barra squirmed in his chair. Holding these empty minds was a chore +he had always hated. + +Certainly, there was less total effort than that required for the +control of the more highly organized pseudomen, but the more complex +minds reacted with some speed and the effort was soon over. There was a +short, sometimes sharp struggle, then surrender. + +But this was long-term, dragging toil--a steady pushing at a soggy, +unresisting, yet heavy mass. And full concentration was imperative if +anything was to be accomplished. The reptilian minds were as unstable +as they were empty and would slip away unless firmly held. He stared +motionlessly at his crystal, willing the huge reptiles to turn--to +waddle back to the safe grasslands of the estate, far from the null. + +At last, the herd was again in motion. One by one, the huge brutes swung +about and galloped clumsily toward more usual pastures, their long necks +swaying loosely with their motion. + +Switching from surrogate to surrogate, Barra followed them, urged them, +forced them along until they plunged into the wide swamp northeast of +Tibara village. + +He signed wearily and shifted his viewpoint to a surrogate which +overlooked the village itself. What, he wondered, had happened to the +herdsmen--and to the guards who should be overseeing the day's work? + + * * * * * + +Half hidden among ferns and the mastlike stems of trees, the rude huts +of Tibara nestled in the forest, blending with their surroundings, until +only the knowing observer could identify them by vague form. Barra +shifted his viewpoint to the central village surrogate. + +There were other open spaces in the village, but this was the largest. +Here was the village well, near which a few children played some +incomprehensible game. An old man had collected a pile of rock and had +started work on the well curb. Now, he sat near his work, leaning +against the partly torn down wall. Spots of sunlight, coming through +the fronds high above, struck his body, leaving his face in shadow. He +dozed in the warmth, occasionally allowing his eyes to half open as he +idly regarded the scene before him. + +Before some of the huts surrounding the rude plaza, women squatted on +the ground, their arms swinging monotonously up and down as they struck +their wooden pestles into bowls of grain which they were grinding to +make the coarse meal which was their mainstay of diet. + +A few men could be seen, scratching at small garden plots or idly +repairing tools. Others squatted near their huts, their attention +occupied by fishing gear. Still others merely leaned against convenient +trees, looking at each other, their mouths moving in the grotesque way +of the pseudoman when he could find an excuse to idle away time. + +Barra listened to the meaningless chatter of grunts and hisses, then +disregarded the sounds. They formed, he had been told, a sort of +elementary code of communication. He coughed disparagingly. Only some +subhuman could bring himself to study such things. + +Of course, he knew that some lacklanders could make vocal converse with +the pseudomen and caravan masters seemed to do it as a regular thing, +but he could see no point in such effort. He could make his demands +known without lowering himself by making idiotic noises. + +His communicator crystals would drive simple thoughts into even the +thick skulls of his slaves. And he could--and did--thus get obedience +and performance from those slaves by using normal, sensible means as +befitted one of the race of true men. + +And what would one want of the pseudomen other than obedience? Would one +perhaps wish to discuss matters of abstract interest with these beast +men? He regarded the scene with growing irritation. + +Now, he remembered. It was one of those days of rest which some idiot in +the Council had once sponsored. And a group of soft-headed fools had +concurred, so that one now had to tolerate periodic days of idleness. + +Times had changed, he thought. There had been a time when slaves were +slaves and a man could expect to get work from them in return for his +protection and support. + +But even with these new, soft laws, herds must be guarded--especially +with that null expanding as it was. Even some lackland idiot should be +able to understand that much. + +He turned his attention to the headman's hut. + +The man was there. Surrounded by a few villagers, he squatted before his +flimsy, frond-roofed hut, his mouth in grotesque motion. Now, he stopped +his noisemaking and poised his head. Then he nodded, looking about the +village. + +Obviously, he was taking his ease and allowing his people to do as they +would, without supervision. + +Barra started to concentrate on the surrogate, to make his wishes and +his displeasure known. Then he turned impatiently from the crystal, +seizing his staff. Efficient as the surrogates were, there were some +things better attended to in person. + + * * * * * + +He got to his feet and strode angrily out of the study, sending a +peremptory summons before him. As he entered the wide hallway, an +elderly slave came toward him. Barra looked at the man imperiously. + +"My cloak," he demanded, "and the cap of power." + +He projected the image of his fiber cloak and of the heavy gold +headpiece with its precisely positioned crystals, being careful to note +the red, green and blue glow of the various jewels. Meticulously, he +filled in details of the gracefully formed filigree which formed mounts +to support the glowing spheres. And he indicated the padded headpiece +with its incrustation of crystal carbon, so his servitor could make no +mistake. The man was more sensitive than one of the village slaves, but +even so, he was merely a pseudoman and had to have things carefully +delineated for him. + +As the man walked toward a closet, Barra looked after him unhappily. The +heavy power and control circlet was unnecessary in the Residence, for +amplifiers installed in the building took care of all requirements. But +outside, in the village and fields, a portable source of power and +control was indispensable and this heavy gold cap was the best device he +had been able to find. + +Even so, he hated to wear the circlet. The massive crystals mounted on +their supporting points weighed a couple of pounds by themselves and +though the gold insulating supports were designed as finely as possible, +the metal was still massive and heavy. It was a definite strain on his +neck muscles to wear the thing and he always got a headache from it. + +For an instant, envy of the powerful psionics crossed his mind. There +were, he knew, those who required no control or power devices, being +able to govern and direct psionic forces without aid. But his powers, +though effective as any, required amplification and when he went out of +the Residence it was essential that he have the cap with him. + +Proper and forceful handling of the things of the Estates, both animate +and inanimate, demanded considerable psionic power and this made the +large red power crystal at the center of his cap most necessary. + +Besides, simultaneous control problems could be difficult--sometimes +even almost impossible--without the co-ordinating crystals which were +inset at the periphery of the headband. + +And there was the possibility that he might meet some trespassing +lacklander who might have to be impressed with the resources of the +master of Kira Barra. He knew of more than one instance wherein a Master +Protector had been overcome by some predatory lackland wanderer, who had +then managed by one means or another to secure his own accession to the +estates of his victim. He smiled grimly. + +Carelessness could be costly. He had proved that to his brother. + +Kio Barra still remembered the first time he had quarreled violently +with Boemar. He still remembered the gentle, sympathetic smile and the +sudden, twisting agony that had shot through him as his power crystal +overloaded. The flare of energy had left him incapable of so much as +receiving a strongly driven thought for many days. + +He laughed. But, poor, soft fool that he had been, Boemar had carefully +nursed his brother's mind back to strength again. + +Yes, Boemar had been a powerful man, but a very unwise one. And he had +forgotten the one great strength of his weaker brother--a strength that +had grown as Leuwan aged. And so, it was Leuwan who was Kio Barra. + +[Illustration] + +But such a thing would never again happen at Kira Barra. With his +controls and amplifiers, he was more than a match for the most powerful +of the great psionics--so long as they didn't meet him with affectionate +sympathy. + +He stood silently as the servitor put the cap on his head and placed the +cloak about his shoulders. Then, tucking his heavy duty distorter under +his arm, he turned toward the outer door. The control jewels on his cap +burned with inner fire as he raised himself a few inches from the floor +and floated out toward the dock. + + * * * * * + +Not far from the forest shaded village of Tibara, logs had been lashed +together to form a pier which jutted from the shore and provided a +mooring for the hollowed logs used by men of the village in harvesting +the fish of the lake. Several boats nested here, their bows pointing +toward the fender logs of the pier. More were drawn up on the gravel of +the shore, where they lay, bottoms upward, that they might dry and be +cleaned. + +A few villagers squatted by their boats and near the pier. Others were +by the nets which had been spread over the gravel to dry. + +One large section of the pier was vacant. Always, this area was reserved +for the use of the Lord of the Mountain Lake. + +As Barra's boat sped through the water, he concentrated his attention on +the