"Well—he killed Lieutenant Anderson. Completely annihilated her with a simple act of will." She glanced at the bewildered expression on Tensor's face, and favored him with a quick little smile. "He is extremely powerful. He would be a very good friend."
Tensor broke in asking, "What is all this talk now? I do not understand the purpose of it."
"Don't you worry," she murmured softly, reaching up and patting him on the knee. "Just have patience."
The panel rasped at them. "I see. Do you know if there are many of them?"
"He told me it was between thirty and a hundred, but nobody knows for sure. Presumably they don't have very much communication with each other."
"Ah," rasped the panel in a satisfied tone. "Just a minute. I'll get a directive from the Captain for you."
Tensor nodded slightly as he said, "Oh, I see. That is your Council you are talking to."
"Uh huh," she replied, dodging the hand that sought her hair again. She smiled coyly. "Now just wait. I want to hear what my superiors say." She pushed at him playfully, her smile growing strained as she desperately tried to kill time.
Tensor was amused. Yes, he decided, it was time to go. He was not at all sure that he wanted to go, but he felt that it was wise. He had never in his life engaged in such lengthy and violent exercise and was alarmed at the thought of the fatigue pains he would have when he restored his balance to a civilized neutral again.
The panel rasped noisily at them.