Part 5 (1/2)

”What is the matter?” Harkon's hand was on my shoulder, giving me a small shake as if to summon my attention.

”I do not know.” I told him the truth. ”There is something here that threatens esper powers.”

”Harkon!” The other Patrolman, who had gone along the cliff, now stepped away from it. ”Set-down marks here. A flitter-big one by the looks of them.”

Harkon went to see; I remained with Maelen. She had turned her head, was nuzzling against my jacket in an intimacy she had never before displayed.

”Good-good to have you here,” her thought came. ”Keep so, Krip, keep so with me. I must not be less nor other than I am-I must not! But it is calling-it is calling me-”

”What is?”

”I do not know. It is like something which wishes help that only I can offer. Yet I also know that if I do go to it-then I am no longer me. And I will not be not-Maelen! Never while I live will I be not-Maelen!” The force of that was like a shout of defiance.

”No one but Maelen. Tell me how I can aid. I am here-” I gave her quickly what I had to offer.

”Remember Maelen, Krip, remember Maelen!”

I guessed what she wanted and built in my mind the picture I liked to remember best of all-of Maelen as I had first seen her at the Great Fair in Yrjar, serene, sure, mistress of herself, untroubled, proud of her little furred people as they performed before the awed townsfolk. That was Maelen as she would always be for me.

”Did you indeed see me so, Krip? I think you draw a picture larger and more comely, more a.s.sured, than I was in truth. But you have given me that to hold to. Keep it ever for me, Krip. When I need it-have it safe!”

Harkon was back. ”Nothing more to do here.” His tone was impatient. ”We had better head back. They lifted in a flitter, all right, which means they can be anywhere on this continent. Can you pilot your own flyer?”

I nodded, but looked to Maelen. Was she ready, able, to return? She wriggled in my hold and I loosed her. Perhaps she was well pleased to be on the move again. She scrambled into the flitter, curled up in the second seat as I settled in front of the controls.

The Patrol flitter headed straight back toward the Lydis Lydis and I matched its speed. Maelen, curled still, seemed to sleep. At least she made no attempt at mind-touch. However, we were not to be long without a new problem. My com clicked and I snapped it on. and I matched its speed. Maelen, curled still, seemed to sleep. At least she made no attempt at mind-touch. However, we were not to be long without a new problem. My com clicked and I snapped it on.

”Can you raise your s.h.i.+p?” was Harkon's terse demand. I had been so absorbed with Maelen I had not thought of sending any report to the Lydis Lydis. Now I pressed the broadcast b.u.t.ton. There was a hum-the beam was open. But when I punched out our code call I got no answer. Surprised, I tried again. The beam was open; reception should have been easy. Surely with us out on search the s.h.i.+p's receiver would have been constantly manned. Still no reply.

I reported my failure to Harkon, to be answered with a stark ”Same here.”

We had set out in early morning, eating our midday (meal of concentrates as we flew. Now began a fading of the pallid sunlight, a thickening and in-drawing of the clouds. Also the winds were rising. For safety's sake we both rose well above the rocky hills. There was no way we could be lost-the guide beam would pull us to the Lydis Lydis-but strong winds make a blind landing there tricky. A blind landing? It should not have to be blind. They would be expecting us, have floodlights out to guide us down. Or would they? They did not answer-would they even know we were coming? Why did I get no answer? I continued to click out the code call, pausing now and then to count to ten or twenty, praying for an answer which would end my rising suspicion that something was very wrong.

Chapter Seven.

MAELEN.

It was hard to fight this thing which had come upon me in the valley where we found the flitter. Never had I been so shaken, so unsure of myself, of what I was-of who who I was. Yet I could not even remember clearly now that which had flowed in upon my mind, possessing my thoughts, struggling to eject my ident.i.ty. I know shape-changing, who better? But this was no ordered way of Tha.s.sa doing. This had been a concentrated attempt to force me to action which was not of my own planning. I was. Yet I could not even remember clearly now that which had flowed in upon my mind, possessing my thoughts, struggling to eject my ident.i.ty. I know shape-changing, who better? But this was no ordered way of Tha.s.sa doing. This had been a concentrated attempt to force me to action which was not of my own planning.

