The group of Adepts and Readers was now too large to work as a unit; they were working individually and in small groups, studying the map, attempting to decide where to apply pressure to allow those precariously balanced rock edges under the earth to settle into a stable position without wreaking destruction in the land above.
Master Clement had made the map by the dangerous procedure of leaving his body to travel the length of the fault, to distances beyond the safe range of even a Master Reader. That was probably the final blow to Portia's trust; he had spent hours out of body, he told them, instead of just the few minutes at a time required to contact Lenardo. He guessed that Portia had been unable to contact him during that long mental journey, and decided it was too suspicious to allow to go unpunished.
This he had told them while directing Lenardo, Aradia, and Wulfston to create the physical map in the wax tablets. "It is fortunate," he added, "that I have many friends among the Masters. It is even more fortunate Portia has no Adept powers-else my heart might simply have stopped, and who would have questioned heart failure in an old man? But if she wanted to kill me, Portia would have had to send someone who would then have been dangerous to her."
"Do you think Portia morally capable of such an act?" Lenardo had asked.
"Six Master Readers have died in the past year," Master Clement replied grimly. "How much Portia had to do with that fact I cannot say, but she made a very serious error in keeping secret your mission to stop Galen. She has taken one action after another to cover her mistake-and since it was discovered, she is in panic. She sends people she fears into dangerous situations, hoping to be rid of them. Those in Portia's inner circle are closing ranks with her to protect themselves."
How long, Torio wondered, could the Readers hope to keep the corruption at their center a secret? According to Master Clement, most Masters of Academies, living far from the center of government, were only now discovering the true situation in Tiberium. They still hoped to clean their own house-there was talk of unseating Portia-but if she Read their threats there was no telling what she might do.
"Once it becomes public," Master Clement had said sadly, "there is no hope that Readers will be allowed to continue self-government. Our first priorities must be to prevent the destruction of the empire, and stop the war-but next we must bring the best young Readers out of the empire, before either Portia's schemes destroy them or the government virtually enslaves them."
Torio was alone in the courtyard, lost in thought, when Melissa came to find him. "I thought you never stopped Reading when you were awake," she said, sitting down next to him. "I couldn't get your attention."
"I'm sorry. I was wondering what will happen to all the Readers in the empire once the corruption in the Council becomes public knowledge."
"Politics," she said. "I never took an interest in it-but I doubt much will happen. Senators are often corrupt-and all that happens is that when someone gets caught he's unseated. The whole Senate isn't broken up."
"Senators are expected to seek power. Readers are not," said Torio. "Melissa, did you ever hear the legend of the first Reader?"
"Of course. Nobody's supposed to know it, and everybody does. But it's just a legend, Torio-a horror story children tell to frighten each other."
"A horror story? Or a cautionary tale? If nonReaders had their way, Readers would be imprisoned, maimed, tortured to force them to work for those in power. We are simply more civilized about it. Our dungeons are the Academies-any child who shows Reading ability is taken from his family, by force if necessary, and locked up in an Academy until he is no longer dangerous."
"And the greater his powers," Melissa said in wonder, "the longer he remains there. Talk about twisting minds! Look at what we believe."
"Aye," said Torio. "A lifetime in the Academy, in isolation from nonReaders, is the ideal, granted only to those in the top ranks… keeping those with greatest power away from the temptation to use it. Readers are forbidden to hold office, and discouraged from taking an interest in politics. And those who cannot resist the lure of power-"
"Must seek it in devious ways," said Melissa, "as Portia has. Torio, we are maimed, as surely as if they crippled us physically."
"More so," he said thoughtfully. "Look at Decius. There is little his physical disability keeps him from-it didn't prevent his escaping."
"Nor you," she said, touching his face with her soft hand. "But Torio, you should see, and Decius should have two good legs. We are crippled by having half our powers denied us."
"No longer," he replied. "We know the truth now-and the more people who know it, the more they will encourage the rest of their powers. As you have."
As Melissa dropped her hand from his face, Torio caught it in his. When she pulled back, he said, "I'm sorry-"
"No," she replied, "don't apologize. I'm sorry, Torio. I'm not used to the way people touch each other here. I'm not sure what it means."
"It means friendship," he replied; it was not the time to suggest that it might mean more. "But right now, if we don't study that map as we're supposed to, we'll have a great deal to apologize for!"
The plan was for the group of Readers and Adepts to spend the day studying the map, and in the evening share suggestions for distributing their Readers so that every Adept could hear, or at least see one.
But that was not possible. Eight Readers could not be stretched almost the length of the empire. They could use watchers, but flashing lights were too likely to be spotted. Moreover, it took precious time for a watcher to read a signal and pass it on-time they would not have while trying to control immense forces of nature.
A frustrated assembly gathered around Lenardo's table that evening, after a meal at which even the Adepts had eaten little. "In some areas" Rolf pointed out, "the fault line runs almost under the main road through the empire. Those of us with lesser powers have to be close, or we can do nothing. I know I'm going as a Reader, but I know the limitations of minor Adept talents."
"We must have people right along the road," said Aradia. "And here, where the land is flat for long stretches, where do we place watchers?"
"At least the troop movements will obscure the fact that so many strangers are wandering along the roads," said Master Clement.
"But half the minor Adepts are women," said Melissa. "We can't disguise them as soldiers."
"What about dressing all the women as Readers?" Torio suggested.
"No," said Melissa, "not in white-they'd be sure to be caught out by other Readers. But ordinary clothes and badges-the Sign of the Dark Moon!" And as she spoke the words, all the other Readers around the table felt Melissa's inspiration. "That's it! That's where we can get other Readers! The Path of the Dark Moon!"
"What?" asked Lenardo and Master Clement together.
"You Master Readers-you pay no attention to your old friends who were failed," she replied, "but they're all over the empire, working as Readers in minor capacities."
"But child," said Master Clement, "why would they help us? That would be betraying their own people."