Part 14 (1/2)
”Civilizing influence? I suppose so,” Medart said with less than total agreement. ”It did cut down on warfare, which is a major benefit--but I still say it caused stagnation, too. Your progress slowed from faster than ours to almost nothing after the Order took over, in the name of stability. Even slower than the Traiti, and for them gradual progress is the norm. It took you fifteen hundred years to go from a crude aircraft to just a system-capable s.p.a.cecraft--it took Terra less than a hundred.”
”That was fortunate for you,” Corina said with a touch of pique.
”Otherwise Terra would be an Irschchan subject world rather than the center of a growing Empire.” Then her tone grew softer. ”But I was raised an Imperial citizen, and I am glad of it. If the Academy accepts me, I will be able to travel, always finding out new things . . .
meeting people of all races and species . . .”
Her voice trailed off, and Medart was struck by the sudden enthusiasm and warmth replacing her normal controlled formality. No, he mused, she'd never be happy in a society as static as Irschcha's, even as a member of its ruling elite.
She was quiet now, gazing wide-eyed into nowhere, and Medart decided to try his new ability. He sent a faint, wordlessly-questing thought at her, and was rewarded with a mental image she had of herself. She was clad in Imperial Navy service blue with an ensign's stripe, standing on the bridge of a s.h.i.+p. The vessel appeared to be much smaller than the Chang, and it was highly imaginative--didn't correspond to any actual cla.s.s--but he got the feeling it might be a courier or perhaps a scout.
He withdrew, letting the picture fade from his mind. So that was her dream. She could achieve it easily with her ability, of course, and more . . . yet what a waste it would be. Anything short of the Rangers would be a waste as far as she was concerned, but he knew he couldn't force her into that decision. There were compensations, sure, but it was still a tough job, one that had to be taken on willingly. He could and would use all his powers of persuasion; he could not and would not use any form of coercion.
He'd been turned down once before, which had been disappointing--but Corina's refusal would be worse. He wanted to make her accept the Empire's need of her, its desperate urgency to make the best possible use of such outstanding minds--especially, now, a non-human's. Linda Ellman might have found it easier to persuade the young Irschchan, he thought. She'd said Steve Tarlac had had a similar lack of self-confidence when she'd recruited him. But that was nothing but idle dreaming; this was up to him, not to Linda.
He shrugged, then said, ”Sir Corina?”
She s.h.i.+vered slightly, returning to reality. ”Yes, Ranger?”
”It's almost noon. Why don't I call Sunbeam, then you two have lunch and get her to show you the s.h.i.+p? I have some work to do, and if you're planning on going to the Academy you'll want to know all you can about the Navy.”
”Yes, I think I should. Personal experience is far superior to mere study. But you need to rest, give your undermind a chance to adjust to the idea of telepathy. Your overmind accepts it now; the undermind is normally slower to accept change.”
”I can't really rest,” Medart said slowly. ”I don't have the time. I can work on something that won't take too much thinking, though. Good enough?”
”I suppose it will have to be, though true rest is better.” While Medart called Sunbeam, Corina thought. Her former teacher meant well, she was sure, had turned traitor out of conviction that it was necessary and not for gain . . . yet the thing which had made him think the humans unfit for rule, their lack of Talent, was not the case. How would he take it when he could finally be convinced of his error?
Would he do as honor demanded, or would he continue his treason?
”We'll find out when it comes to that, won't we?” Medart responded.
”This works between us; I'd like to try it on Sunbeam, make sure it really does work for me with humans.”
Fascinating that he could read her undirected thoughts while doing something totally unconnected, Corina mused. She could prevent that by s.h.i.+elding, of course, but it was her first experience with it, and she preferred not to. Such contact was not unusual between Talented family members or extremely close friends, but Medart was neither, and she had not found herself reading him that way.
”Maybe you know you shouldn't be able to, so you can't, but I don't, so I can?”
Corina purred, wis.h.i.+ng she could laugh. ”That is as reasonable an explanation as we are likely to get, I would say. But I am not sure I can approve of you attempting to read Sunbeam. It is honorable to probe the unTalented only when truly necessary, since they cannot defend themselves--and you do not know your own strength; if you should accidentally use darlas against her, she could be seriously hurt.”
”I don't want to hurt her, of course,” Medart said, ”but I think this is necessary. I need to know all I can about Talent, especially yours and mine--and so far you're the only one I've read.”
”That is true.” Corina thought for a moment, then nodded. ”I can monitor, and if you should begin using darlas, protect her. It is a risk, but in this case justifiable.”
The door signal chimed, and Corina called, ”Come in, Sunbeam.”
”Ready for lunch, Sir Corina?” the small ensign asked as she entered.
”I sure am!”
”In a moment, Sunbeam,” Corina replied. *Try now, Ranger, while I speak to her.*