logs of the pier, urging his boat to increasing speed. The sharp +prow rose high in the water, a long vee of foam extending from it, to +spread out far behind the racing boat. + +As the bow loomed almost over the floating logs, Barra abruptly +transferred his focus of attention to his right rear, pulling with all +the power of the boat's drive crystals. The craft swung violently, +throwing a solid sheet of water over pier and shore, drenching the logs +and the men about them. + +Then the bow settled and the boat lay dead in the water, less than an +inch from the pier's fender logs. + +Barra studied the space between boat and logs for an instant, then +nodded in satisfaction. It was an adequate landing by anyone's +standards. + +His tension somewhat relieved, he raised himself from the boat and +hovered over the dock. + +Sternly, he looked at the villagers who were now on their feet, brushing +water from their heads and faces. They ceased their movements, eying +him apprehensively and he motioned imperiously toward the boat. + +"Secure it!" + +The jewels of his control cap glowed briefly, amplifying and radiating +the thought. + +The villagers winced, then two of them moved to obey the command. Barra +turned his attention away and arrowed toward the screen of trees which +partially concealed the village proper. + +As he dropped to the ground in the clearing before the headman's hut, +men and women looked at him, then edged toward their homes. He ignored +them, centering his attention on the headman himself. + +The man had gotten to his feet and was anxiously studying his master's +face. + +For a few seconds, Barra examined the man. He was old. He had been +headman of the village under the old Master Protector, his father--and +his brother had seen no reason for change, allowing the aging headman to +remain in charge of the welfare of his people. + +But this was in the long ago. Both of the older Kio Barra had been soft, +slack men, seeking no more than average results. He, Leuwan, was +different--more exacting--more demanding of positive returns from the +Estates. + +Oh, to be sure, Kira Barra had somehow prospered under the soft hands of +his predecessors, despite their coddling of the subhuman pseudomen, but +there had been many laxities which had infuriated Leuwan, even when he +was a mere youth. He frowned thoughtfully. + +Of course, if those two hadn't been so soft and tolerant, he would have +been something other than Lord of the Mountain Lake. He would have had +to find other activities elsewhere. He dropped the line of thought. + +This was not taking care of the situation. + +He put his full attention on the man before him, driving a demand with +full power of cap amplifier. + + * * * * * + +"Why are all your people idling away their time? Where are your herdsmen +and guards?" + +The headman's face tensed with effort. He waved a hand southward and +made meaningless noises. Faintly, the thought came through to Barra. + +"In south forest, with herd. Not idle, is rest day. Few work." + +Barra looked angrily at the man. Did this fool actually think he could +evade and lie his way out of the trouble his obvious failure to +supervise had brought? He jabbed a thumb northward. + +"What about that herd drifting toward the north river?" The two green +communicator crystals gleamed with cold fire. + +The headman looked confused. "Not north," came the blurred thought. "No +herd north. All south forest, near swamp. One-hand boys watch. Some +guard. Is rest day." + +Unbelievingly Barra stared at the pseudoman. He was actually persisting +in his effort to lie away his failure. Or was he attempting some sort +of defiance? Had his father and brother tolerated such things as this, +or was this something new, stemming from the man's age? Or, perhaps, he +was trying the temper of the Master Protector, to see how far he could +go in encroaching on authority. + +He would deal with this--and now! + +Abruptly, he turned away, to direct his attention to the central +surrogate. It was equipped with a projector crystal. + +The air in the clearing glowed and a scene formed in the open space. +Unmistakably, it was the northern part of Kira Barra. The lake was +shown, and sufficient landmarks to make the location obvious, even to a +pseudoman. Carefully, Barra prevented any trace of the blank, swirling +null from intruding on the scene. Perhaps the subhuman creature before +him knew something of its properties, but there was no point in making +these things too obvious. + +He focused the scene on the stream and brought the approaching herd into +the picture, then he flashed in his own face, watching. And he brought +the view down closely enough to indicate that no human creature was near +the herd. Finally, he turned his attention to the headman again. + +"There was the herd. Where were your people?" + +The old man shook his head incredulously, then turned toward one of the +few men who still remained in the clearing. + +He made a series of noises and the other nodded. There were more of the +growls and hisses, then the headman waved a hand southward and the other +nodded again and turned away, to run into the trees and disappear. + +The headman faced Barra again. + +"Send man," he thought laboriously. "Be sure herd is still south." He +pointed toward the area where the projection had been. + +"That not herd," he thought. "That other herd. Never see before." + + * * * * * + +Barra scowled furiously. + +"You incapable imbecile! You dare to call your master a liar?" + +He swung about, his furious gaze scanning the village. The pile of +stones he had noticed before caught his attention. He focused on it. + +A few stones rose into the air and flew toward the headman. + +The old man faced about, his eyes widening in sudden fear. He dodged one +of the flying stones, then turned to flee. + +Barra flicked a second control on him briefly and the flight was halted. + +More stones flew, making thudding sounds as they struck, then sailing +away, to gain velocity before they curved back, to strike again. + +At last, Barra turned from the litter of rock about the formless mass on +the ground. He stared around the village, the fury slowly ebbing within +him. + +A few faces could be seen, peeping from windows and from between trees. +He motioned. + +"All villagers," he ordered. "Here before me. Now!" He waited +impatiently as people reluctantly came from their huts and out of the +trees, to approach the clearing. + +At last, the villagers were assembled. Barra looked them over, +identifying each as he looked at him. Apart from the others, one of the +younger herd guards stood close to his woman. Barra looked at him +thoughtfully. + +This man, he had noted, was obeyed by both herds and herdsmen. He had +seen him at work, as he had seen all the villagers, and obviously, the +man was capable of quick decisions--as quick, that was, as any pseudoman +could be. He pointed. + +"This village needs a new headman," he thought peremptorily. "You will +take charge of it." + +The man looked toward the huddled mass in the center of the litter of +rocks, then looked back at his woman. A faint wave of reluctance came to +Barra, who stared sternly. + +"I said you are the new headman," he thought imperiously. "Take charge." +He waved a hand. + +"And get this mess cleaned up. I want a neat village from now on." + +As the man lowered his head submissively, Barra turned away, rose from +the ground, and drifted majestically toward the lake shore. He could +check on the progress of the village from his view crystal back at the +Residence. + +The situation had been taken care of and there was no point in remaining +in the depressing atmosphere of the village for too long. + +Besides, there was that adventure projection he hadn't finished. +Perhaps it would be of interest now. + + * * * * * + +As the projection faded, Barra looked around the study, then got out of +his chair and picked the crystal from its pedestal. He stood, looking at +it approvingly for a few seconds, then went over to the cabinet and set +it back in its case. For a time, he looked at the rest of the +assortment. + +Finally, he shook his head. Some of them, he would sell unscanned. The +others--well, they could wait. + +Yes, he thought, the record crystals had better be left alone for a +while. He hadn't finished his inspection of the Estates and the +situation at Tibara might not be an isolated case. It would be well to +make a really searching inspection. He sighed. + +In fact, it might be well to make frequent searching inspections. + +Shortly after his accession to the Estates, he had seen to the defense +of Kira Barra. He smiled wryly as he thought of the expense he had +incurred in securing all those power and control crystals to make up his +surrogate installations. But they had been well worth it. + +He had been most thorough then, but that had been some time ago. His +last full inspection had been almost a year ago. Lately he had been +satisfying himself with spot inspections, not really going over the +Estates from border to border. + +Of course, the spot inspections had been calculated to touch the +potential trouble spots and they had been productive of results, but +there might still be hidden things he should know about. This would +have to be looked into. + +He turned and went back to his chair, causing it to swivel around and +face the view crystal. + +There was that matter of Tibara, as far as that went. Possibly it would +be well to count that herd and identify the animals positively. + +Maybe the pasturage was getting poor and he would have to instruct the +new headman to move to better lands. Those strays had looked rather +thin, now that he thought of it. + +Maybe some of the other long-necks had