Masters Of The Vortex Part 8

Tommie left, accompanied mentally by Nadine, and reached the judge's antechamber; with Vesta taping in Middle-Plateau Tomingan everything that occurred. The approach was difficult, and Tommie's temper grew shorter and shorter.

'Get out of my way!' she bellowed finally at the sergeant-at-arms barring her way to the judicial Presence, in a voice that rattled the windows and was audible above four blocks of city traffic. 'Or shoot, if you want to get yourself and this building and half of Mingia blown clear up into the stratosphere! Jump! Before I take that blaster and shove it so far down your throat it'll hit day-before-yesterday's breakfast!'

The guard did not have quite enough nerve to shoot and Tommie almost wrenched the door of the judge's inner office off its hinges as she went in.

'What's this, pray? Get out! Sergeant-at...'

'Shut up, Rose Trellis of the Enchanting Vistas of Exotic Blooms-you're listening, not "talking. Here's two tapes of what Number One and his misbegotten sc.u.m have been doing. Play 'em! And then do something do something about 'em! And listen, you lying, double-crossing, back-biting slime-lizard!' Tommie's prettily-made-up face was in shocking contrast to the venomous fury in Tommie's eyes as she leaned over the judge's ma.s.sive desk until nose was a scant ten inches from nose. 'If that atomic blast goes off tonight you and your whole Srizonified crew will wish to all your devils you'd never been born!' about 'em! And listen, you lying, double-crossing, back-biting slime-lizard!' Tommie's prettily-made-up face was in shocking contrast to the venomous fury in Tommie's eyes as she leaned over the judge's ma.s.sive desk until nose was a scant ten inches from nose. 'If that atomic blast goes off tonight you and your whole Srizonified crew will wish to all your devils you'd never been born!'

Whirling around, Tommie strode out; nor did anyone attempt to stop her. No one knew what would happen if they did; and no one cared to find out.

Judge Trellis did not play the tapes. In panic fas.h.i.+on she called the District Attorney, who promptly made it a three-way with Number One. The three talked busily for minutes, then met in person, together with several lesser lights, in a heavily-guarded room. This conference, the subject matter of which was so obvious as to require no detailing here, went on for a long time.

So long, in fact, that Tommie and the newspaper man got back to Cloud's hotel room while Vesta was still taping a word- 91.by-word report of the proceedings. Tommie was subdued, almost apologetic.

'I know you told me not to blow up, Captain Cloud, but they made me so mad I couldn't help it.'

'In this case just as well you did; maybe better. You scared her into calling a meeting, and they've spilled every bean in the pot. We've got exactly what we wanted-enough to stop that gang right in its tracks. Now, as soon as the girls get the last of it, we'll let your editor in on it.'

It was soon over, and Cloud, after a quick run-down of the situation and a play-back of parts of the tapes for the newshawk's benefit, concluded: 'So, over the long pull, the issue isn't-can't be-in doubt. Public opinion will be aroused. There are honest judges, there are a lot of honest cops. At the next election this corrupt regime will be thrown out of office. However, that election is a year away, the present powers-that-be are all in the syndicate, and we must do something today today to stop the destruction scheduled for tonight. Little Flower-and-so-on tells me that you're a crusading type, fighting a losing battle against this mob-that they've got you just about whipped-so I thought you would be interested in taking a slug at 'em by getting out an extra- strong enough to stir up enough public sentiment so they wouldn't dare go ahead. Would you like to do that?' to stop the destruction scheduled for tonight. Little Flower-and-so-on tells me that you're a crusading type, fighting a losing battle against this mob-that they've got you just about whipped-so I thought you would be interested in taking a slug at 'em by getting out an extra- strong enough to stir up enough public sentiment so they wouldn't dare go ahead. Would you like to do that?'

'Would I?' The newsman grinned wolfishly. 'I'll get out the extra, yes; but I'll do a lot more than that. I'll print a hundred thousand dodgers and drop 'em from copters. I'll have blimps dragging streamers all over the sky. I'll buy time on every radio and tri-di station in town-have the juiciest bits of these tapes broadcast, every hour on the hour. Mister, I'll tear this town wide open before sundown tonight!'

He left, breathing fire and sulphurous smoke, and Cloud made motions to attract the Manarkan's attention.

