Take the biggest breath you can, kid.

Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw Johnny's chest rising. He inhaled, thinking firmly of the net and its lifesaving units sitting in the center of the Amazon's Amazon's cabin s.p.a.ce. As he 'ported, he felt Johnny's wide-open mind pushing with him, and a second reinforcement-nowhere near as strong but steady. Lance! He might not be able to initiate the gestalt but he could sure give it a shove, his grasp warm and firm on Peter's. cabin s.p.a.ce. As he 'ported, he felt Johnny's wide-open mind pushing with him, and a second reinforcement-nowhere near as strong but steady. Lance! He might not be able to initiate the gestalt but he could sure give it a shove, his grasp warm and firm on Peter's.

Then, like running into a wall in the dark, Peter felt a psychic stop. G.o.d! Had he missed? Had he reached his limit somewhere out there between Earth and Mars? Would men and women die because he was overconfident?

Breathe, kid.

Peter felt the elbow in his ribs. Opening his eyes he exhaled, sparkles of imminent anoxia dancing before his eyes. He let himself collapse in the chair.

"Have you done it yet?" Dirk asked anxiously, his eyes dark with concern. Someone loomed beside him on the screen. "Shandin said the generators went off the gauge."

"We can't be certain, Dirk," Johnny said, panting. "But we sure did give it a d.a.m.ned good try, the three of us . . ." He grinned at Lance. Tone-deaf he may be, but he's an a.s.set. We'll tell him how and why later. Tone-deaf he may be, but he's an a.s.set. We'll tell him how and why later. "Knew you'd be a help. Tell Captain Vartry to look in their ship. Only s.p.a.ce we knew wouldn't be occupied." "Knew you'd be a help. Tell Captain Vartry to look in their ship. Only s.p.a.ce we knew wouldn't be occupied."

"Yes, of course, the ship would be a logical telepad." Dirk Coetzer took a deep breath, his eyes unfocusing briefly.

"Now don't get any ideas, Dirk," Johnny cautioned him, quickly raising one hand in restraint.

"No, no, of course not," he said, but there was just that little curl of his mouth that suggested he was not above thinking ahead. "There's a communications lag, you know."

"I know," Johnny said. "It's only thirty-seven million miles from here. Take exactly 198.6 seconds-3 minutes and 18.6 seconds."

"That long?" Peter said, desperately wanting it all to have happened simultaneously.

"And to come back," Johnny said with admirable sangfroid.

"Drink this," Lance said, putting a gla.s.s of orange juice in front of Peter, who was leaning limply back in his chair, and fresh coffee in front of Johnny.

Do you realize what we just did? Peter asked. Peter asked.

We shipped a package all the way to Mars, that's what we just did, Johnny replied. Johnny replied.

We hope, Peter said with a gulp. Peter said with a gulp. We also just merged our minds. We did We also just merged our minds. We did WHAT? Johnny leaned forward so quickly that he nearly knocked the cup off the surface. WHAT? Johnny leaned forward so quickly that he nearly knocked the cup off the surface.

Lance stared at Peter, his mouth dropping open.

I felt you, and Peter pointed at the General, and Peter pointed at the General, and then and then you, his finger went to Lance, you, his finger went to Lance, come in to help me push. We were all in on that one! Oh, we've talked together over distance, but we've never come in to help me push. We were all in on that one! Oh, we've talked together over distance, but we've never combined to combined to 'port anything. This, my friends, is a major breakthrough! 'port anything. This, my friends, is a major breakthrough! With that declaration, Peter lifted his gla.s.s and toasted them both. With that declaration, Peter lifted his gla.s.s and toasted them both.

"But, if you did," Coetzer went on, unaware of that telepathic exchange.

"If we did," Johnny said, winking at Peter and Lance, "there'd be a new contract. And there would be a new organization for you to deal with."

"What?" The admiral didn't quite absorb that.

Johnny! Peter protested. Peter protested.

"Let's just bide our time," Johnny said smoothly. "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. And we sure want to hear her."

In his office, Dirk was fiddling with a pencil file, turning it over and over in one hand, glancing to his left.

Johnny sipped his coffee. Peter drank his juice. Then, resorting to physical means, he walked himself to the serving alcove and found apples and carrots. He clumped back to his station, aware of Lance watching him. He wished he were a little more graceful but that would come. He hadn't quite the muscular strength in his thighs to sit smoothly and flopped down.

