defending elysium.doc

8/10/2019 Defending Elysium.doc

1/35

Defending Elysium

by Brandon Sanderson

The woman thrashed and spasmed in the hospital bed. Her dark hair was matted to her

head with sweat, and her uncontrolled motions seemed almost epileptic. Her eyes, however,

did not have the wildness of the insaneinstead they were focused. Determined. She was not

mad; she just couldnt control her muscles. She kept wavin! her hands in front of her with

awkward movements, movements that seemed stran!ely familiar to "ason.

#nd she did it all in silence, never utterin! a word.

"ason switched off the holovid, then leaned back in his chair. He had watched the vid a

do$en times, but it still confused him. However, he couldnt do anythin! until he arrived at

%venson!. &ntil then, he would simply have to bide his time.

"ason 'rite had always felt an empathy for the (uter )latforms. There was somethin! about

the way they hun! alone in space, claimed by neither planet nor star. They werent lonely

they were . . . solitary. #utonomous.

"ason sat beside the shuttles port window, lookin! at %venson! as it approached. The

platform resembled others of its kinda flat sheet of metal fifty miles lon!, with buildin!s

sproutin! from both its top and bottom. *t wasnt a ship, or even a space stationit wasnothin! more than a collection of random buildin!s surrounded by a bubble of air.

(f all the (uter )latforms, %venson! was the most remote. *t hun! between the orbits of

Saturn and &ranus, the farthest deep+space human outpost. *n a way, it was like an (ld 'est

border town, markin! the ed!e of civili$ation. %cept in this caseno matter what

humankind liked to thinkcivili$ation lay outside the border, not within it.

#s the shuttle approached, "ason could Sense the citys separate skyrises and towers, many

of them linked by walkways. He sat with his eyes turned to the window, thou!h the position

was redundant. He had been le!ally blind since hed turned siteen. *t had been years since he

could even make out shadows or li!ht. -ortunately, he had other methods of seein!.

He could Sense li!hts shinin! from windows and streets. To him, their white li!ht was a

uiet bu$$ in his mind. He could also Sense the line of buildin!s risin! in a way that was

almost reminiscent of an old %arth city skyline. (f course, there wasnt really a sky or a

hori$on. "ust the blackness of space.

Blackness. /oices lau!hed in the back of his mind. 0emories. He pushed them away.

The shuttle slid into %venson!s atmospheric envelopethe platform had no sphere or

force field, like some of the older space stations employed. %lement+specific !ravity

!enerators had eliminated the need for such thin!s, and had opened space for mankind. %S1,alon! with fusion !enerators, meant that humankind could toss an inert piece of metal into

space, then populate it with millions of individuals.


2/35

"ason sat back as the shuttle made its final approach. He had a private cabin, of course. *t

was well furnished and comfortablea necessity for such a lon! trip. The room smelled

faintly of his dinnersteakand otherwise had a sterile, well+cleaned scent to it. "ason

approvedif he had owned a home, he would have kept it in a similar way.

I suppose it is time for the vacation to end,"ason thou!ht. Silently biddin! farewell to hisrelaed solitude, "ason reached up to tap the small control disk attached to the skin behind his

ri!ht ear. # sound clicked in his earthe acknowled!ment that his call was bein! relayed

across the void to %arth so far away. -aster+than+li!ht communicationa !ift !iven to %arth

as a reward for mankinds most embarrassin! political fau pas of all time.

23ou called,2 a perky feminine voice sounded in his ear.

"ason si!hed. 24anna52 he asked.

23up.2

2* dont suppose anyone else is there52 "ason asked.

26ope, just me.2

2#aron52

2#ssi!ned to 7iely,2 4anna said. 2Hes investi!atin! 84# labs on "upiter )latform

Seventeen.2

2Doran52

2(n maternity leave. 3oure stuck with me, old man.2

2*m not old,2 "ason said. 2The shuttle has arrived. *m initiatin! a constant link.2

2#ffirmative,2 4anna replied.

"ason felt the shuttle set down in the docks. 2'heres my hotel52

2*ts fairly close to the shuttle docks,2 4anna replied. 2*ts called the 7e!ency -ourth.

3oure re!istered as a 0r. %lton -lippenday.2

"ason paused. 2%lton -lippenday52 he asked flatly, feelin! the dockin! clamps send a

shudder throu!h the ship. 2'hat happened to my standard alias52

2"ohn Smith52 4anna asked. 2Thats far too borin!, old man.2

2*ts not borin!,2 "ason said. 2*ts unassumin!.2

23es. 'ell, * know rocks that are less unassumin! than that name. *ts borin!. 3ou

operatives are supposed to lead lives of ecitement and dan!er"ohn Smith doesnt fit.2

This is going to be a long assignment,"ason thou!ht.

# uiet sound bu$$ed in the rooman indication that dockin! had finished. "ason rose,

fetched his sin!le ba! of lu!!a!e, slid on his sun!lasses, and left his uarters. He knew the

!lasses would look odd, but his si!htless eyes tended to put people on ed!e. %specially when

they discovered that he was obviously able to see despite his unfocused pupils.

2So, how was the trip52 4anna asked.


3/35

2-ine,2 "ason said tersely, walkin! down the shuttles hallway and noddin! toward the

captain. The man ran a !ood crewin "asons opinion, any crew that left him alone was a

!ood one.

28ome on,2 4anna prodded in his ear. 2*t had to be more than just fine. 'hat kind of food

did they serve5 Did you have any problems with the . . .2 She droned on, but "ason stoppedpayin! attention. He was focused on somethin! elsea sli!ht warble in 4annas voice. *t

sounded for only a brief second, but "ason immediately knew what it meant. The line was

bein! tapped.

4anna had undoubtedly heard it as wellshe was louacious, but not incompetentbut

she continued as if nothin! had happened. She would wait for "asons si!nal.

2How are the kids52 "ason asked.

20y nephews52 4anna replied, not breakin! the rhythm of her conversation as she

received his coded reuest. 2The older ones fine, but the youn!er one has the flu.2The youn!er one was sick. That meant the tap was on "asons end, not hers. Interesting,he

thou!ht. Someone had mana!ed to !et close enou!h to scan his control disk without him

noticin!.

4anna fell silent. She was preparin! a tap block, but would only act if "ason ordered it. He

didnt.

*nstead, he stepped out of the shuttle and walked down the short ramp to the arrival

station. 9efore him spread a line of scannin! arches, meant to search for weaponry. "ason

strode throu!h them without concernthere wasnt a scanner in human space that could

discover his weapons. He nodded with a smile as he passed a !uard; the man smelled faintly

of tobacco and was wearin! a blue uniform that re!istered as a pulsin! rhythm in "asons

mind. The !uard frowned as he saw the silver )8 pin on "asons lapel, then turned a

suspicious eye on his scanners.

"ason stepped aside as the other passen!ers formed a line at the re!istration counter,

ostensibly searchin! for his *D. He watched them with his Sense, however, his useless eyes

turned downward. 0ost of the people wore the soft rhythm of navy, the roar of white, or the

still silence of black. 6one of them stood out, but he memori$ed the patterns of their faces.

The person who had tapped his line must have been on the shuttle.

#fter they had all passed, "ason pretended to find his *Done of the old plastic ones,

rather than a new holovid card. # tired security man, his breath smellin! of coffee, accepted

the *D and be!an processin! "asons papers. The !uard was a youn! man, and his skin was

tinted blue after one of the newer fashion trends. The man worked slowly, and "asons eyes

drifted to a holovid playin! on the back counter. *t displayed a news pro!ram.

2. . . found murdered in an incineration buildin!,2 the anchor said.

"ason snapped upri!ht.

2"ason,2 4annas voice said ur!ently in his ear. 2* just picked somethin! up on the

newsfeeds. Theres been a2


4/35

2* know,2 "ason said, acceptin! his *D back and dashin! out of the customs station and

onto the street.

8aptain (rson #nsed, %venson! )D, hustled throu!h Topsides slums. *t still surprised him

that %venson! had slums. #ll of the platforms buildin!s were built of rich telanium, a super+

li!ht, silvery metal that didnt corrode or fall apart. *n fact, most of the buildin!s had been

prefabricated with the platform, and were an etension of its sheet+like hull. The buildin!s

were spacious, well constructed, and sleek.

#nd still there were slums. *t didnt matter that %venson!s poor lived in homes that many

wealthy %arthsiders couldnt afford. 9y comparison, they were still poor. Somehow, their

dwellin!s reflected that. There was a sense of despair to the area. Shiny, modern buildin!s

were hun! with ra!!ed drapes and dryin! clothin!. #ircars were rare, pedestrians common.

2(ver here, captain,2 one of his men said, motionin! toward a buildin!. *t was lon! and

suatthou!h like all buildin!s on the platform, it had other structures built on top of it. The

officer, a new kid named :en Harris, led (rson inside, and (rson was immediately struck by

a pun!ent smoky scent. The buildin! was a burnin! station, where or!anic materials were

recycled.

(fficers moved about in the darkened room. 4ike most buildin!s on %venson!, this one

was poorly lit. %venson!s distance from the sun kept it in a perpetual state of twili!ht, and the

platforms inhabitants had !rown accustomed to havin! less li!ht. 0any of them kept the

li!hts dim even indoors. The tendency had bothered (rson at first, but he rarely even noticedit anymore.

Several officers saluted, and (rson waved them down with a petulant !esture. 2'hatve

we !ot here52

28ome and look, sir,2 Harris said, weavin! throu!h some euipment toward the back of

the room.

(rson followed; eventually they stopped beside a massive cylindrical burner. *ts metallic

face was dark and flat. (ne of the bottom reservoir doors was open, revealin! the dust below.

0ied with the dirt and ash was a lar!e section of carapace, its shell stained black from the

heat.

(rson swore uietly, kneelin! beside the carapace. He poked at the shell with a stirrin!

rod. 2* assume this is our missin! ambassador52

2That is what we assume, sir,2 Harris said.

Great, (rson thou!ht with a si!h. The /arva had been askin! about their ambassador

since its disappearance two weeks before.

2'hat do we know52 (rson asked.

