style="font-size:15px;"> She relayed to Idom and Elias.
Idom shoved away from the table, towering over Kyllikki. “Tell him we don’t have an option. We’re coming in. We’ll try a landing if we have to. I’m going to see what our screens are showing.”
As she relayed that to Lee, her mind dwelled on what would happen if some zealous Teleod officer recognized her. Within days, she’d be back in Zimor’s stronghold.
She shuddered. //I’ll let you know if Idom comes up with something. Right now I’ve got to go—//
//No, listen!// returned Lee. //I know this is a sore point with you, Kyllikki, but you’re the only one here who’d know. Is there any chance these ships have a communicator who can hear us like you heard that attack coordinator?//
He knows how I did that. She tried to think. //Lee, there’s a chance they might, but it’s a very, very small chance. My Metaji trainers told me I’m the only one trained in the Teleod who’s ever tried the Metaji’s com training and survived. I’ve never heard of any Metaji-trained telepath attempting the key images. You have to start that much younger than Metaji training. So I don’t see how they could have someone who can work both systems.// She took a deep breath. //But since I can, they just might have someone.//
//I was right! That’s how you did it!// The flash of avidity and horror that came with his words was very unprofessional. Then the disturbing whirl of mixed emotions was gone as quickly as it had come.
She admitted, //I can do it now, but not before that battle. I had to try something to stop those ships.//
//Hey, I’m not criticizing. Our escort did destroy the jump-cannon, so Defense got all the other ships before the Station blew. I’m just glad you’re on our side.// But his contact voice was meticulously formal, not friendly.
Adopting her most professional voice, she urged, //Lee, think! I defected. Some Metaji telepath might have defected to the Teleod, without attempting to learn Teleod methods. So they could have someone who can hear us. Have you done a Search toward the fleet?//
//I’ve been afraid to. What if they spot me?//
She knew what his problem was. With Wiprin dead, he was in charge, but he wasn’t ready for the responsibility. //Even if they have a Metaji telepath, they’d never send him to capture an obscure colony like Barkyr! And without such a telepath, the only way your Search might be spotted is if you get careless and emote. Basic emotion bleeds through, so any Teleod telepath working the realms might notice that.//
//So I’ve heard, but you never know what to believe.//
He was right to fear. She’d once seen a Metaji telepath yanked into the working realm. It had taken the poor woman a year to die. //Lee, a Teleod telepath would perceive your emotions as a distinctive but sourceless glow. They’d know they were being Searched, but not from where. We have to plan, and we can’t unless we’re sure communications are secure.//
//You’re right. Their standard procedure is to kill all Metaji telepaths. But you ought to do the Search. At least you know what you’re doing.//
There was nothing for it. She had to admit it. //Lee, I can’t. Remember when you found me in the Window, and I couldn’t control my barriers? I’m still getting headaches. I don’t trust myself, at least not at such a distance. You’re closer, and you’re steadier.//
Reluctantly, he agreed and she left him to it, wrapping her silver brick wall around herself and finding to her dismay she’d also wrapped both arms around her middle and dropped her chin to her chest. Her hand throbbed cold.
Elias was standing behind her, muttering reassurances as if he really cared for her. When she looked up, he said, “Let me see your hand, Kyllikki. Is it blistered? A minute ago, you seemed to be going into shock.”
She was faintly surprised to see her hand wrapped in a white cloth filled with ice. She unwound it. “No, it’s not blistered,” she said with some amazement as she got to her feet. “Come on, we have to talk to Idom.”
Watching Idom work the scanners, she filled them both in on what Lee had told her.
Idom sighed. “And there’s no avoiding it. We are about to become prisoners of war.”
He flashed a display on one of the screens and turned it so they could see. Pointing, he said, “Those, those, and these over here represent Teleod ships. There’s Barkyr. You can’t see our pods on this scale, but they’re here. In less than a day, the fleet will be in spectral range of the planet, at which point the surrender will become official. With no other habitat in the system, we’ve no place else to go.”
“Do you suppose the Station got a message capsule out before it blew up?” asked Elias with real anguish.
If he were a spy, he wouldn’t be upset about being captured. “I wasn’t monitoring the Station at the time,” admitted Kyllikki, “but later on, I’ll ask Lee.”
Idom muttered abstractedly, “His Search won’t find anything. If the fleet had one of our telepaths, they’d be in direct touch already and the surrender would be history.”
Elias offered, “Otroub’s Guide claimed that Barkyr’s importance in the war is its location. Doesn’t that mean the capture won’t go unchallenged?”
Idom watched the display, where the larger dots were separating into flocks of smaller ones. “For technical reasons, Barkyr’s location is more convenient to the Teleod than to us. Still, as soon as the Imperial forces discover it’s been taken, there’ll be a counterattack. The Teleod knows it, so they’ll be looking for valuable civilian hostages.” He glanced up at Kyllikki. “The crew knows who you are. Can the Teleod telepaths get it out of them?”
“It won’t take mind invasion. I’m sure some crewmembers believe I’m the spy who set this whole battle up. Someone is bound to mention it.”
“Spy? What do you mean, spy?” demanded Elias.
“I’m a Teleod defector,” said Kyllikki.
“And a loyal Imperialist now,” added Idom.
“If they catch you working for the enemy...Kyllikki, they’ll kill you...or worse.” It was just what Lee had assumed, only Elias glowed with fear. Real fear.
She blinked it away and repaired her barriers, reassured that Elias couldn’t possibly be Teleod. Whatever it was about him that eroded her barriers, it hadn’t anything to do with Zimor or Dreambonding or spying.
She fixed her attention on Idom, who watched the display, counting the dots with the avid intensity he normally reserved for astrogation. “All they’d dare do with me is ship me home.” Probably. “And, Idom, if they find out just who you are, they’ll likely ship you home with me.”
“They can’t make me work for them.”
“They might,” she cautioned.
Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Elias shudder. He covered it by turning to her and asking, “Is anyone going to tell me who rescued me?”
“There’s no point in keeping it from him,” said Idom, fingering his beard thoughtfully. “Most of the crew knows anyway. Someone’s