strayed from the main herd and he +would have to have the headman send out guards to pick them up and bring +them in. + +He concentrated on the viewer, swinging its scan over to the swamp where +he had driven that small herd. + +They were still there, wallowing in the shallow water and grazing on the +lush vegetation. He smiled. It would be several days before their feeble +minds threw off the impression he had forced on them that this was their +proper feeding place. + +Idly, he examined the beasts, then he leaned forward, studying them more +critically. They weren't the heavy, fat producers of meat normal to the +Tibara herd. Something was wrong. + +These were the same general breed as the Tibara long-necks, to be sure, +but either their pasturage had been unbelievably bad or they had been +recently run--long and hard. They looked almost like draft beasts. + +He frowned. If these were from the Tibara herd, he'd been missing +something for quite a while. + +Thoughtfully, he caused the scan to shift. As he followed a small river, +he noted groups of the huge, greenish gray beasts as they grazed on the +tender rock ferns. Here and there, he noted herdsmen and chore boys +either watching or urging the great brutes about with their noisemakers, +keeping the herd together. He examined the scene critically, counting +and evaluating. Finally, he settled back in his chair. + +The herd was all here--even to the chicks. And they were in good shape. +He smiled wryly. + +Those brutes over in the swamp really didn't belong here, then. They +must have drifted into the Estates from the null, and been on their way +back. The headman-- He shrugged. + +"Oh, well," he told himself, "it was time I got a new headman for +Tibara, anyway. And the discipline there will be tighter from now on." + + * * * * * + +He started to shift scan again, then sat up. The view was pulsing. + +As he watched, the scan shifted automatically, to pick up the eastern +border of the Estates. Stretching across the landscape was a thin line +of draft saurians, each with its driver straddling its neck. The train +had halted and a heavily armored riding lizard advanced toward the +surrogate. Its rider was facing the hidden crystals. + +As Barra focused on him, the man nodded. + +"Master Protector?" + +"That is correct." Barra activated his communicators. "I am Kio Barra, +Master of the Estates Kira Barra." + +The other smiled. "I am Dar Makun, independent caravan master," he +announced. "The null turbulence forced me off route. Lost a few carriers +and several days of time. I'd like to request permission to pass over +your land. And perhaps you could favor me by selling some long-necks to +fill my train again. The brutes I've got left are a little overloaded." + +Barra considered. It was not an unusual request, of course. Certain +caravans habitually came through, to do business with the Estates. +Others were often detoured by the northern null and forced to come +through Kira Barra. + +Of course, the masters of the caravans were lacklanders, but they had +given little trouble in the past. And this one seemed to be a little +above the average if anything. In his own way, he was a man of +substance, for an owner master was quite different from someone who +merely guided another's train for hire. + +The northern null was a menace, Barra thought, but it did have this one +advantage. The regular caravans, of course, passed with the courtesy of +the Estates, doing business on their way. But these others paid and +their pasturage and passage fees added to the income of the Estates. + +In this case, the sale of a few draft saurians could be quite +profitable. He shifted the view crystals to allow two-way vision. + +"To be sure." He waved a hand. "Direct your train due west to the second +river. Cross that, then follow it southward. I will meet you at the +first village you come to and we can kennel your slaves there and put +your beasts to pasture under my herdsmen. From there, it is a short +distance to the Residence." + +"Thank you." Dar Makun nodded again, then turned and waved an arm. +Faintly, Barra caught the command to proceed. + +He watched for a few minutes and examined the long train as it moved +over the rolling land and lumbered into a forest. Then he shifted his +scan to continue his inspection of the rest of the lands. It would be +several hours before that caravan could reach Tibara and he could scan +back and note its progress as he wished. + +He relaxed in his chair, watching the panorama as the Estates unrolled +before him. Now and then, he halted the steady motion of the scanner, to +examine village or herd closely. Then he nodded in satisfaction and +continued his inspection. + +The Estates, he decided, were in overall good condition. Of course, +there were a few corrections he would have to have made in the days to +come, but these could be taken care of after the departure of the +caravan. + +There was that grain field over in the Zadabar section, for example. +That headman would have to be straightened out. He smiled grimly. Maybe +it would be well to create a vacancy in that village. But that could +wait for a few days. + +He directed the scan back to the eastern section, tracing the route he +had given the caravan master. At last, the long line of saurians came +into view and he watched their deceptively awkward gait as the alien +crawled through a forest and came out into deep grass. + +They were making far better progress than he had thought they would and +he would have to get ready if he planned to be in Tibara when they +arrived. + +He was more careful of his dress than usual. This time, he decided, he'd +want quite a few protective devices. One could never be quite sure of +these caravan masters. + +Of course, so long as they could plainly see the futility of any +treacherous move, they were good company and easy people to deal with, +but it would be most unwise to give one of them any opening. It just +might be he would be the one who was tired of wandering. + +He waited patiently as his slave attached his shield brooches and placed +his control cap on his head, then he reached into the casket the man +held for him and took out a pair of paralysis rings, slipping one on +each of his middle fingers. At last, he dismissed the man. + +He floated out of the building and let himself down on the cushions in +the rear of his speedboat. Critically, he examined the condition of the +craft. His yardboys had cleaned everything up, he noted. The canopy was +down, leaving the lines of the boat clean and sharp. + +He turned his attention to the power crystal and the boat drew out of +its shelter, gained speed, and cut through the water to the distant +shoreline. + +With only part of his mind concentrated on controlling the boat, Barra +looked across the lake. It was broad in expanse, dotted with islands, +and rich in marine life. + +Perhaps he might persuade this Dar Makun to pick up a few loads of dried +lake fish, both for his own rations and for sale along the way to his +destination. Some of the warehouses, he had noted, were well stocked and +he'd have to arrange for some shipments soon. + + * * * * * + +The boat was nearing Tibara pier. He concentrated on setting it in close +to the dock, then made his way to the eastern edge of the village, +summoning the headman as he passed through the village center. + +His timing had been good. The head of the long train was nearly across +the wide grassland. For a moment, the thought crossed his mind that he +might go out and meet the caravan master. But he discarded it. It would +be somewhat undignified for the master of the estate to serve as a mere +caravan guide. He stood, waiting. + +He could see Dar Makun sitting between the armor fins of his riding +lizard. The reptile was one of the heavily armored breed he had +considered raising over in the northwest sector. + +They were, he had been told, normally dryland creatures. Such brutes +should thrive over in the flats, where the long-necks did poorly. He +would have to consider the acquisition of some breeding stock. + +The caravan master drew his mount to a halt and drifted toward the +trees. Barra examined the man closely as he approached. + +He was a tall, slender man, perfectly at ease in his plain trail +clothing. A few control jewels glinted from his fingers and he wore a +small shield brooch, but there was no heavy equipment. His distorter +staff, Barra noted, was a plain rod, tipped by a small jewel. +Serviceable, to be sure, but rather short in range. Barra's lip curled a +trifle. + +This man was not of really great substance, he decided. He probably had +his entire wealth tied up in this one caravan and depended on his fees +and on the sale of some few goods of his own to meet expenses. + +As Dar Makun dropped to the ground near him, Barra nodded. + +"I have instructed my headman to attend to your drivers and beasts," he +said. "You have personal baggage?" + +The other smiled. "Thank you. I'll have one of the boys bring my pack +while the drivers pull up and unload. We can make our stack here, if you +don't mind." + +As Barra nodded in agreement, Dar Makun turned, waving. He drew a deep +breath and shouted loudly, the sounds resembling those which Barra had +often heard from his slaves. The Master Protector felt a twinge of +disgust. + +Of course, several of the caravan masters who did regular business at +Kira Barra shouted at their slaves at times. But somehow, he had never +become used to it. He much preferred to do business with those few who +handled their pseudomen as they did their draft beasts--quietly, and +with the dignity befitting the true race. + +He waited till Dar Makun had finished with his growls and hisses. One of +the caravan drivers