按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
i tently into his eyes。
The dog became restless when Naxa turned back to work on t＇ dorym。 It prowled around the barn； sniffing； then moved quickly ward the open door。 Jason called it back。
At least he meant to call it。 At the last moment he said nothir Nothing aloud。 On sudden impulse he kept his mouth closed…on he called the dog with his mind。 Thinking the words e here； dire ing the impulse at the animal with all the force and direction he Is ever used to manipulate dice。 As he did it； he realized it had been a loi time since he had even considered using his psi powers。
The dog stopped and turned back toward him。
It hesitated； looking at Naxa； then walked over to Jason。
Seen this closely； the beast was a nightmare hound。 The hairlc protective plates； tiny red…rimmed eyes； and countless； saliva…drippii teeth did little to inspire confidence。 Yet Jason felt no fear。 There was rapport between man and animal that was understood。 Without cc scious thought； he reached out and scratched the dog along the bac where he knew it itched。
〃Di'nt know y're a talker；〃 Naxa said。 As he watched them； thc was friendship in his voice for the first time。
〃I didn't know either…7'tntil just now；〃 Jason said。 He looked into t eyes of the animal before him； scratched the ridged and ugly back； a' began to understand。
The talkers must have well…developed psi facilities； that was obvio now。 There is no barrier of race or alien form when two creatures shr each other's emotions。 Empathy first； so there would be no hatred fear。 After that direct munication。 The talkers might have be the ones who first broke through the barrier of hatred on Pyrrus ai learned to live with the native life。 Others could have followed th~ example…this might explain how the munity of 〃grubbers〃 h been formed。
Now that he was concentrating on it； Jason was aware of the s flow of thoughts around him。 The consciousness of the dorym w matched by other like patterns from the rear of the barn。 He knew wil out going outside that more of the big beasts were in the field ba there。
〃This is all new to me；〃 Jason said。 〃Have you ever thought about Naxa？ What does it feel like to be a talker？ I mean； do you know w it is you can get the animals to obey you while other people have luck at all？〃
Thinking of this sort troubled Naxa。 He ran his fingers through his thick hair and scowled as he answered。 〃Nev'r thought about it。 Just do it。 Just get t'know the beast real good； then y'can guess what they're going t'do。 That's all。〃
It was obvious that Naxa had never thought about the origin of his ability to control the animals。 And if he hadn't； probably no one else had。 They had no reason to。 They simply accepted the powers of talkers as one of the facts of life。
Ideas slipped toward each other in his mind； like the pieces of a puzzle joining together。 He had told Kerk that the native life of Pyrrus had joined in battle against mankind； he didn't know why。 Well； he still didn't know why； but he was getting an idea of the 〃how。〃
〃About how far are we from the city？〃 Jason asked。 〃Do you have an idea how long it would take us to get there by dorym？〃
〃Half day there…half back。 Why？ Y'want to go？〃
〃I don't want to get into the city； not yet。 But I would like to get close to it；〃 Jason told him。
〃See what Rhes says；〃 was Naxa's answer。
Rhes granted instant permission without asking any questions。 They saddled up and left at once； in order to plete the round trip before dark。
They had been traveling less than an hour before Jason knew they were going in the direction of the city。 With each minute； the feeling grew stronger。 Naxa was aware of it； too； stirring in the saddle with unvoiced feelings。 They had to keep touching and reassuring their mounts which were growing skittish and restless。 …
〃This is far enough；〃 Jason said。 Naxa gratefully pulled to a stop。 The wordless thought beat through Jason's mind； filling it。 He could feel it on all sides…only much stronger ahead of them in the direction of the unseen city。 Naxa and the doryms reacted in the same way； restlessly unfortable； not knowing the cause。
One thing was obvious now。 The Pyrran animals were sensitive to psi radiation…probably the plants and lower life fornis as well。 Perhaps they municated by it； since they obeyed the men who had a strong control of it。 And in this area was a wash of psi radiation such as he had never experienced before。 Though his personal talents speciaiized in psychokinesis…the mental control of inanimate matter…he was still sensitive to most mental phenomena。 Watching a sports event； he had many times felt the unanimous accord of many minds expressing the same thought。 What he felt now was like that。
Only terribly different。 A crowd exulted at some success on the field； or groaned at a failure。 The feeling fluxed and changed as the game
progressed。 Here the wash of thought was unending； strong am frightening。 It didn't translate into words very well。 It was part hatred part fear…and all destruction。
〃KILL THE ENEMY〃 was as close as Jason could express it。 But i was more than that。 An unending river of mental outrage and death
〃Let's go back now；〃 he said； suddenly battered and sickened by tb feelings he had let wash through him。 As they started the return trip； Ii began to understand many things。
His sudden unspeakable fear when the Pyrran animal had attacke him that first day on the planet。 And his recurrent nightmares tha had never pletely ceased； even with drugs。 Both of these were hi reaction to the hatred directed at the city。 Though for some reason h hadn't felt it directly up until now； enough had reached through to hit to get a strong emotional reaction。
Rhes was asleep when they got back and Jason couldn't talk to hit until morning。 In spite of his fatigue from the trip； he stayed awak late into the night； going over in his mind the discoveries of the da3 Could he tell Rhes what he had found out？ Not very well。 If he di that； he would have to explain the importance of his discovery an what he meant to use it for。 Nothing that aided the city dwellers woul appeal to Rhes in the slightest。 Best to say nothing until the entire ai fair was over。