Johnny doodled.

Lance tapped his fingers.

Dirk Coetzer kept running the file through his fingers.

The comm bleeped.

Everyone jumped.

"They got the message," Shandin's voice said. "Vartry's going out to the ship."

Johnny's doodles got wilder.

Lance went to the head.

The tension in the office was thick enough to cut.

Peter finished an apple and thought seriously about a carrot. He looked at the records for generator use. He hadn't had the pads on so he didn't know how many calories he had burned in that 'port. He wished now that he had since that data would be necessary, he fervently hoped, in the future.

Dirk was now swinging back and forth in his chair, looking anywhere but into the screen and at the three telekinetics. He rubbed his face.

Peter rubbed his face, p.r.i.c.kly with short bristles of beard that he was finally growing.

More time elapsed.

We could 'port some of these, Peter suggested, wanting to do something. There were some downside 'ports he felt up to doing. Peter suggested, wanting to do something. There were some downside 'ports he felt up to doing.

You're a glutton for punishment, Johnny said. Johnny said.

Are you okay, Johnny? Peter reached out to close his fingers about his friend's arm. Peter reached out to close his fingers about his friend's arm.

Well, I did take a deep breath, but if there was another piece of that pie?

I'll get it, Lance said, rising. Lance said, rising.

"You're eating, aren't you, Pete?" Dirk asked.

THEY GOT IT! Madlyn Luvaro's loud voice was never more welcome. Madlyn Luvaro's loud voice was never more welcome. DASH SAYS CAPTAIN VARTRY HAS IT! IT'S THERE! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! DASH SAYS CAPTAIN VARTRY HAS IT! IT'S THERE! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!

Johnny shouted the message out loud.

Dirk Coetzer leaped from his chair, arms flung out, face split with the joy of success. The next moment the screen showed him dancing about his office with Nicola as a startled partner.

Peter stared at the sight, for a moment weak with relief before exultation flooded his mind, soul, and body. Johnny was yodeling like a drunken cowboy, clapping his hands over his head, folding them into the victory sign. Lance was doing some sort of stamping dance around the room.

A pounding on the door reached Peter first. Dirk Coetzer was still in his office so who was at the door, wanting in so urgently? It took Peter a little effort to sense Ceara was on the other side of the door. He hurried across the room, making his legs stride, grateful that he could make such a physical effort because his mind was still reeling from that thrust. Not something they could do on a regular basis. Yet!

"Oh, Peter," Ceara cried, throwing her arms about his neck. "I've the most wonderful news for you."

Peter hugged her tightly, chuckling.

"What's happened?" she exclaimed, suddenly aware of the antics in the room and on the screen. "I've never seen the admiral like that before."

Peter whirled her about in his own excess of joy, their movements automatically activating the door-closure mechanism. This was his his moment, to share with his closest friends. moment, to share with his closest friends.

"What's happened? You're glowing with it, Peter. Oh, please tell me."

"Mars, Ceara!" Johnny said, crowing. "We 'ported to Mars!"

She clung to Peter's arms for support as she a.s.similated the information. Her face mirrored the feelings that engulfed Peter. He'd thought 'porting to First Base, to prove to Taddesse, Leitao, and Abubakar that he could, had been triumphant. This was an even greater achievement-a merge of minds.

"Oh, it is indeed your day," Ceara said, grinning like a fool at Johnny and Lance, and still in Peter's arms. She took a deep breath and Peter could sense she had something important to tell him. "Finn and the commander just okayed the reversal." She pointed to the side on which he carried the appliance. "You won't need that anymore."

He was stunned. Now it was Ceara who supported him.

Sometimes one could have too much joy, Peter thought, as she helped him back to his chair. Johnny thrust a slice of chocolate cake in his face. Lance held out orange juice in one hand and a shot gla.s.s of brandy in the other.

"Shock!" Ceara was saying. "He's in shock."

"He and the rest of us," said Dirk Coetzer, swinging into the room, a bottle of champagne in each hand, his face reflecting the morning's glorious achievement. Shandin, Nicola, Madlyn, and Dash Sakai followed him into the office, all as euphoric as the admiral.

