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Authors: Anne McCaffrey
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tremendous space between two heartbeats. Sodan, his mind fortified by the nuclear power of his ship, was stronger than their conservative estimates. And almost negligently, he held the Larak-focus at bay, his mind laughing at what he considered their puny efforts.
Then Damiaâs pressure increased as she stripped away the veil of her romantic illusions to align herself with the Larak-focus to defend her Sector. Sodan called for more power within himself. The scorching blaze that fed through Damiaâs growing catalystic mind flashed through and stripped him bare, lashing beyond to trigger the atoms of the ship into instability. Involuntarily, and for a microsecond, Sodanâs past flickered.
Once, generations ago, embodied, he had breathed an alien air, walked an alien road; until his brain had been chosen to undertake the incredible enterprise of crossing the galactic rift.
In my fashion have I loved you,
he cried to Damia as he felt her reach the fuel mass.
But you never loved me,
he added with intense surprise as her mind, vulnerable in the instant of that massive thrust, was open to him.
And he shall not have you either!
With his last strength, Sodan sent out one final jealous mental blast just as the ship exploded.
Frantically, even as she felt herself blacking out from the tremendous drain on her resources, Damia tried to deflect that blow.
As a kingpin flattens a row of its fellows, so Sodanâs blast, striking through the Larak-focus, caused a wave of mental agony to roll backward to Auriga where Station personnel grabbed at their skulls in anguish, to Earth and Callisto where T-ratings cringed in pain, and on to Deneb and even Altair. Horrified crews found Jeffrey Raven and the Rowan unconscious in their Tower couches. Jeran, head aching, was hastily summoned, for FT & T command devolved to him in the emergency. Jeran took time out to assure himself that with sufficient rest his parents would recover, then he informed the Federated World Government of the event. He was requested to proceed with the defensive fleet to Auriga.
Isthia appeared at Earth Headquarters at his urgent bidding and, with her help, he was able to extract gently from Jeffâs taxed mind the position of the three personal shells.
As they approached the orbit, they could âhearâ nothing.
It is possible,
Isthia said hopefully as they could find no discernible aura,
that all three have gone into very deep shock. The power in Damiaâs final thrust!
Damia cannot be dead,
Jeran tried to convince himself.
Sodan may have been powerful, but is there a T-rating in the galaxy who didnât feel her hit him? We cannot lose her!
He had already resigned himself to other losses.
âAh!â Isthia gave a sharp gasp.
I have them
.
Jeran reached with her, signaling the flagshipâs T-3 to assist.
âSheâs alive,â he cried in relief.
I thought I felt them all die.
âAfra lives, too, but heâs very faint. Larak . . .â and Isthiaâs voice faded.
Why did the focus have to snap through him?
They brought Afraâs capsule in first, and Jeran, who was at the head as the shell was opened, pressed fearful hands against the manâs temples. Afraâs body was drawn up in the fetal position of complete withdrawal.
âHeâs badly hurt, Isthia. God, will we save him?
Should
we, if heâll be psionically numb for the rest of his life?â
Isthia moved his hands aside, and applied her own, her touch naturally more delicate than Jeranâs.
âI canât tell more than that he wants to die. The spark of life is very faint.â She gave rapid mental orders to the medics standing by so that, within seconds, Afraâs body was receiving emergency injections to stimulate the failing life signs.
Divorce your emotions Jeran,
Isthia told him sharply.
Help me reach him. He wants to die. We must pull him back.
Jeran shook himself and, holding his breath, placed his
Then Damiaâs pressure increased as she stripped away the veil of her romantic illusions to align herself with the Larak-focus to defend her Sector. Sodan called for more power within himself. The scorching blaze that fed through Damiaâs growing catalystic mind flashed through and stripped him bare, lashing beyond to trigger the atoms of the ship into instability. Involuntarily, and for a microsecond, Sodanâs past flickered.
Once, generations ago, embodied, he had breathed an alien air, walked an alien road; until his brain had been chosen to undertake the incredible enterprise of crossing the galactic rift.
In my fashion have I loved you,
he cried to Damia as he felt her reach the fuel mass.
But you never loved me,
he added with intense surprise as her mind, vulnerable in the instant of that massive thrust, was open to him.
And he shall not have you either!
With his last strength, Sodan sent out one final jealous mental blast just as the ship exploded.
Frantically, even as she felt herself blacking out from the tremendous drain on her resources, Damia tried to deflect that blow.
As a kingpin flattens a row of its fellows, so Sodanâs blast, striking through the Larak-focus, caused a wave of mental agony to roll backward to Auriga where Station personnel grabbed at their skulls in anguish, to Earth and Callisto where T-ratings cringed in pain, and on to Deneb and even Altair. Horrified crews found Jeffrey Raven and the Rowan unconscious in their Tower couches. Jeran, head aching, was hastily summoned, for FT & T command devolved to him in the emergency. Jeran took time out to assure himself that with sufficient rest his parents would recover, then he informed the Federated World Government of the event. He was requested to proceed with the defensive fleet to Auriga.
Isthia appeared at Earth Headquarters at his urgent bidding and, with her help, he was able to extract gently from Jeffâs taxed mind the position of the three personal shells.
As they approached the orbit, they could âhearâ nothing.
It is possible,
Isthia said hopefully as they could find no discernible aura,
that all three have gone into very deep shock. The power in Damiaâs final thrust!
Damia cannot be dead,
Jeran tried to convince himself.
Sodan may have been powerful, but is there a T-rating in the galaxy who didnât feel her hit him? We cannot lose her!
He had already resigned himself to other losses.
âAh!â Isthia gave a sharp gasp.
I have them
.
Jeran reached with her, signaling the flagshipâs T-3 to assist.
âSheâs alive,â he cried in relief.
I thought I felt them all die.
âAfra lives, too, but heâs very faint. Larak . . .â and Isthiaâs voice faded.
Why did the focus have to snap through him?
They brought Afraâs capsule in first, and Jeran, who was at the head as the shell was opened, pressed fearful hands against the manâs temples. Afraâs body was drawn up in the fetal position of complete withdrawal.
âHeâs badly hurt, Isthia. God, will we save him?
Should
we, if heâll be psionically numb for the rest of his life?â
Isthia moved his hands aside, and applied her own, her touch naturally more delicate than Jeranâs.
âI canât tell more than that he wants to die. The spark of life is very faint.â She gave rapid mental orders to the medics standing by so that, within seconds, Afraâs body was receiving emergency injections to stimulate the failing life signs.
Divorce your emotions Jeran,
Isthia told him sharply.
Help me reach him. He wants to die. We must pull him back.
Jeran shook himself and, holding his breath, placed his
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