18
After breakfast； he told Rhes that he wanted to return to the city。 〃Then you have seen enough of our barbarian world； and wish to go back to your friends。 To help them wipe us out perhaps？〃 P~hes said it lightly； but there was a touch of cold malice behind his words。
〃I hope you don't really think that；〃 Jason told him。 〃You must realize that the opposite is true。 I would like to see this civil war ended and your people getting all the benefits of science and medicine that have been withheld。 I'll do everything I can to bring that about。〃
〃They'll never change；〃 Rhes said gloomily； 〃so don't waste your time。 But there is one thing you must do； for your protection and ours。 Don't admit； or even hint； that you've talked to any grubbers！〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Why not…！ Suffering death； are you that simple！ They will do anything to see that we don't rise too high； and would much prefer to see us all dead。 Do you think they would…hesitate to kill you if they as much as suspected you had contacted us？ They realize…even if you don't… that you can singlehandedly alter the entire pattern of power on this planet。 The ordinary junkman may think of us as being only one step above the animals； but the leaders don't。 They know what we need and what we want。 They could probably guess just what it is I am going to ask you。
〃Help us； Jason dinAh。 Get back among those human pigs and lie。 Say you never talked to us； that you hid in the forest and we attacked you and you had to shoot to save yourself。 We'll supply some recent corpses to make that part of your story sound good。 Make them believe you and； even after you think you have them convinced； keep on acting the part because they will be watching you。 Then tell them you have finished your work and are ready to leave。 Get safely off Pyrrus； to another planet； and I promise you anything in the universe。 Whatever you want you shall have。 Power； money…anything。
〃This is a rich planet。 The junkmen mine and sell the metal； but we could do it much better。 Bring a spaceship back here and land any…
where on this continent。 We have no cities； but our people have farn everywhere； they will find you。 We will then have merce； trade on our own。 This is what we all want and we will work hard for i And you will have done it。 Whatever you want； we will give。 That a promise and we do not break our promises。〃
The intensity and magnitude of what he described rocked Jaso~ He knew that Rhes spoke the truth and the entire resources of ti planet would be his； if he did as asked。 For one second he was tempte savoring the thought of what it would be like。 Then came realizatic that it would be a half answer； and a poor one at that。 If these peop had the strength they wanted； their first act would be the attempt destruction of the city men。 The result would be bloody civil war th would probably destroy them both。 Rhes's answer was a good one…hi only half an answer。
Jason had to find a better solution。 One that would stop all the figi ing on this planet and allow the two groups of humans to live in peac
〃I will do nothing to injure your people； Rhes…and everything my power to aid them；〃 Jason said。
This half answer satisfied Rhes； who could see only one interpret tion of it。 He spent the rest of the morning on the municator； ranging for the food supplies that were being brought to the tradir site。
〃The supplies are ready and we have sent the signal；〃 he said。 〃TI truck will be here tomorrow and you will be waiting for it。 Everything arranged as I told you。 You'll leave now with Naxa。 You must rca' the meeting spot before the trucks。〃
19
〃Trucks almost here。 Y'know what to do？〃 Naxa asked。
Jason nodded； and looked again at the dead man。 Some beast had torn his arm off and he had bled to death。 The severed arm had been tied into the shirt sleeve； so from a distance it looked normal。 Seen close up； this limp arm； plus the white skin and shocked expression on the face； gave Jason an unhappy sensation。 He liked to see his corpses safely buried。 However he could understand its impbrtance today。
〃Here they're。 Wait until his back's turned；〃 Naxa whispered。
The armored truck had three powered trailers in tow this time。 The train ground up the rock slope and whined to a stop。 Krannon climbed out of the cab and looked carefully around before opening up the trailers。 He had a lift robot along to help him with the loading。
〃Now！〃 Naxa hissed。
Jason burst into the clearing； running； shouting Krannon's name。 There was a crackling behind him as two of the hidden men hurled the corpse through the foliage after him。 He turned and fired without stopping； setting the thing afire in midair。
There was the crack of another gun as Krannon fired； his shot jarred the twice…dead corpse before it hit the ground。 Then he was lying prone； firing into the trees behind the running Jason。
Just as Jason reached the truck； there was a whirring in the air and hot pain ripped into his back； throwing him to the ground。 He looked around as Krannon dragged him through the door； and saw the metal shaft of a crossbow bolt sticking out of his shoulder。
〃Lucky；〃 the Pyrran said。 〃An inch lower would have got your heart。 I warned you about those grubbers。 You're lucky to get off with only this。〃 He lay next to the door and snapped shots into the now quiet wood。
Taking out the bolt hurt much more than it had going in。 Jason cursed the pain as Krannon put on a dressing； and admired the singleness of purpose of the people who had shot him。 They had risked his life to make his escape look real。 And also risked the chance that he might
turn against them after being shot。 They did a job pletely and thc oughly and he cursed them for their efficiency。
Krannon climbed warily out of the truck； after Jason was bandage Finishing the loading quickly； he started the train of trailers back t ward the city。 Jason had an anti…pain shot and dozed off as soon as th~ started。
While he slept； Krannon must have radioed ahead； because Kerk w wai