26ot much,2 Harris said. 2These burners are only emptied once a month. The carapace hasbeen in there for some timetheres almost nothin! left of it. #ny lon!er, and we wouldnt

have even found him.2


5/35


6/35

23es, sir,2 the officer said.

23up,2 4anna said at almost the same time.

2'hy wasnt * informed of this52 "ason asked.

The police officer looked confused for a moment before reali$in! that "ason wasnt talkin!to him. %arlinks were a common, if confusin!, part of modern life.

2* assumed you knew, old man,2 4anna said. 23ou know, "ason, for an all+knowin! spy

type, youre remarkably uninformed.2

"ason !runted, standin!. She was ri!hthe should have looked into local news stories

durin! his trip. *t was too late now.

The officer re!arded "ason with hard eyes. "ason could read the mans emotions easily. 6ot

throu!h the use of his 8yto Sensesit was a common misconception that psionics were

telepathic. 6o, "ason could read the mans emotions because he was accustomed to dealin!

with local law enforcement. The officer would be annoyed at "ason for interferin! with his

investi!ation. 9ut at the same time, the officer would be relieved. 4ocal men always felt

overwhelmed when it came to dealin! with other species. #liens were to be handled by the

)hone 8ompany. The )8 had made first contact; the )8 had ne!otiated %arth out of dan!er

followin! the Tenasi incident. The )8 had brou!ht -T4 communication to humankind.

So the officer watched "asonjealous, but thankful. "ason could hear other officers

mutterin! at the ed!es of the room, an!ry at his interference. "irt# PC$ Wh# is he here? Wh#

does he look at us like that? Can%t #ou see? What%s that in front of #our face? Is it m# fist?

Can #ou see it if I hit #ou? &a#be that ill'

2"ason52 4annas voice sounded in his ear.

"ason snapped to, muscles twitchin!, memories fadin!. He still knelt beside the burner.

The officer still stood starin! at him, the room still smelled overpowerin!ly of smoke, and he

could still hear the reporters ar!uin! with officers outside.

2*m all ri!ht,2 "ason whispered.

He stood, dustin! off his suit, listenin! to the reporters. They, like the policemen, would

probably assume that "ason had come to %venson! to investi!ate the #mbassadors death. *t

didnt matter that "asons shuttle had left for %venson! over a month before the murder. #n

alien had died, and a )8 operative had arrived. That would be enou!h for them.

2* shouldnt have come to the scene,2 he mumbled.

2'hat else would you have done52 4anna asked. 2This is our duty, after all.2

26ot mine,2 "ason said. 2*m here to retrieve a missin! scientist, not investi!ate a murder.2

Then, speakin! louder, he continued. 2*m certain the local law enforcement is competent. 4et

them investi!atethe )8 can handle diplomatic ne!otiations.2

The officer looked surprised. 9ut, apparently uncertain what else to do, he saluted "ason.

"ason nodded, then turned to leave.

26ot that the diplomatic ne!otiations will be too hard,2 4anna noted. 2The /arva are so

insanely docile that theyll probably apolo!i$e for inconveniencin! one of our murderers.2


7/35

2Theyre all like that,2 "ason said, steppin! out onto the buildin!s front steps. 2Thats the

bi! problem, isnt it52

There was a moment of shocked silence as the reporters reali$ed who he was. They stood

in a rin! around several belea!uered police, and the commotion was attractin! a crowd of

curious onlookers. Then the reporters eploded with uestions. "ason i!nored them, pushin!his way throu!h the crowd. He had his head bowed, his hand raised to forestall uestions.

However, in his mind he was lookin!.

He scanned the crowd, pushin! throu!h the hummin! and pulsin! colors. He looked over

each face, comparin! them to the ones in his memory. # smile crept to his lips as he found

what he was lookin! for. The media let him leavethey were used to the )8 i!norin! their

uestions. 9ehind him, "ason could hear their on+the+spot vidcasts. They had all the facts

wron!, of course. There was fear in their voicesa fear of what they didnt understand, a fear

of the retribution that mi!ht come. *n their world, retribution was assumed. *n their world, you

hurt that which was weaker than you.

"ason continued to walk with his head bowed. 9ehind him, a man broke free from the

!roup of onlookers and wandered in "asons direction, obviously tryin! to look casual.

2* wish there were more flowers,2 "ason said.

# second later, a click sounded in his ear. Then 4anna si!hed. 2'hat took you so lon!52

she demanded. 2*ve been waitin! for you to do that ever since you !ot off the shuttle. * feel

creepy knowin! someones hackin! our line.2

"ason continued to stroll forward. His shadow followedthe man moved with the skill of

one who had been well trained, but he made the mistakes of one who was ineperienced.There was no chan!e to his stephe probably hadnt noticed the switchover. #t that moment,

he would be listenin! to a fabricated conversation between 4anna and "ason. -or some reason,

"ason suspected he didnt want to know what kind of silly thin!s 4annas replicated version of

his voice was sayin!.

2*s he buyin! it52 4anna asked.

2* think so,2 "ason said, walkin! away from the slums. 2Hes still followin!.2

2'ho do you think hes with52

2*m not sure yet.2 "ason turned, takin! the steps down into an airtrain station. The manfollowed.

2*f you cau!ht him this uickly, he must not be very !ood.2

2Hes youn!,2 "ason said. 2He knows what hes supposed to do, but he doesnt know how

to do it.2

2# reporter,2 4anna !uessed.

26o,2 "ason said. 2Hes too well euipped. 7emember, he mana!ed to hack into a secure

-T4 comm.2

2(ne of the corporations52


8/35

20aybe,2 "ason said, strollin! into an under!round cafe. *t smelled of dirt, mold, and

coffee. His follower waited for a few moments outside, then walked in and took a table a

discrete distance from "ason.

"ason ordered a cup of coffee.

2'e havent even discussed how he mana!ed to scan your disk,2 4anna noted. 23oure

losin! your ed!e, old man.2

2*m not old,2 "ason mumbled as the waitress brou!ht his coffee. *t smelled of cream,

thou!h he had ordered it black. He turned his ineffectual eyes on a newspaper someone else

had left on the table, but his mind studied his follower. The man was indeed youn!in his

early twenties. He wore softly hummin! !rays and browns.

2So,2 4anna said, 2do you want to try and !et me a visual so * can look him up52

"ason paused. 26o,2 he finally said, takin! a sip of his coffee. *t had far too much cream in

itprobably an attempt to obscure its poor flavor.

2'ell, what are you !oin! to do52

29e patient,2 "ason chided.

8oln #brams sipped his coffeeit didnt have enou!h cream. He had to keep tellin! himself

not to look at his tar!et. 8oln didnt actually need to watch the man to monitor the

conversation, he just had to stay within ran!e.

What are #ou doing here, Write?8oln wondered with frustration.o did #ou kno the

ambassador ould be killed? What does this all have to do ith #our plans?

8oln shook his head. "ason 'rite, head operative for 6orthern 9ell )hone 8ompany, one

of the most eni!matic people in the Solar System. 'hat was he doin! on %venson!5 The

&nited *ntelli!ence 9ureau knew a lot about the man, but for every known fact there seemed

to be two more missin!.

Take, for instance, the Tenasi #!reement. 8oln had read the document itself a hundred

times, and had watched the holovids, commentaries, and old newscasts relatin! to the Tenasi

incident over and over. The &nited 1overnments military had accidentally shot down a Tenasidiplomatic vesselthereby initiatin! a rather embarrassin! first contact. %arth had been

thrown into a chaos of confusion and worry. 'ere they bein! invaded5 'ould they be invaded

now that they had made such a horrible mistake5

Then the )8 had stepped in. Somehowusin! means they had yet to eplainthey had

contacted the Tenasi. The )8 had brou!ht peace to %arth. 9ut in echan!e, the company had

demanded a steep price. -rom that moment on, the )8 had become completely autonomous

untaable, unuestionable, and completely above the law. *n addition, the )8 had secured sole

ri!hts to the aliens -T4 communication technolo!y. #nd, with those two concessions, the )8

had become the most powerful, most arro!ant force in the system.


9/35

8oln !ripped his mu! ti!htly, barely noticin! as the waitress brou!ht his sandwich. He was

still listenin! to the conversation between 'rite and his 9ase Support (perativethey were

discussin! what color roses they liked best.

8oln had never trusted the )8and he hated thin!s he couldnt trust. The )8 !rew fat off

its treatiesit held eclusive contracts with all twelve alien races humankind had met. Thealien races all refused to deal with %arth unless they went throu!h the )8 first. The )hone

8ompany kept humankind locked in space, refusin! to share -T4 travel technolo!y. *t

claimed that the aliens had yet to !ive it to them. 8oln suspected the truth. The aliens had -T4

travel, that was certain. The )8 was simply keepin! it from humankind, and that infuriated

8oln. He wanted to find

8oln fro$e. The conversation in his ear had stopped mid+sentence. -or a panicked

moment, 8oln feared that 'rite had slipped out of the restaurant and out of ran!e.

8olns eyes darted across the room. He was relieved to find 'rite sittin! in his booth,

sippin! uietly at his coffee. *t had simply been a lull in the conversation.

2'hat do you think hell do when he reali$es his cover is blown52 the 9ase Support

(perative, 4anna, said in 8olns ear.

8oln paused.

2* dont know.2 "ason 'rites voice was firm. #rro!ant. 8oln could see 'rites lips movin!

as he spoke. 2* suspect he will be surprised. Hes youn!he assumes hes better than he really

is.2

'rite looked up, his sun!lassed eyes lookin! directly at 8olns face. Horror rose in 8olns

chest, an emotion uickly followed by shame. Hed been discovered.

28ome here, boy,2 'rite ordered in 8olns ear.

8oln shot a look at the door. He could probably !et away

2*f you leave,2 'rite said, 2then you will never discover why * am on %venson!.2 His

voice was sharp and businesslike.

8oln re!arded the man indecisively. 'hat should he do5 'hy hadnt any of his classes

covered situations like this one5 'hen an a!ent was discovered, he was supposed to pull out.

9ut what if his tar!et seemed willin! to talk to him5

Slowly, 8oln rose and crossed the cafes dirty floor. 'rites sun!lasses watched him

uietly. 8oln stood for a moment beside 'rites table, then sat stiffly.

