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Justin's lip might have twitched at the name Qasama； Corwin wasn't sure。 〃Yes； Dad mentioned that。 Well； as I told Joshua； I'll try to make it。〃
〃What's to keep you away？〃 Corwin asked； studiously casual。 〃You're still off…duty； aren't you？〃
〃Officially； yes。 But there's something I've been working on lately that I'm trying to finish up。〃
〃What sort of something？〃
Justin's face didn't change。 〃You'll find out when it's done。 Until then I'd rather not say。〃
Corwin exhaled quietly and admitted defeat。 〃All right； be mysterious； see if I care。 But let me know if you need transport and I'll send a car for you。〃
〃Thanks。 Talk to you later。〃
〃
〃Bye。〃 The screen blanked； and Corwin leaned back in his seat。 The trip to Qasama had definitely changed his younger brother…and not necessarily for the better。 Still； as he'd told Joshua； some things simply took time to work out。
His inter buzzed： Yutu with something new on the public net that needed an official response。 Sighing； Corwin turned on the net and； pushing his worries about Justin into the background； got back to work。
For Pyre； it was just like old times。 Almost。
An invitation to the Moreau family dinners had always ranked at the very top of his list； not only because he enjoyed their pany but also because their tacit acceptance of him as part of the family was an honor bestowed on few other outsiders。 Over the years he'd had the privilege of watching the three boys move from high chairs to boosters to full adult participation； had learned by osmosis some of the intricacies of Cobra World politics； had even gotten to know Gwen Moreau； barely three years his senior； well enough to seriously consider marriage to her。 Tonight as he looked around the table； listening and contributing to the chitchat； he felt the memories of those happier times drifting like the scent of good cahve through his mind。
But tonight the warmth was chilled； and all their efforts could not dispel the cloud that Justin's empty chair cast over the proceedings。 Jonny had assured them that Justin would be there in time for the discussion； but as dinner wore down to dessert and then cahve Pyre began to doubt it。
And worse than Justin's voluntary exile was the cold certainty in Pyre's gut that ultimately it was his fault。
Not just the fact that he'd been Justin's Cobra trainer； the one responsible for making sure the boy
was ready for the mission。 Pyre had trained Cobras before； and if Justin had failed to develop that touch of defensive paranoia a man in danger needed； that was simply the other's basic personality。 Too； he could have forbidden Justin's participation on the mission； but the Council wanted the twins aboard and there was nothing Pyre could have pointed to to justify dropping them out。
But if he'd followed the armored bus when Moff had taken Justin from Sollas to Purma。。。。
It was a scenerio Pyre had played over and over in infinite variation on the trip back to Aventine； and it 〃 still haunted the quiet times of his day。 If he'd followed the bus he could have broken Justin out at that first stop； the two of them then freeing Cerenkov and Rynstadt。 Or even have waited until the high…security building and then backtracked to the others〃 rescue。 Justin would never have had to face the situation of being deep in enemy territory； abandoned by the outside assistance he'd counted on。
And he wouldn't have had to learn quite so hard the fact that even Cobras were allowed to be afraid。 Allowed to panic。 Allowed to remain human。
Dinner ended； and the group moved into the living room。 But Jonny had barely begun when there was a quiet knock on the door and Justin let himself in。
There was a brief； awkward moment as everyone I tried for the right balance of greeting； interest； casu…I alness； and solicitude。 But then Joshua managed to I break the ice。 〃About time；〃 he growled； mock…｜ seriously。 〃You were supposed to be bringing the main course。〃
Justin smiled； and the tension eased。 〃Sorry I'm 。 late；〃 he apologized； also mock…seriously； to his ｜ brother。 〃The gantua steaks will be along in a minute…and as partial pensation for the delay； ｜ the meat is exceptionally fresh。〃
He sat down beside Joshua； nodded to the others and then turned his eyes expectantly to his father。 〃How much have I missed？〃
〃As a matter of fact； we were just starting。〃 Jonny hesitated。 〃What I'm about to say…about to suggest…is going to sound pretty strange；〃 he said； glancing around at the others。 〃What's worse is that I haven't got any solid evidence whatsoever for it。 That's the main reason you're all here： to help me decide whether I'm actually on to something or just hallucinating。〃 His eyes shifted to Chrys； seated on the couch between Corwin and Gwen； and stayed there as if seeking strength。 〃I asked you to read the report on the planet Tacta that the Menssana brought back； in particular the section on the bird we've nicknamed the spookie。 What was in there wasn't much…mainly just a brief encounter we had with one near the ship's perimeter。 What wasn't there was the strong suspicion I've had ever since then that the spookie is in some degree telepathic。〃
The word seemed to hang like smoke in the air。 Pyre flicked his eyes around the room： at Chrys； who looked troubled； Corwin； Gwen； and Joshua； whose faces appeared to register astonished skepticism； at Justin； whose expression was closed but。。。 interested。
〃All my evidence is subjective；〃 Jonny continued； 〃but let me describe exactly what happened and see what you think。〃
Carefully； almost as if giving evidence in court； he went on to tell of the spookie watching him from the low bushes； of its agitation when he called others over to see； of its deftly timed； deftly executed break for freedom； and of the mission's failure to locate any more of the species。 When he finished there was a long silence。
〃Anyone else e to this conclusion？〃 Gwen asked at last。
〃Two or three others are wondering about it；〃 Jonny told her。 〃Understandably； none of us put it in our
official reports； but Chrys and I weren't imagining things out there。〃