had swung down and was bringing a fiber cloth bundle +toward them. Barra looked at it in annoyance. + +"This," he asked himself, "is his baggage?" He recovered his poise and +turned to Dar Makun. + +"He can put it in the boat," he told the man. "I'll have one of my +people pick it up for you when we get to the island. Now, if you'll +follow me, the pier is over this way." He turned and floated toward the +dock. + + * * * * * + +As they pulled out into the lake, Dar Makun settled himself in the +cushions. + +"I never realized what a big lake this is," he remarked. "I've always +made the northern swing through this part of the continent. Oh, I've +seen the lake region from the hills, of course, but--" He looked at the +water thoughtfully. + +"You have quite a lot of fresh-water fish in there?" + +Barra nodded. "We get a harvest." + +Dar Makun closed his eyes, then opened them again. "I might deal with +you for some of those," he commented. "People out west seem to like +fresh-water stuff." He looked at Barra closely. + +"I'll have to open my cargo for you," he went on. "Might be a few items +you'd be interested in." + +Barra nodded. "It's possible," he said. "I always need something around +the place." He speeded the boat a little. + +The boat came to the dock and Barra guided his guest into the Residence +and on into the study, where he activated the view crystal. + +"There's still light enough for you to get a look at some of the herds," +he told Dar Makun. "I believe you said you might need some more draft +beasts." + +Makun watched as the hills of Kira Barra spread out in the air before +him. + +"It's a good way to locate the herds and make a few rough notes," he +admitted. "Of course, I'll have to get close to the brutes in order to +really choose, though." + +"Oh?" + +"Fact. You see, these big lizards aren't all alike. Some of 'em are +really good. Some of 'em just don't handle. A few of 'em just lie down +when you drop the first sling on 'em." Makun nodded toward the +projection. + +"That big fellow over there, for instance," he went on. "Of course, he +might slim down and make a good carrier. But usually, if they look like +a big pile of meat, that's all they're good for. A lot of 'em can't even +stand the weight of a man on their necks. Breaks 'em right down." + +"A good carrier can handle a dozen tons without too much trouble, but +some of these things have it tough to handle their own weight on dry +land and you have to look 'em over pretty closely to be sure which is +which. Can't really judge by a projection." + +Barra looked at the man with slightly increased respect. At least, he +knew something about his business. He shifted the viewer to the swamp. + +Of course, he thought, there were draft animals over in the western +sector. But this small herd was convenient. + +"Well," he said, "I've got this little herd over here. They got away +some time ago and lost a lot of weight before I rounded them up again." + +Makun examined the projection with increased interest. + +[Illustration] + +"Yeah," he remarked. "I'd like to get out there in the morning and look +those fellows over. I just might get the five I need right out there. +Might even pick up a spare or two." + + * * * * * + +The swamp was a backwater of the lake, accessible by a narrow channel. +Barra slowed the boat, easing it along through the still water. Here, +the channel was clear, he knew, and it would soon widen. But there were +some gravel bars a little farther along that could be troublesome if one +were careless. And his attention was divided. He glanced at his +companion. + +Makun leaned against the cushions, looking at the thick foliage far +overhead. Then he turned his attention to the banks of the channel. A +long, greenish shape was sliding out of the water. He pointed. + +"Have many of those around here?" + +"Those vermin?" Barra looked at the amphibian. "Not too many, but I +could do with less of them." + +He picked up his distorter from the rack beside him and pointed it ahead +of the boat. The sapphire glowed. + +There was a sudden, violent thrashing in the foliage on the bank. The +slender creature reared into the air, tooth-studded jaws gaping wide. + +It rose above the foliage, emitting a hissing bellow. Then it curled +into a ball and hung suspended in the air for an instant before it +dropped back into the shrubbery with a wet plop. + +Barra put the jewel-tipped rod back in its hanger. + +"I don't like those nuisances," he explained. "They can kill a slave if +he gets careless. And they annoy the stock." He tilted his head forward. + +"There's the herd," he went on, "at the other end of this open water. +I'll run up close and you can look them over if you wish." + +Makun looked around, then shrugged. "Not necessary. I'll go ahead from +here. Won't take me too long." + +He lifted himself into the air and darted toward one of the huge +saurians. Barra watched as he slowed and drifted close to the brute's +head, then hovered. + +A faint impression of satisfaction radiated from his mind as he drifted +along the length of the creature. He went to another, then to another. + +At last, he returned to the boat. + +"Funny thing," he commented. "A couple of my own carriers seem to have +wandered clear through that null and mixed with your herd." He smiled. + +"Stroke of luck. Too bad the rest didn't manage to stay with 'em, but +you can't have everything. I'll pay you trespass fees on those two, of +course, then I'd like to bargain with you for about four more to go with +'em. Got them all picked out and I can cut 'em out and drive them over +to the train soon's we settle the arrangements." + +Barra frowned. + +"Now, wait a minute," he protested. "Of course, I'll bargain with you +for any or all of this herd. But I'm in the breeding and raising +business, remember. I certainly can't give away a couple of perfectly +good beasts on someone's simple say-so. I'd like a little proof that +those two belong to your train before I just hand them over." + +"Well, now, if it comes to that, I could prove ownership. Legally, too. +After all, I've worked those critters quite a while and any competent +psionic could--" Makun looked at Barra thoughtfully. + +"You know, I'm not just sure I like having my word questioned this way. +I'm not sure I like this whole rig-out. Seems to me there's a little +explaining in order about now--and kind of an apology, too. Then maybe +we can go ahead and talk business." + +"I don't see any need for me to explain anything. And I certainly don't +intend to make a apology of any kind. Not to you. I merely made a +reasonable request. After all, these brutes are on my land and in my +herd. I can find no mark of identification on them, of any kind." Barra +shrugged. + +"As a matter of fact, I don't even know yet which two you are trying to +claim. All I ask is indication of which ones you say are yours and some +reasonable proof that they actually came from your train. Certainly, a +mere claim of recognition is ... well, you'll have to admit, it's a +little thin." + + * * * * * + +Makun looked at him angrily. + +"Now, you pay attention to me. And pay attention good. I'm not stupid +and I'm not blind. I can see all those jewels you're loaded down with +and I know why you're wearing them. They tell me a lot about you, you +can be sure of that. Don't think I haven't noticed that patronizing air +of yours, and don't think I've liked it. I haven't and I don't. + +"I know you're scared. I know you're worried to death for fear I'm going +to pull something on you. I spotted that the first time I talked to +you." He paused. + +"Oh, I've been trying to ignore it and be decent, but I've had about +enough. I've been in this caravan business for a long time. I've dealt +square and I'm used to square dealing. Now, you've been putting out a +lot of side thoughts about thievery and I don't appreciate being treated +like some sneak thief. I'm not about to get used to the idea, either. + +"Now, you'd better get the air cleared around here and then we can talk +business. Otherwise, there's going to be a lot of trouble." + +Barra felt a surge of fury rising above his fear. This lacklander clown +actually dared to try to establish domination over a member of the +ruling class? He breathed deeply. + +"I don't have--" + +"All right, listen to me, you termite. You've come way too far out of +your hole. Now, you just better crawl back in there fast, before I turn +on the lights and burn your hide off." + +The surge of mental power blazing at Barra was almost a physical force. +He cringed away from it, his face wrinkling in an agony of fright. Makun +looked at him contemptuously. + +"All right. Now, I'll tell you--" + +Smoothly, Barra's hand went to the haft of his distorter. The jewel +seemed to rise of its own accord as it blazed coldly. + +For an infinitesimal time, Makun's face reflected horrified +comprehension before it melted into shapelessness. + +Barra put the distorter back in its rack, looking disgustedly at the +mess on the cushions. There was nothing for it, he thought. He'd have to +destroy those, too. Cleaning was out of the question. He shook his head. + +Like all these strong types, this Makun had neglected a simple +principle. With fear as his constant companion, Barra had been forced to +learn to live with it. + +Extreme mental pressure was merely another form of fright. It could +paralyze a braver soul--and often did. It merely made Barra miserably +uncomfortable without disturbing his control. And the hatred that was +always in him was unimpaired--even amplified by the pounding terror. + +The more thoroughly Barra was frightened, the more effectively he +attacked. + +He leaned back in his seat, letting the drumming of his heart