'Nadine? These Tomingans take things big, don't they? All to the good, with one exception-will any repercussions-flare-backs-hit you? Those characters are tough, and will be desperate, and I wouldn't want to put you in line with a blaster.'

TSTo ... almost certainly not,' Nadine replied, after a minute of thought. 'They are looking for a telepath with a voice, which they won't find on Tominga. They know Manarkans well- many of us live here permanently-and I'm quite sure that none 92.of the gang would suspect such an unheard-of thing as Vesta and I have been doing. They are not imaginative, and such a thing never happened before-not here, at least.' 'No? Why not? What's strange about it?' 'The whole situation is new-unique. This is probably the first time in history that these exact circ.u.mstances-especially in regard to personnel-have come together. Consider, please, the ingredients: a real and bitter grievance, victims willing and anxious to take drastic action, a sympathetic telepath who is also an expert in shorthand, a master linguist, and, above all, a director or programmer-you-both able and willing to fit the parts together so that they work.'

'Um ... m ... m. Never thought of it in that way. Could be, I guess. Well, all we can do now is wait and see what happens.'

They waited, and saw. The crusading editor did everything he had promised. The extra hit the streets, its headlines screaming 'CORRUPTION!' in the biggest type possible to use. The taped conversations, with names, amounts, times, and places, were printed in full. The accompanying editorial should have been written with sulphuric acid on asbestos paper. The leaflets, gaily littering the city, were even more vitriolic. Every hour, on the hour, speakers gave out what sound trucks were blaring continuously-irrefutable proof that the city of Mingia was being run by a corrupt, rotten, vicious machine.

Mingia's citizens responded, but not quite as enthusiastically as the Blaster, from his limited acquaintance with the breed, had expected. There was some organizing, some demonstrating; but there was also quite a lot of 'So what? If they don't, some other gang of politicians will.'

Cloud, however, when he went to his rooms after supper, was well pleased with what he had seen. They couldn't couldn't blast 53, not after the events of the afternoon. The Chickladorians and Vesta and Nadine, when they came in, agreed with him. The situation was under control. They were tired, they said. It had been a long, hard day, and they were going to hit the sack. They left. blast 53, not after the events of the afternoon. The Chickladorians and Vesta and Nadine, when they came in, agreed with him. The situation was under control. They were tired, they said. It had been a long, hard day, and they were going to hit the sack. They left.

Cloud intended to stay awake until midnight, just to see what would happen, but he didn't. He was tired, too, and within a couple of minutes after he relaxed, alone, he was sound asleep in his chair.

Thus he did not hear the vicious thunder-clap of the atomic explosion at midnight; did not see the reflected brilliance of its 93.glare. Nor did he hear the hurrying footsteps in the hotel's corridors. What woke him up was the concussion that jarred the whole neighborhood when a half-ton bomb demolished the building which had been Number One's headquarters.

Cloud jumped up, then, and ran out into the hall and along it to Vesta's room. He pounded. No answer. The door was unlocked. He opened it. Vesta was not there!

Nadine was gone, too. So were the Chickladorians.

He rushed up to the lobby, only to encounter again the difficulty that had stopped him short before. He could not make himself understood! He could not make himself understood! He didn't know three words of Upper Plateau, and n.o.body he could find knew even one word of English, Spanish, s.p.a.ceal, or any other language at his command. He didn't know three words of Upper Plateau, and n.o.body he could find knew even one word of English, Spanish, s.p.a.ceal, or any other language at his command.

He took an elevator down to the street level and flagged a cruising cab. He handed the driver the largest Tomingan bill he had; then, pointing straight ahead and making furious pus.h.i.+ng motions, he made it plain that he knew were he wanted to go, and wanted to get there in a hurry. The hacker, stimulated by more cash than he had seen for a week, drove wherever Cloud pointed; and broke-or at least bent-most of Mingia's speed-laws in his eagerness to oblige.

Cloud's destination, of course, was the s.p.a.ce-port; but when he got to the Vortex Blaster I, Vortex Blaster I, Jim wasn't there any more. None of his crew was aboard, either. The lifeboats were all in place, but the flitter was gone. So were both suits of armor-and the semi-portables-and the spare DeLameters-and both needles -even his s.p.a.ce-hatchet! Jim wasn't there any more. None of his crew was aboard, either. The lifeboats were all in place, but the flitter was gone. So were both suits of armor-and the semi-portables-and the spare DeLameters-and both needles -even his s.p.a.ce-hatchet!

