Uncharted Stars Read Free Page A

room, and as suddenly flowed back into Eet again, stretching his normal body up against the wall at such a lengthening as I would not have believed even his supple muscles and flesh capable of. With one of his paw-hands he managed to touch a button and the wall provided us with a mirror surface. In that I saw myself.
    I am not outstanding in any way. My hair is darkish brown, which is true of billions of males of Terran stock. I have a face which is wide across the eyes, narrowing somewhat to the chin, undistinguished for either good looks or downright ugliness. My eyes are green-brown, and my brows, black, as are my lashes. As a merchant who travels space a great deal, I had had my beard permanently eradicated when it first showed. A beard in a space helmet is unpleasant. And for the same reason I wear my hair cropped short. I am of medium height as my race goes, and I have all the right number of limbs and organs for my own species. I could be anyone—except that the identification patterns the Guild might hold on me could go deeper and be far more searching than a glance at a passing stranger.
    Eet flowed back across the room with his usual liquid movement, made one of his effortless springs to my shoulder, and settled down in position behind my neck, his head resting on top of mine, his hand-paws flat on either side of my skull just below my ears.
    â€œNow!” he commanded. “Think of another face—anyone’s—”
    When so ordered I found that I could not—at first. I looked into the mirror and my reflection was all that was there. I could feel Eet’s impatience and that made it even more difficult for me to concentrate. Then that impatience faded and I guessed that he was willing it under control.
    â€œThink of another.” He was less demanding, more coaxing. “Close your eyes if you must—”
    I did, trying to summon up some sort of picture in my mind—a face which was not my own. Why I settled for Faskel I could not say, but somehow my foster brother’s unliked countenance swam out of memory and I concentrated upon it.
    It was not clear but I persevered, setting up the long narrow outline—the nose as I had last seen it, jutting out over a straggle of lip-grown hair. Faskel Jern had been my father’s true son, while I was but one by adoption. Yet it had always seemed that I was Hywel Jern’s son in spirit and Faskel the stranger. I put the purplish scar on Faskel’s forehead near his hairline, added the petulant twist of lips which had been his usual expression when facing me in later years, and held to the whole mental picture with determination.
    â€œLook!”
    Obediently I opened my eyes to the mirror. And for several startled seconds I looked at someone. He was certainly not me—nor was he Faskel as I remembered him, but an odd, almost distorted combination of us both. It was a sight I did not in the least relish. My head was still gripped in the vise maintained by Eet’s hold and I could not turn away. But as I watched, the misty Faskel faded and I was myself again.
    â€œYou see—it can be done,” was Eet’s comment as he released me and flowed down my body to the floor.
    â€œ You did it.”
    â€œOnly in part. There has been, with my help, a breakthrough. Your species use only a small fraction of your brain. You are content to do so. This wastage should shame you forever. Practice will aid you. And with a new face you will not have to fear going where you can find a pilot.”
    â€œIf we ever can.” I push-buttoned a chair out of the wall and sat down with a sigh. My worries were a heavy burden. “We shall have to take a black-listed man if we get any.”
    â€œ Ssssss —” No sound, only an impression of one in my mind. Eet had flashed to the door of the room, was crouched against it, his whole attitude one of strained listening, as if all his body, not just his ear, served him for