The Weakling Read online

what was next? What would be the next step inBarra's plans? And what could be done about this guy? He climbed theladder and went into the lodge.

  Of course, if the Council found out about this, they could deal with thesituation. All they'd need would be a little proof and Kio Barra wouldbe well and promptly taken care of. But how would someone get word out?

  The estate was loaded with surrogates, he knew that. A caravan--even asingle man--would find it impossible to either enter or leave withoutthe knowledge and consent of the Master Protector. He smiled.

  He could just visualize Kio Barra letting anyone out with proof of hisactivities. The smile faded.

  A distant projection? There were those surrogates again. They were broadtuned and he knew it. They'd flare like a field of beacons.

  Of course, he could get out a flash appeal and it would be heard. Hegrinned.

  Now, there was a nice way to commit suicide. There'd be no time for helpto arrive, he was sure of that. And no shield would stand up under thatheavy-duty distorter, even if Barra could only summon a minimum of powerto operate it. He shook his head, looking around the room.

  * * * * *

  Drivers were beginning to stir and get to their feet. Naran looked atthe flunky.

  "Better get with it, Bintar," he said. "Going to be a bunch of hungrymen around you in a couple of minutes."

  "Yeah." The man started out the door, yawning. "Got to eat, if we don'tdo anything else." He climbed down the ladder.

  Naran glanced at the drivers.

  "Soon's we've eaten," he said, "I'd like to check up on the long-necks.See whether they've wandered during the night. I'd hate to have them getmixed up with the village herd."

  A driver looked around at him.

  "Aw," he protested, "the master probably pinned 'em down good before heleft. Besides, he can identify 'em anyway. They won't go far--not withthose herd boys running around."

  "Sure," Naran told him. "The master would really like spending half aday cutting out his long-necks from the village herd. And how about thatMaster Protector? What would he think of our caravan?"

  The other looked at him disgustedly. "Aw, who cares about that? Whyworry about what one of them witchmen thinks about another? Long's wedon't get twisted around, what's the difference?"

  Naran growled to himself. He'd blundered on that one. There was noanswer to that argument that he could present. He had learned tounderstand--and in some measure sympathize with--the deep-seatedresentment of the non-psi for the psionic. The non-psionics felt theywere just as good men as anyone, yet here were these psionics with theirincomprehensible powers. And there was nothing to be done about itexcept obey.

  Of course, they didn't like it--or their masters.

  As far as that went, the caravan herd was unimportant now. The onlytrouble was Retonga. If the herds were mixed, he would be in realtrouble.

  "Well," he said aloud, "I'm not about to get the master to spinning.Long's we keep him happy, we'll all be a lot better off. As I said,right after breakfast. I want everyone out on the herd." He started toturn away.

  "Aagh," growled the other. "Why don't you face it? You're just one ofthose guys likes to toss orders around and make people jump. It's abouttime someone showed you a few things."

  Naran turned back. Rosel had been resentful ever since the caravan hadformed. He had expected to be lead driver on this trip and he'd made noeffort to hide his fury and disappointment at being displaced in favorof a newcomer.

  For an instant, Naran considered. There was no point in continuing hismasquerade any further. Dar Girdek was gone and he'd have to take thecaravan back anyway--if he could work his way out of here, past Barra.

  If he couldn't get out--if he joined his brother and Dar Girdek--itwould make no difference what the caravan drivers thought.

  He could put this man in his place right now. Then, he could give himthe job of lead driver.

  But there was something else to think of. If he got the train out ofhere, he would have to work with this guy. And there would always be aneven greater resentment added to the normal fear and hatred of thepsionic. That could demoralize the whole train. Naran sighed.

  Rosel had put his feelings in the open now and Naran would have to playout the role he had assumed.

  He crossed the room to confront Rosel. Abruptly, he thrust a hand out.The other made a grab for it and Naran moved smoothly forward, lockingthe grasping hand.

  Quickly he extended a leg and threw Rosel over it. As the man hit thefloor, Naran retained his grip and brought his other hand over, twistingthe man's arm. His foot went out, to smack into the man's face, pinninghim to the floor. Slowly, he put pressure on the prisoned hand.

  "Once more," he said coldly, "I'm going to have everyone out on the herdright after breakfast. Now, do you want to go out and work with 'em, ordo I keep winding up on this thing and then have 'em load you up withthe rest of the spare gear?"

  "Aw, look." Rosel's voice was muffled. "Didn't mean a thing, I was justmaking a crack."

  "Yeah, sure." Naran's voice was scornful. "Just having a little funbefore breakfast. Now you listen to me. So long as I'm lead driver,you're going to do what I say--when I say it. If you give me any moretrouble, I'll pull your head off and make you carry it under one arm.Got it?"

  "Ow! Yeah, I got it. You're the lead driver."

  Naran released his pressure and stepped back.

  "All right," he said. "Let's forget it. Now, we'll get breakfast overwith and then we'll take care of the long-necks. You take the driversout, Rosel. I'm going to make some arrangements in the village. Be withyou later." He swung away.

  * * * * *

  Barra looked at his reflection with satisfaction. It was too bad, hethought, that he didn't have some companion to appreciate his wealth andpower. He examined his equipment carefully.

  Everything was clean. Everything was in order. There was no devicelacking.

  Proudly, he looked down at the huge, yellow pendant he was wearing forthe first time. It was funny, he thought, that he had never considered aprobe unit before. Now that he thought of it, this was a mostsatisfactory device. Now, he could look into his villagers' minds andsee clearly what lay there. Even, he could get some ideas of theintentions of visiting caravan masters.

  Fitting the device and becoming familiar with it had been hard work, ofcourse, but he had mastered it. And today, he could wear the jewel anduse it. It would make the day's work easier.

  He activated his levitator, floated to his boat, and pulled it away fromits shelter, setting the course toward Tibara.

  The hard part of this operation was over, he thought. The rest wassimple routine.

  This caravan master had given him a bit more trouble than some of theothers, but his final reaction had been just like all the others. Hesmiled.

  That flash of incredulity, followed by sudden, horrified comprehension,then blankness, was becoming perfectly familiar. In fact, even this wassimple routine.

  He wondered if he might be able to extend just a little. Perhaps hecould operate on a wider scale. There should be some way he could workout to take over a neighboring estate and go from there.

  Surely, there must be some outlet for his abilities, beyond mereincrease in the wealth of Kira Barra. And there must be some way to gaina companion of sorts. He would have to think that over.

  He swung the boat to the pier and floated away, grandly ignoring thepseudomen who hurried to secure his lines.

  He examined the village with approval as he stood in the center of theclearing. There had been a great improvement since he had taken thatheadman in hand. Perhaps this fellow would be satisfactory--might evenlearn to take some pride in the appearance of his village--if, that is,a pseudoman were capable of pride.

  He looked over toward the headman's hut.

  The fellow had come out, followed by the lead driver of the caravan.Good, that would save the trouble of hunting the fellow out.

  He co
ncentrated on the caravan slave.

  "Your master has decided to remain at the Residence for a time," hethought confidently. "You may have your drivers load up and move to amore permanent location."

  The answering thought was unexpectedly distinct.

  "This location looks as though it were designed for a caravan's stay.Where's Dar Girdek?"

  Barra looked at the man in surprise. What was this? This fellow didn'tthink like any pseudoman. Had Dar Girdek somehow managed to persuade ahalfman to act as his lead driver? But why?

  He drew back a little, tensing. There was something wrong here.

  "Now, look," persisted the man before him. "I'd like to see Dar Girdek.I'd like to know why I