He went up to the control room and glanced over the board. Everything was on zero except one meter, which was grazing the red. All four semis and both needles were running wide open-pulling every watt they could possibly draw!

Angry as he was, Cloud did not think of cutting the circuit. If he had thought of it he wouldn't have done it. He didn't know exactly what his officers were doing, of course, but he could do a shrewd job of guessing. If he had known what they were up to he wouldn't have permitted it, but it was too late to do anything about it now. With those terrific weapons in operation they might might get back alive-without them, they certainly would not. get back alive-without them, they certainly would not. What What a land-office business those semis were doing! a land-office business those semis were doing!

They were.

Tommie and her brother, wearing Cloud's two suits of armor, 94.were each carrying carrying a semi-portable; wielding it, if not as easily as an Earthly gunner wields a sub-machine-gun, much more effectively. They were burning down a thick steel door. Well behind them, the third semi was bathing the whole front of the building in a blinding glare of radiance. In back, the fourth was doing the same to the rear wall. On the sides, the two needle-beams were darting from window to window, burning to a crisp any gangster gunner daring to show his head to aim. a semi-portable; wielding it, if not as easily as an Earthly gunner wields a sub-machine-gun, much more effectively. They were burning down a thick steel door. Well behind them, the third semi was bathing the whole front of the building in a blinding glare of radiance. In back, the fourth was doing the same to the rear wall. On the sides, the two needle-beams were darting from window to window, burning to a crisp any gangster gunner daring to show his head to aim.

For the Tomingans had not been nearly as optimistic as had Cloud, and they had made complete preparation for reprisal in case Number One should make good his threat. The Manarkan had been willing to cooperate. Thlaskin, ditto. Vesta had been quiveringly eager. Maluleme had gone along. They had not mutinied-they simply did not tell Cloud a thing about what they were going to do.

Number One had not been in his headquarters, of course, when that thousand-pound bomb let go. He thought himself safe-but he wasn't. Nadine the telepath knew exactly where he was and exactly what he was doing. Vesta the linguist poured the information along, via the Hitter's broadcaster, to the receivers of hundreds of ground-cars and copters far below. Thlaskin the Master Pilot kept the flitter close enough to the fleeing Number One so that Nadine could read him-fully, she thought-but far enough away to avoid detection. Thus, where-ever he went, Number One was pursued relentlessly, and his merciless pursuers closed in faster and faster.

Number One's flight, however, was not aimless. He knew that a snooper was on him, and had enough power of mind to s.h.i.+eld a few highly important thoughts. He wasn't really THE Big Shot. He had called Yellow Castle, though, and they had told him that he could come in in one hour-the army would be ready. But did he have an hour, or not?

He did; just barely. The saps were snapping at his heels when he switched to a jet job and took off in a screaming straight line for the Castle.

Vesta wanted to ram him, to drop a lifeboat on him, to wreck him in any way possible; but Thlaskin refused. Captain Cloud would be mad enough at what they'd done already-any such rought stuff as that that would be altogether too d.a.m.n much! And, since the rebel jets were still on the ground, Number One had reached sanctuary unharmed. would be altogether too d.a.m.n much! And, since the rebel jets were still on the ground, Number One had reached sanctuary unharmed.

95.Yellow Castle, however, was not as impregnable as the gangsters had supposed. They had armor, true, but it was not at all like Cloud's. They had weapons, true, but nothing even faintly resembling the frightful semi-portable projectors of the Galactic Patrol-nothing even remotely approaching the Patrol's beam-fed needle beams.

Thus the Tomingans, Tommie and Jim, stood in armor of proof scarcely an arm's length from Yellow Castle's heavy steel door and burned it down into a brooklet of molten metal. Then on in; blasting down everything that resisted and, finally, everything that moved. Nor did any gangster escape. Those who managed to avoid the armored pair were blasted by one of the other semis or speared by one of the needles.

Yellow Castle, already furiously ablaze, was left to burn. Jim, after giving instructions as to how his lieutenants were to dispose of such small fry as might be left alive in the city proper, helped his sister load the Blaster's weapons and armor into a ground car. They drove out into the middle of a great open field. The flitter landed; Cloud's borrowed equipment was hauled aboard. Tommie and Jim followed it.

