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It is a survival trait unique to us, One-who-Decides explained gently. In its early days our world was an extremely primitive and hostile place. Despite this ability we do not feel that it makes us any better than any other people. Only different. For the first time, the alien commander projected fear. Can you read my mind? No, said one of the Amplitur quickly. And remember that we always speak the truth. If you cannot read another mind, how do you& ? We project. That is the gift. Anyone can receive. That ability lies dormant in most developed minds. With none to project to you, you do not even realize it is present. If you observe carefully you will see that none of us has been moving our mouthparts, though we are quite capable of communicating by means of modulated sound waves, as you do. We have been projecting to you from the moment you appeared before us. Having never been projected to before, you Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html naturally assumed that we were communicating with you by means of sound waves. That has not been the case. As you will also note, there is nothing in the least detrimental or harmful about the process. That does not answer my question. What are you going to do with us? I think, replied One-who-Decides, the matter having been already agreed upon, that we will assist you in repairing your ship. What s that? Prinac blinked again. We will help you to fix your vessel to the best of our ability. Since the mathematics are unvarying, the means for traveling through Underspace are universally similar. Only materials and design differ. We intend to allow you and your crew to return to your home. Though we had no quarrel with you, your people attacked our ships and killed many. You will serve as messengers, apprising your people of our existence and intent. Hold nothing back, tell everything. We will supply you with additional information and statistics where your own observation is inadequate. I sense your fear. You will not be interrogated or mind-altered or otherwise persuaded against your individual will to do any of this. Should you choose to do so, you may say nothing, or invent your own tales. We cannot prevent that. You will simply be provided with information. It will be your choice as intelligent beings to disseminate or conceal this information as you see fit. Surely you cannot fear ideas! Nothing will be concealed within your ship or implanted upon your physical person, although we could easily do both. Long-burdened-Walker moved slightly forward and demonstrated. The Weave officer suddenly bent double, his hands clasping the sides of his head as he dropped to his knees. It lasted only for an instant but took longer for him to recover. When he rose shakily, his hands were trembling and his tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth. What what was that? What did you do! There are many means of communication. One-who-Decides projected compassionately. Are you still in pain? Do you require the attention of a physician? No, said Prinac weakly. No, I will be all right. His expression, such as it was, had changed radically. Which of you did that? It does not matter. One-who-Decides gestured with a tentacle. Any of us are capable of such communication. Prinac took a deep shuddering breath. I begin to understand how twelve of you can control a force of this size. One-who-Decides was appalled at the implication. We do not do so through that type of communication. You do not have to. It is enough for those serving you to know that you can. This is how you keep everyone in line. No one is kept in line. We are all servants of the Purpose together. One-who-Decides strove to be patient in the face of such ignorance. You will come to realize this, and then you will be ashamed of your Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html thoughts. You may choose to resist with force. You know that you would not be the first to do so. It results only in unnecessary suffering on both sides, since in the end all are contentedly integrated into the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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