subside. +Eventually, he would recover enough to guide the boat out of the swamp +and back to the Residence. + +Tomorrow? Well, he would have to inventory the freight the man had +carried. He would have to check those draft beasts. Perhaps he could +discern the hidden identification Makun had mentioned. + +And he would have to make disposition of some twenty slaves. He summoned +up a smile. + +Now that he thought of it, this affair could be turned to profit. After +all, Dar Makun had been diverted from his route and he had lost some of +his train. And caravans had been known to disappear in the vicinity of +turbulent nulls. + +All he had to do was deny knowledge of the fate of Dar Makun's caravan +if there were any inquiry. Oh, certainly, he could tell any inquirer, +Dar Makun had arrived. He had stayed overnight and then taken his +departure, saying something about cutting around the null and back to +his normal, northern swing. + +He was feeling better now. He turned his attention to the control +crystal and the boat swung about, to make its way back toward the lake. + + * * * * * + +It took longer than he had thought it would. It was evening of the day +after the death of Dar Makun when Barra turned in his seat and raised +his hand, then waved it in a wide circle. + +A quickly directed thought halted his mount and he looked about once +more, at the thick forest. + +This clearing was as close to the village of Celdalo as he wanted to +come. The villagers never came into this heavy screen of trees, but +beyond the forest, there might be some who would watch and wonder. He +smiled grimly. + +Of course, it didn't make too much difference what slaves might +think--if they could think at all, but there was no reason to leave +unnecessary traces of the day's work. + +He swung about in his cushions and looked back at the line of draft +beasts. They were swinging out of line now, to form a semicircle, facing +the trees ahead. + +He impressed an order on his mount to stand, then lifted himself out of +the cushioned seat between the armor fins. For a few seconds, he +hovered, looking down at the beast he had been riding. + +Yes, he thought, he would do well to raise a few of these creatures. +They were tractable and comfortable to ride. A good many caravan masters +might be persuaded to get rid of their less comfortable mounts in +exchange for one of these, once they had tried a day's march. + +One by one, the big saurians came to the forest edge and entered the +clearing, then crouched, to let their drivers swing to the ground. Barra +looked at the lead driver. + +"Make your cargo stack over here," he ordered, "at this side of the +clearing. You will wait here for your master." + +The man looked confused. A vague, questioning thought came from him. It +wasn't really a coherent thought, but just an impression of +doubt--uncertainty. Barra frowned impatiently. + +It had been much the same when he had ordered this man to load up back +at Tibara. Perhaps it was no wonder Dar Makun had been forced to learn +vocalization if this was the best slave he could find to develop into +his headman. + +Carefully, he formed a projection. It showed the carriers gathering in +their unloading circles. He made one of the projections turn and drop +its head over another's back. The wide mouth opened and stubby, peg +teeth gripped the handling loop of a cargo sling. Then the long-neck +swiveled back, to repeat the performance. + +Barra watched as the man before him nodded in obedient understanding. He +shot out a sharp, peremptory order. + +"Do it, then! Do it as shown." + +The man made noises, then turned, shouting at the other drivers. + +Barra watched as the stack of cargo grew. At last, the final sling was +positioned and a heavy cloth cover was dropped over the great piles. +Barra looked at the headman. + +"Bring your drivers close," he ordered. "I have something for them to +see." + +Again, there was the moment of confusion, but this time the man had +gathered the main sense of the command. He turned again, shouting. + +The drivers looked at each other questioningly, then moved slowly +forward, to form a tight group before Barra, who watched until they were +in satisfactory position. + +He concentrated on the group for a few seconds, starting the formation +of a projection to his left. + +As the air glowed and started to show form, the eyes of the drivers +swung toward it. Barra smiled tightly and swung his distorter up. The +crystal flamed as he swept it across the group of slaves. + +He kept the power on, sweeping the distorter back and forth until all +that remained was a large pool of slime which thinned, then oozed into +the humus. At last, he tucked the rod back under his arm and examined +the scene. + +There was the pile of goods. There were the carrier beasts. But no man +or pseudoman remained of the caravan. His smile broadened. + +Once he had sorted this cargo and moved it to the Residence and to +various warehouses about the Estates, all traces of Dar Makun and his +train would be gone. + +To be sure, a few villages would find that their herds had increased, +but this was nothing to worry about. He sighed. + +It had been a hard day and it would be a hard night's work. He would +have to forget his dignity for the time and do real labor. But this was +necessity. And there was plenty of profit in it as well. + +So far as the rest of the world might know, Dar Makun and his caravan +had left Kira Barra to cut back to the northern swing. And the turbulent +null had swallowed them without trace. + +He turned away. He would have to bring work boats in to the nearby +beach. Their surrogates were already attuned and ready, and one of them +had been equipped with an auxiliary power crystal. He would need that. + +As the boats arrived at village piers, the various headmen would merely +follow instructions as given by the boat's surrogates. He would be done +with this operation in a few hours. + + * * * * * + +The days went on, became weeks, then hands of weeks. Little by little, +Barra changed his attitude toward caravan masters. Once, he had been +cautious about dealing with them, allowing only a chosen few to do +business within his borders. + +Now, however, he had found a whole, new source of income. And a new +sense of power had come to him. Caravans were more than welcome at Kira +Barra. + +He leaned back on his new chair, enjoying the complete ease with which +it instantly shaped to fit his body. It was precisely like hovering a +short distance above the floor, yet there was no strain of concentration +on some control unit. He allowed himself to relax completely and turned +his attention to the viewer crystal. + +It was new, too. The old one of his father's which he had brought to the +new Residence had seemed quite inadequate when the Residence was redone. +This new viewer had been designed for professional use. It was a full +two feet in diameter and could fill thousands of cubic feet with solid +projection. + +Animals, trees, pseudomen, all could be brought before him as though +physically present in the study. Too, it was simpler than the old one +and much more accurate in its control. He sighed. + +The Estates had prospered. Of course, he had been cautious. Many +caravans had come to Kira Barra and left again, their masters highly +pleased with the fair dealings of the Estates. Several had returned, +time and time again. + +There had been others who had come through during times when the null +was in turbulence and it was from these that he had taken his harvest. +He had been particular in his choices, making careful evaluation before +taking any action. + +By this time, his operation was faultless--a smooth routine which +admitted of no error. He smiled as he remembered his fumbling efforts +with the first caravan and his halting improvements when he had dealt +with the next. What were those fellows' names? + +He shrugged. He could remember that first fellow practically begging him +to take action and he could remember his own frightened evaluation of +the situation after the first step. He had gone over a whole, long line +of alternative choices, rejecting them one by one until the inevitable, +ideal method of operation had come out. He smiled. + +When he had finally settled on his general method, it had been elegantly +simple. But it had been very nearly perfect. Basically, he was still +using the same plan. + +Now, of course, it was smoother and even more simplified. There were two +general routines involved. + +Most caravan masters were treated with the greatest of consideration. +They were allowed to pass through the Estates with only nominal fees and +invited to avail themselves of the courtesy of the Estates at any time +in the future. If trades with the Estates were involved, the fees were +waived, of course. And many of them had returned, bringing goods and +information, as well as taking away the produce of the Estates. + +Then, there were those caravans which came during turbulences in the +null and which seemed worthwhile to the now practiced eyes of Kio Barra. +These were the ones ripe for harvest. Their owners had been offered the +courtesy of the Estates--and more. + +They had been taken for sightseeing tours--perhaps of the lake--perhaps +to see valuable carrier stock which could be had at bargain rates. + +Then, in complete privacy, a distorter beam had made neat disposition of +them. + +Their goods had been distributed through the various warehouses and +later disposed of through the safe channels which Barra had carefully +cultivated. Their slaves, of course, had been eliminated. + +Barra regretted this waste of valuable property, but this way there +could be no leak of information and no inquiry could be successful. + +There