Matching his orbital velocity with Summit's rotation, he hung starlike above the area in question.

"... A single individual," he repeated. "I am sorry that I cannot be more explicit. I am convinced he is the focus of the infections. You have to do more than simply quarantine the area. You have to locate this man and immobilize him. He should be moving somewhat in advance of the contagion course, as we must allow for an incubation period. From what you have told me so far, he seems to be headed southwest. I recommend you assume continuing movement in that direction, most likely on foot, and begin searching immediately. And get me more data! If possible, I would like to be in direct communication with the searchers."

"I will of course have to get authorization for all this, Dr. Pels, but I am certain it will not take long. In the meantime, there should be more reports coming in shortly. I will get them up to you as soon as we have them."

"Very good. I will be waiting."

Pels broke the connection.

Indeed, he said to himself, I am used to waiting. But this time-- The news came so quickly, and I made it in time to be right on top. I know he is down there. These people will let me direct things. I know it. Nothing like this has ever happened here before. He seems to be getting worse. But I will find him this time. Time.

... Three, four, five.

"Hold it!" he said, but she had already tossed the sixth coin.

It hung there a moment, turning, jerking, then moved to join the other five in a slow figure-of-eight procession in the middle of the air.

"Just wait until I stabilize the thing ... There! All right, add another--carefully."

Jackara ffipped another coin upward. It overshot the group by several feet, froze as if suddenly transformed to a photograph, then commenced a tadpole-like wiggling that took it in the direction of the pattern. Moments later, it had joined the flow.

"Another!"

Laughing, Jackara tossed another coin. This one did not stop or even seem to slow, but moved to take its place in the procession immediately.

"Another!"

It was caught instantly, fitted into the circuit.

"Another ..."

"I think you are going to break your record," she said, throwing it.

Catching it, he unfolded the design so that the coins now moved in a circle. The circle expanded and the coins flowed faster.

"Now. Another."

It fell into the pattern, which continued to expand, to accelerate.

"You did it! That's the most yet!" she said.

The shining round of coins drifted toward her, where she sat on the edge of the bunk. It moved to a position above her, descended, spun about her head.

_I still cannot tell what it is that occurs in your mind when you do it, said Shind, though I can recognize the process when it is operating. Actually, it is a very pleasant thing to contem_--

Malacar laughed.

The ring came apart. The coins clattered against the bulkhead, shot across the cabin, fell about Jackara.

She uttered a brief cry and drew back. Morwin shuddered and shook his head.

Chuckling, Malacar emerged from behind the partition that separated the controls from the living area.

"The Summit port authorities are most cooperative," he announced. "Really helpful."

Morwin smiled to Jackara. "It _is_ a record," he said. Then, to Malacar, "How are they being helpful?"

"I just checked with them for a picture of the landing situation, expressing concern over rumors I had heard of the outbreak of various diseases. Was it safe to land at all? I asked. Or should I take my tour elsewhere?"

"Tour?" Jackara said.

"Yes. I decided to be a tour guide, for purposes of the communication. --Might even be a good story to stick with if we get into trouble. At any rate, they responded by detailing the areas presently under quarantine. I got conversational then and managed to obtain some dates and places. I have a pretty good idea of our man's progress within the area now."

"Very good," said Morwin, stooping and beginning to retrieve coins. "What are we going to do now?"

"Drop back into subspace--I told him we were calling the trip off--and reenter at another point. Their satellite warning system looks pretty simple. I ought to be able to slip through all right."

"Then land in the quarantined area and pick him up?"

"Exactly."

"Well, I've been thinking. What if we find him and he says he doesn't want to come with us, that he doesn't want to be a weapon? What do we do then? Kidnap him?"

Malacar stared at him, eyes narrowing. Then he smiled.

"He'll come," he said.

Morwin looked away.

"Just wondering ..."

Malacar turned back toward the front of the vessel.

"I am going to change course now," he said. "I will be taking us back into subspace as soon as I am able."

Morwin nodded, jingled the coins, stood.

"I think it is about time for your next round of immunizations," Malacar called back as he rounded the partition. "See to it, will you, Shind?"

_Yes_.

Morwin threw the coins into the air. They became a glittering tornado, twisting and spinning for several moments, then descended with a clatter into his outstretched palm.

"Here's another," said Jackara, extending her hand.

The coin shot from her fingertips and joined its mates with a sharp _clink_.

She stared at him.

"Is something the matter?" she asked.

He dumped the coins into his pocket.

"I don't know," he said.

_You do, though_, said Shind. _His answer has caused you to think once more of your own position in this enterprise. And of all the things that follow_.

_Of course_.

_You see now that he has changed, that he seems willing to use people in ways he might not have before_.

_It seems that way_.

_Jackara, for instance. Why is she here?_

_I've been wondering_.

_He has rationalized his way around it, but there is only one reason: She worships him, she thinks that everything he does is right. He will not admit it, but he needs that support now_.

_He is that uncertain of himself?_

_He grows older. Time moves more quickly for him, but his objectives seem no nearer to realization_.

_And of my own presence?_

_A version of the same thing. It is not just that you can cause a gun to misfire or sabotage a starship with your mind. Your respect reassures him. While he cannot fully trust you, he requires the old feeling of command your presence provides_.

_He is taking a chance, though, if he cannot trust me_ .

_Not really, for he knows that he can control you_.

_How?_

_By his control of Jackara. He is aware of your fondness for her_.

_I did not think that it showed--and I had never thought him to be so perceptive_.

_He is not, normally. I told him of your feelings for her_.

_For God's sake! Why? My feelings are none of_--.

_It was necessary. I would not have violated your emotional privacy if it were not. I did it only to assure his bringing you along_.

_Just because you are worried about him?_

_It is no longer so simple_--

"Should I prepare the inoculations, Shind?"

_Yes. Go ahead, Jackara_.

Morwin watched her as she rose and moved to the rear of the compartment. Then he looked away and seated himself on the bunk.

_What do you mean, Shind?_

_As we have observed, Malacar has changed. But then, of course, so have we. He was always somewhat rash-and this was once a virtue--so that I found it difficult to decide until recently whether he had become more so, or whether I had simply grown more conservative. Something happened recently, however, which settled this question for me and gave me cause for alarm. It was on Deiba, where we sought clues as to the identity of H and found him to be this Heidel von Hymack. We encountered another individual searching for the same information. He was also successful, and he tried to dissuade Malacar from using it as he intends. He even offered him a tremendous price for his cooperation--the restoration of the entire planet Earth to its pre-war condition_.