Part 3 (2/2)

With an emetic? Gordon Havers suggested. Gordon Havers suggested.

Peter would have laughed if he hadn't been mulling over something in Barchenka's mind that upset him when her arm had made contact with his chest.

Her speech was very important, he gasped. he gasped. She wanted to impress the World Leaders so much that they would relent and make her Station Manager in spite of appointing the admiral. She's furious she couldn't finish it because . . . She wanted to impress the World Leaders so much that they would relent and make her Station Manager in spite of appointing the admiral. She's furious she couldn't finish it because . . . Peter faltered, ducking his head, frowning, his expression puzzled. Peter faltered, ducking his head, frowning, his expression puzzled.

”What?” Rhyssa said aloud, shocked by the very notion of Barchenka in control of the s.p.a.ce Station. Rhyssa said aloud, shocked by the very notion of Barchenka in control of the s.p.a.ce Station.

”Admiral Coetzer's already on his way up to the hub,” Johnny Greene said by way of rea.s.surance.

You could read read her? her? Rhyssa exclaimed. Rhyssa exclaimed. How could you? She's wearing a metal skullcap. How could you? She's wearing a metal skullcap.

”If she is, it isn't very good,” Peter said in a low voice, glancing nervously in the direction Barchenka had gone. She's going to take over the Station again. She's the only one she will allow to manage it. She's going to make us pay! She's going to take over the Station again. She's the only one she will allow to manage it. She's going to make us pay! Peter added. Peter added. You You most of all, Johnny. most of all, Johnny.

”What isn't very good?” asked Dave, noting the tension in Peter's slender body.

Rhyssa quietly explained the gist of the exchanges. Dave's eyes widened in alarm and he, too, looked around the crowd to spot Barchenka's current position.

”How could she do that?” Dave asked Johnny.

”She hasn't got enough clout left with those necessary to confirm such an a.s.signment, even if the s.p.a.ce Authority was insane enough to let her,” Havers said, troubled.

What else did you sense, Peter? Johnny Greene asked, rocking back and forth on his heels, his jaw muscles tightening in dismay. Johnny Greene asked, rocking back and forth on his heels, his jaw muscles tightening in dismay.

No one else has ever read her, Rhyssa repeated. Rhyssa repeated.

I think it was her whacking me like that. Peter lifted one arm to his ribs. He hadn't felt the blow, only reacted to the momentum of her thrust. Peter lifted one arm to his ribs. He hadn't felt the blow, only reacted to the momentum of her thrust. The physical connection and she's so angry, she isn't holding anything back. I think she's after Admiral Coetzer, too. That's what she's gone to do now. The physical connection and she's so angry, she isn't holding anything back. I think she's after Admiral Coetzer, too. That's what she's gone to do now. He turned his upper body around, looking in the direction Barchenka had gone. He turned his upper body around, looking in the direction Barchenka had gone.

Oh, there you are! All three telepaths winced as Madlyn Luvaro's powerful voice a.s.saulted their minds. All three telepaths winced as Madlyn Luvaro's powerful voice a.s.saulted their minds. Ooops. Ooops. Sorry. Sorry.

The telepaths glanced around, not immediately spotting Madlyn. Then the pretty, dark brunette in an elegant red dress suit stepped out of the throng. She was smiling, nodding politely to those she pa.s.sed but there was a definite, noticeable tension to her body and a tightness to her smile.

”h.e.l.lo, there, Rhyssa, Peter, General Johnny. How great to see you here,” she said aloud. There's one G.o.ddawful rumor just starting the rounds in the workers' level: that Barchenka's going to be made Manager again. There's one G.o.ddawful rumor just starting the rounds in the workers' level: that Barchenka's going to be made Manager again. As she bowed politely to everyone in the cl.u.s.ter, she continued. As she bowed politely to everyone in the cl.u.s.ter, she continued. The rumor is that she'd end up her speech by telling you all that she's taking over the Station. The rumor is that she'd end up her speech by telling you all that she's taking over the Station. Her smile was fixed. She had modulated her extremely strong telepathic voice to a mere whisper, a scared mental whisper. Now her eyes begged Rhyssa to rea.s.sure her. Her smile was fixed. She had modulated her extremely strong telepathic voice to a mere whisper, a scared mental whisper. Now her eyes begged Rhyssa to rea.s.sure her. How How can can she? When she came storming in here from the ceremony, she? When she came storming in here from the ceremony, and Madlyn gestured around the refreshment area, and Madlyn gestured around the refreshment area, she was jerking her hands around at her white-coats and telling them that the plan would proceed. she was jerking her hands around at her white-coats and telling them that the plan would proceed. They They moved out on the double. With that skullcap of hers, I couldn't read anything from her and those muscle men can't think with the front of their brains so she moved out on the double. With that skullcap of hers, I couldn't read anything from her and those muscle men can't think with the front of their brains so she has has been planning something all along. been planning something all along. ”Can I b.u.m a ride back down with you, General?” she said aloud, tilting her head coquettishly at Johnny, but her eyes were clouded with anxiety. ”Can I b.u.m a ride back down with you, General?” she said aloud, tilting her head coquettishly at Johnny, but her eyes were clouded with anxiety.

Rhyssa said in a conversational tone, ”Are you all packed, Madlyn?”

”Yessum,” and the telepath nodded, more like a teenager than the confident executive she had become during her stint on the Station.

”I think I'll just see how Grushkov is doing,” Johnny Greene said with a wickedly raised eyebrow. Stay here. Stay here.

He wended his way into the crowd.

