Hilton did not have to drive the peyondix-beam to the planet Strett; it
was already there. And there was the monstrous First Lord Thinker Zoyar.
Into that mind his multi-mind flashed, its every member as responsive to
his will as his own fingers--almost infinitely more so, in fact, because
of the tremendous lengths of time required to send messages along
nerves.
That horrid mind was scanned cell by cell. Then, after what seemed like
a few hours, when a shield began sluggishly to form, Hilton transferred
his probe to the mind of the Second Thinker, one Lord Ynos, and absorbed
everything she knew. Then, the minds of all the other Thinkers being
screened, he studied the whole Strett planet, foot by foot, and
everything that was on it.
Then, mission accomplished, Hilton snapped his attention back to his
office and the multi-mind fell apart. As he opened his eyes he heard
Tuly scream: "... Luck!"
"Oh--you still here, Tuly? How long have we been gone?"
"Approximately one and one-tenth seconds, sir."
"WHAT!"
Beverly Bell, in the haven of Franklin Poynter's arms, fainted quietly.
Sandra shrieked piercingly. The four men stared, goggle-eyed. Temple
and Teddy, as though by common thought, burrowed their faces into brawny
shoulders.