"on%t reveal an#thing,8oln warned himself."on%t let him kno that #ou%re ith the'

23ou are youn! for a &*9 a!ent,2 'rite said.

*nwardly, 8oln si!hed.e alread# knos$ What have I gotten m#self'and the Bureau'

into?

2* wonder,2 'rite said, takin! a sip of his coffee. 2*s the 9ureau !rowin! more confident

in its youn! a!ents, or am * simply slippin! in priority52e doesn%t kno!8oln reali$ed with surprise.e thinks I%m here officiall#$


10/35

26either,2 8oln said, thinkin! uickly. 2'e werent ready for you to leave. * was the only

field a!ent who was unassi!ned at the time. *t was simply poor luck.2

'rite nodded to himself.

e accepted it!

2* must say,2 'rite said, settin! down his mu!, 2* am !rowin! tired of the &*9. %very time

* think that you people are !oin! to leave me alone, * find myself bein! followed a!ain.2

2*f the )8 werent so untrustworthy,2 8oln said, 2its (peratives wouldnt have to worry

about bein! followed.2

2*f the 9ureau werent so poor at investi!ation,2 'rite said, 2it would have reali$ed by

now that the )8 is the only company that the 9ureau cantrust.2

8oln flushed. 2#re you !oin! to say somethin! useful, or are you just !oin! to insult me52

2# clever man would reali$e that my insults contain the most useful information youlllikely receive,2 'rite said.

8oln snorted, risin! from the chair. 'rite had just invited him over to !loat, and 8oln had

ruined his own career for nothin!. He had been so certain that he could tail 'rite, that he

could fi!ure out what the man was doin!, discover truth behind the Tenasi #!reement. . . .

23ou may accompany me,2 'rite said, finishin! his coffee.

8oln paused mid+step. 2'hat52

'rite set down his mu!. 23ou want to know what *m doin!5 'ell, you may come with

me. 0aybe this will finally alleviate the &*9s foolish suspicions. *m tired of bein!followed.2

2"ason,2 4anna said in 8olns ear. 2#re you certain2

26o,2 'rite said. 2*m not. However, * dont have time to deal with the &*9 ri!ht now. This

is a simple missionthe boy may come with me if he wishes.2

8oln stood, dumbfounded. He couldnt decide what to do. 8ould he really trust a )8

operative5 6o, he couldnt. 9ut what if he learned somethin! important5 2*2

2Hush,2 'rite said suddenly, holdin! up a hand.

8oln frowned. 'rite wasnt lookin! at him, however. He was starin! strai!ht ahead, his

face confused.

(o hat?8oln wondered.

Somethin! was wron!. "ason ran his mind around the room, tryin! to Sense what was

botherin! him. The cafe had about a do$en other occupants, all eatin! uietly. 0ost of them

were in workers clothin!flannels and denim that pulsed an irre!ular symphony in "asons

mind. He studied their faces, and reco!ni$ed none of them. 'hat was botherin! him5


11/35

# line of bullets blasted throu!h the window just beside "ason. They came far too fast for

his body to react or dod!e, movin! with the incredible speed of modern weaponry.

#s fast as the bullets were, however, "asons mind was faster. He whipped out, a do$en

invisible mindblades slashin! throu!h the air. The force of his attack slapped the bullets

backward as well as sliced each one in two. There was a series of audible clicks as the piecesbounced back off the window, then fell to the cafe floor. #ll was silent.

The &*9 kid plopped into his seat, his face horrified as he stared at the window and its

holes.

2"ason52 4anna said ur!ently. 2"ason, what happened52

"ason Sensed out the window, but the sniper was already !one. 2* dont know.2

2Someone shot at you52 4anna asked with concern.

"ason re!arded the bullet holesthey ran in a small circle in the window just beside the

&*9 kids head. 26o,2 he said. 2They tried to kill the kid.2

The cafes patrons were runnin! about in fear, some callin! out, others hidin! beneath

benches. The &*9 kid was lookin! down at himself with surprise, as if he couldnt believe that

he was still alive. 2They all missed,2 the boy whispered with ama$ement.

"ason frowned. 'hy would someone try to kill a &*9 a!ent5 'hy not focus on "ason5 The

)8 was a far more dan!erous threat.

2How did you let him sneak up on you like that52 4anna asked.

2* wasnt epectin! to be shot at. This was supposed to be a simple assi!nment.2 Then,

turnin! to the kid, he nodded. 24ets !o.2

The kid looked up with surprise. 2Someone tried to kill me@ 'hy52

2*m not certain,2 "ason said. He ran his Sense over the room one last time, memori$in!

faces. #s he did so, he noticed somethin!. 'hile most of the people were hidin! or uiverin!

in fear, one didnt seem to be concerned at all. # solitary form sat uietly at the back of the

cafe. He was a nondescript man with a lon! nose and a firm body. He watched "ason with

interested eyeseyes that seemed sli!htly unfocused. #lmost as if . . .

Impossible!"ason thou!ht. Then, without botherin! to see if the &*9 kid followed him, he

left the cafe.

23ou must take the apolo!ies of us,2 Sonn ur!ed. The /arva -orei!n 0inisters words were

delivered by a translation pro!ram, of coursethe /arva lan!ua!e consisted of clicks and

snaps miti!ated by hand !estures. The fi!ure on the holovid screen was lar!e and boy, and its

skin shone with uart$ and !ranite. That was, of course, only the eoskeletonthe /arva

were actually small creatures that floated in a nutrient bath sealed within their inor!anic

shells.2Sonn,2 "ason pointed out, sittin! back in his chair, 2your people were the victims here.

3our ambassador was murdered.2


12/35

Sonn waved a clawlike hand; a symbol of denial. 23ou must understand that he knew the

risks of livin! in an undeveloped civili$ation. 8reatures of lesser intelli!ence cannot be held

responsible for their acts of barbarity. 3ou have not yet learned a better way.2

"ason smiled to himself. 8omments like that one that earned the /arva, and most other

alien races, humankinds dis!ust. *t didnt matter that the comments were truein fact, thetruth of such statements only enra!ed humankind more.

2'e will return what is left of the body as soon as possible, 0inister Sonn,2 "ason

promised.

2Thank you, "ason of the )hone 8ompany. 3ou must tell to mehow !o your efforts at

civili$ation5 'ill your people soon raise themselves to )rimary *ntelli!ence52

2*t will take some time yet, 0inister Sonn,2 "ason said.

23ou are an interestin! people, "ason of the )hone 8ompany,2 Sonn said, his claws held

before him in a !esture of supplication.

23ou may speak on.2

23ou have such disparity amon!st what you are,2 Sonn said. 2Some of )rimary

*ntelli!ence, some of Thirdor even -ourth*ntelli!ence. Such disparity. 3ou must tell to

me; are your people still convinced of the power of technolo!y52

"ason shru!!ed an ea!!erated shru!the /arva liked to watch and interpret human

!estures. 2Humankind believes in technolo!y, 0inister Sonn. *t will be very difficult for them

to accept another way.2

2(f course, "ason of the )hone 8ompany. 'e will speak to each other a!ain.2

2'e will speak a!ain,2 "ason said, shuttin! off the holovid. He sat for a moment, Sensin!

the room around him. He couldnt just rela completely anymorehe missed that. *f he let his

concentration lapse, the darkness would come upon him.

2They certainly are confident, arent they52 4anna asked in his ear.

2They have reason to be,2 "ason replied. 2*t has always happened as they epect. # race

discovers -T4 8ytonic Transmission at the same time it achieves a peaceful civili$ation.2

2*f only they werent so cursed in!enuous,2 4anna said. 2# part of me kind of wishes * had

three /arva diplomats, a card table, and a host of useless technolo!ies * could cheat out ofthem.2

2Thats the problem,2 "ason said. 2Theres a little of that in all of us.2

2'hat if theyre wron!, "ason52 4anna asked. 2'hat if we do !et -T4 travel before were

civili$ed52

"ason didnt replyhe didnt know the answer.

2* looked up the kid for you,2 4anna offered.

21o on,2 "ason said, risin! and !atherin! his thin!s. The attack the day before still had him

worried. 'as it an attempt to scare "ason off5 -rom what5 2The day you left, a youn! &*9

a!ent named 8oln #brams disappeared from the 9ureaus trainin! facilities on "upiter


13/35

-ourteen,2 4anna said. 2He stole some sophisticated monitorin! euipment. The &*9 put out

several warrants for him, but they arent lookin! this farapparently they didnt epect him to

make it all the way to %venson!.2

2*t isnt eactly a prime vacation spot,2 "ason noted, strollin! over to the window and

tryin! to ima!ine what the city would look like to normal eyes. *t would be dark, he decidedmost of it didnt vibrate very much to him. Dark and tall, like a city constructed entirely of

alleyways. 4i!hts were sparse and insufficient, and the air always smelled musty. *t always

seemed to be a few de!rees below standard temperature tooas if the vacuum of space were

closer, more ominous, than it really was.

2So,2 4anna said, 2weve !ot a wanted felon. 8an we turn him in52

26o,2 "ason said, turnin! from the window. He put on his suit coat and slid on his dark

!lasses.

28ome on, lets turn him in,2 4anna said. 2*n fact, it was probably the &*9 who tried tohave him killed yesterday.2

2They dont work that way,2 "ason said, walkin! to the door. 2Do you have my permits

secured52

23es,2 4anna said.

21ood. Turn the kid back on, and lets !et !oin!.2

The ima!e was blurred and poorly eposed. &nfortunately, it was the best he had. 8oln

walked around the lar!e holoima!e, studyin! it as he had hundreds of times before. The

answer was before him; he could feel it. The ima!e held a secret. 3et 8oln, like thousands of

others, was unable to determine just what that secret mi!ht be.

The ima!e had been taken by the only spy to infiltrate the )8s central headuarters. *t was

a picture of a simple white room with an apparatus linin! the back wall. That apparatus,

whatever it was, powered all of humankinds -T4 communications.