Let us not, in our euphoria, mention to Dirk anything about merging minds right now. And we have some good news for you, Lance, when we've a break in all this excitement. "Now, Dirk," Johnny went on, gesturing for Nicola to fill his gla.s.s to the brim, "this isn't something we can do on an everyday basis." "Now, Dirk," Johnny went on, gesturing for Nicola to fill his gla.s.s to the brim, "this isn't something we can do on an everyday basis."

"You delivered the goods where they were needed most," and Dirk thumped Johnny on the back. Less vigorously but every bit as enthusiastically, he clapped Peter on the shoulder. "A toast, now everyone has a gla.s.s." He held his up. "First the Moon, now Mars." Everyone repeated the toast. "My G.o.d, I'm proud of you!"

"We're not unpleased ourselves," Johnny allowed, beaming as broadly as the admiral did.

In a flash, Peter reviewed what had begun as a simple wish to leave a hospital environment and be freed of his invalid restrictions. He had learned to kinetically manage a seemingly helpless body. He'd been able to send materiel and supplies to help complete Padrugoi. He had been at the s.p.a.ce Station's Inauguration and prevented a mutiny. He had learned to hack the black and help build the Andre Norton. Andre Norton. He had reached out to the Moon and made First Base. There he had found that Callisto was the place for him to stand to 'port colony ships to the distant stars. Amariyah's gift had completed the healing process of his once useless body and he, who had never expected to be whole, had reached full manhood. How much further could he go now, with all the possibilities of the Gadriel tuning and mind-merge that he, Johnny, and Lance had discovered? He had reached out to the Moon and made First Base. There he had found that Callisto was the place for him to stand to 'port colony ships to the distant stars. Amariyah's gift had completed the healing process of his once useless body and he, who had never expected to be whole, had reached full manhood. How much further could he go now, with all the possibilities of the Gadriel tuning and mind-merge that he, Johnny, and Lance had discovered?

With a slightly possessive and very loverly arm about Ceara's shoulders, Peter lifted his gla.s.s.

"A man's reach must exceed his grasp," he said, grinning at everyone in the room.

E P I L O G U E :.

F O U R T E E N Y E A R S L A T E R.

The bottles of champagne, carefully imported from Earth, were chilling in buckets full of Callisto's ice: undrinkable, of course, but capable of cooling wine.

The same cast of characters with a few important additions, Peter thought, glancing around those standing and sitting in the control Tower of the Federated Telepath and Teleport installation on t.i.thonus, now a satellite of Jupiter's tenth moon, Callisto. He was even getting accustomed to the great mottled orange Jovian bulk that was seldom missing from the thick wraparound windows.

Callisto Tower, as the t.i.thonus installation was called, was ready for this historic moment. Admiral Dirk Coetzer, silver-haired and bursting with pride, was seated at one console. He was to have the honor of issuing the command to the Tower team to begin the ISS Bradbury's Bradbury's historic teleportation to its destination, Capella. historic teleportation to its destination, Capella.

For this great endeavor, Lance was tuning the great Tower's Gadriel generators, buried deep in the core of t.i.thonus. Peter could hear them singing in his favorite key, C major.

On one screen, former Commander Dash Sakai had the ma.s.sive bulk of the Bradbury Bradbury at her mooring off Padrugoi. On the other, he was getting the highest possible resolution on the visual of the M-5 planet in the Capella system. Madlyn, his wife of many years, sat beside him, beaming proudly at him. at her mooring off Padrugoi. On the other, he was getting the highest possible resolution on the visual of the M-5 planet in the Capella system. Madlyn, his wife of many years, sat beside him, beaming proudly at him.

Among the spectators specially invited for this occasion were Rhyssa and Dave Lehardt, though their teenage sons, Eoin and Chester, were beginning to fidget. Also present were Sascha and Tirla Roznine, Shandin Ross, the Admiral's longtime aide and telepath, and Nicola Nizukami, now a chief petty officer. To one side was Amariyah Bantam, chief hydroponics engineer and emergency medic, with an imperious tilt to her determined chin, at the fore of the rest of the Tower staff. More than half of the forty men and women had some psychic ability-Talent, Peter liked to call it, with a capital T! Only Dorotea Horvath and Professor Gadriel were missing from those whom Peter had a.s.sembled for this occasion. Peter smiled in sad remembrance of how proud Dorotea had been when he had placed t.i.thonus perfectly at its Lagrange point above Callisto.