'If you were really smart, I think you'd flit right now,' Vesta said to Tommie. 'Captain Cloud isn't going to like this a little bit.'

'I know it. I'm not smart. This was worth anything he cares to do about it. Besides, I want to thank him myself and tell him goodbye in person.'

The flitter took off and returned to her mother-s.h.i.+p. Tommie and Thlaskin put her away, then the peculiarly a.s.sorted six went up to the control room and faced the quietly seething Tellurian.

Not boldly-only Tommie and Nadine were really at ease. Jim was defiant. Thlaskin was nervous and apprehensive; Malu-leme was just plain scared. So was Vesta-her tail drooped to the floor; she seemed to have shrunk to four-fifths her normal size; her usual free-swinging, buoyant gait had changed almost to a slink.

Cloud stared at Nadine-chill, stern, aloof; an up-to-date Joan of Arc or a veritable destroying angel-nodded at her to synchronize with his mind. She did so, and her mind bore out everything implied by her att.i.tude and expression. She was outraged to her innermost fiber by the conditions she had just 96.helped to correct.

'You were the prime operator in this thing,' he thought, flatly. 'With your knowledge of law and your supposed respect for it, how could you take it into your own hands? Become part of a law-breaking mob?"

'It was necessary. Law in Mingia was shackled-completely inoperative. We freed it."

'By murder?'

'It was not murder. The lives of all who were killed were already forfeit. The corrupt judges, officials, and police officers will be dealt with by Mingian law, now again operative. Of all your crew, only Tommie could by any chance have been taken or recognized. If our coup had failed, she and Jim would have been shot without trial. Since we succeeded, however, Tommie was not recognized, being in your armor, and Jim is now Mingia's hero. He is also the new Commissioner of Police. Hence, aside from breaking local laws-which, as I have explained, do not count-we are guilty only of unauthorized use of Patrol equipment."

'Huh? How about interfering in planetary affairs, the worst in the book? And revealing Stage Ten stuff to a Stage Eight planet?"

'You are wrong on both counts,' Nadine informed him. 'We were on sh.o.r.e leave-that fact is in the log. We volunteered, purely as individuals, for one day of service in the Underground. This procedure, while of course forbidden to armed personnel of the Patrol, is perfectly legal to its civilian employees. A special ruling would have to be made to cover this particular incident, and no ex post facto ex post facto penalties could be imposed.' penalties could be imposed.'

'That's quibbling if I ever heard any, but you're probably right-legally-at that. But how do you wiggle out of the "revealing" charge?'

'In the specific meaning of the word, as denned by the highest courts, nothing was revealed. Weapons and armor were seen, of course; but they have been seen on Tominga before. Nothing new was learned; hence there was no revealment. And as for Jim's leaving the s.h.i.+p against your orders, you had no right to issue such orders in the first place.'

Still seething, but on a considerably lower level, Cloud pondered. It wasn't wasn't murder-n.o.body would or could call it that. 'Extermination' would be more like it-or 'justifiable germicide'. murder-n.o.body would or could call it that. 'Extermination' would be more like it-or 'justifiable germicide'.

97.She was probably right on the rest of it, too. Even though he was, by virtue of being the captain of the Vortex Blaster I, Vortex Blaster I, an officer of the Patrol-strictly speaking a commander, not a captain-there wasn't a thing in the world he could do about it. an officer of the Patrol-strictly speaking a commander, not a captain-there wasn't a thing in the world he could do about it.

Nadine had been keeping Vesta posted; and the latter, recovering miraculously her wonted spirit and with tail again aloft, was pa.s.sing the good news along to the others.

'Don't get too too c.o.c.ky, sister!' Tommie advised her sharply. 'Not yet, anyway.' c.o.c.ky, sister!' Tommie advised her sharply. 'Not yet, anyway.'

'Huh?' Vesta's tail dropped to half-mast. 'Why not?'

'You just said she pleaded guilty for all of us to unauthorized use of Patrol equipment. For what we really did that's certainly a featherweight plea-if I ever get into a real jam I certainly want her for my lawyer-but he can make it plenty tough for us if he wants to.'

'I got a question to ask, boss,' Thlaskin put in, before Cloud said anything. 'You got a license to be sore as h.e.l.l, no argument about that, but I ask you-are you sore mostly because we took the stuff or because we didn't let you in on it? We couldn't couldn't do that, boss, and you know why.' do that, boss, and you know why.'

