strode purposefully in, spreading out.
Peter carefully levitated himself enough to see over nearby heads.
I don’t like the feel of this
.
At the exact same moment, Johnny Greene broadcast,
The admiral’s run into a bad snag. His telepathic aide, Shandin Ross, is with him. They can’t get the lift to work to the Control Intelligence Center level
.
Ground yourself, Peter
, Rhyssa said, pulling him back down to the floor.
She’s locked Coetzer out!
Johnny said angrily.
Coetzer’s supposed to have the command codes. She’s locked him out
.
Johnny, can’t we
do
something?
Peter replied anxiously.
“What?” Madlyn Luvaro demanded, and put her hand to her lips.
The lifts aren’t responding, even to his emergency codes
, Johnny said, his mental tone both angry and anxious.
I’m reading Admiral Coetzer’s mind. He’s so furious right now he’s dead easy to read. He’s coming back here
.
I’ve got to get closer to Barchenka
, Peter announced.
Before Rhyssa could protest or caution him, Peter was gone from her side.
“No one will notice,” Dave said, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
“You did.”
“I was watching him. Everyone else is watching Barchenka’s guards,” Dave said. “Can’t we do something? Anything? Are there enough strong Talents to just inactivate her?”
“Not with her metal skullcap,” Johnny Greene replied telepathically as well as out loud.
Although, Peter? Peter, where’s he got to?
he added, his tone agitated.
Madlyn, have you any idea how many goons she has? Where has she positioned them? Oh!
Johnny’s voice was silent for three beats.
Really? Pete, how’d you do that?
Johnny’s astonishment was so intense that all the ’paths caught it.
My God, he’s great
, Madlyn Luvaro’s voice was so strong, Rhyssa thought she had spoken out loud.
Yes, that’s what I saw in her mind
, Peter answered, and shot Johnny, as well as the other psychics, the visuals he had seen passing through her public mind.
Her strategy
.
That’ll certainly help
, Havers remarked, his lanky body relaxing.
What now, Johnny?
Just be ready to take control when we can
, Johnny replied.
She’s been too busy with her planning to watch her back
. And there was a note of distinct satisfaction in his tone.
Those mysterious teams of yours?
Rhyssa asked.
What teams?
Both Madlyn and Gordon Havers wanted to know.
“How could she lock the admiral out of the command zone?” Dave murmured, not being privy to the lightning telepathed exchanges. “She formally handed over the passwords and encryption codes when the watch changed at dawn. Coetzer’s staff has been installed since six A.M . Stationtime. Why don’t …” he continued, breaking off when there was a sudden rearrangement of the crowd as someone barged forward: Barchenka. She had a voice wand in her hand.
“HEAR THIS!” The volume on her wand was deafening, instantly producing the silence she wanted from the now agitated audience. “I AM RESUMING THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS STATION. THERE IS AN INSURRECTION ON THE LOWER LEVELS.”
That’s a fat lie!
Madlyn said.
“BE CALM! I WILL SAVE YOU. THE ADMIRAL YOU APPOINTED IS USELESS IN THIS EMERGENCY. HE DOESN’T KNOW THE STATION AS I DO.”
“Because, Madam,” and the admiral appeared on cue in one open door, his aides spreading out on either side of him, hands on the holsters of their dart guns. He had an on-deck voice that could be heard without amplification. “You have tampered with the main control systems. I am the officially appointed Station Manager.”
“I SHOULD BE. I WILL BE.” Barchenka’s wild gestures had opened a path between her and the admiral. He advanced to confront her. “NO ONE KNOWS THIS STATION AS DO I, WHO HAS PUT EVERY RIVET AND GIRDER IN IT. YOU SHALL NEVER RUN IT WITHOUT ME. I WAS GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW MUCH YOU NEEDED ME BUT SOMEONE CORRUPTED MY SPEECH DISK.” Her eyes were bulging, her face suffused with blood, the cords in her neck visible with her
Peter carefully levitated himself enough to see over nearby heads.
