Channel's Destiny

Lon Carson said something similar to what Zeth had been thinking when he resurfaced into awareness. "We can spare some supplies, maybe even a milk cow."

"We can contribute," said Glian Lodge for the ranchers. "Owen, the next time you—"

Zeth managed not to squirm, and Owen quickly answered, "I won't be crossing the border anymore, Uncle Glian. But we'll find other couriers, and you're always welcome here."

Zeth's blur of relief ended only when the ambient nager shifted with the departure of Lodge and Carson. Then the

group around the table could tackle the most serious problem: the lack of Gens for those who had to kill.

Slina's Gens had been brought to Fort Freedom before the attack and sheltered in three houses near the wall. Their nager had attracted the Raiders; they had smashed the wall and killed more than half the Gens by setting fire to the houses to drive them out. Others had died in the fires. "We got a two-week supply left," said Slina. "That's a two-week normal supply. Sick Simes, they need extra kills. Abel, we'll be out in ten days, easy."

"How long—?"

"I sent Risko over to Ardo Pass this morning. Ol' Mack owes me a favor, but no way is it go

"Then," said Abel very quietly, "until you have replenished your supply, we ca

"Hey, now," Slina began, "there's no way—!" Then she stopped. "You mean everybody should—? The cha

"Slina, that is the only way—unless you want to see Simes mad with need cross the border to kill the very people who just saved our lives?"

"Shen," she murmured, staring at her tight-clasped hands, handling tentacles wrapped protectively around them. "I don't think I could stand—" Her field ached with revulsion.

'No one is asking you to disjunct," said Abel. "This is a severe emergency. Everyone must accept cha

"You go

"Slina," Abel said gently, "have we ever tried to persuade you?"

"Naw," she admitted. "That's why I trust you with my kid." She sighed. "It gives me the creeps to think it. But if anybody knows how hard it is to be sure everyone who needs a Gen can get one, it's a Gendealer. Shen and shid! This coulda happened at least five times since Rimon come here, 'cept you people come and healed my sick Gens and stretched the use of healthy ones. I owe you. The townspeople owe you. I'll convince 'em. Go ahead and have the cha

When the meeting was over, Zeth and Owen went to the chapel, where Rimon was shielded in one of the back rooms. In the other room was the young Freehand Raider. Being moved while unconscious had distorted his Sime sense of precisely where he was in the world—the new sense Zeth had awakened to that very morning. Owen put his arm about Zeth's shoulders as they passed, to be sure Zeth did not get caught up in the boy's nager.

Owen remained precisely at Zeth's left shoulder as they entered Rimon's room. Cha

Rimon Farris lay unconscious, Uel Whelan beside him, while Hank Steers lay sound asleep on a pallet on the floor. Yet even in sleep Hank's field was a steady support for Uel.

With the dirt and soot washed off his face, Rimon appeared dead, pale, his breathing so shallow as almost not to disturb the covers that were heaped across his middle. His blistered legs were smeared with shiny salve. Pain penetrated even Rimon's unconscious state.

Last night Rimon had been vigorous, animated. Now Zeth could find almost no trace of his father in what he saw or what he zli

Wishing he could help, but glad Uel was there to take the responsibility, Zeth moved closer, automatically sliding into healing mode. Uel said, "Zeth—where did you learn that?"

"From Dad, last night."

"Of course. Someone said they put you right to work, poor kid. And we'll have to work you some more. We're out of almost all our medicines—Mr. Lansing brought his last aloe plant for Rimon's burns. He and Len Deevan are going out to the Old Homestead to harvest mushrooms today. Then they'll head down south to sell them for medicines and herbs. In the meantime, all we've got are cha

"What do you want us to do, Uel?". asked Owen.

"Relieve Jord. He's going to' try to give a couple of transfers this morning—after that, do as much as you can with the Simes. Owen, you keep Zeth doing what he's assigned, and not trying anything else."

"We'll manage," said Zeth, trying to hide his apprehension.

Just as they came out of Rimon's room, Glian Lodge

emerged from the main room of the chapel, half leading Eph Norton. "Owen," said the rancher, "can you show me the Deevan house? They told us we could stay there."

"Yeah—probably in Len's room, while he's away. It's the house with the big apple tree—about five houses down the street."

They had to raise their voices over the moans coming from the room where the young Raider was. Suddenly the incoherent shouts turned to words: "Papa! No, Papa, no!" A thud, as the boy hurled himself against the barred door.

Simultaneously, Zeth realized that the boy was shouting in English and that Eph Norton's field had suddenly gone wild. "No!" he groaned. "Jimmy! Oh, my God. Oh, my God!"

Owen was trying to step in front of the door to stop the flaring Gen fields from irritating the boy inside, and at the same time maneuver Zeth to where he was shielded, too.

Eph Norton took the move as if the boys were trying to bar him from the room, demanding hoarsely, "Who's in there?"

"One of the Raiders," said Zeth. "A young boy—can't be many months past changeover."

"A young boy? Jimmy?"

As if in answer, the boy inside the room cried, "Papa! Please, Papa! Don't lock me in the barn! Let me out!"

Norton was white with shock. "That's my son! Dear God, why?"

Glian Lodge was staring at Zeth and Owen. "A Raider? What can you do with him? He's a raving monster."

Zeth said, "I don't know what we're going to do with him, but we can't just murder him, can we?" The way I was almost murdered. He forced the thought aside.

"I meant to," said Norton. "I locked him in the barn, went for my gun—he broke out! I never saw him again. It wasn't three weeks later I met Owen, and he told me about– I could have sent him—" He broke into sobs.

"Eph, you can't be sure that's Jimmy," said Lodge.

"It's Jimmy. I want to see him."'

"No," Zeth and Owen chorused, Zeth's sympathy for the boy's situation putting him a beat behind. Then Owen continued, "He can't help himself, Mr. Norton. He's been living like a Freehand Raider for months. Now he has an injured lateral and he's hallucinating. It could make him do anything,"

Glian Lodge said, "You don't have to guard the door,

boys. I'll see that Eph doesn't do anything stupid. Come on now—if it is Jimmy, you can't help him now." He looked to Zeth. "Do I understand right that his upset will upset the boy?"

"That's right."

"So the best thing you can do is let me put you back to bed. You were only supposed to walk down the street." As he led the man out, he added, "We'll talk to this Abel Veritt. He seems a good sort—you even forget he's a Sime, y'know?"