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The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
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«You still don't understand,» Sheffield pounded. «They were nowhere near 'Nomad' when they set you adrift. They were six hundred thousand miles from 'Nomad'.»
«Six hundred thous…?»
«Nomad' was too far out of the shipping lanes. They wanted you to drift where ships would pass. They took you six hundred thousand miles sunward and set you adrift. They put you through the air lock and backed off, watching you drift. Your suit lights were blinking and you were moaning for help on the micro-wave. Then you disappeared.»
«Disappeared?»
«You were gone. No more lights, no more broadcast. They came back to check. You were gone without a trace. And the next thing we learned you got back aboard 'Nomad'.»
«Impossible.»
«Man, you space-jaunted!» Sheffield said savagely. «You were patched and delirious, but you space-jaunted. You space-jaunted six hundred thousand miles through the void back to the wreck of the 'Nomad.' You did something that's never been done before. God knows how. You don't even know yourself, but we're going to find out. I'm taking you out to the Satellites with me and we'll get that secret out of you if we have to tear it out.»
He took Foyle's throat in his powerful hand and hefted the gun in the other. «But first I want the PyrE. You'll produce it, Foyle. Don't think you won't.» He lashed Foyle across the forehead with the gun. «I'll do anything to get it. Don't think I won't.» He smashed Foyle again, coldly, efficiently. «If you're looking for a purge, man, you've found it!»
Bunny leaped off the public jaunte stage at Five-Points and streaked into the main entrance of Central Intelligence's New York Office like a frightened rabbit. He shot past the outermost guard cordon, through the protective labyrinth, and into the inner offices. He acquired a train of excited pursuers and found himself face to face with the more seasoned guards who had calmly jaunted to positions ahead of him and were waiting.
Bunny began to shout: «Yeovil! Yeovil! Yeovil!»
Still running, he dodged around desks, kicked over chairs, and created an incredible uproar. He continued his yelling: «Yeovil! Yeovil! Yeovil!» Just before they were about to put him out of his misery, Y'ang-Yeovil appeared.
«What's all this?» he snapped. «I gave orders that Miss Wednesbury was to have absolute quiet.»
«Yeovil!» Bunny shouted.
«Who's that?»
«Sheffield's assistant.»
«What. . . Bunny?»
«Foyle!» Bunny howled. «Gully Foyle.
«You still don't understand,» Sheffield pounded. «They were nowhere near 'Nomad' when they set you adrift. They were six hundred thousand miles from 'Nomad'.»
«Six hundred thous…?»
«Nomad' was too far out of the shipping lanes. They wanted you to drift where ships would pass. They took you six hundred thousand miles sunward and set you adrift. They put you through the air lock and backed off, watching you drift. Your suit lights were blinking and you were moaning for help on the micro-wave. Then you disappeared.»
«Disappeared?»
«You were gone. No more lights, no more broadcast. They came back to check. You were gone without a trace. And the next thing we learned you got back aboard 'Nomad'.»
«Impossible.»
«Man, you space-jaunted!» Sheffield said savagely. «You were patched and delirious, but you space-jaunted. You space-jaunted six hundred thousand miles through the void back to the wreck of the 'Nomad.' You did something that's never been done before. God knows how. You don't even know yourself, but we're going to find out. I'm taking you out to the Satellites with me and we'll get that secret out of you if we have to tear it out.»
He took Foyle's throat in his powerful hand and hefted the gun in the other. «But first I want the PyrE. You'll produce it, Foyle. Don't think you won't.» He lashed Foyle across the forehead with the gun. «I'll do anything to get it. Don't think I won't.» He smashed Foyle again, coldly, efficiently. «If you're looking for a purge, man, you've found it!»
Bunny leaped off the public jaunte stage at Five-Points and streaked into the main entrance of Central Intelligence's New York Office like a frightened rabbit. He shot past the outermost guard cordon, through the protective labyrinth, and into the inner offices. He acquired a train of excited pursuers and found himself face to face with the more seasoned guards who had calmly jaunted to positions ahead of him and were waiting.
Bunny began to shout: «Yeovil! Yeovil! Yeovil!»
Still running, he dodged around desks, kicked over chairs, and created an incredible uproar. He continued his yelling: «Yeovil! Yeovil! Yeovil!» Just before they were about to put him out of his misery, Y'ang-Yeovil appeared.
«What's all this?» he snapped. «I gave orders that Miss Wednesbury was to have absolute quiet.»
«Yeovil!» Bunny shouted.
«Who's that?»
«Sheffield's assistant.»
«What. . . Bunny?»
«Foyle!» Bunny howled. «Gully Foyle.