I don’t like the feel of this
.
At the exact same moment, Johnny Greene broadcast,
The admiral’s run into a bad snag. His telepathic aide, Shandin Ross, is with him. They can’t get the lift to work to the Control Intelligence Center level
.
Ground yourself, Peter
, Rhyssa said, pulling him back down to the floor.
She’s locked Coetzer out!
Johnny said angrily.
Coetzer’s supposed to have the command codes. She’s locked him out
.
Johnny, can’t we
do
something?
Peter replied anxiously.
“What?” Madlyn Luvaro demanded, and put her hand to her lips.
The lifts aren’t responding, even to his emergency codes
, Johnny said, his mental tone both angry and anxious.
I’m reading Admiral Coetzer’s mind. He’s so furious right now he’s dead easy to read. He’s coming back here
.
I’ve got to get closer to Barchenka
, Peter announced.
Before Rhyssa could protest or caution him, Peter was gone from her side.
“No one will notice,” Dave said, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
“You did.”
“I was watching him. Everyone else is watching Barchenka’s guards,” Dave said. “Can’t we do something? Anything? Are there enough strong Talents to just inactivate her?”
“Not with her metal skullcap,” Johnny Greene replied telepathically as well as out loud.
Although, Peter? Peter, where’s he got to?
he added, his tone agitated.
Madlyn, have you any idea how many goons she has? Where has she positioned them? Oh!
Johnny’s voice was silent for three beats.
Really? Pete, how’d you do that?
Johnny’s astonishment was so intense that all the ’paths caught it.
My God, he’s great
, Madlyn Luvaro’s voice was so strong, Rhyssa thought she had spoken out loud.
Yes, that’s what I saw in her mind
, Peter answered, and shot Johnny, as well as the other psychics, the visuals he had seen passing through her public mind.
Her strategy
.
That’ll certainly help
, Havers remarked, his lanky body relaxing.
What now, Johnny?
Just be ready to take control when we can
, Johnny replied.
She’s been too busy with her planning to watch her back
. And there was a note of distinct satisfaction in his tone.
Those mysterious teams of yours?
Rhyssa asked.
What teams?
Both Madlyn and Gordon Havers wanted to know.
“How could she lock the admiral out of the command zone?” Dave murmured, not being privy to the lightning telepathed exchanges. “She formally handed over the passwords and encryption codes when the watch changed at dawn. Coetzer’s staff has been installed since six A.M . Stationtime. Why don’t …” he continued, breaking off when there was a sudden rearrangement of the crowd as someone barged forward: Barchenka. She had a voice wand in her hand.
“HEAR THIS!” The volume on her wand was deafening, instantly producing the silence she wanted from the now agitated audience. “I AM RESUMING THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS STATION. THERE IS AN INSURRECTION ON THE LOWER LEVELS.”
That’s a fat lie!
Madlyn said.
“BE CALM! I WILL SAVE YOU. THE ADMIRAL YOU APPOINTED IS USELESS IN THIS EMERGENCY. HE DOESN’T KNOW THE STATION AS I DO.”
“Because, Madam,” and the admiral appeared on cue in one open door, his aides spreading out on either side of him, hands on the holsters of their dart guns. He had an on-deck voice that could be heard without amplification. “You have tampered with the main control systems. I am the officially appointed Station Manager.”
“I SHOULD BE. I WILL BE.” Barchenka’s wild gestures had opened a path between her and the admiral. He advanced to confront her. “NO ONE KNOWS THIS STATION AS DO I, WHO HAS PUT EVERY RIVET AND GIRDER IN IT. YOU SHALL NEVER RUN IT WITHOUT ME. I WAS GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW MUCH YOU NEEDED ME BUT SOMEONE CORRUPTED MY SPEECH DISK.” Her eyes were bulging, her face suffused with blood, the cords in her neck visible with her
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