As I crouched low now in the second seat of the flitter, I was still trying to draw about me, as one might draw a ragged cloak against the stabbing air of winter, my confidence and belief in my own powers. What I had met there I could not trace to its source and did not know-save that I wanted no more of it!

I was thus so intent upon my own misery and fear' that I was not wholly aware of Krip's actions. Until his thought came piercing my self-absorption in a quick, clean thrust.

”Maelen! They do not reply from the Lydis Lydis. What can you read?”

Read? For a moment even his mind-send seemed to be in a different language, one beyond my comprehension. Then I drew heavily on my control, forced my thought away from that dire contact in the valley. Lydis Lydis-the Lydis Lydis did not answer! did not answer!

But at least now I had a concrete focus for my search. I was not battling the unknown. Though the s.h.i.+p itself, being inanimate, would not act as a guide to draw my search; Lidj would be best for that. I pictured in my mind the cargomaster, loosed my tendril of seek- What I encountered was a blank. No-below the surface of nothingness there pulsed something, a very muted sense of ident.i.ty. I have mind-sought when those I so wished to touch were asleep, even in deep unconsciousness produced by illness. This present state was like unto the last, save that it was even deeper, farther below the conscious level. Lidj was not to be reached by any seek of mine. I transferred then to Korde-with the same result.

”They are unconscious-Lidj and Korde-deeply so,” I reported.

”Asleep!”

”Not true sleep. I have reported it as it is. They are not conscious, nor do they dream, nor are their minds open to under-thought as they are in true sleep. This is something else.”

I tried to probe deeper, to awaken some response, enough to win information. But even as I concentrated I was-seized! It was as if I had been pus.h.i.+ng toward a goal when about me rose a trapping net. This net had the same feel as that which had enhanced me for a s.p.a.ce in the valley. Save that this time it was stronger, held me more rigidly in its bonds, as if another personality, stronger, more compelling, had joined with the first to bind and draw me. I could see Krip and the flitter. I could look down at my own furred body, at my forepaws, from which the striking claws were now protruding as if I were preparing to do battle. But between me and that sane outer world there was building a wall of haze.

Maelen-I was Maelen! ”Krip, think me Maelen as you did in the valley! Make me see myself as I truly am, have been all my life, no matter what body I now wear. I am Maelen!”

However, my plea must not have reached him. I was dimly aware of a crackle of words from the com, words which had noise but no meaning.

Maelen-with all my strength of mind and will I held to my need of ident.i.ty, besieged by rising waves of force, each beating upon me stronger than the last. Dimly I thought this a worse peril because I was one who had been able to change the outward coverings of my spirit-something which made me the more susceptible to whatever abode here.

But-I was Maelen-not Vors, no one else-only Maelen of the Tha.s.sa. Now my world had narrowed to that single piece of knowledge, which was my s.h.i.+eld, or my weapon. Maelen as Krip had seen me in his memory. Though, as I had told him, I had never been so fair, so strong as that. Maelen- All beyond me was gone now. I closed my outer eyes lest I be disturbed from my defense. For how long I continued then to hold Maelen intact I do not know, as time was no longer broken down into any” unit of measure. It was only endurance in which I feared weakening more than any bodily death.

That a.s.sault grew in strength, reached such a height that I knew if it advanced I could not hold. Then-it began to fail. With failure there came a secondary current, first of raging impatience, then of fear and despair. This time also I had held fast. That I could do so a third time with this strange power fighting against me, I doubted. And Krip-where had Krip been? What of his promise that he would stand with me?

Anger born of my great fear flared hot in me. Was this the true worth of what I might expect from him, that in my hour of greatest need he would leave me to fight a lone battle?