You don't think there's any chance she could get her way? Madlyn asked warily, pretending to admire Peter's smartly tailored outfit. ”I almost didn't recognize you, you're so smart.” Madlyn asked warily, pretending to admire Peter's smartly tailored outfit. ”I almost didn't recognize you, you're so smart.”

”Tirla took me shopping.”

”She's got excellent taste.” How does she think she can oust Admiral Coetzer? The World Council officially appointed him. He's such a nice guy. So calm. He impressed me when he toured the grunt levels and talked to all of them. Even descended to the offie levels. Never even wrinkled his nose at the pong down there, does she think she can oust Admiral Coetzer? The World Council officially appointed him. He's such a nice guy. So calm. He impressed me when he toured the grunt levels and talked to all of them. Even descended to the offie levels. Never even wrinkled his nose at the pong down there, Madlyn said. Madlyn said. Neither did Igor Koryakin, who's the new Maintenance Supervisor. How can they possibly turn the Station back over to Neither did Igor Koryakin, who's the new Maintenance Supervisor. How can they possibly turn the Station back over to her? her?

It just has to be wishful thinking on Barchenka's part, Rhyssa said. Rhyssa said.

Peter was very uncertain now. Could he have imagined the vivid sequences he'd seen in Barchenka's mind . . . like very fast-forward scenes . . . almost as if she were going over the plans in her mind? They couldn't have been precogs because Barchenka hadn't a vestige of psychic ability! He looked around warily. There weren't that many of her white-coated muscles in this area. He reviewed the brief glimpse of the very satisfied expression on her face, echoing her mental att.i.tude. Then there was a sudden stir as the rank of doors beyond the refreshment area burst open, like one of the glimpses he'd had, and platoons of white-coated men and women strode purposefully in, spreading out.

Peter carefully levitated himself enough to see over nearby heads. I don't like the feel of this. don't like the feel of this.

At the exact same moment, Johnny Greene broadcast, The admiral's run into a bad snag. His telepathic aide, Shandin Ross, is with him. They can't get the lift to work to the Control Intelligence Center level. The admiral's run into a bad snag. His telepathic aide, Shandin Ross, is with him. They can't get the lift to work to the Control Intelligence Center level.

Ground yourself, Peter, Rhyssa said, pulling him back down to the floor. Rhyssa said, pulling him back down to the floor.

She's locked Coetzer out! Johnny said angrily. Johnny said angrily. Coetzer's supposed to have the command codes. She's locked him out. Coetzer's supposed to have the command codes. She's locked him out.

Johnny, can't we do do something? something? Peter replied anxiously. Peter replied anxiously.

”What?” Madlyn Luvaro demanded, and put her hand to her lips.

The lifts aren't responding, even to his emergency codes, Johnny said, his mental tone both angry and anxious. Johnny said, his mental tone both angry and anxious. I'm reading Admiral Coetzer's mind. He's so furious right now he's dead easy to read. He's coming back here. I'm reading Admiral Coetzer's mind. He's so furious right now he's dead easy to read. He's coming back here.

I've got to get closer to Barchenka, Peter announced. Peter announced.

Before Rhyssa could protest or caution him, Peter was gone from her side.

”No one will notice,” Dave said, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

”You did.”

”I was watching him. Everyone else is watching Barchenka's guards,” Dave said. ”Can't we do something? Anything? Are there enough strong Talents to just inactivate her?”

”Not with her metal skullcap,” Johnny Greene replied telepathically as well as out loud. Although, Peter? Peter, where's he got to? Although, Peter? Peter, where's he got to? he added, his tone agitated. he added, his tone agitated. Madlyn, have you any idea how many goons she has? Where has she positioned them? Oh! Madlyn, have you any idea how many goons she has? Where has she positioned them? Oh! Johnny's voice was silent for three beats. Johnny's voice was silent for three beats. Really? Pete, how'd you do that? Really? Pete, how'd you do that?

Johnny's astonishment was so intense that all the 'paths caught it.

My G.o.d, he's great, Madlyn Luvaro's voice was so strong, Rhyssa thought she had spoken out loud. Madlyn Luvaro's voice was so strong, Rhyssa thought she had spoken out loud.

Yes, that's what I saw in her mind, Peter answered, and shot Johnny, as well as the other psychics, the visuals he had seen pa.s.sing through her public mind. Peter answered, and shot Johnny, as well as the other psychics, the visuals he had seen pa.s.sing through her public mind. Her strategy. Her strategy.

That'll certainly help, Havers remarked, his lanky body relaxing. Havers remarked, his lanky body relaxing. What now, Johnny? What now, Johnny?

Just be ready to take control when we can, Johnny replied. Johnny replied. She's been too busy with her planning to watch her back. She's been too busy with her planning to watch her back. And there was a note of distinct satisfaction in his tone. And there was a note of distinct satisfaction in his tone.

Those mysterious teams of yours? Rhyssa asked. Rhyssa asked.

What teams? Both Madlyn and Gordon Havers wanted to know. Both Madlyn and Gordon Havers wanted to know.

”How could she lock the admiral out of the command zone?” Dave murmured, not being privy to the lightning telepathed exchanges. ”She formally handed over the pa.s.swords and encryption codes when the watch changed at dawn. Coetzer's staff has been installed since six a.m. Station time. Why don't . . .” he continued, breaking off when there was a sudden rearrangement of the crowd as someone barged forward: Barchenka. She had a voice wand in her hand.

”HEAR THIS!” The volume on her wand was deafening, instantly producing the silence she wanted from the now agitated audience. ”I AM RESUMING THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS STATION. THERE IS AN INSURRECTION ON THE LOWER LEVELS.”

That's a fat lie! Madlyn said. Madlyn said.

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