Pliocene Exile - The Adversary Part 39

"Call Marc!" said Patricia.

Cordelia uttered a trilling little laugh. "As usual, he's gone.

Before he learned to d-jump, it was only his mind that wandered. Now he abandons us body and soul!"

Steve said, "Walter tried to raise Marc as soon as Strangford broke in. Kramer said he's been on the hop for more than two hours."

"I'll see what I can do," Patricia said.

"And you get to sick bay," Cordelia told Steve. "Wake those d.a.m.n Keoghs out of whatever seventh heaven they're floating in. Tell them what Steinbrenner said about possible cut tendons in your wrist."

Still cradling the bottle, the mate staggered into the forward pa.s.sage while the two women headed aft. All of the cabin doors were shut and this part of the s.h.i.+p seemed deserted. Bracing themselves against the excessive heel, they came to the modified stern hold containing the accommodation for the CE rig and its auxiliaries. The armoured door that provided sole access was dogged shut from the opposite side. Patricia exerted her farspeech to penetrate the metal.

Jordy! Gerrit! It's Pat. Let me in. Emergency!

Cordelia took a big torch from the pocket of her oilskin jacket and banged on the door. A tentative glimmer of fa.r.s.ense stole out after a few moments and flicked over them. Then there were clicks and a grudging crack opened. Jordan Kramer peered out, his face like a thundercloud.

"What the devil is it? Marc has gone extraplanetary and we're at a tricky point in the stasis monitoring-"

Patricia shoved the mental image at him. "Helayne's broken loose. We need Marc."

Kramer groaned. "d.a.m.n that woman to h.e.l.l! If we didn't need her input so badly for the offensive metaconcert, I'd say let her jump!"

"Can you retrieve Marc?" Patricia persisted.

"Not a chance. He's independent now. The rubberband effect is finally neutralized. There's no telling when he'll return. Why don't you call out the other coercers and put together a concert-"

"Mostly everyone seems to be seasick, asleep, or otherwise switch-off," Cordelia said. "Those of us who were topside when Helayne went berserk got almost zip response from a general hail. Steinbrenner came, and Boom-Boom Laroche. Beside them, there's Walter and Roy and Nannie Fox, who had the watch with me and Steve-and now Pat."

Kramer looked harried. "Well, there's nothing Van Wyk or I can do. We're neither of us coercers, and we have to monitor the equipment." He started to close the door.

"Then give us Manion!" Patricia demanded. "If we take off the docilator, his PK will probably be strong enough to override her and scoop her in."

"Not on your life!" Kramer shouted. "We're keeping that b.a.s.t.a.r.d right in here brain-wrapped until Marc is safely home.

Let him out-? G.o.d-You'd have two crazies on the loose instead of just one!"

Knowing it was hopeless, Patricia pleaded, "Alex would want to help Helayne. You know they used to be-"

"Oh, yes, I know very well," retorted the psychophysicist.

"And I know just what would happen after Manion got his old flame fitted with his docilator. He'd skunk the lot of you, smash the powerplant, and strand Marc in the grey limbo!" The door slammed shut.

Wasting no more time, the two women turned and ran for the after companionway. On deck, the rain had stopped and a crescent moon was intermittently visible through broken clouds.

Kyllikki, on autopilot, drove along under minimal canvas. Black waves with glowing crests leaped and stretched chaotically as the wind died. Walter, Roy Marchand, and Nanomea Fox were gathered at the foot of the jiggermast, which arose from the low sterncastle structure. Standing away from them, clinging to the rail, were Jeff Steinbrenner and Guy Laroche. Nanomea held a spotlight on the wildly gyrating crow's nest. Roy carried a stungun and Laroche had a laser carbine slung over his shoulder.

Cordelia said: Here's Pat. She was the only one who'd help.

Walter said: Helayne's still there ducked down out of sight in bucket.

Patricia said: No chance stun?

Roy said: Masts grounded h.e.l.landgone besides her creativity sufficient s.h.i.+eld. Boom-Boom has zapper burn her if she threatensPatricia said: Negative negative! We NEED Helayne! I direct metaconcert okay?

The others said: Right.

Patricia said: Ready-COME IN.

Their minds meshed, following the lead of the one-time dirigent of Okanagon. The combined coercive faculty reached out to the crazed mind aloft and enclosed it in a net of mental energy. And tightened ...

They all screamed. An overpowering mind-thrust, like a white-hot blade, split the metaconcert asunder. High in the air a ghostly face leaned over the rim of the crow's nest bucket.

Helayne Strangford's telepathic laughter rang in their brains.

Patricia said: We want to help you Helayne. Please come down.

LetHIMbegmewhydidn'tHEcomewhere'sHEhidingneverlet HIMhurtchildrenPatricia said: Marc doesn't want to hurt the children.

Othersdo! YOUsteeleyedmetagroupie! YOUcuteGrannyCordelia! YOUjeffbabykiller! YouwantkillchildrensoIkillYOU!

Patricia said: Come with me to Marc Helayne. He'll see that n.o.body harms the children. He promised. You know you can trust Marc.

Trust ... ooh I did. We all did. In the Milieu during Rebellion and even in defeat. Trusted Marc followed Marc loved Marc.

BUT HE LIED.

Patricia said: Marc doesn't lie.

HedoeshedoesHEDOES. Said he'd never leave us. NEVER.

BUT HE GOES.

Patricia said: Helayne he always comes back to us.

Heliessaysdestroyingtimegatesitepreventchildrenescape!

MustkillchildrenprotectHIMSELF. Butlstoplknowhowstop.

KillYOU! KillHIM!

A knife flashed in the spotlight. Helayne clung to the upper crosstrees and slowly climbed onto the rim of the bucket. Her flowing silk pyjamas crackled in the wind like pennants.

FlydownkillyouALL!

Patricia said: You can't fly Helayne. If you jump you'll die.

Chris and Leila will feel guilty. Little Joel will cry for his Nana.