had been an inquiry at one time, but that had been in the earlier +days. + +The inquirer had gone away with no suspicion in his mind. He had +examined the null from the hills and had agreed with Kio Barra that it +was indeed a menace. He had listened sympathetically to Barra's rueful +comments about slaves and stock which had drifted into the null, never +to be heard from again. + +Barra activated the view crystal. It was time for another inspection of +the Estates. + + * * * * * + +The projection formed and Barra was suddenly in a wood, looking across a +wide field. Grain waved in the breeze and here and there, the +silhouettes of both long-neck and fin-back could be seen, half hidden by +grass and trees. + +The scanner progressed, crossing the field and continuing to another +forest, operating on the route impressed on it. Barra relaxed as he +watched. As the scan progressed through field, swamp and forest, he +nodded in satisfaction. The Estates were in far better shape than ever +before. + +Suddenly, he halted the scan, looking critically at the scene. He was in +the central clearing of Tibara. And the village didn't match with the +standards he wanted. + +He looked critically at the huts. They were becoming run-down. It had +been too long since the roof thatches had been replaced. Uprights were +bending a little here, a trifle out of plumb there. + +There were broken stones again in the well curb and the pile of stone +brought for repair wasn't neatly stacked. He frowned. + +This was not the first time he'd had to take a firm hand in Tibara. Of +course, he had replaced headmen in other villages--more than once in +some cases. But Tibara was working on its third headman. There was +something really wrong in that village. + +To be sure, Tibara was the village where most caravan slaves were +quartered. A lodge had been built there for that purpose and it was in +frequent use. Naturally, it was maintained by the villagers. But that +was even less excuse for shoddiness. This should be the neatest, best +kept village in all Kira Barra. It wasn't. + +The frown deepened. This time, Tibara was going to be cleaned up, and +he'd keep his attention on it. The village would stay clean if the +villagers had to spend every second of their time on it when they +weren't taking care of their herds, their boats, and their guest lodge. + +And there'd be no slacking in those other areas, either. + +He looked around the clearing. There were, he was forced to admit, no +idlers about at the moment. The only people he could see were women and +children. And the women were busily occupied. + +Again, he studied the scene. The men would be coming in from their +fields and from the lake in another hour. He would examine a few other +villages, then return his attention to Tibara. + + * * * * * + +Wearily, Retonga, headman of Tibara, pulled himself to a sitting +position. He looked over to the other side of the room. Mir was already +on her feet. She smiled at him uncertainly. + +"It's morning," she said. "Rest day, at last." + +"Yes." Retonga closed his eyes for an instant. It had been bad for her, +too, he knew. He'd probably been pretty hard to live with these past few +days. He sighed. + +"Rest day," he mused. "But it means nothing. There's still work. There's +always work these days." He got to his feet. + +"I wish I were just a herd boy--in some other village." He went to the +door and looked out. + +Someone had disturbed the pile of building stones. Children had been +playing in the clearing the night before and the earth was scuffed up. +Bits of wood and cloth lay scattered here and there. + +He looked at the houses. Folshan's roof was sagging a trifle, he +noticed. And there were a couple of dolls lying outside his door. He +shook his head and went out into the clearing. + +Old Tamiso was squatting by the well. Retonga walked over to him. + +"Your stone pile," he said. "A few of the stones are scattered." + +The old man looked over, then shrugged. + +"I just picked this one out," he explained. "When I get it laid, I'll +have to get another. I'll straighten the pile when I finish here." + +Retonga smiled wearily. "And if the master sees your pile now?" + +Tamiso pushed himself to his feet, rubbing his back thoughtfully. + +"Yes," he said. "The master can give great pain, and it seems he is +always watching these days." He walked over to the stones. + +For a moment, Retonga watched as he rearranged his pile, then he turned, +tilting his head back. + +"Awaken," he shouted. "For the sun looks down and shall he find us +asleep?" + +A head poked out of a door. + +"It's a rest day. We'll be at it soon enough, but what's the hurry?" + +Retonga shook his head. "I know it's rest day. You know it's rest day. +But there's one who forgets these things. Remember the other evening?" + +Folshan winced and Retonga pointed. + +"Better get those dolls picked up. And there's that roof of yours. I'll +give you a hand with it." + +Folshan came out of his hut, then looked back. + +"No," he said slowly. "You're headman. Remember how that happened? Let +the master catch you helping with the work and we'll need yet another +headman." He shook his head. + +"This time, it could be me." He bent over to pick up the toys his +daughter had left. + +"Kina," he called, "tell Chama to keep her toys picked up, or she might +be needing a new father." He turned again. + +"I'll get Kesonta to help with that roof. It'll be straight in an hour +or so." + +Retonga looked after him for a moment, then caught the eyes of a couple +of the women. He made a sweeping motion toward the earth of the +clearing, then walked back to his own door. + +[Illustration] + +He turned, inspecting each detail of the village. + +"Let's see. Is there anything else for the master to find wrong?" Again, +he examined each house closely. + +At last, he turned away, walking toward a path. + +"He'll probably be looking at the waterfront, too," he told himself, +"and at the lodge." + +He walked slowly along the path, checking the forest floor as he went. +As he got to the beach, he looked toward the pier, then winced. + +A few hundred yards out in the lake, a high wedge of water was sweeping +toward him. At the apex of the vee, he could see the shape of a boat, +its bow riding high over the water. + +"Oh, no," he groaned to himself. "Trouble again!" He waited. + +As the wave splashed to the pier, he dashed forward to secure the boat. +Kio Barra merely glanced at him. Briefly, he caught the impression of a +wide field. A line of great beasts were crossing it, their long necks +bobbing as they walked. He nodded in understanding. + +A caravan was coming in. That would be trouble, of course, but of minor +nature. He turned, to follow the glittering figure as it floated toward +the path and on, into the village. + + * * * * * + +As the caravan came to a stop, Naran's beast bent its knees and +crouched. He swung himself to the ground. + +[Illustration] + +He was getting the hang of this, he told himself. At first, he had been +forced to fight an almost uncontrollable compulsion to float down +normally, but now it seemed quite sensible to grab the heavy fiber +strands and swing forward till his feet were solidly on the ground. He +spun about. + +"All right," he shouted. "Take your reins. Form your unloading circles +on me. We'll be here for a day or two." + +He watched as the slings were lifted from the brutes' backs, then turned +his attention to the man who was greeting Dar Girdek. + +So this was the Lord of the Mountain Lake. He shook his head. The fellow +glittered almost from head to foot. Naran examined the jewelry +appraisingly. He wore a fourth-order cap. They didn't make them any +heavier than that one. And if there was a device that had been left out, +he had never heard of it. + +In addition, he could identify three heavy-duty shields, a power +levitator, a handful of destructor and paralysis rings, and a projector +medallion capable of forming several hundred cubic feet of solid, +detailed illusion. He shook his head. + +This man must have spent the entire income of his estate for several +years in assembling this array. There was enough there to outfit a +battle group of competent psionics. + +"If this guy needs all that stuff just to get by, he's as near to +psionic zero as you can get," Naran told himself. "Either that, or he's +loaded with a power compulsion that's never been equalled." He frowned. + +"Or both," he added thoughtfully. + +He looked again at the blaze of jewelry. + +Faintly, he could sense the sour feel of fear. It acted as a carrier for +a mixture of hatred, envy, and contemptuous hauteur. Naran whistled +softly. There was more, too. He wished he dared try a probe, but with +all that arsenal of psionic crystalware, it would be unwise. + +"Hit those shields of his and I'd bounce off with a noise like a million +bells," he thought. He turned away. + +He'd have to keep his own mind fully hooded around here. He looked back +again, glancing at the distorter rod Barra carried. His eyes widened a +little. + +"Given adequate drive, that thing would stop a Fifth Planet battleship." +He grinned. + +"Arm a couple of hundred men with those things and they could go out and +take the Fifth apart, bit by bit. Then we wouldn't have to worry about +those people and their mechanical gadgets." + +He dragged his attention back to the business at hand, tapping in on Dar +Girdek's thoughts. + +"... And we can tour the Estates later today," Barra was saying. "I may +be able to show you some worthwhile goods, as well as a few good draft +beasts to carry them." + +Naran risked a light probe, taking advantage of Barra's diverted +attention. + +He had been right, he thought. It was the "or both." He shook his