'Sabre doesn't know where you are?' Frakes shook his head. 'Like I said, I didn't get a chance to call back.'
'Damn!' That meant they couldn't expect help from UNSA. And if Hans Maiar had the coordinates, it wouldn't be long before he sent someone else to Clarion.
Through the archway Paul could see that
Dorland had returned to the chauka and was again talking to Elli. He stepped past Frakes and picked his way through the pedestals. As he neared Dorland, he felt the buzz in his mind and heard Elli speaking:
*Kra'ith (group/touch) Dorland can see——best youth kra'ith*
'We have to get out of here,' Paul said to Dorland. 'The deacons and Sons will be here in a few minutes.'
Dorland's eyes left Elli with a visible effort and focused on Paul. 'We can't leave the chauka. If High Elder Brill finds it, he'll destroy it.'
'We don't have any choice,' Paul said. 'We're running out of time—'
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'We already have,' said Karyn, behind him. Paul turned around. Karyn and Jacque stood in the doorway. 'They're coming. Jacque saw them about halfway from the temple. They'd spot us before we ever reached the tubes.'
*Tem kra'ith (unpleasant)——(?)*
Dorland turned back to Elli. 'Yes, unpleasant. What do you know about the Tern kra'ithT'
*Tem kra'ith (group/touch) nevermore——dark
edge*
'Let's move back,' Paul said. He couldn't think with the constant intrusion of Elli's thoughts.
'Was that—?' Frakes rubbed his head. 'It seemed like . . .'
'She's telepathic,' Paul said. 'Or close to it.' He turned to Karyn. 'If we can't reach the tubes, we'll have to find another way out of here.'
'There isn't another way out,' Karyn said.
'Anyway, we have a bigger problem.'
'They're bringing another floater,' Jacque said.
'It'll get here first. With that big gun, it'll pound this old building to pieces.'
'And knives and a single burp gun won't stop it,' Karyn pointed out.
'What's a floater?' Frakes wanted to know.
'Combat car,' Paul answered.
'Like the one we commandeered?'
Paul nodded.
'I was afraid of that.' Frakes chewed his lower lip. Then: 'Maybe another combat car can stop it.' Paul knew immediately what he was suggesting.
'Can you do it?'
'I can give it a try,' Frakes said. 'But there's no way I'll be able to drive and shoot at the same time.'
It took Frakes a few minutes to get the combat car's engines started, then a few more to maneuver it a hundred