*t was the !reatest secret of the modern a!e. Humankind had been tryin! for nearly two

centuries to break the )8s monopoly on -T4 communication. &nfortunately, no amount ofresearch had been able to duplicate the )8s stran!e technolo!yand until someone did,

humankind would be indebted to a tyrant.

It has to be here!8oln thou!ht, starin! at the unyieldin! ima!e. He walked around it to

look at several an!les. If onl# it eren%t so blurr#$He looked closely at the holoima!e. #

security !uard sat a!ainst the ri!ht side of the room, starin! in the photo!raphers direction.

There seemed to be several cylindrical outcroppin!s on the far wallrelays of some kind5

(ne was lar!er than the others, and dark in color. 'as it the answer5

8oln si!hed. 0en far more technolo!ically savvy than he had tried to dissect the ima!e,

but none had been able to draw any decisive conclusions. The picture was just too fu$$y to beof much use. He had spent the entire mornin! tryin! to decide why someone would try to kill

him. He had only been able to come to one decisionthat for some reason, 'rite had ordered


14/35

him assassinated. The )8 a!ent had been the one who had coerced 8oln over to sit beside

him, in the place where the assassin had shot. The )8 was behind it somehow. )*cept the

assassin missed,8oln thou!ht.e must have done so on purpose$ Write anted to scare me

off$ e acted like he didn%t care if I folloed him, then he tried to frighten me aa#$ 8oln

nodded. *t made sense, in a twisted )8 sort of way. #nd if 'rite didnt want him alon!, then8oln had to make certain he stayed.

2'ake up, kid,2 4annas voice crackled suddenly in his ear.

2*m awake,2 8oln said, bristlin! at the reference to his a!etwenty+three was hardly

youn! enou!h to earn him the title of 2kid.2 #t least the other two had stopped feedin! him

dummy conversationswhen they didnt want him to listen, they simply shut him out

completely.

2The bi! !uys leavin!,2 4anna said in her pert voice. 8oln was be!innin! to wonder why

'rite put up with her. 2He says you can !o with him, but only if you can keep up.2

8oln cursed, throwin! on his jacket.

2(h, and 8oln,2 4anna said, 2try not to steal anythin! from him. "asons kind of attached

to his euipment.2

8oln flushed. How much did they know5

He dashed out into the hallway just in time to see 'ri!hts black+suited form turn a corner.

8oln padded across the floor, catchin! up to the operative. 'rite barely acknowled!ed him.

They walked in silence to the end of the hallway, then took the private lift down to the lobby.

The lush carpets and wealthy furnishin!s hinted that they were far indeed from the previous

days slums.

2So, what is it52 8oln asked as they stepped out onto the silver telanium street. The street,

as always, was dimly litthou!h hundreds of li!hts shone from windows and si!ns.

%venson! was dark, but it did not sleep.

2'hat is what52 'rite asked as an aircabobviously charteredpulled up in front of the

hotel.

2'hat is your purpose here, 'rite52 8oln asked, climbin! into the back of the car beside

the operative. 2* assume you knew somethin! about the ambassadors death52

23ou assume wron!,2 'rite said as the aircab be!an to move. 2The ambassadors murder

was a coincidence.2

8oln raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

29elieve me or not, * dont really care.2

2Then why are you here52 8oln asked.

'rite si!hed. 2Tell him.2

2*t happened just under two months a!o, kid,2 4anna said. 2# scientist named Denise

8arlson disappeared from %venson!s )8 research facility.2


15/35

8oln frowned at the comment, searchin! throu!h his memory. He paid attention to

anythin! the 9ureau learned about the )8. He recalled somethin! about the scientists

disappearance, but it hadnt seemed very important.

29ut,2 8oln said, 2our reports said she was nothin! more than a lab assistant. The )8

home office barely paid any mind to her disappearanceit said that she had been the victimof a common street mu!!in!.2

2'ell, at least someone pays attention to current events,2 4anna said.

'rite snorted. 2He mi!ht pay attention, but he should have reali$ed that any story we

downplay is far more important than it seems.2

8oln blushed. 2So, you came to find this Denise 8arlson52

2'ron!,2 4anna said. 2Thats why he left, but thats not the !oal anymore. 'hile "ason

was in transit, we located 0iss 8arlson. "ust under two weeks a!o a woman fittin! her

description was picked up by authorities. She was dia!nosed with severe mental problems,and was checked into a local treatment ward.2

2So . . .2 8oln said.

2So *m here to retrieve her,2 'rite said. 26othin! more. 'ere !oin! to brin! her back to

"upiter -ourteen so that she can receive proper treatment. 0y role is that of a simple courier.2

'rite smiled sli!htly, turnin! his black !lasses toward 8oln. 2That is why * am willin! to let

you come with me. 3ou sacrificed your career so you could watch me escort a mental

patient.2

"ason strode into the hospital, the depressed 8oln ta!!in! alon! behind. The kid kept askin!

uestions, convinced that "asons actions had some !reater purpose in the )8s 2master plans.2

"ason was be!innin! to re!ret brin!in! him alon!the last thin! he needed was another

person jabberin! at him.

The nurse at the front desk looked up with surprise when he entered, her eyes flickerin!

toward his silver lapel pin.

20r. -lippenday52 she asked.He paused only briefly at the horrid name. 2* am. Show me to the patient.2

The nurse nodded, leavin! the desk to another attendant and wavin! "ason to follow. She

wore whitea roarin!, blatant color. To others, 'hite was neutral, but to "ason it was by far

the most !arish choice. 9etter the subtle hum of !ray. The walls were white as well, and the

hallways smelled of cleanin! fluids.

Wh# do the# do that?"ason wondered, shakin! his head sli!htly."o the# think that it ill

make their patients feel at home? +ifeless sterilit# and monochrome hite? Perhaps all these

people need to regain their sanit# is a little bit of color$

The nurse led them to a simple room with a locked doorostensibly for the patients

safety.


16/35

2*m !lad you finally decided to come,2 the nurse said, a sli!htly chidin! tone in her voice.

2'e contacted the )8 weeks a!o, and the womans just been waitin! here all this time. 'ith

no relatives on the platform, one would think that you people . . .2

She trailed off as "ason turned toward her. #fter losin! his eyesi!ht, he had eventually

learned that a look of discontent could be accomplished as much with ones bearin! as withones eyes. #s he stared si!htlessly at the nurse, her resolve weakened, and the punitive tone

left her voice.

2That is enou!h,2 "ason said simply.

23es, sir,2 the nurse mumbled, shootin! him a spiteful look as she unlocked the door.

"ason walked into the small, unadorned room. Denise sat beside a deskthe rooms only

furniture beside a bed and a dresser. She re!arded "ason with wide eyes. She looked much as

in his holovidshe was thin, her short dark hair in curls, and she wore a simple skirt and

blouse."ason had met her several times beforeDenise had shown an affinity for 8yto, and had

been midway throu!h her trainin!. She had once been a strai!htforward and calculatin!

woman. 6ow she looked like a youn! suirrel that hadnt yet learned to fear predators.

2They said you would come,2 she whispered, the words awkward in her mouth. 2Do you

know who * am52

"ason looked toward the nurse.

2Shes amnesiac,2 the nurse said. 2Thou!h we cant determine any physical reason for it.

She also has some sort of muscular problemshe has trouble keepin! her balance andcontrollin! her limbs.2

Denise demonstrated such, risin! slowly to her feet. She wobbled sli!htly as she walked

forward, but she mana!ed to remain on her feet.

2Shes made ama$in! pro!ress,2 the nurse said. 2She can walk now if she doesnt move too

uickly.2

2Denise, youre comin! with me,2 "ason said. 2#brams, help her walk.2

The kid looked up with surprise. "ason didnt !ive him time to complaininstead, "ason

turned and strode from the room. #brams cursed uietly, but did as he ordered, !ivin! theconfused Denise a helpful arm as they walked from the hospital.

They were nearly out when "ason noticed somethin!. He never would have seen it without

his Sensethe man hid behind a door, barely peekin! out. The Sense was far more discernin!

than normal eyes, however, and "ason reco!ni$ed the face even throu!h the doors small slit. *t

was one of the men from the cafenot the stran!e man who had sat at the booth, but one of

the ordinary workers.

o, the#%ve been atching her,"ason thou!ht as he left the buildin!, the kid and Denise

followin!."id the# e*pect her to reveal something, or did the# kno that I ould come for

her?


17/35

2* do not know what this means,2 Denise said, starin! at the menu with her wide eyes. She

looked up, confused.

23ou cant read52 "ason asked.

26o,2 Denise replied.

2Here, let me help,2 #brams offered, readin! down the list of items.

"ason sat back, allowin! himself a sli!ht smile. The kid was showin! an almost chivalrous

devotion to the amnesiac woman. She was passably attractive, in a sickenin!ly innocent sort

of way. #brams was just betrayin! the inherent predisposition of a youn! human male; he had

seen a woman in need and was tryin! to help her.

Denise raised her hand awkwardly in an odd !esture as 8oln read. 2* still do not know

what it means.2

26one of the words sound familiar52 "ason asked, leanin! forward with interest.

26o.2

29ut you can speak,2 "ason mused. 2'hat do you remember52

26othin!,2 Denise said. 2* dont remember anythin!, 0r. -lippenday.2

"ason crin!ed. 28all me "ason,2 he mumbled as #brams asked the !irl what kind of food

she liked. She, of course, didnt know.

She should have remembered more. 0ost amnesiacs remembered somethin!if only

fra!ments. 2'hat do you think52 "ason whispered.

2*ts odd,2 4anna said. 2Shes chan!ed, old man. 'hatever they did to her, it was pretty

thorou!h.2

2#!reed.2

#brams ordered for the !irl and himselfchoosin!, "ason noticed, two of the most

epensive items on the menu. He knew that "ason would be payin!. #t least the kid had style.

#s he sat, "ason thou!ht back to the stran!e man in the cafe. The man couldnt have access

to 8ytoin a hundred and fifty years, no one had discovered the ability besides the )8. 9ut

what if someone had5 'hat if they had learned about Denise, and had captured her to try and

learn what she knew5 'hat had they done to her to !et at her knowled!e5

His ponderin!s led him nowhere. %ventually the food came, and "ason be!an to eat. He

preferred simple meals with little mess, so he had ordered a tossed pasta dish with a very li!ht

sauce. He ate uietly, thou!htful as he watched a man a short distance away ha!!le over his

bill with the waiter.

