"You can understand the thoughts that I speak, but I cannot understand
your language." Jandro said.
"There's only one answer," Dreyer said to his companions. "Is it
agreeable to all of us?"
The others nodded, and Dreyer spoke quickly in Jandro's tongue. "We
will do whatever is in our power."
"I feel that you are sufficiently intelligent to keep your word,"
said Jandro. "When one of your enemies next enters the room, I will
overpower him and you will be free to seize his weapon and to leave.
I will be with you later, though you do not see me. I will visit the
others now."
The image and the voice were suddenly gone, and the four men looked at
each other as if awakening from a dream that they had miraculously
shared.
"So the organs they graft in give them telepathic powers," said Terry.
"It's funny he didn't get wise to us from the very first when we used
spoken language all the time. Or was he reading our minds?"
"No, he wasn't, and can't," said Phyfe. "Recall his words that he
had to have us speak in his own language in order for him to receive
communication from us here. It would suggest that one faculty was
used in impressing our minds with his message, and another was used
in detecting our speech. As for our using spoken language at first,
he probably allowed for it because we were strangers and gave us the
prerogative of selecting our own medium of communication. Do you agree,
Dreyer?"
* * * * *
The semanticist nodded. "I think we have witnessed at least two
separate functions of the organs grafted into Jandro. And I would
suggest that we are about to witness still another if he is able to
keep his promise of overpowering the next Disciple to enter our room.
Also, do not forget the semantic implications of the _abasa_ to Jandro.
He is a man and we are lower animals to his way of thinking. It may not
ever be possible to alter that view. We should act accordingly."
There was a moment of silence, then they grew tense with expectancy
as the sound of the door lock clicked in the silence and one of the
Disciples entered the room.
He stood in the doorway surveying them, a middle-aged man, erect of
bearing, obviously a professional militarist. He said stiffly, "In the
name of the Great One you are ordered to appear before the Commander
for questioning. You will come at--."
A sudden glassy stare crept into his eyes, and a look of intolerable
agony flashed across his face. His stiffened, arrogant form stood in
utter lifelessness. Then, slowly, it crashed to the floor.
_CHAPTER FOURTEEN_
Underwood swept up the gun that fell from the loosened fingers before
it hit the floor. He jerked it into firing position and approached the
open iris of the doorway cautiously. The corridor was clear for the
moment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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