"And now you have the right place to stand, don't you, Peter?" Dorotea had murmured for his ears alone.

Peter shook himself loose from the memories, and concentrated on the task to hand. Johnny Greene, in the informal AirForce blue coverall he preferred, occupied one of the three conformable couches. Sally, his wife, stood proudly beside him. On the second couch was Scott Gates, looking just a trifle nervous about his part in the imminent ceremony. Peter would occupy the third and now his wife, Ceara, smilingly beckoned for him to take his place.

The comunit bleeped.

"Callisto Tower, this is Captain Gale Johnson of the colony ship Bradbury, Bradbury, all systems are green for lift." The captain used the new term Peter had selected to replace "teleportation," a lengthy and somewhat daunting word. all systems are green for lift." The captain used the new term Peter had selected to replace "teleportation," a lengthy and somewhat daunting word.

"Very good, Captain Johnson," Admiral Coetzer said, nodding significantly to Peter who stretched out on the third couch. "Are you ready, Tower Prime?"

Peter took a deep breath, looked over at Johnny's wicked expression and Scott's rather apprehensive one.

"We are indeed, Admiral," he said, closing his eyes and "feeling" for the support of the other two minds. "Initiating the merge." He reached out for Johnny's mind, suddenly as professionally alert as Scott Gates's. "Admiral Coetzer, do the honors!"

"Bradbury, this is Callisto Tower, initiating lift." this is Callisto Tower, initiating lift."

The generators peaked, keening under the strain as Peter Reidinger, John Greene, and Scott Gates hurled the million-tonne ship out to the stars. Everyone inhaled sharply as the Bradbury Bradbury disappeared from the Padrugoi screen. disappeared from the Padrugoi screen.

"Well," Admiral Coetzer said with a tight smile. "That's that."

Johnny Greene looked sharply at him but it was Peter who spoke. "Admiral, I think we need to talk about our contract."

Dirk laughed. "It seems we're always talking contracts!" But he shook his head, pointing to the monitor showing where the Bradbury Bradbury had been. "You've proven that you can send the had been. "You've proven that you can send the Bradbury Bradbury somewhere-but it'll be another forty years before even that pet SPOT of yours will see the light of that starship shining back from Capella." somewhere-but it'll be another forty years before even that pet SPOT of yours will see the light of that starship shining back from Capella."

Peter's eyes gleamed. "So you're saying, Admiral, that until we can prove that we have lifted the Bradbury Bradbury the forty-five light years to Capella, we will have a hard time revising your contract with FT&T?" the forty-five light years to Capella, we will have a hard time revising your contract with FT&T?"

Dirk Coetzer nodded. "I'm afraid so. I know you can do it but others are going to want to see proof."

"I told you so," Johnny muttered to himself smugly.

"Well, how about we step over here," Peter said, motioning the admiral toward Dash's monitors, "so we can discuss proof more objectively."

Dirk sighed. "Peter, I don't think there's much more to-" His eyes latched onto the telescope's image of Capella's M-5 planet. "What's that?" the admiral pointed to the glittering speck now visible.

"That's the Bradbury Bradbury orbiting Capella," Dash Sakai said, somehow managing to keep his voice steady as if he were reporting no more than a normal arrival. orbiting Capella," Dash Sakai said, somehow managing to keep his voice steady as if he were reporting no more than a normal arrival.

Dirk's jaw dropped and he turned first to Johnny, then to Peter, raising a finger accusingly. "You knew! You lifted it back in time. Why didn't you tell me? Do you know what that means? Do you know how this will speed up our explorations? How did you do it?"

It was Peter who answered him. "In order, yes, we did know-or at least we were pretty sure. We didn't tell you because we only had the one lift to Mars to go by and there was enough time between our lift and their getting those critical replacement units that it could have been a normal s.p.a.ce translation. We know that without this sort of timely transportation and communication, all the colony worlds will be doomed to lag technically behind Earth-because it will take at least as many years as they are light-years distant for news and inventions to travel to them.

"And how did we do it?" Peter finished with a smile, "We do it naturally."