"Any assistance against Thark will be of help, Your Majesty," Corina
said.
"That's cutting it pretty fine, though," Forrest said. "You only give
Thark five to ten days before he attacks."
"They'll just have to do the best they can," Davis said, then turned to
Corina. "Can you teach that to anyone else?"
"I can if the latent ability is present, sire. And although I have no
really firm grounds to base it on, I am beginning to suspect, from what
I am learning from Ranger Medart, that most if not all Rangers do have
such ability latent. There may be others as well; it appears that
humans do use what you call paranormal powers, hunches for example,
though not consciously and very weakly."
"When things get back to normal, I'd like you to check on that, and
train any who do have it. For now, though, unless you have any more
stunbursts for us, we'd better finish up here and get back to work."
"That's all we have, sir," Medart replied. He signalled Corina and the
two stood, bowing. The men on the screen returned the courtesy, and
the screen cleared.
"I'm sorry, Corina," Medart said. "It was a dirty trick to pull on
you, making you agree to face Thark the way I did, but can you accept
the fact that I had to do it?"
"I should be the one to apologize," she replied, continuing when she
sensed his surprise. "It should not have been necessary for you to
point out what honor requires of me. I suppose I knew, but was
unwilling to face it."
"Don't let that bother you. It's not going to be either easy or fun,
and none of us blame you for being reluctant."
"No, it will not be either," she agreed. "Thark is quite powerful. It
is entirely possible that he will kill both of us."
"What're the odds?"
"Not good. I estimate I have perhaps one chance in five of defeating
him, perhaps less."
Medart whistled. "That's bad. It doesn't change things, though; I'd
have done the same thing even if I'd known the odds earlier."
"Having been in your mind, I am sure of that." Corina attempted a
purr, with little success. "Nor would I expect otherwise from one in
your position. You may phrase it differently, but honor compels you,
also."