Turning Point (33 page)

Garras nodded. “Carry on.”

He turned back to Skinner. “As for the Erasmus, once the trouble here is cleared up, we can send a couple of tugs to bring your ship directly here.”

Skinner digested this in a stunned silence. “The next step will be to contact Earth and bring various leaders here for talks, I expect.”

Garras nodded.

“Will we become part of your Allied Worlds?” asked Jo.

“It's not that simple,” said Garras. “In the normal course of events, there would be negotiations taking several years, a trial membership period, then, if all went well and you had the capacity for interstellar flight—either developed by yourselves or gained through trade—you would be offered full membership.

“However, the Alliance is on a war footing at the moment, your sector of space—here at least—backs onto our colonized area and the Valtegans are known here. We need this sector adequately patrolled and we are stretched too thinly to protect another species.”

Kusac retrieved his tail and moved closer.

“Given the fact that you are the only other Telepathic species we have met,” he said, “for that reason alone our people will surely push for you achieving full membership as swiftly as possible. In fact, that may well prove to be the pivotal reason. With more Telepaths on our scout crafts, the better our chance at sensing the Valtegans' presence before their instruments pick us up.”

“Then why didn't you sense them when you approached Keiss?” asked Jo.

“Like Captain Garras and Mito, I was off duty, asleep,” said Kusac.

“Maran, our pilot, ignored my orders, deciding that there was no need to wake us as we approached Keiss,” said Garras. “His overconfidence cost him his life.”

“You keep mentioning Telepaths,” said Skinner, lighting another cigarette. “What exactly do you mean? Reading minds and all that?”

As Kusac started to explain, Carrie's attention began to drift. Feeling restless, she got to her feet, moving out from the shelter of the trees. She looked out over the salt marsh-land to where the sun sat hidden behind a sea haze. Dusk was only a couple of hours away.

The sense of disquiet wouldn't leave her, in fact it was growing stronger now that she was in the open. Mentally, she began to search, checking the people on their islet first. Nothing there, nor in the surrounding swamp. As her eyes were drawn upward, she sensed the Valtegans' presence. She could feel the high-pitched keening of the engines deep within her skull. Turning, she yelled to the others.

“Incoming cargo ship! Get under cover!”

They froze, looking at each other in bewilderment, Sholans and Terrans alike.

She ran back to where she'd been sitting.

“What're you waiting for?” she demanded. “There's a cargo ship about to land. Can't you hear it?”

She had felt Kusac's thought go out the instant she had called and she looked to him now for confirmation. As the noise grew to an unbearable pitch, she clapped her hands over her ears, trying to reduce it.

Kusac began to slowly shake his head in negation, then stopped.

“She's right,” he said, scrambling to his feet and diving for the hatchway to kill the pod lights.

Garras shouted orders to the Sholans, who instantly left their work and began to double-check the camouflage.

“How long?” Garras demanded of her.

Carrie scanned the sky. There was still no visible sign of the craft.

“I don't know,” she said. “You're the Captain, you gauge it from the noise.”

Garras pulled her hand away from her ear. “There is no noise, Carrie.”

“Don't be ridiculous,” she said. “I can hear it clear ... Oh, it's stopped.”

Overhead, there was a faint boom followed by the almost inaudible whine of engines. The noise seemed to fill the air.

Blankets were thrown over the equipment and the Sholans headed back to the pod at a run.

“Captain Skinner,” said Garras, turning back to the Terran, “I suggest you and your men return to your craft.”

Even as he spoke, the Terrans had come to the same conclusion.

In the pod, Carrie headed for the external view screen.

“Can you change the angle of vision?” she asked Mito.

Mito looked at Garras, who nodded, coming closer.

“Use these controls,” said Mito, showing her a set of keys on the keyboard.

Carrie looked at them in frustration. “I can't use them,” she said. “They're made for you. If I had fingernails ...” she spread her hands for Mito to see.

Mito looked at them, aghast. “I'll do it,” she said. “What direction do you want?”

“Up for the moment. Track the cargo ship down.”

They watched the dot on the screen get gradually larger, stubby wings extended to slow it down. It lined up to approach from the seaward side and as it lost altitude, it went beyond the range of their scanner.

“There's more,” murmured Carrie, her eyes focused somewhere beyond the screen. “Turn the scanner 180°. There should be three groundcars on their way to the base now. Are we in contact with Captain Skinner?”

“Yes,” said Garras. “He gave me one of their wrist communicators.”

“Then warn him to keep under cover. The groundcars will pass within five hundred meters of here.”

Suddenly, she felt light-headed and grabbed hold of the console for support. A hand reached out to support her and, gratefully, she let go and turned away from the screen.

“I'll leave it to you, Mito,” she said tiredly, exhausted by the energy it had cost her to search for the danger.

“Well done,” said Garras as she went past him with Kusac.

Kusac settled her on her bunk and went over to the galley where Vanna was already getting a protein drink ready.

“She's good,” said Vanna, handing him the drink and a trail bar.

“Very,” agreed Kusac. “I know of only one other person with that range. I wonder how rare her Talent is.”

“I have a feeling Carrie's breadth of Talent is due to her upbringing rather than anything else,” said Vanna.

Carrie opened her eyes and sat up when he returned, accepting the drink and bar from him.

He squatted down beside her.
Now will you believe you have a valid place among us?

She could feel his pride in her work.

Yes,
she sent,
but you have to admit that you're biased. I only need to exist to have a valid place as far as you're concerned.

“Here are the groundcars,” said Mito, “and there are three of them! How did you know they were coming?”