He shouldnt have been worried about the ambassadors death. The police would probably

find that the murder had been preformed by some enophobic activist !roup. They were

prevalent. There were those who hated other species because of assumed superiority, those

who hated them because they thou!ht the aliens were too arro!ant, and those who hated them

simply because they were different. The student+sponsorship pro!ram, where human childrenwould be sent to other planets to learn of other species, had been defeated three times in the

&nited Senate.


18/35

The ambassadors death probably wasnt related to Denise. "ason should leavethere were

too many thin!s that demanded his attention for him to waste time chasin! false leads. This

trip had taken far too lon! already.

"ason paused. Denise had turned and was starin! at the man who was ar!uin! about his

bill. He raised his fist at the waiter, utterin! a few epithets, then finally slapped down somemoney and stalked out of the buildin!.

2'hy is he like that52 Denise asked5 2How can he be so an!ry52

2Thats just the way people are sometimes,2 8oln said uncomfortably. 2How is your food52

Denise turned her eyes down at the steak. She had taken several awkward bites, thou!h

8oln had been forced to cut it for her. 2*ts very . . .2

2/ery what52 "ason prompted.

2* do not know,2 Denise confessed, blushin!. 2*t tastes too . . . stron!. (ne of the flavors is

very odd.2

"ason frowned. 2'hat flavor52

2* do not know. *t was very stron! in the hospitals food too, thou!h * didnt say anythin!. *

didnt want to offend them.2

2Describe the taste to me,2 "ason said. Somethin! was ticklin! at the back of his minda

connection he should have made.

24eave her alone, old man,2 #brams said. 2Shes been throu!h a lot.2

"ason raised his eyebrows at the use of old man. He heard 4anna chucklin! throu!h the-T4 link. "ason i!nored #brams, turnin! his head toward Denise. 2Describe the taste to me.2

2* cant,2 Denise finally said. 23ou must understand* dont know what it is.2

"ason reached for the saltshaker, then sprinkled some salt on his hand. 2Taste this,2 he

ordered.

She did as asked, then nodded. 2Thats it. * do not like it very much.2

#brams rolled his eyes. 23ouve fi!ured out that she doesnt know the word for salty. So5

She doesnt know what any of these foods are, or even what her name is.2

"ason sat back, i!norin! the kid. Then he turned to his food and continued to eat in silence.

2*ve arran!ed your return trip to "upiter,2 4anna said. 23oull be leavin! on the courier ship

)*celat >


19/35

"ason didnt reply. He Sensed %venson! before him, feelin! its massive metallic buildin!s

and numerous walkways. Sometimes, he tried to remember what it had been like to see. He

tried to ima!ine colors as ima!es, rather than as 8ytonic vibrations, but he had trouble. *t had

been so lon!, and his eyes hadnt been very !ood in the first place.

%venson! was in motion around himaircars flew, people moved on the walkways, li!htsflickered on and off. *t was beautiful, in a way. *t was beautiful that humankind had epanded

this far, that it had found a way to thrive even here, in the middle of space, where the sun was

barely more than another star.

23oure not comin! back yet, are you52 4anna asked uietly.

26o.2

2So you think the ambassadors death mi!ht be related52

2*m not certain,2 "ason said. 20aybe. Somethin! is botherin! me, 4anna.2

2#bout the murder52 she asked.

26o. #bout our scientist. Somethin! about Denise is . . . wron!.2

2'hat52

"ason paused. 2*m not sure. She learned to walk and talk too uickly, for one thin!.2

4anna didnt respond immediately. 2*m not certain what to tell you,2 she finally said.

"ason si!hed, shakin! his head. He didnt really understand what he meant either. He stood

uietly for a moment, watchin! the flow of people on a walkway a short distance away.

Somethin! was wron!he couldnt decide what it was, but he knew what he feared. -or overa century, the )8 had maintained a monopoly on 8yto. He didnt epect psychic ability to

remain confined to the )8in fact, it was his ultimate !oal that it not be. The very thin! he

was workin! toward was what he feared.

2"ason,2 4anna asked, 2have you ever worried that what were doin! is wron!52

2%very day.2

2* mean,2 4anna continued, 2what if theyre ri!ht5 The Tenasi, the /arva, and the rest

theyre all much older than humankind is. They know more than we do. 0aybe theyre ri!ht

maybe humankind will become civili$ed before it obtains -T4 travel. 0aybe by holdin! 8yto

back from them, were keepin! ourselves from pro!ressin! as we should.2

"ason stood uietly beside the balcony, listenin! to the sound of children runnin! on the

walkway below. Children, laughing $ $ $

24anna,2 he said, 2do you know how the *nterspecies 0onitorin! 8oalition rates a races

intelli!ence class52

26o.2

2They look at the races children,2 "ason said uietly. 2The older ones. 8hildren who have

lived just lon! enou!h to be!in imitatin! the society they see around them, children who have

lost the innocence of youth but havent yet replaced it with the tact and mores of adulthood. *n


20/35

those children, you can see what a species is really like. -rom them, the /arva determine

whether a species is civili$ed or barbaric.2

2#nd we failed that test,2 4anna said.

20iserably.2

2Thats all ri!ht,2 4anna said. 2%very race fails it durin! the early part of their !rowth.

'ell !et there eventually.2

2The Tenasi had barely be!un usin! steam power when they made their first -T4 jump,2

"ason said. 2The /arva werent far behind themthey still didnt have computers. 9oth

species traveled to other planets before they learned to send a shuttle into space.2

4anna fell uiet.

2'eve been in space for nearly three centuries now,2 "ason continued. 2The /arva say

that technolo!y isnt the waythey claim that technolo!ical development has boundaries, but

that a sentient mind is limitless. 9ut . . . still * worry. * worry that humankind will find a way,

somehow. 'e always have before.2

2#nd so you play watchdo!,2 4anna said.

"ason stood for a moment. 2The few, so cleansd, to these abodes repair,2 he finally said in

a uiet voice, 2#nd breathe, in ample fields, the soft %lysian air. Then are they happy, when

by len!th of time, The scurf is worn away of each committed crime; 6o speck is left of their

habitual stains, 9ut the pure ether of the soul remains.2

2Homer52 4anna asked.

2/ir!il.2 #bove, beyond the buildin!s, beyond the air, "ason could Sense the specks of

starli!ht in the sky. 2Space is %lysium, 4anna. The place where heroes !o when they die. The

/arva and the others, theyve fou!ht and bled, just like we have. They finally overcame all of

thatthey paid their price and have earned their peace. * want to make certain their paradise

remains such.2

29y playin! 1od52

"ason fell silent. He didnt know how to reply, so he didnt. He simply stood, Sensin! the

paradise above and %venson! below.


21/35

Recent Short Stories - Defending Elysium

Part 28oln rifled throu!h the in+room bar, searchin! for somethin! to drink. He wasnt normally

prone to drinkin!, but normally he wasnt facin! the loss of his job and probable

imprisonment. %ventually, he poured himself a small !lass of scotch and made his way out

onto the balcony.

He paused halfway out the door. "ason 'rite stood leanin! on his own balcony just a short

distance away. The man didnt look over, but 8oln still felt as if he were bein! watched.

"on%t let him intimidate #ou,8oln told himself. He turned away from 'rite indifferently

and leaned a!ainst his own balcony railin!.

8omin! after 'rite had seemed like such a !ood idea at first. 8oln had been frustrated at

the 9ureaus lack of information. They knew the )8 was hidin! technolo!y from them, butthey had no clue what it was. They knew 'rite had somethin! inte!ral to do with the )8s

operations, but they werent sure why. They wanted to keep trailin! him, but theyd made too

many promises. The 9ureau had been ready to just leave 'rite alone.

8oln si!hed, takin! a sip of his drink. Hed picked the wron! mission. 'rite planned to

leave within the day, takin! the unfortunate scientist with him. #nd then 8oln would be left

by himself, a fu!itive and a fool.

2That kid is a fool,2 4anna said.

2* know,2 "ason mumbled. 29ut at least he has passion. #nd coura!e.2

26ot coura!ebrashness.2

28all it what you will,2 "ason said, Sensin! the youn! &*9 a!ent standin! a short distance

away.

2'hats more,2 4anna continued, 2he may have passion, but that passion is hatred of you.

*ve been doin! some searchin!. *t appears that you were the focus of several of his research

projects back when he was an under!raduate. 6one of his conclusions were flatterin!, oldman. 3ou should read some of these thin!s. . . .2

4anna continued to speak, but "asons mind drifted. His thou!hts kept comin! back to

Denise. 'ho had taken her, and what had they done5

he doesn%t understand violence,"ason thou!ht. She didnt understand violence, and she

hadnt ever tasted salt. She spoke oddly, in a way that was almost familiar. She couldnt walk

or use her muscles. *t was almost . . .

"ason took in a sharp, surprised breath.

-lmost as if she%s accustomed to another bod#$

2'hat52 4anna demanded.


22/35

2Denise 8arlson is dead,2 he said.

2'hat@ 'hat happened to her52

"ason was silent for a moment.

2"ason@ 'hat happened@2"ason i!nored her, turnin! and walkin! back into his room. He strode out into his hallway,

then made his way to the room beside his ownnot 8olns, but the one on the other side. He

threw open the door, not botherin! to knock.

Denise sat up with surprise, but relaed when she reali$ed who he was. "ason strode past

her without sayin! a word, walkin! to her rooms control panel. He entered a few commands,

and the li!ht in the room !rew far bri!hter, the bulbs turnin! sli!htly red in color.

2How is that52 he asked, turnin! to her.

Denise re!arded him with confusion. 2*ts nice. *t feels ri!ht for some reason.2"ason nodded once. The li!ht was bri!ht enou!h that most people would find it very

uncomfortablein "asons mind it was a virtual roar.

2)lease,2 Denise said, holdin! her hands forward. 2Tell to me what you are doin!.2 Her

hands held forwardforward in the /arva !esture of supplication. He should have seen it

sooner.

