e third took his place at the controls,
heading them toward MacLeod's Landing and Sanctioner headquarters. She
put her sort-of-a-plan into action; as uncertain as it was, she had
been unable to think of anything else.

Huddling up, she let her mind-shield relax slightly. As the cruiser
picked up speed, she felt one of the Sanctioners try a probe. Don't
fight it, she told herself, use it. Sanctioners were Talented, of
course, but they didn't have the training or control she had gotten
from Thark. They shouldn't be able to detect her attempt at deception.

She shivered, letting the shield drop even further and allowing her
fear, only partially falsified, to seep through. If she could convince
them she was terrified, too paralyzed with panic to be a danger, she
might have a chance.

The Sanctioner leader looked at her for a moment, then said, with some
sympathy, "You seem harmless enough, hardly a dangerous criminal. Why
does Senior Valla want you dead, youngling?"

"I do not know," Corina lied, projecting more fright. "I mean . . . I
have done nothing . . ." She let her voice trail off.

"Urrr, there is no need to worry," the officer said, apparently trying
to reassure her. "The executioner here is good. He will give you a
swift death, and it will be one with honor; she has ordered you killed
with darlas."

It didn't reassure Corina, and she let that show in her expression.
She looked up at the Sanctioner leader, shivering again. "But . . . I
don't want to die! I have done nothing to die for!"

"Youngling, it is not for me to question Senior Valla's orders, but I
admit I do no like this assignment. My own girl-child is about your
age."

"Then--" Sudden hope dawned.

"No, youngling." The Sanctioner's voice was full of pity, but remained
firm. "My honor lies in my duty, and that duty requires me to take you
in."

Corina slumped, fear and a sense of hopelessness seeming worse after
that surge of false hope. Her shield was almost all the way down. She
dared not probe at the Sanctioners to see if they believed her; somehow
that did not seem to be the sort of thing a frightened prisoner would
do. She could only hope her plan was working, but the closer they got
to the city and Sanctioner headquarters, the less confidence she had in
it.

The trip ended in deep silence. By the time they pulled up in front of
the large stone building that housed the capital's Sanctioners, Corina
was on the ragge