“I've always had a good sense of danger,” Carrie said. “I didn't know what it was till I looked, and there they were.”

“They've gone,” said Mito with a sigh, “and they didn't notice anything.”

“Is it safe now?” asked Garras.

“Yes,” replied Kusac.

“Right. We've only got about an hour of daylight left, so let's get on with the job at hand and discuss the implications of that cargo ship and the groundcars later,” said Garras, going to the hatch and opening it.

Carrie drained her mug and moved to get up.

“No, you stay here and rest,” said Kusac. “If you prefer, I'll go outside with the others.”

Carrie laughed. “You certainly know how to charm a woman,” she said. “Those eyes of yours would melt stone! No, please stay,” she said, serious for the moment. “What is it that you want to talk about?”

“Only that tomorrow I need to start showing you how we will work as a team. There's a way we can Link that will allow you to use me as a battery. You'll still be doing the work, but I'll help provide the energy so you need never overtire yourself as you did just now.”

Outside, they heard Garras greet Captain Skinner.

“You were asking about Telepathy, Captain. You've just had a practical demonstration of one of its uses.”

As dusk approached, arrangements were made to exchange food and personnel between the two ships. Skinner, assuming correctly that the Sholans were already living on emergency rations and that they had similar tastes in food, had made sure the groundcar was well enough provisioned for both.

Since the techs were working on an interface using components from the Valtegan vehicle, he suggested that Mito and Guynor stay there overnight and continue their work with his crew. It was decided that Richard and Jo would remain in the pod to even up the numbers since space was at a premium for both parties. Garras elected to return to his own craft, bringing Skai with him.

Without the stress of Guynor's company, and with the addition of real food, their meal was more convivial than the night before.

“How are they getting on?” asked Kusac.

“The interface isn't a problem,” Garras replied. “They've found a diagnostic port in the groundcar which looks like a standard item. We hope it will be duplicated on their base, but if not, they say that jump leads will work though they'll take longer.”

“We're getting there,” said Skai confidently, putting down his plate.

“What about Mito's software problem?” asked Carrie.

“Nothing new at the present,” said Garras. “She's still working on it.”

Kusac nodded.

“Skai,” said Vanna, getting up and handing him her plate, “you're on dish washing duty tonight. You know where everything is.”

She turned away, leaving him spluttering into his coffee as she collected her medikit.

“Kusac, I want to check your shoulder,” she said in a tone that brooked no arguments. “You've put me off long enough.”

Kusac got to his feet with a groan. “Very well,” he said, moving over to her bunk.

Richard slid himself along the floor to where his sister sat.

“I forgot to give this to you earlier,” he said, handing her a small drab green package. “It's one of our coveralls. I thought you'd be glad of a change of clothing by now.”

Carrie gave him a swift hug. “You're wonderful!” she said.

“While we've got a few moments, tell me what's been happening,” he continued quietly.

While they talked, Jo turned to Garras. “What's your planet like, Captain?” she asked.

Garras roused himself from his reverie. “Not dissimilar from here,” he said. “Partially forested, with large areas of rolling farmlands and estates where our Families live.”

“Don't you have cities and industry?”

“We have many large cities, but our heavy industry is now done in space.”

“On Earth, our home planet, most people live and work in the cities,” she said. “I'm afraid our heavy industry is still on the planet's surface.”

Garras' eyes widened with surprise. “Your atmosphere must be heavily polluted, and what about the land? Your cities must sprawl over most of the surface.”

“They do,” she replied. “Unfortunately, it's proved difficult to persuade businessmen to move into space. We have our research stations there though, where they handle dangerous viruses and the like. At least it's a start.”

“I hope you don't plan to do the same here,” said Garras, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the thought.

“At first we'll have to. We need to get the raw materials to get into space before we can build there.”

“Don't you mine the moons or asteroids on your home world?”

“Yes, but the costs are high, I'm told, and we certainly haven't got that kind of equipment on Keiss.”

“Young lady, when our diplomats get started, make sure you tell them you need help to start mining those moons up there,” said Garras, pointing to the roof of the pod. “Believe me, the number of craft you will need to defend this area of space, let alone your home world, will necessitate you mining off planet. To do it any other way would be to strip this beautiful world bare.”

Jo was taken aback by the force of his words.

“My people would never allow this planet to be so wantonly used without offering to help you. Make sure you ask them.”

“But it won't be without cost,” she retorted. “How do you know we can pay, or will?”

“The cost will be little more than helping to keep this sector of space free from the Valtegans and, of course, Trade agreements between our planets,” he said. “Do you think this too high a price?”

“No,” she faltered. “Why should you be so altruistic?”

Garras sighed. “I've told you. Your space borders on ours, therefore it benefits us both. With you guarding our backs, we can concentrate on the areas of space where we have no near allies to help us.”

“Garras!” called Vanna. “Come and see this.”

Carrie scrambled over to see what was wrong with Kusac.

“What is it?” she demanded, trying to see past the Medic.

“Nothing, that's what it is,” she said. “Only bare skin—slightly red I admit—but there should be a wound.”

“Explain,” said Garras, peering at Kusac's shoulder.

“We have a Healer in Carrie,” Vanna said quietly, “and a damned good one at that.”

“You're sure?”

“Look for yourself,” she retorted. “There isn't a sign of that wound! What would you call it? I know I used Fastheal, but it doesn't work anywhere near this fast!”

Garras rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

“That simplifies things,” he said. He switched into Sholan briefly. “If she's a Healer, then any kind of disciplinary action against either of them would be minimal.”