Psion
Joan D Vinge
Language: English
Pages: 346
ISBN: 0440068843
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
A sixteen-year-old delinquent who has spent his life lying and stealing becomes involved in a research project which unleashes his extraordinary telepathic powers.
couldn’t hear. Thinking thoughts I couldn’t hear. Were they the ones? Or were they just her fear showing; or just an excuse? I sat twitching until they’d passed, and then I went looking for a cab. I got to Ringer’s End as fast as I could. For Oldcity it wasn’t a bad looking street; at least it was clean, and almost quiet. I could hear the sea. I found the building entrance, but no one answered when I buzzed. It was almost time for the Haven show; I couldn’t make myself stay there waiting, with
tight, more grateful right then for the emptiness in my mind than I’d ever been for anything; not even wanting to face the real world. But I’d done it. And knowing that I had, that I could, I had to go back again.… This time it was almost easy; I knew the way through the dark. But I took it slowly, keeping control, making the sudden explosion of images and impressions filter through blocks and byways to reach my mind’s eye. And I understood this time that I hadn’t contacted just one of the
get tied to these people, let my life get tangled up in theirs. It was just like it had always been—getting involved was hanging a stone around your neck when you were already drowning. But if fate wanted you to drown, there was nothing you could do.… I thought about Galiess and Rubiy, and tried to tell myself that I’d be crazy to trust either of them. But that didn’t change how much I could gain by working for them. And it didn’t change how much I could lose, working against them, for somebody
say so.” I shrugged, resigned. “One question—do I get time to put on my pants?” She left the room. * * * We walked along the street toward the starport side by side, but it wasn’t like we were walking together: I was going there alone, and she was making sure I did. The clear afternoon air was bright and still; it gave me chills, but not because I felt cold. I stopped across from the ramp in front of the shining glass starport entrance and looked on past it into the wilderness. Green hills
slurring a little. “I’m beyond surprise, Dr. Siebeling.… And I have to admit this isn’t my first drink of the day. I’ve been drinking to my resignation. The nice thing about this stuff is that it doesn’t give you a hangover.” He leaned back in his seat, looking up at the holo on the wall. “Before you accuse me of leaving the leaky ship, let me assure you the idea isn’t a whim as of this afternoon. It’s been a while coming.” He glanced at me. I said, “I’ll drink to that,” and I did. Siebeling