Cloud did know why. The pilot had put his finger right on the sore spot, and the Blaster was honest enough to admit it.

'That's it, I guess.' He grinned wryly.

Tommie, who had been whispering to Vesta, asked: 'You got back here while we were still sucking juice, didn't you?'

'Yes, and as Nadine will undoubtedly point out if I don't, that fact makes me an accomplice for not pulling the switches on you. So, already being an accessory during and after the fact, I may as well go the route. If any of us gets hauled up, we all do.'

'No fear of that,' Tommie a.s.sured him. 'One thing Tomin-gans are good at is keeping their mouths shut. Maluleme and Vesta will spill everything they know, and brag about it sooner or later,' The Vegian did not relish translating this pa.s.sage, but she did so, and accurately, nevertheless, 'but that won't do any harm. It's you you that's in the driver's seat. You could've nailed us all to the cross if you liked, and I for one didn't expect to get off easy. Thanks. I'll remember this. So will everybody else who knows. You're was.h.i.+ng me out, of course?' that's in the driver's seat. You could've nailed us all to the cross if you liked, and I for one didn't expect to get off easy. Thanks. I'll remember this. So will everybody else who knows. You're was.h.i.+ng me out, of course?'

'Not unless you want to stay here on Tominga. You're a good engineer, and I can't picture this as happening again, can you?'

98.'Hardly. I like this better than stationary work. Thanks again,, chief. My brother wants to thank you, too.'

After the sincerely grateful and appreciative Tomingan had gone, Cloud said: 'Vesta and Maluleme-if Tommie was right about you two having to talk, make a note of this. Don't do it as long as you're members of this crew. If you do, I'll fire you the second I find out about it. Now everybody-as far as I'm concerned none of this ever happened. We came here to blow out vortices and that's all we did. We'll go back to the hotel, get a few hours sleep and . . .'

The long-range communicator, silent for weeks, came suddenly to life in English.

'Calling s.p.a.ce-s.h.i.+p Vortex Blaster One, Vortex Blaster One, Commander Neal Cloud. Acknowledge, please. Calling s.p.a.ce-s.h.i.+p Commander Neal Cloud. Acknowledge, please. Calling s.p.a.ce-s.h.i.+p Vortex Blaster One . . : Vortex Blaster One . . : 's.p.a.ce-s.h.i.+p Vortex Blaster One Vortex Blaster One acknowledging.' The detector-coupled projector had swung into exact alignment. 'Commander Cloud speaking.' acknowledging.' The detector-coupled projector had swung into exact alignment. 'Commander Cloud speaking.'

's.p.a.ce-s.h.i.+p YB216P9, of First Continent, Tominga, relaying message from Philip Strong of Tellus. Will you accept message?"

'Will accept message. Ready.'

'Begin message. Report in person as soon as convenient. Answer expected. End message. Signed Philip Strong. Repeat, please. We will relay reply.'

Cloud repeated. Then: 'Reply. To Philip Strong, Vortex Control Laboratory, Tellus. Begin message. Remess. Will leave Manarka fourteenth Sol for Tellus. End of message. Signed Neal Cloud. Repeat, please."

That done, he turned to his crew. 'Now we'll have have to go to work!' to go to work!'

With Vesta to translate, two days sufficed to rid Tominga of her loose atomic vortices; and no one so much as suspected that the Patrol s.h.i.+p or any of its crew had had anything to do with the upheaval in Mingia.

The trip to Manarka, a two-day flit, was uneventful. So was the extinguishment of Manarka's vortices.

When the job was done, Nadine's mind and Cloud's met briefly. No direct reference was made to the unpleasantness on Tominga, nor to their somewhat variant ideas concerning it. Nadine wanted to stay on. She liked the job and she liked 99.Cloud. He was somewhat impractical and visionary, a bit too idealistic in his outlook at times; but a strong and able man and a top-bracket commander, nevertheless.

And the Manarkan, in Cloud's mind, was not only a top-bracket medico, but also a very very handy hand to have around. handy hand to have around.