The influence which had tested me this second time was now gone, the remnants winking out as a lamp might give way to the dark. I was left so drained that I could not move, even once I had returned to an awareness of what lay about me.

Krip-he still sat at the controls of the flitter. But the flyer was on the ground. I could see from the vision port the fins of the Lydis Lydis, though the bulk of the s.h.i.+p towered far above us.

”Krip-” Weakly I tried to reach him.

Tried-but what I met was that same nothingness which I had encountered when I had sought Lidj and Korde! I pulled up on the seat, edged around to look directly into his face.

His eyes were open; he stared straight ahead. I reached out a forepaw, caught at his shoulder. His body was rigid, as if frozen, a piece of carving rather than blood, flesh, and bone! Had he been caught in that same net which had tried to encompa.s.s me, but more securely?

I began to fight again, this time to reach that which lay beneath the weight of nothingness. But I was too weakened by my own ordeal-I could not win to that secret place where Krip Vorlund had been imprisoned, or to which he had retreated. He sat rigid, frozen, staring with eyes I did not believe saw anything of the outer world. I scrambled off the seat, clumsily freed the catch of the door hatch with my paws.

Though the fins of the Lydis Lydis were bulky enough to show through the dark, the rest of the valley was well hidden in night shadows. I dropped over the edge of the hatch into the soft sand, which puffed up around my haunches, cus.h.i.+oning me by the edge of a dune. The hatch closed automatically behind me. Krip had not noticed my going, made no effort to join me. were bulky enough to show through the dark, the rest of the valley was well hidden in night shadows. I dropped over the edge of the hatch into the soft sand, which puffed up around my haunches, cus.h.i.+oning me by the edge of a dune. The hatch closed automatically behind me. Krip had not noticed my going, made no effort to join me.

Standing in the shadow cast by the flitter, I surveyed the valley. There was no boarding ramp out from the Lydis Lydis. She was locked tight, as we had kept her during each night on Sekhmet. Beyond the fins was the Patrol flitter. Around that was no stir. I padded through the sand to reach its side. There was a faint glow within, the radiance of the instrument panel, I thought.

Gla.s.sia can climb, but they are no leapers. Now I made a great effort, putting all I could into a jump which allowed me to hook my claws over the edge of the port, hang there long enough with a straining of my shoulder muscles for a look within.

The pilot occupied his seat with the same rigidity Krip displayed. His nearest companion was in position by the weapon, also frozen at his post. I could only see the back of the head of the second gunner, but since he did not move, I believed I could a.s.sume he was in a like state. Both the pilot and Krip had made good landings here, but now they seemed as truly prisoners as if they were chained in some dungeon in Yrjar. Prisoners of whom-and why? Still, since they had landed their flitters in safety, it was plain that the enemy did not yet want them dead, only under control.

That they would be left so for long, I doubted. And prudence suggested that I get into hiding while I could and stay so until I learned more of the situation. I might already be under surveillance from some point in the valley.

I began to test mind-seek-only to find it limited, so drawn upon by the ordeal I had been through that I dared not try it far. For the time being I was reduced to depending upon the five senses inherent in my present body.

Though it disturbed me to rely on the gla.s.sia abilities, I relaxed my vigilance and my control of my body, raised my head so that my nose could test the scents in the air, listened as intently as I could, tried to see as much among the shadows as my eyes would allow. The gla.s.sia are not nocturnal. Their night vision is probably but little better than a man's. But the contrast of the light-gray sand with the flitters and the tall bulk of the Lydis Lydis was enough to give me my bearings. And if I could reach the cliff wall, its rugged formation would offer me hiding in plenty. I squatted in the shadow of the Patrol flitter and mapped out a route which would give me maximum cover. was enough to give me my bearings. And if I could reach the cliff wall, its rugged formation would offer me hiding in plenty. I squatted in the shadow of the Patrol flitter and mapped out a route which would give me maximum cover.