have to go on."

Corina, satisfied that she had made her point, continued to the entire
group. "Telepathy is the most common aspect of Talent, and by far the
easiest to develop; all of the Order has it, in varying degrees. A
mind screen or shield is almost as common; it seems to go with the
telepathy, in all but rare cases." She noticed a slightly raised hand.
"Yes, Colonel Greggson?"

"That mind screen--does it occur without telepathy? It could be very
useful, in my field."

"Not in Irschchans, but it apparently does in humans. I noticed
earlier that you, Ranger Medart, and Captain Hobison all have excellent
ones, among the best I have felt."

Greggson smiled grimly. "Thanks. That's good to know." He went on
more softly, muttering to himself, but Corina's hearing made his words
clearly audible. "All the most sensitive positions. Damn lucky . . .
if the kitty's not lying."

Corina's ears flattened slightly at that uncalled-for slur, but she
forced herself to say nothing about it, responding instead to the Chief
Engineer's slight gesture. "You wish to ask something, Commander
Jensen?"

"Please. Can a mind screen like that be generated electronically?"

"To the best of my knowledge, Commander, such a thing has never been
attempted. There are those who would consider the electronic imitation
of Talent an obscenity, and they have much influence."

"What else?" Medart asked.

"Direction sense would be included for humans, I believe," Corina said.
"The Order does not consider it a true aspect of Talent, since it is
something all Irschchans have, but I understand that is not true for
you. Otherwise, aside from what I have already mentioned, there is
anything one can imagine being done by mind power rather than physical
means, though few people have more than one such aspect, and no one has
been reported with more than three. The rarest is precognition; I have
not heard of anyone having that in over fifty years. I myself am
capable of weak telekinesis, finding, and darlas." She saw puzzled
looks, and explained. "Finding is the ability to locate concealed--or
simply misplaced--objects, and darlas is a form of telepathic attack."

"What's telekinesis?" Greggson asked.

"Moving objects by mind power alone." When the Security Chief looked
doubtful, Corina decided she had best demonstrate that as well. But
the conference table was bare, and she did not want to use anything of
her own.

"Ranger Meda