On the fourteenth of Sol, then, the good s.h.i.+p Vortex Blaster I Vortex Blaster I took off for Tellus, with Cloud wondering more than a little as to what was in the wind. He wasn't the type to be unduly perturbed about being called up on the carpet took off for Tellus, with Cloud wondering more than a little as to what was in the wind. He wasn't the type to be unduly perturbed about being called up on the carpet per se; per se; but Phil didn't go in for mystery much-he explained things ... He couldn't possibly know anything about that Mingian business so soon ... and he was going to tell him all about it anyway ... but Phil didn't go in for mystery much-he explained things ... He couldn't possibly know anything about that Mingian business so soon ... and he was going to tell him all about it anyway ...

There was plenty of Laboratory business that shouldn't be relayed all over s.p.a.ce, and this was undoubtedly some of it. Whatever it was, it'd have to keep until he got to Tellus, anyway, so he'd forget it until then.

But he didn't.

100.

10: Janowick

Back on Tellus, Cloud took a fast copter to the Vortex Control Laboratory, still wondering what it was all about.

'Go right in, Dr Cloud," Strong's secretary told him, even before he stopped at her desk. 'He's been gnawing his nails ever since you landed.'

Cloud went in. The Lensman was not alone; a woman who had been seated beside the desk was now standing, studying him eagerly.

'Hi, Phil,' the Blaster said. 'Why all the haste, and why so cryptic? I've been wondering if you found where I hid the body-and which body it was.'

'Hi, Storm. Nothing like that!' Strong laughed. 'Doctor Janowick, Doctor Cloud-or rather, Joan, this is Storm. You know all about him that anybody does.'

They shook hands, Cloud wondering all the more, and as he wondered he studied the woman, just as she was studying him.

Janowick? Janowick! Janowick! He'd never heard of any female Janowick, so she couldn't be anybody much in nucleonics. Not exactly fat, but definitely on the plump side. About a hundred and thirty five pounds, he guessed; and about five feet two. About his own age-no, a bit younger, thirty-some, probably. Brown hair, with a few white ones showing; wide-s.p.a.ced gray eyes-slightly myopic, by the looks of her pixeyish, you-be-d.a.m.ned spectacles. Smart and keen-all in all, a prime number. He'd never heard of any female Janowick, so she couldn't be anybody much in nucleonics. Not exactly fat, but definitely on the plump side. About a hundred and thirty five pounds, he guessed; and about five feet two. About his own age-no, a bit younger, thirty-some, probably. Brown hair, with a few white ones showing; wide-s.p.a.ced gray eyes-slightly myopic, by the looks of her pixeyish, you-be-d.a.m.ned spectacles. Smart and keen-all in all, a prime number.

'This is why I pulled you in, Storm,' the Lensman went on. 'As you know, we've been combing all Civilization, trying to find somebody-anybody-with enough of the right qualities. She's it. Head of the Department of Semantics at the Galactic Inst.i.tute for Advanced Study. Doctor of Semantics, Ph.D in cybernetics, D,Sc. in symbolic logic, and so on for half the alphabet. She is also a very good self-made telepath, and the only self-made per-ceiver I ever heard of. She's very good at that, too-she can outrange a Rigellian. And besides all that, she's a Past Grand Master at chess.'

'Past Grand Master? Oh, I see-- I don't suppose it would would be quite be quite de rigueur de rigueur for a top-bracket telepath to win all the Grand Masters' champions.h.i.+ps. Also, in view of the perception for a top-bracket telepath to win all the Grand Masters' champions.h.i.+ps. Also, in view of the perception 101.

business, I imagine all this is more than somewhat hush-hush?'

'Very much so. A few Lensmen and now you are all who are in on it. It'll have to stay top secret until we find out whether an ordinary mind can be developed into one like yours, or whether her brain, like yours, is something out of the ordinary.'

'Yes, it'd be very bad to have billions of people screaming for a treatment that can't be given.'

'Check. But to get back to Joan. She's done some almost unbelievable work and we think she'll do. You know what we're after, of course.'

'All I'm afraid of is that you haven't looked far enough,' the woman said, shaking her head dubiously. 'You know, though, what an appalling job it was bound to be. I'll do whatever I can.'

She did not state the problem, either. They all knew, too well, what it was. As matters then stood, the life of one man- Neal Cloud-was all that stood between Civilization and loose atomic vortices; and it was starkly unthinkable that the Galactic Patrol would leave, for a second longer than was absolutely necessary, that situation unremedied.

'I see.' Cloud broke the short silence. 'a.s.suming that you haven't been sitting still doing nothing while I've been gone, brief me.'