Page 141 - Just Deserts

Telepax

Drubble grunted, not wishing to agree too readily with anything
the salesman claimed. But the weapon was easy to handle and aim.
Then he heard a synthesized voice come over the tiny speakers:
“System ready and tracking.” He looked at Skinner, who nodded
encouragement and pointed at the group of test subjects arrayed
against the far wall. The chief squeezed the trigger. Instantly a burst
of red laser light issued from the mouth of the disruptor. The beam
played over the TTI volunteers faster than the eye could follow,
dazzling everyone in the shed. Drubble blinked and refocused on his
target. Several people were down, and a small cadre of paramedics
was rushing to their aid.
“As I said,” remarked Skinner, “they will only be stunned for a
few minutes on the lowest setting. Please verify that that they are the
ones you tagged with that, uh, powder.”
The victims were rolled past the chief on gurneys. “Seem to be the
same ones,” he cautiously allowed.
“Right. All sniffed out and disabled by Telepax. Now I’m just
going to reprogram it to catch the other sample you selected. There.
Now when I raise my hand, those persons are going to work
themselves up into a mild frenzy about the police. I’ve instructed
them to fill their minds with images of snarling police dogs,
nightsticks cracking open heads, innocent people shot in the back—
you know, all those misconceptions about police brutality you find
among the general public. All the others will remain calm, thinking
instead about TV game shows or whatever else they enjoy. Okay, I’ve
given the signal. Let’s wait a few seconds for the biochemical process
to become visible to our sensors. Perhaps Captain Ness would like to
participate in this one? Fine. Just slip these on your head like so, and
hold the disruptor by the handle here and the trigger grip there.
Good.”
Ness readied himself, dropping to one knee as he had been trained
decades earlier in the army. The metallic voice gave him clearance
and he fired. Another lightning flash of laser beams issued forth.
Again the medics rushed over to the crowd to aid the stricken.
“Well, Chief, did we nail the trouble-makers?” Skinner took the
hardware from Ness and replaced it on the cart.

140