2"ason, youre freakin! me out,2 4anna said in his ear.

2This isnt Denise 8arlson,2 "ason said uietly.

2'hat5 'ho is it52

2*ts name is /ahnn,2 "ason eplained.

Suddenly, 8oln pushed his way into the room. He immediately shielded his eyes from the

li!htli!ht that imitated a harsh, hot sun, one that reuired a stron! crystalline carapace to

provide protection.

2'hat are you doin!, you maniac@2 8oln said, pushin! past "ason and alterin! the controls

to the room. Then he turned to Denise. 2#re you all ri!ht52

2* . . .2 Denise said. 23es, why would * not be52

8oln turned harsh eyes toward "ason. Then he paused, frownin!.

2'hat52 "ason asked.

2'hy are you lookin! at me like that, 'rite52 8oln demanded.

24ike what52

8oln shivered. 23our eyes . . . its like youre lookin! past me. 4ike . . .2

"ason reached unconsciously for his face, feelin! for sun!lasses that werent there. He had

for!otten he wasnt wearin! them. He turned from the room in shame, rushin! out into the

hallway.

I mustn%t let him see'mustn%t let him kno$ e%ll mock me$ e%ll laugh$ $ $ $


23/35

8oln stayed behind, watchin! with confusion as he knelt beside the creature that had the

body of a woman and the mind of an alien.

2*ts not possible,2 4anna said.

2They said that about psionics years a!o,2 "ason said, stridin! down a walkway outside the

hotel.

29ut, its just so . . .2

2So what52

4anna si!hed in frustration. 2#ll ri!ht, lets assume youre correct. 'ho would do such a

thin!5 'hy switch someones mind for an aliens5 'hat !ood would it do them52

2The /arva are the most developed 8ytonics in the !alay,2 "ason said, speakin! uietlyas he passed people on %venson!s dark streets.

2So52

2So,2 "ason said, 2what could you learn if you could spend a few years in a /arvas head5

'hat if you could !et into a /arva body somehow and infiltrate their society5 Someone tried

to !et hold of a /arva hostbut somethin! went wron!. The body they stole was killed, or

perhaps the transfer went wron!. They disposed of the /arva body afterward and left Denise

wanderin! the streets.2

29ut why Denise52"ason paused. 2* dont know. 0aybe she was one of thema spy of some sort. 'hen a

better opportunity came alon!, she took it.2

2Thats weak reasonin!, old man.2

2* know,2 "ason admitted. 29ut * cant think of anythin! else ri!ht now. #ll * know is that

the woman back in my rooms is not human. She acts like a /arva, thinks like a /arva, and

!estures like a /arva.2

2She speaks %n!lish,2 4anna pointed out.

20any /arva study %n!lish,2 "ason said. 2(r, at least, understand it. They find spokenlan!ua!es interestin!. 9esides, maybe her body retained a residual understandin! of speech

and motion.2

20aybe,2 4anna said, soundin! unconvinced. 2'here are you !oin!52

23oull see.2 "ason continued on his way for a short distance until he came to the mental

hospital. He strode in, and the same nurse sat behind the desk. She raised an eyebrow at him,

confused and a little disapprovin!.

"ason i!nored her, stridin! into the facility itself.

2Sir@2 she called. 23ou cant !o in there@ Sir, you dont have . . .2 her voice trailed off, but

soon she be!an callin! for security.


24/35

2The nurse52 4anna said, listenin!. 23oure back at the hospital5 So, youve finally

admitted that youre insane and decided to commit yourself52

(rderlies, nurses, and even some patients be!an to look into the hallway. e%d better be

here,"ason thou!ht. "ust after the thou!ht occurred to him, he sensed a familiar face peekin!

out of one of the rooms.

2)lease alert the %venson! )olice Department, 4anna,2 "ason said. 2Theyre about to !et a

report of a madman attackin! one of the orderlies in this hospital. )lease tell them to i!nore

it.2

2"ason, you are a very stran!e man.2

"ason smiled, then spun and burst into the room. Several orderlies jumped back in surprise

at "asons entrancethe bu$$in! white room was some kind of employee loun!e. The orderly,

the one "ason had seen at the cafe, immediately turned to run. "ason jumped forward and

snatched the man in one hand, then spun him around.The man stru!!led, but knee to the !roin stopped that. "ason pulled off his !lasses, then

!rabbed the mans head with both hands and turned it toward him.

2'ho sent you52 "ason asked, starin! at the man with his si!htless eyes.

The man stared back defiantly.

2#h, * see,2 "ason said, hold the mans head in both of his hands. 23es, * can read your

thou!hts easily. /ery interestin!. #h, and yes. So they switched minds, did they5 * didnt know

that was possible. Thank you, youve been very informative.2

"ason released the surprised mans head.

4anna snorted in his ear. 2"ason, unless youve been hidin! some stran!e powers for a very

lon! time, that was the bi!!est load of lies *ve ever heard.2

23es,2 "ason said, replacin! his !lasses and stridin! out of the room. 29ut they dont know

that.2

2'hats the point52 4anna asked.

29e patient,2 "ason chided, holdin! up his hands as security !uards entered the hallway. 2*

was just leavin!,2 he said, then pushed past them and left the hospital.

9ack at the hotel, "ason !athered Denise and 8oln in his room. (ne re!arded him with

customary wide+eyed confusion, the other with eually customary hostility. "ason removed his

pin and handed it to 8oln.

2There is a ship chartered for "upiter -ourteen,2 "ason said. 29e on it when it leaves, and

take Denise with you. 1o to the )8 office, and they will protect you from the 9ureau.2

2'hat about you, 'rite52 8oln asked suspiciously.

2*f *m ri!ht, * should be !oin! somewhere else in a bit. 3ou should !et movin!the ship

leaves in less than an hour.2


25/35

8oln frowned. "ason could sense the apprehension in his face. He didnt want to accept the

)8s help, but he also didnt want to face the 9ureaus justice. Hopefully, he would see to

Denises safety.

#fter a short internal debate, 8oln nodded and stood. 2*ll do it, 'rite. 9ut first * want you

to tell me somethin!. #nswer one uestion for me.2

2'hat52

2Do you have what everyone says you do52

"ason frowned. 2Have what52

2-T4 en!ines,2 8oln said. 2Does the )8 have the technolo!y to create them or not5 Have

you been withholdin! the secret of -T4 travel from the rest of humankind52

"ason paused. 23oure askin! the wron! uestion,2 he finally said.

8olns epression darkened. 2* knew you wouldnt answer,2 he said, turnin! towardDenises chair. 28ome on, Denise.2

Denise didnt move. She slumped in her chair, eyes closed.

2Denise@2 8oln said ur!ently, kneelin! beside her. She appeared to be breathin!, but . . .

"ason be!an to feel li!ht+headed, and he noticed a faint scent in the air. He cursed uietly,

turnin! to dash across the room. He stumbled halfway to the door, losin! his balance. He

barely even felt himself hit the !round.

The# ork fast$ &ust have alread# been prepared to gas us$ $ $ $

"ason awoke to blackness. )ure, horrifyin! blackness. There was no si!ht, no Sense, no

feelin!s at all. The darkness had returned.

"ason be!an to shake.(o! It can%t be! Where is m# ense!He curled up, barely feelin! the

cold metallic floor below him. The blackness swallowed himit was more than just darkness,

it was a nothin!ness. # lack of sensation. *t was the one true terror in "asons life. #nd it had

returned.

He whimpered despite himself, memories floodin! in.

*t had started with his ni!ht vision, as visual diseases often did. He remembered the ni!hts

spent in bed as a child, the darkness seemin! to !row more and more oppressive. #nd then, it

had started to come durin! the day. -irst his peripheral visionit had been like the darkness

was followin! him, envelopin! him. %ach mornin! when he awoke, it had seemed that the

darkness was closer. *t had crouched like a beast in the corner of his vision.

Terror. The doctors had been able to do nothin!. "ason had been forced to try and live his

life as normal, the darkness seemin! to !row closer every moment. He had lived in perpetual

fear of what must come.

#nd then there had been the children. The other children, who hadnt understood. He had

tried to !o on as normal, tried to live his life as if nothin! were wron!. He should have


26/35

admitted it to them. #s it was, they only saw a stumblin! fool. They had lau!hed. (h, how

they had lau!hed.

"ason screamed, as if yellin! could push back the darkness. 'here was his Sense5 'hat

was wron!5 He flailed in the darkness, his fin!ers brushin! a wall. He pulled back into a

corner, fri!htened and confused.

2How did you do it52 a voice asked from above.

"ason looked up, but didnt see, or Sense, anythin!.

2Tell me, 0r. 'rite,2 the voice demanded. 28an you read minds5 This is impossible of

8ytoeven the /arva cannot penetrate an individuals thou!hts. How did you do it52

"ason didnt respond. The darkness. The blackness.

I did this on purpose, a piece of "asons mind thou!ht.I baited them$ I anted to get their

attention, so the# ould bring me to them$ The# did$ This is hat I anted$

9ut . . . the darkness.

2How@2 "ason croaked. 2How have you taken it away52

2#nswer my uestions, 0r. 'rite,2 the voice said, 2and * will return your Sense. How did

you read that mans mind52

"ason shuddered, pullin! back a!ainst the cold telanium. The mans voice was harsh and

!uttural. He spoke oddlywith an accent of some sort, but not one that "ason reco!ni$ed.

It%s not permanent, "ason told himself. The darkness ill go aa#$ .ust like it did hen

#ou developed C#to$

2* am not a patient man, 0r. 'rite,2 the voice warned. 2Speak, and * will let your

companions live.2

Coln, "enise$ The# ere in the room ith me$

"ason didnt answer. He sat, breathin! deeply, stru!!lin! to remain sane. %ver since he had

developed 8yto, he had never been in darkness. His Sense worked even when there was no

li!ht.

24anna52 "ason whispered, feelin! the darkness advance on him. 24anna@2

2The link to your home base has been cut, 0r. 'rite,2 the voice said.

"ason whimpered. The darkness seemed to be !rowin! closercloser to devourin! his

mind.

