Psi Factor - Excerpt

"I’m telling you these things so you understand that I'm not playing games with you.  I haven't got time for that and I'm certainly not in the mood."

Pausing, Hankura took a swallow from his glass and Otian followed suit, waiting for him to continue.

"Is it fair to estimate that 3 1/2 million credits will pay off your creditors and repair your ship?" Hankura asked bluntly.

Otian swallowed, choking a little on the fiery tasting liquid.  "Y-yes."

"All right, then I can provide that without too much trouble.  In exchange, as I said, I want passage for my wife and our two children and me to Velran as soon as possible." Then Hankura paused, quirking a dark eye brow knowingly at the young man across the table from him.  "What's the catch, right?"

"It crossed my mind," Otian admitted, keeping his youthful features schooled into an emotionless mask.  But even without deliberate probing, Hankura could sense his churning inner emotions.

"As I said, Chelle and I are psi-mates---grade eight.  I’m mainly a telepath, but she is also a psychokinetic healer.  Our five-year-old son is dawning…"

"That's it!" Otian snapped irritably, shaking his head ruefully.  "You must really think I'm desperate if you think I'd take on a dawner."

"I think you are," Hankura countered earnestly.  "I think you're just as desperate as I am, Otian.  Do you know what we've been through?  My son has existed in a nearly unbroken catatonic state ever since his powers began to emerge several months ago.  Chelle and I can't reach him.  There's nothing we can do to help him.  Nothing!"

Hankura raised his glass to his lips again in took a deep pull, closing his Emerald eyes as the fiery drink burned its way down to his stomach.

"Jamerin needs more help them we can give him.  He will never have a normal life without the kind of help he can get on Velran.  Velran is our only hope." He paused.  "I won't lie to you Otian.  There is some danger.  Jamerin did have one lapse, and fortunately the damage to his governess was reversible.  But--"

"And you want me to take you to him on it my ship?  Do you think I'm insane?" The young captain demanded indignantly.

" He's my son." Hankura murmured vehemently.

Otian calmed a little in the face of Hankura's quiet dignity.

" Look, Otian.  I can't deny that he's potentially dangerous.  Any psi-path is potentially dangerous.  If we had been there when he reached his particular crisis, his governess may not have been injured at all…  But, we weren't there.  On your ship, Chelle and I would both be there to monitor him constantly." Hankura continued.  "It's most likely that none of your crew would have any contact with Jamerin at all.  And I assure you, Otian that if you agree to my proposition, Chelle and I will do everything humanly possible to keep him under control."

"What about your other child?"

"Lara is three.  Even though she's dawning too, her situation is entirely different.  Her powers are coming gradually and she is in control.  She is a lovely, gentle child, and we have no reason to suspect that she will have Jamerin's problems."

" Goddess, Jesus, Buddha, and Allah!" Otian muttered and took an eye opening swallow of carava.  "You've got me against the wall and you know it!  If I turn you down, I'll lose my ship for sure.  If I agree---I might still lose my ship and everything else."

"Otian, I can't deny the facts, but I wouldn't risk my wife and daughter’s lives as well as my own if I believed anything like you fear would happen." He asserted.

"No, but we're talking about your son." Otian answered slowly.  " I can't ignore the fact that your feelings might be clouding your judgment. Hankura, there's no getting around the fact that this could be an extremely dangerous proposition for us all."

"And there could be no danger and all!" Hankura countered impatiently.  "Damn it!  He's my son." He glared, slamming his glass to the table so hard that the thick magenta liquid sloshed over the sides.  "Because of Chelle and me, he's the way he is now.  We have to take whatever risks there are to help them, or we will lose him forever.  We have no choice!"

Anger and frustration overwhelmed him, and Hankura felt himself quickly losing his perspective on the situation.  It was just no good.  Why couldn't load Otian see what this meant to him?  Why wouldn't he understand?

Hankura shook his head and jumped up from his seat without warning, his eyes flashing green sparks.  He felt just as helpless now is when he was trying to claw his way out of the concrete cell in the Tregan prison camp to help Chelle.

" I gave you my offer," Hankura growled, fighting back his rising temper.  "I'm in the directory.  Com me by noon with your decision." With that Hankura started toward the exit.

"But Hankura, I---" Otian protested, but the Aledan was already nearing the doorway on the far side of the lounge.  "Hey, Hankura, wait!" The young captain called after him

Hankura!  It was the silent beckoning of his mate that stopped him just outside the lounge in the corridor, not Otian's voice.  My darling, your feelings are clouding the issue.  You know as well as I that Otian's fears aren't totally unfounded.  Help him understand why we need to take the risks.  Let yourself understand that he is troubled as well.

"Hankura, you gotta understand…" Otian asserted and stopped abruptly at the vacant look in at the Aledan’s eyes.

Then Hankura blinked his eyes into focus.  "Yes, you're right Otian.  I'm sorry." He said quietly, soothed inwardly by his mate's calmer assessment of the situation.  "Our problem with Jamerin has become increasingly more difficult for me to deal with.  I want to help him; I need to help him…  But I haven't got the knowledge or the power to do it myself.  Our only chance is to seek help from the Wholaskans on Velran.  If I have to buy a ship to get there, we'll probably lose our home."

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his khaki lounging slacks, Otian nodded.  "I sort of know how you feel.  You're offering me something I desperately need in exchange for something that seems simple on the surface.  If it were just that simple, I'd jump that the chance.  I'm tempted to take the chance anyway just so I can keep my ship.  I want to help you, Hankura; you seem like a right kind of guy, but I might lose my ship either way.  And I've got 14 other people to think about besides myself.  So far, since my father died, I haven't done very well by them.  I don't want to make another mistake."

"Well, I don't want it to be a mistake for either of us." Hankura said. "Why don't you discuss this with your crew.  Maybe then, the dilemma will seem less formidable.  You are welcome to come to our home and meet my family if it will help you make your decision---at your convenience.  I will provide transportation."

"Thank you." Otian nodded graciously.  "I'll com you after I meet with my crew and let you know when we can come out."

"Good, but make it soon.  If we can't come to an agreement, I have to make other arrangements quickly.  Chelle and I have waited too long already."

"I understand." Otian nodded again.  "I’ll call a crew meeting as soon as I return to my ship.  I'll com you soon.”

"Fine." Hankura agreed.  "We'll be waiting to hear from you."