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+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: 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. Cole
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