o that
notion--which included a Royal dwelling for her in Yucca Flats, and
the privilege of occasionally knighting FBI Agents who had pleased her
unpredictable fancy--she was perfectly rational on all other points.
She co-operated with Dr. O'Connor and with the FBI in the
investigation of her psionic powers, and she had given her Royal word
not to teleport except at Malone's personal request.

"I'd like to talk to you," Malone said, "Your Majesty."

There was an odd note in the Queen's voice, and an odd, haunted
expression on her face. "I've been hoping you'd ask me to come," she
said.

"I had a hunch you were following me telepathically," Malone said.
"Can you give me any help?"

"I ... I really don't know," she said. "It's something new, and
something ... disturbing. I've never come across anything like it
before."

"Like what?" Malone asked.

"It's the--" She made a gesture that conveyed nothing at all to
Malone. "The ... the static," she said at last.

Malone blinked. "Static?" he said.

"Yes," she said. "You're not telepathic, so I can't tell you what it's
really like. But ... well, Sir Kenneth, have you ever seen disturbance
on a TV screen, when there's some powerful electric output nearby? The
bright, senseless snowstorms, the meaningless hash?"

"Sure," Malone said.

"It's like that," she said. "It's a ... a sudden, meaningless,
disturbing blare of telepathic energy."

The telephone rang once. Malone ignored it.

"What's causing these disturbances?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know, Sir Kenneth. I don't know," she
said. "I can't pick up a person's mind over a distance unless I know
him--and I can't see what's causing this at all. It's ... frankly, Sir
Kenneth, it's rather terrifying."

The phone rang again.

"How long have you been experiencing this disturbance?" Malone asked.
He looked at the phone.

"The telephone isn't important," Her Majesty said. "It's only Sir
Thomas, calling to tell you he's arrested three spies, and that
doesn't matter at all."

"It doesn't?"

"Not at all," Her Majesty said. "What does matter is that I've only
been picking up these flashes since you were assigned to this new
case, Sir Kenneth. And--" She paused.

"Well?" Malone said.

"And they only appear," Her Majesty said, "when I'm tuned to _your_
mind!"

[Illustration]

V

Malone stared. He tried to say something but he couldn't find any
words. The telephone rang again and he pushed t