“It gets worse,” the spirit entity said wearily, as he dropped Norr’s body into a chair. “My onetime son, which is to say the man you knew as Kane, continues to work for the Society. And, while none of us can see into the physical plane with much clarity, it was he who directed Shaz to Thara.”
“But how?” Hoggles wanted to know.
“They have a sensitive, a man named Dyson, who can bring Kane through,” Lysander explained.
“So what are they waiting for?” Rebo wondered. “They know where we are, and they know we have Logos, so what’s holding them back?”
“They want Socket,” Logos put in grimly. “Then, assuming they can force me to do their bidding, they’ll have everything they need to reestablish the network.”
“And could they?” Hoggles inquired curiously. “Get you to do their bidding that is?”
“Of course not!” the AI lied hotly. “What do you take me for?”
“A somewhat self-centered computer program,” Lysander commented cynically. “But you’re all we have.”
“So what would you suggest?” Rebo inquired pragmatically. “Kane could follow us anywhere.”
“Yes,” the disincarnate agreed. “But the task remains. . . . Once you reach Socket, and Logos takes control, it will be too late for them to interfere. Socket has defenses that will keep them at bay.”
“Or had,” Logos put in cynically. “They might be in need of maintenance by now.”
“I don’t know,” the runner said doubtfully. “It sounds pretty iffy to me.”
“And me,” Hoggles added. “So where did this Shaz person go? Maybe we could track him down.”
But Norr’s body gave a convulsive jerk at that point, her eyelids fl?uttered, and she looked confused. “What happened?”
“Lysander paid you a visit,” Rebo said disgustedly. “And guess what? The Techno Society knows where we are.”
The sensitive was still in the process of absorbing that piece of unwelcome information when Logos spoke to her. “It’s not as bad as it sounds,” the AI said reassuringly. “Because even though they know where we are, they don’t know where we’re going. There’s only one person who knows that: me.”
While many of the billions of disincarnate spirits who populated the spirit planes preferred life in the ethereal realms to that on the physical plane, Kane was not one of them, and therefore welcomed the summons when it came. The sensation was barely felt, as when a child tugs on a pant leg, but very persistent. And that was a sure sign that rather than merely being remembered by one of the many people Kane had known during his most recent incarnation, one or more individuals were determined to make contact with him. So, eager to revisit the material world, no matter how briefl?y, Kane directed his energy toward those who were focused on him. And, having already agreed to continue his relationship with the Techno Society, the ex-operative was far from surprised to discover that Shaz and Dyson were waiting for him. A female was present as well, and even though Kane didn’t recognize her vibration, he felt a natural affi?nity for the dark energy that seethed around her. It was easier to enter Dyson’s body the second time, pleasantly so, and Kane felt something akin to an orgasm as all of his physical senses were magically restored. His vision, which was to say Dyson’s vision, blurred, then cleared. Both Shaz and a beautiful woman sat opposite him. With the exception of some ring bolts and the darkish stains around them, the wall behind the pair was featureless. Darkness gathered where the lamplight couldn’t reach. “Not that it matters,” Kane croaked, “but where am I?”
“We’re sitting in the basement of the Techno Society’s headquarters on Thara,” the combat variant replied evenly.
“Ah,” Kane responded gravely. “So you followed my counsel.”
“Yes,” Shaz confi?rmed. “And they have Logos. I heard it speak.”
In spite of the fact that Kane generally preferred life on the physical plane to his present existence, there were advantages to being dead. Chief among them was the fact that it was impossible for enemies to murder him. Not Shaz, not anyone. So, rather than fear the combat variant as he once had, the disincarnate was free to needle him. “You heard the AI speak? But left the device where it was? I suspect Chairman Tepho will wonder why.”
“He knows why,” Shaz replied defensively. “We need Socket . . . which is why you were summoned. Since they don’t have access to the local star gate, the sensitive and her companions will be forced to board the next ship.”
“Assuming it comes,” Du Phan put in emotionlessly.
“Yes,” the variant acknowledged. “Assuming it comes, the ship will carry them to Derius. Watch over them to the extent that you can. We’ll be waiting when they arrive.”
A frown wrinkled Dyson’s brow. “You want me to protect them?” Kane inquired incredulously.
“For the moment, yes,” Shaz replied sternly. “The trip is risky in and of itself . . . But what if something were to happen to them in transit? So your task is to provide whatever assistance you can.”
“Why not board the ship yourself?” the dead man wanted to know.
“Because they’re on the lookout for a combat variant now,” Shaz responded. “Your onetime father saw to that. . . . And the woman might sense a hostile presence.”
“I can try,” Kane allowed. “But it won’t be easy. Locating something on the physical plane is like feeling your way through a thick fog. And once their ship enters hyperspace, the task will become that much more diffi? cult.”
“Do what you can,” Shaz insisted, “and we will speak to you on Derius.”
Kane eyed the woman and forced Dyson to smile. “I don’t believe we have met.”
Phan knew the look and allowed a smile to touch her lips. “No, I don’t believe we have. My name is Du Phan.”
