New tendrils of awareness were beginning to creep into his mind, both from the buildings surrounding the park and the cars on the streets bordering it. He could hear the screech of brakes as startled drivers slammed to a halt, snarling traffic and adding to the confusion and growing panic. Instinctively, Shapur threw himself against the fear, even as he'd done with the children. Don't panic! It's all right, we'll be all right. Together we can handle whatever is happening. Fear and panic will gain you nothing. The children joined with him, adding their strength to his assault. The wave of fear poised for a moment against their island of reason... and then, slowly, the wave's strength began to decay. True, there was nothing like tranquility or joy yet in the growing web, but the cautious wait-and-see attitude that was rapidly smothering the panic was a big improvement.
So engrossed had Shapur become in the happenings around him that someone else first noticed that his left leg was hurting. Getting a new grip on his cane, the old man began to move again toward the bench he'd originally been aiming for. He sensed and then saw two of the children detach themselves from their group and move alongside him. With their added support he reached the bench in-for him-record time.
He thanked them mentally as he sat down, and was pleased to find that happy smiles had their mental equivalent. The two ran back to their friends, and after a brief mental conference got back to their game.
Though the rules were clearly different now.
Resting back against his bench, with one part of his mind enjoying the children's game, Shapur reached out to the growing consciousness around him. Whatever was happening, he knew he'd want to stay alert and be an active part of it.
It was nighttime in eastern Lorikhan, and Ruhl Tras was fast asleep when it happened there. For him it began as a dream which, though strange, was not as nightmarish as some he'd had. Once, in the middle of the night, he woke up with his heart pounding and the taste of fear in his mouth, and he almost cried out. But, somehow, he could feel that his parents were with him, and with that strange but warm presence to calm him he rolled over and went contentedly back to sleep.
By morning he had grown reasonably accustomed to the whole thing. What all the panic was about he couldn't really understand.
Narda Jalal thought she was going insane.
"Oh, no," she gasped, clutching her head with both hands as the whispers of-what?-grew stronger. "No!
I can't-I mustn't!" She began to talk to herself, louder and louder, trying to drown out the voices invading her head. But it was no use. Louder and clearer they became, voices of fear and confusion that mirrored her own feelings. "Pahli!" she gasped in hopeless anguish. But he was lost somewhere in deep space....
Pahli? No, that was impossible. A cruel trick of her dementia- No, it's not, the voice in her head assured her. It really is happening. We're making Kohinoor over, making it so there will never again be war on our world.
For a moment she forgot the other voices. How can that be possible?
You're feeling it already. All our people are being melded into a single vast consciousness that'll span the planet. Never mind how for the moment-you'll learn soon enough. I'll be home soon, but until then we can talk telepathically as much as you like.
The voices-minds-around her had listened to the entire exchange, Narda realized, and it seemed to have relieved some of their own fears. That it was a true conversation and not something self-generated she no longer doubted, somehow. All right. But please hurry. I don't like being away from you.
His chuckle echoed through her mind. We'll never be apart again, darling. I promise.
They talked only sporadically after that. Narda had always preferred face-to-face communication over the long-distance variety, and she still couldn't see this telepathy as anything more than an elaborate wireless phone network. Still, now that she could watch what was happening without fear for her sanity, she began to get a glimmer of what Pahli had been talking about. Already she could see that this wasn't going to be just a new sort of town meeting. The more distant thoughts came, like Pahli's, as a normal spoken conversation would, but she could feel a deeper melding taking place with those people nearby.
As if she could see through their eyes or feel what they were feeling- She jerked, physically, as if she'd grabbed a live wire. For a second she'd touched Mehlid-had seen his current painting, his palette and brushes-had been as close to him as she ever was with her husband. And had enjoyed it....
Had anyone noticed? She hoped not, but knew down deep that even if she'd escaped this time it was only a temporary reprieve. All the contacts were growing stronger, and soon she wouldn't be able to avoid Mehlid's mind no matter how she tried. And then he'd learn about her silly thoughts, as would all the neighbors... and Pahli.
Oh, Pahli, she groaned, already feeling the shame that would come.
Narda? Hang on, I'm on my way home now. I'll be there soon.
She'd forgotten how near he was. Please hurry. Perhaps having him near would distract her from- Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to think of other things.
He was there within fifteen minutes, and for the last hundred meters she was able to follow his progress through his own eyes and mind. She was standing in the doorway as he brought his car to a halt and bounded up the steps, smiling all over. Narda! his thought came, wrapping itself around her like some exotic fur.
And then she was in his arms, clinging tightly to him. His mental presence, incredibly strong at this range, was almost frightening in its intensity. It was as if her six years as his wife had only let her scratch the surface of who he really was. Suddenly she could see that he was far more complex a person than she'd ever realized. It was exhilarating, but she knew they'd need a lot of quiet time together to adapt to this newly deepened relationship.
was almost frightening in its intensity. It was as if her six years as his wife had only let her scratch the surface of who he really was. Suddenly she could see that he was far more complex a person than she'd ever realized. It was exhilarating, but she knew they'd need a lot of quiet time together to adapt to this newly deepened relationship.
And in the space of a single heartbeat her passion turned to ice as a horrifying truth stabbed like lightning through her mind.
Even in the old days, Pahli wouldn't have missed the abrupt change, and he certainly didn't now. Darling, what's wrong?
She could hardly even bring herself to form the thought. There are... people watching. They're watching us!
He frowned at her, confusion uppermost in his mind. But... they're not really watching. They don't especially care what we're doing. We ran into this a little on the Susa but once the initial shock wears off you won't even notice the rest of the mind. Trust me.
She couldn't. She'd always been too private a person to change so quickly into... into an exhibitionist.
And among those who'd be watching It's not like that, Pahli protested. Abruptly, the texture of his thoughts shifted. What's this about Mehlid?
Nothing! she thought, too quickly. Even to herself it rang false.
His face hardened, and she felt his mind probing hers, searching-she knew-for evidence of infidelity. She endured the inquisition without protest, her thoughts dark with shame... and this, too, was being watched.
It seemed like a long time before he pulled back. I'm sorry, his thought came, and she sensed his own shame at his suspicions. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that.
It's all right. She tried to really mean it, but knew she didn't fool him. Steeling herself, she asked, Do you want to continue?
I guess not, he answered, and she realized his lust had drained away in the past few minutes. For a moment he sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her, and she felt his love and concern. Standing up, he found his pants and began to get into them. It'll be okay, he assured her as he dressed. It'll take a while to get used to this, but it'll be better for all of us-you'll see.