2#s you wish, 0r. 'rite,2 the voice said. 2* will !ive you three minutes. *f you dont have

an answer for me by then, the woman dies.2

# click, then silence. *t seemed worse without the voicesuddenly "ason wished he had

kept the man talkin!. He wished he had told the voice the truth, that he couldnt read minds.

#nythin! to keep someone else there.

6ow he had no one.


27/35

I can%t do this! "ason thou!ht. -n#thing but this$ I lived this horror once$ I can%t do it

again!

He tried to push out with mindblades, but nothin! happened.

Be calm, .ason$ Control #ourself$ The /arva* said something about this$ Sonn had said it

once. He had been reserved and uncomfortableodd for a /arva. "ason had asked if there

was a way to suppress 8ytonic ability. Sonn had eventually admitted there was, but had told

"ason he wouldnt need it. 6ot yet.

The darkness . . .

(o! ta# focused$ 0ou don%t have time for fear. There was probably a technolo!ical aspect

to the suppressant device. 0any 8ytonic abilities had mechanical halveslike the -T4 comm

feed, which wouldnt work without physical receivers. The 8ytonic behind his imprisonment

would be feedin! part of his mental ener!y into a physical device, one that used electricity to

amplify the effect. 9ut because of that au!mentation, "ason would never be able to break free.He would be trapped forever in the blackness.

(ot forever$ .ust another fe minutes, until the# kill me$That would almost be preferable.

#n ima!e came to him. #n ima!e of humankind escapin! into space. #n ima!e of human

merchants tradin! and cheatin!, of human tyrants capturin! the technolo!ically inferior

/arva, Tenasi, and Hommar. *ma!es of wars, of fi!htin!, of a paradise destroyed.

I can%t let that happen!

9ut, what could he do5 He felt alon! the wall, stumblin! to his feet and feelin! his way

around the room. *t was small, perhaps two meters suare. He could barely feel the seal of thedoorthere wasnt a handle on his side.

There%s not enough time!"ason thou!ht with desperation.I can%t escape, I can%t contact

+anna'

He couldnt contact 4anna, but . . . He reached up to his ear, tappin! at the control disk.

They had broken his link to the home base, but perhaps they hadnt thou!ht of stowaways. . . .

23ou wont !et away with this@2 8oln screamed to the empty room. 2*m a &*9 a!ent. Thereare serious repercussions for the imprisonment of a law enforcement officer@2

There was no answer. 8oln si!hed, his ra!e weakenin! before sheer boredom. He had

awakened in this room, which appeared to be some sort of stora!e closet, with a headache. He

hadnt heard a thin! outside the door since that time. Denise was there too, sittin! uietly on a

bo.

What is Write planning? 8oln thou!ht. e had us captured, but h#? *t had to have

somethin! to do with the )8 master plan, whatever that was.

Suddenly a sound crackled in his ear. 28oln52 The voice crackled sicklylike whispersfrom the lips of a dead man.

2'rite52 8oln asked. 2'hy did you imprison me@2


28/35

2Hush, 8oln,2 the voice whispered. 2'e are both imprisoned. 'e are !oin! to die unless

you can do somethin!.2

2Somethin!52 8oln asked suspiciously. 2'hat52

23ou need to knock out the power. 9low a fuse, overload a circuitdo somethin!.2

8oln frowned. 2'hat !ood will that do5 Theyll have backups.2

2"ust do it.2 The link crackled off.

8oln swore uietly. 'hat was 'rite plannin! this time5 Dared he trust the man5 Dared he

do otherwise5

Denise watched with confusion as 8oln searched throu!h the small room, pushin! aside

boes and carts. %ventually, he found a power jack on the wall. He stood for a moment,

re!ardin! it. -inally, he si!hed and unloosed a piece of steel from a nearby bos constraint.

Wh# not? It%s not like I can get into more trouble than I%m alread# in$

"ason couldnt escape the darkness. He couldnt shut his eyes a!ainst it, he couldnt run away

from it, and he couldnt i!nore it. He could only huddle a!ainst the wall, feelin! his resolve

and his sanity!row weaker by the second. He heard, but didnt understand, the voice when

it returned. His captors had made a !rave mistake. They could make all the demands they

wanted, but he was in no condition to respond to them. They could kill him. *t wouldnt

matter.

The voice screamed at him. "ason felt his sanity slippin!. He couldnt stru!!le a!ainst it.

He didnt want to stru!!le a!ainst it. Stru!!lin! would be far too difficult. 9lissful

unconsciousness was the only answera silencin! of thou!ht and perception.

#t that moment, his Sense returned.

*t was only a blipa fractional waver in the power level. 9ut it was enou!h. Sense

flooded into "ason like dru!s into an addicts veins. *t immediately be!an to fade, the

suppressor comin! back on line.

"ason blasted out a thousand mindblades at once, shreddin! the walls around him. He

shattered the telanium into chunks, the chunks to chips, and the chips to dust. The wallsdissolved like tissue paper before a nuclear blast, sprayin! !rains of metal away from him. He

screamed as he let out the sur!e of power, a bestial yell to push back the darkness.

The suppressor immediately fell dead, its mechanisms destroyed by the blast. "ason lay

huddled, his suit stained with dirt and sweat, on a bri!ht telanium floor. He reveled in his

returned Sense for a wonderful, silent moment. However, with Sense came sanitythe two

were inseparable to him.

There is another C#tonic in here, and he%s not going to be pleased that I%ve escaped$

So, takin! a deep breath, "ason forced himself to stand.


29/35

8oln sat, stunned. He held a piece of rubber in his handthe very same he had used to !rip

the metal as he rammed it into the power jack. He had epected a sli!ht reaction; he hadnt

epected the room net to his own to eplode.

8oln blinked, dustin! the silvery telanium flakes off of his clothes. What $ $ $ ?he thou!ht

with ama$ement, rubbin! some of the telanium !rains between his fin!ers. What could havedone this?0odern weaponry had difficulty even scarrin! telanium.

He looked up, and saw "ason 'rite standin! in the direct center of the eplosion. The

operatives suit was torn. 8oln let the telanium dust trickle from his stunned fin!ers as he saw

'rites eyes. 4ike before, they were unfocused, even unresponsive. They stared dully

forward, motionless, like the eyes of . . . a blind man.

2'hat are you52 8oln whispered.

'rite i!nored the uestion. 2Take the !irl and !o,2 he said, his voice calm but ominous.

2This area is about to become very dan!erous.28oln nodded, reachin! for the fri!htened Denises hand. #t that moment, a new voice

spokeone 8oln didnt reco!ni$e.

2(h, come now, 0r. 'rite,2 the voice said. 20ust we stoop to such assumptions5 #re we

not . . . civili$ed52

'rite didnt turn toward the source of the sounda speaker on the wall. 2Show yourself.2

There was silence. The sound of footsteps. 8oln pushed Denise behind him, turnin! wary

eyes on the hallway outside their roomsthe hallway that was now eposed, thanks to the

stran!e eplosion.# fi!ure appeared in the hallway. He was nondescript save for a lon! nose and a thin body.

He wore a sharp navy suit, and he was smilin! as he strolled forward, scuffin! the layer of

telanium dust.

2Tell me who you are,2 'rite said, turnin! to face the man with his unfocused eyes.

28ome, "ason,2 the man said. 2Dont you reco!ni$e me52

26o.2

2* !uess * shouldnt be surprised,2 the man said, continuin! to stroll around the room. 2*t

has been several years, and * really wasnt all that important. "ust one of your many recruits.0y name was %dmund.2

The room fell silent. 2'hy did you try to kill 8oln52 'rite finally asked.

%dmund just smiled. 2%ven for a )8 a!ent, youre an etremely secretive man, "ason.

3ouve been hidin! thin!s from the /arva. *f they knew that you could create mindblades,

theyd certainly be tempted to elevate humankinds intelli!ence desi!nation.2

'rite frowned. 2*t was a test. 3ou wanted to see if * could stop the bullets.2

2#nd * was not disappointed,2 %dmund said, stoppin! just in front of 'rite. 20indblades

are very advanced, "ason. #nother few decades of study, and you mi!ht !et -T4. *mimpressed.2


30/35

The two men stood facin! each otheryet neither ones eyes focused on his opponent.

They remained like that for a tense few moments, and 8oln frowned. He felt like somethin!

important was on the ver!e of happenin!, but it never occurred.

What is going on?

"ason fou!ht for his life. Hundreds of mindblades whipped toward him, invisible blasts of

pure thou!ht. *t was all he could do to keep them from shreddin! his flesh. He fou!ht back,

sendin! his own mindblades to block those of his opponentan opponent he still didnt

understand.

He va!uely remembered %dmundthou!h he hadnt known his face well enou!h that he

had reco!ni$ed him in the cafe. %dmund had been a man with some 8ytonic potential. He had

run away from the )8 after just a few months of trainin!. That had only been two years a!ohow had he learned so much in such little time5

The barra!e of mindblades slackened, and %dmund stepped back. He was still smilin!, but

there was reservation in his eyes. He hadnt epected "ason to be as !ood as he was.

"ason breathed deeply. 8oln was watchin! from a short distance away, his face confused

he hadnt been able to see the insane battle "ason had just fou!ht.

2*m impressed a!ain, "ason,2 %dmund said.

"ason felt sweat trickle down his cheek. He could smell his own ehaustion. 2* wouldnt

have epected you to know how to block mindblades,2 %dmund continued. 2-ew of us haveeven practiced that.2

"ason stood stiffly. 2*ve been epectin! this for some time,2 he whispered. 2* knew *

couldnt keep it away from people like you. * knew that some day * would have to fi!ht.2

23ou prepared well.2

The mindblades struck a!ain. "ason !runted, whippin! out with his own blades. There was

a faint ripple to his Sense when a mindblade was about to appear, and he sliced at that area

with his own blade. The blasts canceled each other out, waverin! in his Sense like two curves

of li!ht. He blocked hundreds of them, the air around him shinin! like he was in the middle ofan eplosion.

I can%t keep this up long$%ventually a mindblade would break throu!h. "ason had only one

card to playhe would have to make it count.

