Freedom's Challenge Read Free Page A

Catteni coverall. Kris wondered if she’d taken it in at crucial spots to make it look so fashionable. She was fleetingly envious of such expertise.
    â€œDorothy Dwardie who’s heading the psychology team needs some of your time, and right now,” Chuck said and had the grace to add, “though I’d guess another meeting’s the last thing you two need right now.”
    â€œIt is,” Kris said without thinking but she smiled at the psychologist to take the sting out of her candor.
    â€œIt is important?” And Zainal’s question was more statement than query.
    â€œYes, it is, quite urgent,” Dorothy said with an apologetic smile. “We need to know more about that mind-probe before we can proceed with any sort of effective or therapeutic treatment.”
    â€œWhy’n’t you use the small office?” Chuck said, gesturing to that end of the immense hangar.
    Zainal squeezed Kris’ hand and murmured: “This won’t take long. I know very little about the probe.”
    â€œI was hoping you’d know something, if only the history of its use among your people,” Dorothy said ruefully and then looked about for a place to park the runabout.
    â€œI’ll take care of it for you,” Chuck said so helpfully that Kris smothered a grin.
    Dorothy Dwardie gave him a warm smile for his offer.
    â€œWe’ve had a bit of outrageous luck,” she said as they walked to the right-hand side of the enormous hangar where other small offices had been constructed.
    â€œWe could use some,” Kris agreed, struggling for amiability.
    â€œIndeed we could, though I must say that hijacking all those poor people out from under Eosi domination is certainly
their
good luck. And you deserve a lot of credit for that act of kindness.”
    What she didn’t say rang loud and clear to Kris. There were some who weren’t sure she and Zainal deserved any credit? As well for them that Ray Scott had loudly declared that he took full responsibility for the decision to save the damaged Humans so no one could blame that on Zainal or her. Actually the guilty were the Eosi but too many people failed to make a distinction between overlord and underling. Kris’ mood swung back to negative again.
    â€œBut until we…” and Dorothy’s hand on her chest meant all the psychologists and psychiatrists on Botany who would now take charge of the mind-wiped, “understand as much as possible about the mechanism…ah, here we are…” and she opened the door to the small office and automatically fumbled for a light switch on the wall.
    Kris had seen the cord and pulled it.
    â€œOh…I suppose I’ll get used to it in time,” Dorothy said with an apologetic grin.
    â€œYou’re Fourth Drop, aren’t you?” Kris replied as neutrally as possible while Zainal closed the door behind them. There were several desks against the long stone wall but a table and chairs made an appropriate conference spot by the wide window. There was nothing but darkness outside, since the hangar faced south and there were no habitations yet beyond the field. “You said you had a bit of outrageous luck….?” Kris asked when they were seated.
    â€œYes, not everyone in the group you brought
had
been mind-wiped.”
    â€œCertainly the Deskis, Rugs, and Turs weren’t,” Kris said.
    â€œNor all the Humans,” Dorothy said, smiling over such a minor triumph.
    â€œThey weren’t?” Kris asked, exchanging surprised glances with Zainal.
    â€œYes, some faked the vacuity of the mindless…”
    â€œFaked it?”
    Dorothy smiled more brightly. “Clever of them, actually, and they got away with it because those in charge weren’t keeping track of who had been…done.”
    Kris let out a long whistle. “All us Human look alike to Eosi? Proves, though, doesn’t it, that the Eosi aren’t all that