head. +The guy was almost pathetic. Obviously, he wanted to be the greatest man +on the planet. And equally obviously, without his amplifier jewels, he'd +be little stronger psionically than one of Dar Girdek's drivers. + +As Dar Girdek followed his host toward the village, Naran turned his +attention back to his drivers. He would have to make camp and then get +together with that village headman. There'd be plenty of arrangements +they would have to make. + +He was surprised at the arrangements Retonga had already made. There +wasn't much question about it, the entertainment of caravans was +familiar business with this headman. He knew all the problems--and their +answers. + +Of course, Dar Girdek had told him about the hospitality of Kira Barra, +but this had to be seen to be believed. He spent his first really +restful night in weeks. + +The next morning, he walked slowly along the path to the drivers' lodge, +paying little attention to his surroundings. Somehow, in spite of the +reception given the caravan, he was uneasy. + +He recalled his conversation with Retonga the night before. + +The man had asked questions about the conditions of the trail. He had +been curious about the treatment of the drivers by the master of the +train. Then he had shaken his head, looking out over his village. + +"It is far different here. This is an estate of death and terror, and +our master is the very lord of these. I was a child when his father +died, but I think things were different then." He had looked searchingly +at Naran. + +"I've never mentioned these things before," he went on. "But there's +something--" He had looked down at the ground, then up again. + +"Our master became Kio through the death of his brother," he went on, +"and it was through the deaths of other headmen that I was placed in +charge of this village." He had glanced back into the door of his hut. + +"I had no part in causing those deaths. The life of a headman here in +Tibara is short and none but a fool would fight for this position of +mine. It is not a good one. The master's demands are heavy and his hand +is even heavier." + +This didn't match with the reputation of Kio Barra as a considerate +host--a fair man to do business with. It made him wonder. + +Had his brother actually ever left this place? But if not, where were +his drivers? What had happened to his train of draft brutes? How had the +cargo he carried been disposed of? + +Oh, of course, he knew there were caravan masters who would accept +freight and ask a minimum of questions. Goods could be disposed of. And +this was a breeding estate. The slaves? He shook his head. Too simple! + +He brought himself back to the present, looking thoughtfully at the +drivers' lodge ahead of him. Then he probed gently, trying to establish +rapport with Dar Girdek. The man could be in real danger. + +He frowned and probed with more force. There was nothing. The frown +deepened. + +After his talk with Retonga, he had established rapport with the caravan +master, but the older man had attached no importance to his suspicions. + +"No," he had thought back, "you are seeing a robber behind every rock +now. Kio Barra is a tough master, of course. He's got a big estate here, +and he really keeps it up to the mark. He's a good host and a really +good man to deal with--liberal trader. Remember, I know this guy. I've +been here before." There had been the impression of a smile. + +"Besides, this guy's harmless, remember? Sure, he's a businessman. But +if he should try anything violent, I could take care of him without +taking time out to think about it." A final, dismissing thought had +come. + +"Look, forget about it, will you? If you had to suspect someone of dirty +work, pick on some of those northerners. Kio Barra's too well known for +fair dealing. I'll make a deal with him, then we can go up to the +northern swing and really look around to see if we can find any trace of +that caravan of your brother's." + +Naran kicked at the trail. Dar Girdek was a good trader and a successful +caravan master. He knew goods and their value, and he was expert in +handling beasts and drivers. But he had never been too sensitive. And +he'd absolutely refused to wear a probe amplifier. + +"Look," he'd thought disgustedly, "how would you like to do business +with some guy that wore a great, big, yellow headlight to tell you he +wanted to poke around in your mind?" + +Naran put his foot on the lowest rung of the short ladder leading to the +lodge door. + +Unless he was badly mistaken, he knew now where his brother had gone. +And now Dar Girdek had joined him. The details? He shrugged. + +They were unimportant. But what was next? What would be the next step in +Barra's plans? And what could be done about this guy? He climbed the +ladder and went into the lodge. + +Of course, if the Council found out about this, they could deal with the +situation. All they'd need would be a little proof and Kio Barra would +be well and promptly taken care of. But how would someone get word out? + +The estate was loaded with surrogates, he knew that. A caravan--even a +single man--would find it impossible to either enter or leave without +the knowledge and consent of the Master Protector. He smiled. + +He could just visualize Kio Barra letting anyone out with proof of his +activities. The smile faded. + +A distant projection? There were those surrogates again. They were broad +tuned and he knew it. They'd flare like a field of beacons. + +Of course, he could get out a flash appeal and it would be heard. He +grinned. + +Now, there was a nice way to commit suicide. There'd be no time for help +to arrive, he was sure of that. And no shield would stand up under that +heavy-duty distorter, even if Barra could only summon a minimum of power +to operate it. He shook his head, looking around the room. + + * * * * * + +Drivers were beginning to stir and get to their feet. Naran looked at +the flunky. + +"Better get with it, Bintar," he said. "Going to be a bunch of hungry +men around you in a couple of minutes." + +"Yeah." The man started out the door, yawning. "Got to eat, if we don't +do anything else." He climbed down the ladder. + +Naran glanced at the drivers. + +"Soon's we've eaten," he said, "I'd like to check up on the long-necks. +See whether they've wandered during the night. I'd hate to have them get +mixed up with the village herd." + +A driver looked around at him. + +"Aw," he protested, "the master probably pinned 'em down good before he +left. Besides, he can identify 'em anyway. They won't go far--not with +those herd boys running around." + +"Sure," Naran told him. "The master would really like spending half a +day cutting out his long-necks from the village herd. And how about that +Master Protector? What would he think of our caravan?" + +The other looked at him disgustedly. "Aw, who cares about that? Why +worry about what one of them witchmen thinks about another? Long's we +don't get twisted around, what's the difference?" + +Naran growled to himself. He'd blundered on that one. There was no +answer to that argument that he could present. He had learned to +understand--and in some measure sympathize with--the deep-seated +resentment of the non-psi for the psionic. The non-psionics felt they +were just as good men as anyone, yet here were these psionics with their +incomprehensible powers. And there was nothing to be done about it +except obey. + +Of course, they didn't like it--or their masters. + +As far as that went, the caravan herd was unimportant now. The only +trouble was Retonga. If the herds were mixed, he would be in real +trouble. + +"Well," he said aloud, "I'm not about to get the master to spinning. +Long's we keep him happy, we'll all be a lot better off. As I said, +right after breakfast. I want everyone out on the herd." He started to +turn away. + +"Aagh," growled the other. "Why don't you face it? You're just one of +those guys likes to toss orders around and make people jump. It's about +time someone showed you a few things." + +Naran turned back. Rosel had been resentful ever since the caravan had +formed. He had expected to be lead driver on this trip and he'd made no +effort to hide his fury and disappointment at being displaced in favor +of a newcomer. + +For an instant, Naran considered. There was no point in continuing his +masquerade any further. Dar Girdek was gone and he'd have to take the +caravan back anyway--if he could work his way out of here, past Barra. + +If he couldn't get out--if he joined his brother and Dar Girdek--it +would make no difference what the caravan drivers thought. + +He could put this man in his place right now. Then, he could give him +the job of lead driver. + +But there was something else to think of. If he got the train out of +here, he would have to work with this guy. And there would always be an +even greater resentment added to the normal fear and hatred of the +psionic. That could demoralize the whole train. Naran sighed. + +Rosel had put his feelings in the open now and Naran would have to play +out the role he had assumed. + +He crossed the room to confront Rosel. Abruptly, he thrust a hand out. +The other made a grab for it and Naran moved smoothly forward, locking +the grasping hand. + +Quickly he extended a leg and threw Rosel over it. As the man hit the +floor, Naran retained his grip and brought his other hand over, twisting +the man's arm. His foot went out, to smack into the man's face, pinning +him to the floor. Slowly, he put pressure on the prisoned hand. + +"Once more," he said coldly, "I'm going to have everyone out on the herd +right after breakfast. Now, do you want to go out and work with 'em, or +do I keep winding up on this thing and then have 'em load you up with +the