. The drum unlocked, rotated and popped into alignment with the next chamber as the enemy’s weapon recharged. He raised the rifle and lined up on his opponent’s forehead. This time, the force was more than sufficient to penetrate. The soldier collapsed in a heap where he stood. The bullet, he realized, had been preloaded with a flux charge. It …

. He swore as the woman faded out again. Don’t shoot? Nam must have meant ‘don’t shoot the newcomers’, he decided. As the crack of good, old-fashioned rifle fire added itself to the sounds of battle, he did his best to shield her with his body. He was definitely hearing whinnies and snorts, so at least the horses were just …

. After pondering her answer, Nam chose to simply state,”They cannot sense whether they have a shot, Jack.” He looked down at her with a frown. “Why would they be unable to sense us when I can sense them?” “Jack… what you are doing is not something just anyone can learn. The squad leader can probably sense our positions, but …

. Alarmed, Nam pushed her mind out past the squad leader and discovered that Jack was right. Seven of the soldiers were advancing on their position now. They all appeared to be ordinary soldiers, but they were armed well enough. In fact they were equipped identically to the two that had attacked along with the Ilidi woman before. She had …

. Nam stared up at the man kneeling in firing position and pulled in a steadying breath so she could speak without scolding him. “Jack, what are you doing out here?” His eyes flicked over and down at her for just a moment before returning their fixed aim on something out of her sight. “Quiet. We have company,” he answered. …

. Meg Garner slumped over the kitchen table, crying into her crossed arms. Sandra sat beside her, unable to help. She had struggled since the previous day to find a way to reach her daughter. Her latest hopes had risen with the arrival of this envelope. Its contents, an assortment of pictures intended for her daughter’s enjoyment, now lay next …

. Jack had less than complete confidence in any impression he received from his new sense, but he felt close to certain that Nam was losing her ability to do what she was currently doing. It was like watching an old-fashioned incandescent flashlight running low on battery. “Rogan, I think your partner’s in trouble,” he called. They crouched in positions …

. If she had more time remaining, she could circle around and direct Rogan and Jack’s attention down the opposite slope, grouping the skirmishers on the ground and the wingers pursuing her on the same side in the bargain. She did not have the luxury of more time, at the rate at which she was tiring. Fatigue ate at her …

. Her lungs pumped at a fevered pace as her arts pushed her body far beyond natural limits. Forms controlled by the cheetah unen included in her necklace of claws and fangs found the path ahead, calculating exactly where each step should fall as she dashed down the winding forest path at suicidal speeds. The cheetah unen also accounted for …

. He scratched his face and chuckled. “Well, it is certainly never something I expected to talk about. You should not be able to sense it, Jack. You do not have any Gireidil blood, I think. Least you do not look it.” Then he grinned. “As for what I was doing… the Osri of Earth have a remarkably similar tool, …