"ason continued to fi!ht, waitin! for the ri!ht time. %dmund was better than "ason was. *t

shouldnt have been possible"ason had been practicin! 8yto lon!er than any other man.

How could someone have overtaken him so uickly5 "ason had to find out. (therwise, all he

had worked for would be lost.

The attack retreated a!ain. %dmund was perspirin! nowat least it was difficult for him.

23ou learned from the /arva well,2 "ason said, !amblin!.


31/35

%dmund looked up with surprise. Then he lau!hed. 2So you cant read minds after all,2 he

said with a smile. 2That was uite the bluff.2

I as rong,"ason thou!ht.But, ho then $ $ $ ?

21oodbye, "ason 'rite.2

"ason felt the air waver around him. 0ore mindblades than he could count be!an to form

it was like he was bein! circled in a dome of pure ener!y. He couldnt block them all. He

would die.

(o!

"ason focused on himself. He didnt raise any mindblades. *nstead, he Sensed inward. He

felt his own vibration in his Sense, a cool black+clothed creature. So different than the boy he

had once been. The boy had been stupefied, made immobile, by his horror.

"ason was no lon!er that boy. 'ith a scream, he felt the mindblades descend around him,

and he threw himself willin!ly into the darkness.

#ll was still.

The blackness enveloped him, the non+eistence that had threatened him since childhood.

%cept this time he had come to it by choice. He suffocated for an eternal moment in its

embrace.

Then he reappeared. #s he reentered normal space, he pushed the air away, lest its

molecules !et trapped within his appearin! body. *n a similar manner, he pushed %dmunds

flesh away from his hand.

The world shook, and "ason was back. He stood with arm etended directly in front of

%dmund. "asons wrist ended abruptly where it met %dmunds fleshhis hand had

materiali$ed inside of the mans chest.

%dmunds heart, !ripped in "asons fist, thumped once. %dmunds eyes stared ahead in

shock. 9ehind, the place where "ason had been a moment earlier eploded with mindblades.

"ason suee$ed once, and %dmund cried out in pain. The heart stopped beatin!. %dmund

slid to his knees, and "ason pushed his hand sli!htly outside space and withdrew it.

%dmund fell backward, starin! with surprised, a!oni$ed eyes. He didnt fall unconscious

as he diedhe was far too powerful a 8ytonic for that. *nstead, he just whispered.

2-T4 transmission. "ason, you surprise me a!ain. 'e had no idea. . . .2

"ason knelt beside the man. 2*ve had it for some time. Tell me. Tell me how you did it.

'here did you learn such powers52

The man lau!hed, a pained hackin! lau!h. 2*ve studied it all my life, "ason.2

2How52 "ason demanded.

Somehow, %dmund met "asons eyes. 2#h, youre such an idealist, "ason of the )hone

8ompany. Sometime, you must ask yourself this. 'hy would a race such as the /arva need

to learn an ability such as 8ytonic suppression52


32/35

"ason paused, his mind !rowin! numb. He only knew one answer, one he had barely dared

consider. 2To keep prisoners.2

2)risoners52 %dmund cou!hed. 2(ri!inal thinkers@ Dissenters@ #nyone who doesnt a!ree

with them.2

23ou lie@2

%dmund lau!hed, his back archin! in pain. 2#nd you will be our escape,2 he said, his

voice !rowin! loud until he was practically screamin!. 2Theyve had their paradise lon!

enou!h. 3ou nearly went mad after spendin! just a few minutes without your Senseima!ine

livin! your life in such a bo@ 3ou see only the peace, you see only the perfect society.

23ou dont see the price@2

%dmunds final breath hissed out, and his body fell limp.

23ou lie,2 "ason whispered. 2They are a peaceful people. 'e are the monsters, not them. . .

.2 He sat for a moment, re!ardin! the fallen body. 8oln still stood a short distance away,

lookin! ama$edand confused.

28ome here,2 "ason said uietly. 29rin! the !irl.2

8oln obeyed without a word. "ason put a hand on each of them, then he entered the

darkness once a!ain.

8oln reco!ni$ed the room immediately. He blinked once, tryin! to for!et about the awfulsense of emptiness he had just eperienced. He was in a white, curved roomthe operations

center of )8 Headuarters. The room pictured in his fu$$y holovid. 8oln had studied its

ima!e hundreds of times, and now he was actually there.

%cept )8 8entral (perations was on %arth, months away from %venson!. 8oln breathed

in with surprise. 'rite stood a short distance away, his suit tattered, blood seepin! down his

arms.

23ou do have -T4 travel@2 8oln accused.

23es.2

2Then * was ri!ht@2 8oln said. 23ouve been keepin! -T4 travel from humankind@2

23es.2

2'hy52 8oln demanded. 2'hat are you tryin! to protect us from52

2* wasnt tryin! to protect us,2 'rite said, walkin! over to the side of the room. He

approached the wallthe one that was supposed to house the -T4 communication machinery

and pulled a lever. # small cup popped out the bottom, followed by a stream of steamin!

coffee. 2* was tryin! to protect them. #nd prepare us.2

2)repare us52 8oln asked.

2The echan!e pro!rams,2 'rite said. 2The outreach pro!ramseven the skin+color fad.

#nythin! to make us more open+minded. (f course, it doesnt really matter now, does it52


33/35

8oln frowned, then eyed the coffee machine. 2So, its not the -T4 comm unit. . . .2

'rite shook his head, then pointed to the side. # man, the man 8oln had mistaken for a

security !uard in the holovid, sat uietly in a chair a short distance away. The man had his

eyes closed.

2His mind,2 'rite said. 2*t powers all of the -T4 calls.2

29ut,2 8oln said, 2there are millions of them. . . .2

2#ll you need is one mind to provide the -T4 capability,2 "ason eplained. 28omputers

can do the actual routin!.2

8oln hissed uietly in surprise.

2Technolo!y is limited,2 "ason said. 2(nly the mind is infinite.2

-urther uestions were forestalled as the door to the room slammed open and a red+haired

woman burst into the room. She immediately ran forward and !rabbed 'rite in a powerfulembrace. 2'hat happened@2 she demanded, and 8oln instantly reco!ni$ed 4annas voice.

28oln,2 'rite mumbled, 2meet 4anna 'rite. 0y wife.2

2'hat5 3our ife52

2&nfortunately,2 'rite said. There was fondness in his voice.

29ut,2 8oln objected, 2the 9ureau has bu!!ed your communications do$ens of timesyou

always complain when shes assi!ned to you@2

23es, and he does the assi!nin!,2 4anna said, checkin! the small wounds on 'rites arms.

2He always says that the less the 9ureau knows about his personal life, the better. 9esides, he

cant help teasin! me.2 She looked up at 'rite. 2#ll ri!ht, sit down and tell me whats !oin!

on. The medic is on his way.2

'rite si!hed, takin! another sip of his drink. 2* mi!ht have been wron!, 4anna.2

2#bout what52

2#bout everythin!,2 he said, his voice haunted.

"ason sat in his uarters, lettin! the medic banda!e his arms. 4anna stood, dissatisfied, a short

distance away. She was the terror of )8 8entral (perationsfew men had the coura!e, or the

stupidity, to incur her wrath.

2#ll ri!ht, old man,2 she said. 2'hat happened52

"ason shook his head. 9efore he could reply, his holovid beeped. "ason punched the

button, and Sonns chitinous face appeared.

23ou have some eplainin! to do, Sonn,2 "ason said.

The /arva put forward his hands in supplication. 2* am at your disposal, "ason of the)hone 8ompany.2


34/35

"ason pushed a button, showin! Sonn an ima!e of Denise bein! uestioned by )8

operatives. 2Tell me its not true, Sonn,2 "ason pled uietly. 2Tell me you dont lock your

discontents away.2

2/arva discontents52 4anna asked with surprise.

Sonn raised his hands, a si!n of apolo!y. 2* said that you would discover the reason for

8ytonic+suppression eventually, "ason of the )hone 8ompany.2

"ason bowed his head.(o$ It can%t be$ $ $ $

2*t is the only way,2 Sonn said. 2The way to have peace.2

2)eace for those who a!ree with you,2 "ason spat.

2*t is the only way.2

2#nd the others52 "ason demanded. 2The Tenasi, the Hallo52

2The same,2 Sonn said. 2They have discovered the way, as you will eventually. The way to)rime *ntelli!ence. * must apolo!i$e for the inconvenience we have !iven to you.2

"ason sat, stunned. He was wron!. #ll of these years, over a century of work, and he was

wron!. They had deceived him. Suddenly, he felt sicksick, and an!ry.

2Theyre !oin! to come for you, Sonn,2 "ason said, noddin! thankfully to the medic as he

finished the banda!in!. The man was trustworthyone of the first 8ytonics "ason had

recruited over a hundred years before.

2%cuse me, "ason of the )hone 8ompany52 Sonn asked after a short pause. His hands

were pulled back in the /arva si!n of confusion.

The medic left and 4anna sat down beside "ason. She watched Sonn with calculatin! eyes

she had never liked the /arva. She said she didnt like people who could so easily falsify

their body lan!ua!e.

2The ambassadorthe one who died,2 "ason said. 2He was a discontent. * have him now. *

thou!ht humans were tryin! to infiltrate /arva society; * didnt reali$e that it was the other

way around. 3our dissidents are escapin!, and theyre hidin! amon! us. Theyre tryin! to !et

hold of human technolo!y. 'ere still uncivili$ed, Sonn. 'e have some war machines that

could blast down your ships without even pausin!.2

Sonn maintained his si!n of confusion, then au!mented it with one of worry. -ew people

know that the Tenasi ambassadorial vessel that had been shot down over %arth had been one

of the most advanced, most powerful ships in the !alay. # sin!le human missile had

destroyed it. The other species had far inferior technolo!y.

2This is disturbin!,2 Sonn admitted.

2* know,2 "ason said. Then he reached over and cut the connection. Sonns face fu$$ed and

disappeared.

"ason leaned back with a si!h, Sensin! 4anna beside him. Hed known it was comin!

hed feared that he couldnt keep humankind out of space. He just hadnt e

defending elysium.doc

Documents