rest of the spare gear?" + +"Aw, look." Rosel's voice was muffled. "Didn't mean a thing, I was just +making a crack." + +"Yeah, sure." Naran's voice was scornful. "Just having a little fun +before breakfast. Now you listen to me. So long as I'm lead driver, +you're going to do what I say--when I say it. If you give me any more +trouble, I'll pull your head off and make you carry it under one arm. +Got it?" + +"Ow! Yeah, I got it. You're the lead driver." + +Naran released his pressure and stepped back. + +"All right," he said. "Let's forget it. Now, we'll get breakfast over +with and then we'll take care of the long-necks. You take the drivers +out, Rosel. I'm going to make some arrangements in the village. Be with +you later." He swung away. + + * * * * * + +Barra looked at his reflection with satisfaction. It was too bad, he +thought, that he didn't have some companion to appreciate his wealth and +power. He examined his equipment carefully. + +Everything was clean. Everything was in order. There was no device +lacking. + +Proudly, he looked down at the huge, yellow pendant he was wearing for +the first time. It was funny, he thought, that he had never considered a +probe unit before. Now that he thought of it, this was a most +satisfactory device. Now, he could look into his villagers' minds and +see clearly what lay there. Even, he could get some ideas of the +intentions of visiting caravan masters. + +Fitting the device and becoming familiar with it had been hard work, of +course, but he had mastered it. And today, he could wear the jewel and +use it. It would make the day's work easier. + +He activated his levitator, floated to his boat, and pulled it away from +its shelter, setting the course toward Tibara. + +The hard part of this operation was over, he thought. The rest was +simple routine. + +This caravan master had given him a bit more trouble than some of the +others, but his final reaction had been just like all the others. He +smiled. + +That flash of incredulity, followed by sudden, horrified comprehension, +then blankness, was becoming perfectly familiar. In fact, even this was +simple routine. + +He wondered if he might be able to extend just a little. Perhaps he +could operate on a wider scale. There should be some way he could work +out to take over a neighboring estate and go from there. + +Surely, there must be some outlet for his abilities, beyond mere +increase in the wealth of Kira Barra. And there must be some way to gain +a companion of sorts. He would have to think that over. + +He swung the boat to the pier and floated away, grandly ignoring the +pseudomen who hurried to secure his lines. + +He examined the village with approval as he stood in the center of the +clearing. There had been a great improvement since he had taken that +headman in hand. Perhaps this fellow would be satisfactory--might even +learn to take some pride in the appearance of his village--if, that is, +a pseudoman were capable of pride. + +He looked over toward the headman's hut. + +The fellow had come out, followed by the lead driver of the caravan. +Good, that would save the trouble of hunting the fellow out. + +He concentrated on the caravan slave. + +"Your master has decided to remain at the Residence for a time," he +thought confidently. "You may have your drivers load up and move to a +more permanent location." + +The answering thought was unexpectedly distinct. + +"This location looks as though it were designed for a caravan's stay. +Where's Dar Girdek?" + +Barra looked at the man in surprise. What was this? This fellow didn't +think like any pseudoman. Had Dar Girdek somehow managed to persuade a +halfman to act as his lead driver? But why? + +He drew back a little, tensing. There was something wrong here. + +"Now, look," persisted the man before him. "I'd like to see Dar Girdek. +I'd like to know why I haven't been able to get in touch with him this +morning." + +Barra blinked, then activated the new probe. He would have to find out +what this man knew--how much others might know. Abruptly, he felt a +violent return of the fear sickness which had temporarily subsided with +the death of Dar Girdek. + +The probe was met by an impenetrable barrier. Barra's eyes widened. This +man was no halfman, either. He was one of the great psionics. +Frantically, Barra's thought retraced the past. + +Was this an investigator from the Council? Was he, Kio Barra, suspect? +But how had any leak occurred? The fear grew, till he could almost smell +the sour stench of it. And with it, came a buoying lift of pure fury. + +This man may have unmasked him, to be sure. The Council might even now +be sending men to take him, but this spy would never know the results of +his work. He would profit nothing here. + +He flipped the distorter from under his arm. + + * * * * * + +As the Master Protector started to raise his distorter, Naran felt a +sharp twinge of regret. He had resigned himself to this, and had made +his preparations, but he hated to leave Barra to someone else. Of +course, the man had no chance now. The disturbance he had keyed himself +to make if he were hit with a distorter would be heard by every scholar +in Ganiadur, and by half the Council. But-- + +Suddenly, he felt a sort of pity for the killer before him. The guy +wasn't really altogether to blame. He'd been living for all these years +with everything against him. + +Born into a psionic family, he had been the family skeleton--a thing of +disgrace--to be hidden from the rest of the world and given tolerant +protection. + +And when this barely tolerated being had managed somehow to gain power +and get amplifying devices? Well-- + +The crystal was leveled at him now. He looked at it indifferently, +thinking of the man who held it. + +"Poor, lonesome weakling!" + +Abruptly, the clearing was lit up by a blinding red glare. Naran closed +his eyes against the searing light. Seconds went by and he opened his +eyes again, looking about the village in confusion. + +Had he somehow managed to retain full consciousness of ego, even after +being reduced by a distorter beam? Was there a release into some other +state of being? He had felt no-- + +He looked at Kio Barra. The man stood, slack-faced, still holding his +distorter rod, but gradually allowing it to sag toward the ground. Naran +shook his head. + +"Now, what goes on?" + +He probed at the man's mind. + +There was consciousness. The man could think, but the thoughts were dim +and blurred, with no trace of psionic carrier. The control and amplifier +jewels he wore had lost their inner fire--were merely dull, lifeless +reflectors of the sunlight. This man could do no more toward bringing +life to the jewels than could the village headman--perhaps, even less. + +Naran looked at him in unbelieving confusion, then turned as a sudden, +screaming thought struck his mind. + +"A stinking, high-nosed witchman! And we thought he was one of us! Ate +with him. Argued with him. Even fought with him. I've got to get away. +Got to!" + +There was desperation in the thought. And there were hatred overtones, +which blended, then swelled. + +As the terrorized ululation went on, Naran swung his head, locating the +source. He'd have to do something about that--fast. The fellow would +really demoralize the caravan now--even infect the big saurians--cause a +stampede. + +This guy had some power of projection and his terror was intensifying it +till anyone could receive the disturbing impulses, even though complete +understanding might be lacking. + +Naran lifted himself from the ground, arrowing rapidly toward the +caravan, his mind already forming the thoughts which he hoped would +soothe the frantic fear and--at least to some degree--allay the frenzy +of hatred that swelled and became stronger and stronger. + +Barra could wait. + + * * * * * + +As Barra swung his distorter to bear, he concentrated on the violent +pulse needed to trigger the jewel, his mind closed to all else. He +turned his attention on his target. + +Suddenly, he recognized the curiously tender expression which had formed +on the face of the man before him. + +Frantically, he tried to revise his thoughts--to recall the blaze of +energy he had concentrated to build up. + +It was too late. + +With a sense of despair, he recognized the sudden, lifting, twisting +agony that accompanied the flare of the overloaded power crystal. For an +eternal instant, his universe was a blinding, screaming, red nightmare. + +The flare died and he watched dully as the unharmed man before him +looked about unbelievingly, then looked back to carefully examine him. + +"Oh," he told himself dully. "I suppose they'll take care of me, but +what of it? They'll put me somewhere. I'll lose everything. It'll be +just like the place Boemar thought of sending me, when I--" + +Furiously, he tried to summon some tiny bit of energy to activate the +distorter. + +Nothing happened. + +The man whose pity had destroyed him suddenly frowned, then turned and +darted away. Dully, Barra watched him, then he turned, to look around +the village. His face contorted in new terror. + +Some of the village men were moving toward him, curious expressions on +their faces. He backed away from them and turned. + +A few more had moved to block his path. + +They were grunting and hissing to each other. Barra looked from face to +face, then looked over toward the well. + +There were men over there, too, by the pile of stones. The old man who +worked on the retaining walls of the village had picked up some of his +building material. + +He stood, eying Barra calculatingly, a stone poised in each hand. + + +THE END + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Weakling, by Everett B. 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