The Whipping Star

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Book: Read The Whipping Star for Free Online
Authors: Frank Herbert
complication:  the problem of whether the Caleban's words were spoken or radiated in some unthinkable manner completed their confusion.
    "I believe you're right in one thing," Furuneo said.
    "Yes?
    "We have to assume we understand her."
    McKie swallowed in a dry throat.  "Fanny Mae," he said, "have you explained this ultimate discontinuity prospect to Mliss Abnethe?"
    "Problem explained," the Caleban said.  "Fellow Calebans attempt remedy of error.  Abnethe fails of comprehension, or disregards consequences.  Connectives difficult."
    "Connectives difficult," McKie muttered.
    "All connectives of single S'eye," the Caleban said.  "Master S'eye of self creates mutual problem."
    "Don't tell me you understand that," Furuneo objected.
    "Abnethe employs Master S'eye of self," the Caleban said:  "Contract agreement gives Abnethe right of use.  One Master S'eye of self.  Abnethe uses."
    "So she opens a jumpdoor and sends her Palenki through it," Furuneo said.  "Why don't we just wait here and grab her?"
    "She could close the door before we even got near her," McKie growled.  "No, there's more to what this Caleban's saying.  I think she's telling us there's only one Master S'eye, the control system, perhaps, for all the jumpdoors . . . and Fanny Mae here is in control of it, or the channel operation or .  .  ."
    "Or something," Furuneo snarled.
    "Abnethe control S'eye by right of purchase," the Caleban said.
    "See what I mean?" McKie said.  "Can you override her control, Fanny Mae?"
    "Terms of employment require not interfere."
    "But can't you still use your own S'eye doors?" McKie pressed.
    "All use," the Caleban said.
    "This is insane!" Furuneo snapped.
    "Insanity defines as lack of orderly thought progression in mutual acceptance of logical terms," the Caleban said.  "Insanity frequent judgment of one species upon other species.  Proper interpretation otherwise."
    "I think I just had my wrist slapped," Furuneo said.
    "Look," McKie said, "the other deaths and insanity around Caleban disappearances substantiate our interpretation.  We're dealing with something explosive and dangerous."
    "So we find Abnethe and stop her."
    "You make that sound so simple," McKie said.  "Here are your orders.  Get out of here and alert the Bureau.  The Caleban's communication won't show on your recorder, but you'll have it all down in your memory.  Tell them to scan you for it."
    "Right.  You're staying?"
    "Yes."
    "What'll I say you're doing?"
    "I want a look at Abnethe's companions and her surroundings."
    Furuneo cleared his throat.  Gods of the underworld, it was hot!  "Have you thought of, you know, just bang?"  He made the motion of firing a raygen.
    "There's a limit on what can go through a jumpdoor and how fast," McKie chided.  "You know that."
    "Maybe this jumpdoor's different."
    "I doubt it."
    "After I've reported in, what then?"
    "Sit tight outside there until I call you -- unless they give you a message for me.  Oh, and start a general search on Cordiality . . . just in case."
    "Of course."  Furuneo hesitated.  "One thing -- who do I contact at the Bureau?  Bildoon?"
    McKie glanced up.  Why should Furuneo question whom to call?  What was he trying to say?
    It dawned on McKie then that Furuneo had hit on a logical concern.  BuSab director Napoleon Bildoon was a PanSpechi, a pentarchal sentient, human only in appearance.  Since McKie, a human, held nominal charge of this case, that might appear to confine control of it, excluding other members of the ConSentiency.  Interspecies political infighting could take odd turns in a time of stress.  It would be best to involve a broad directorate here.
    "Thanks," McKie said.  "I wasn't thinking much beyond the immediate problem."
    "This is the immediate problem."
    "I understand.  All right, I was tapped for this chore by our Director of Discretion."
    "Gitchel Siker?"
    "Yes."
    "That's one Laclac and Bildoon, a PanSpechi.  Who else?"
    "Get somebody out of the Legal

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