Mind GamesConditioned to enhance an inborn ability to acutely perceive another's emotional state, Klavik, security director of a massive world ruled by the sole monarchy in neohuman interstellar society, investigates the ruler's assassination while on holiday in parsecs-distant Eden, a terraformed pleasure world operated by a distant syndicate peopled by alien exotics. A pair of royal companions force themselves upon Klavik during his sojourn in Eden, where his empathic perception “sixth sense” enables him to fasten on a nervous official as a prime suspect to interrogate, but is frustrated because his energies must be channeled toward protecting his illustrious companions. Eden's planetary director, Shatterhand, ushers the threesome into a “hall of mirrors” where nothing is as it seems. After feints and ploys designed to distract or frighten he and his charges away, Klavik senses “nibblings” at the limbic fringes of his mind, and intuits the the presence of an alien telepath. Sly mental assaults persist until his charges are taken hostage, and the ultimate confrontation erupts in a rapacious battle of wills. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 50
... emotional patterns in other nenhununs, Nnlilieil pf [he ruler's lsilislnfliou,il\.pfl5e(5'dls_llul Eden, 1 iernfnrmed “pleasure world” owned by i commercial alien syndiclie, w» cpinplnions inree themselves upon Klnvik durin his ...
... emotional patterns in others. Schooled in the psychic discipline, he had previously interviewed a parade of so-called witnesses, and recently resumed questioning arsenal personnel at random, trolling with folded hands and searching mind ...
... emotional spike, he was not surprised when it failed to do so. “His Omnipotence,” he added, knowing the added bait useless even before dangling it, “would have no reason to steal anything that was already Crown property.” The middle ...
... emotional turmoil boiling up inside him, Kurani curtly dismissed the guardsmen. “Come, we must speak in private.” Erect and straight-backed, the former marshal's age-defying military carriage and brisk strides forced Klavik to increase ...
... emotional turmoil. “May I ask why you believe a Kaolin coup might be brewing, sir?” “Why . . ? It's not a matter of what I myself believe, ” assured the other, his intonation ascerbic. “It's all but a surety. That pack of white-robed ...