Warlord of Kor by Terry Carr Read Free Book Online Page A

said. “I saw them building when I was linked with Horng, and these are the same structures. But the design was copied from older buildings, and I don't know how far back I'd have to search the memories before I found where they originally got that kind of approach to design. Maybe back before they developed telepathy. But this race simply isn't as old as the Outsiders; they came out of barbarism thousands of years after the Outsiders had left those dead cities we've been finding. The chances are that if the Hirlaji were influenced by the Outsiders it was sometime around thirty thousand years ago ... which means the Outsiders came this way when they left those cities. That would mean that we're following them ... and we might catch up at any time.”
    He stopped for a moment, then said, “We're moving faster than they were, and we have no idea where they may have settled again. One more starfall further beyond the Edge, and we may run into one of their present outposts. But this isn't it. Not yet.”
    Manning was still staring at Rynason, but it was a curious stare. “You're pretty sure that what you've been getting out of that horseface's head is real?” he asked levelly. “You trust them?”
    Rynason nodded. “Horng was really afraid; that was real. I felt it myself. And the rest of it was real, too—I could see the whole racial memory there, and nobody could have been making that up. If you'd experienced that...”
    “Well, I didn't,” Manning said shortly. “And I don't think I trust them.” He paused, and after a moment frowned. “But this direct linkage business does seem to be the best way we have of checking on them. I want you to get busy, Lee, and go after that horse's thoughts for us. Don't let him drive you out again; if he's hiding something, get in there and see what it is. Above all, don't trust him.
    “If these things are the Outsiders, they could be bluffing us.”
    Manning stopped talking, and thought a minute. He looked up under raised eyebrows at Rynason. “And be careful, Lee. I'm counting on you.”
    Rynason ignored his paternal gaze, and turned instead to Mara. “We'll try it again tomorrow,” he said. “Get in a requisition for a telepather this afternoon; make sure we'll have one ready to go first thing in the morning. I'll check back with you about an hour after we leave here today.”
    She looked up at him, surprised. “Check back? Why?”
    “I put in a requisition myself, yesterday. Wine from Cluster II, vintage '86. I was hoping for some company.”
    She smiled. “All right.”
    Manning was ending the session. “...Carl, be sure to get those studies of the Outsiders artifacts together for me by tonight. And I'm going to hand back your reports to each of the rest of you; go through them and watch for those inconsistencies you skipped over the first time. We may be able to turn up something else that doesn't check out. Go over them
carefully
—all the reports were sloppy jobs. You're all trying to work too fast.”
    Rynason rose with the rest of them, grinning as he remembered how Manning had rushed those reports. Well, that was one of the privileges of authority: delegating fault. He started for the door.
    “Lee! Hold it a minute; I want to talk to you, alone.”
    Rynason sat, and when all the others had gone Manning came back and sat down opposite him. He slowly took out a cigaret and lit it.
    “My last pack till the next spacer makes touchdown,” he said. “Sorry I can't offer you one, but I'm a fiend for the things. I know they're supposed to be non-habit-forming these days, but I'm a man of many vices.”
    Rynason shrugged, waiting for him to come to the point.
    “I guess it makes me a bit more open-minded about what the members of my staff do,” Manning went on. “You know—why should I crack down on drinking or smoking, for instance, when I do it myself?”
    “I'm glad you see it that way,” Rynason said drily. “Why did you want me to stay?”
    Manning exhaled