〃Um。 Doesn't have to be a plete； mind…reading telepathy； does it？〃 Gwen mused。 〃With a spookie's brain capacity it shouldn't have the intelligence to handle input like that。〃
〃Dr。 Hanford made a similar ment at the time；〃 Chrys said。 〃We've talked about the possibility the spookies might form some kind of group mind； or that the sense boils down more to a feeling for danger than actual mind…reading。〃
〃I'd vote for the latter；〃 Corwin put in。 〃A group mind； even if such a thing could exist； shouldn't worry too much about losing one of its cells。 In fact； it might deliberately sacrifice a spookie or two to get a look at your weaponry in action。〃
〃Good point；〃 Jonny nodded。 〃I lean toward the danger…recognition theory myself； though it requires a pretty fine scale to have timed things that well。〃
〃The fine…tuning； at least； could have been coincidental；〃 Corwin suggested。
〃Or the whole thing could have been coincidence；〃 Joshua said hesitantly。 〃Sorry； Dad； but I don't see anything here that can't be explained away。〃
〃Oh； I agree；〃 Jonny said without rancor。 〃And if I hadn't been there I'd be treating it with the same healthy skepticism。 As a matter of fact； I hope you're right。 But one way or the other； we've got to pin this down； and we've got to pin it down fast。〃
〃Why？〃 Pyre asked。 〃It seems to me Tacta's fauna is pretty far down the priority stack。 What's the big rush for？〃
Jonny opened his mouth…but it was Justin who spoke。 〃Because the Council's about to make a decision on war with Qasama；〃 he said evenly； 〃and the mojos are related to these spookies。 Aren't they。〃
Jonny nodded； and Pyre felt the blood draining out of his face。 〃You mean to say we were fighting telepathic birds down there？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Jonny said。 〃You were there。 You tell me。〃
Pyre licked his lips briefly； eyes shifting to Justin。 The immediate shock was fading and he was able to think。。。。 〃No；〃 he said after a minute。 〃No； they weren't strictly telepathic。 They never recognized that we were Cobras； for one thing…never reacted as if I was armed until I started shooting。〃
〃Did you ever see how they reacted to a conventional weapon； though？〃 Gwen asked。
Pyre nodded。 〃Outside the ship； the first contact。 The team had to leave their lasers in the airlock。〃
〃And Decker；〃 Joshua murmured。
〃And Decker；〃 Pyre acknowledged； swallowing with the memory of York's sacrifice。 〃In fact； I'd go so far as to say the mojos don't even sense the presence of danger； at least not the way you claim your spookie does。 When I climbed up a building at the edge of Sollas that last night I surprised both a Qasaman sentry and his mojo。 The bird should at least have been in the air if it felt me ing。〃 He cocked an eyebrow at Justin。 〃You notice anything； one way or the other？〃
The young Cobra shrugged。 〃Only that the group mind thing goes out the window with at least the mojos…none of them learned anything about us no matter how many of their friends we slaughtered。〃 He paused； and a haze of emotional pain seemed to settle over his face。 〃And 。。。 there may。 be one other thing。〃
The others sensed it as well； and a silence rich in sympathy descended on the room。 It took Justin a couple of tries to get started； but when he finally spoke his voice was steady and flat with suppressed emotion。 〃You've all read my report； I expect。 You know I…well； I panicked while I was being taken underground in Purma。 I killed all the mojos and some of the Qasamans in the elevator； and a few minutes later I killed another group in the hallway upstairs。 What 。。。 what some of you don't know is that I didn't just panic。 I literally lost my head when each set of mojos attacked。 I don't even remember fighting them off； just sort of ing to with them dead around me。〃
He stopped； fighting for control 。。。 and it was Joshua who spotted the key first。 〃It was only when the mojos were attacking you？〃 he asked。 〃The Qasamans themselves didn't bother you？〃
Justin shook his head。 〃Not to the same extent。 At least not those in the elevator。 The others 。。。 well； I don't remember killing them； either； I guess。 I don't know…maybe I'm just rationalizing for my failure。〃
〃Or maybe you're not；〃 Jonny said grimly。 〃Almo； did you experience anything like that when you were fighting the mojos？〃
Pyre hesitated； thinking back。 He wished he could admit to such a thing； for the sake of Justin's self…esteem。 If the mojos actually had been fueling the younger man's reaction。。。。
But he had to shake his head。 〃Sorry； but I'm afraid not；〃 he told Jonny。 〃On the other hand； I never faced mojos who'd already seen I was dangerous； either。 I was always in a position to target and eliminate them in the first salvo。 Perhaps we could talk to Michael Winward； see what he went through。〃
Joshua was gazing into space。 〃The cities。 They're designed for the mojos〃 benefit。 You suppose there's more significance to that than we thought？〃
Gwen stirred。 〃I have to admit I don't understand this 〃designed city〃 bit； especially the lunacy of letting herds of bololins charge up your streets。 Wouldn't it have been simpler to just go out on hunting trips when you wanted to let your mojo breed？〃
〃Or else set up tarbine aviaries in the cities；〃 Chrys suggested。 〃I would think it harder to go out and trap wild mojos than to breed tame ones； anyway。〃
〃That would certainly make the most sense；〃 Pyre said。
〃Assuming；〃 Convin said quietly； 〃that the Qasa…mans were the ones making those decisions。〃
And there it is； Pyre thought。 What all the rest of us are skating around； out in the open at last。 He looked around the circle； but superimposed on the view was an unsettling image： a Qasaman as marionette； its strings in the beak of its mojo。。。。
It was Justin who eventually broke the silence。 〃It's not as simple as the mojos being able to take control of people；〃 he said。 〃We had mojos all around us that last night and still were able to escape。〃
Pyre thought back。 〃Yes；〃 he agreed slowly。 〃Both outside of Purma and in Kimmeron's office in Sollas the mojos should have been able to influence me。 If they could。〃
〃Maybe they need a longer associatio