The Infinity Link by Jeffrey A. Carver Page B

no outward sign of neurological damage, I would guess that the catatonia resulted from psychological, rather than physical, trauma."
    Jonders nodded.
    "Can you give me a history on the woman?"
    Jonders plucked a piece of paper out of a file folder, and passed it over to her. "Here are the notes from her application interview. We also have detailed profiles from her work in the linkup mode."
    Thrudore scanned the paper, frowning. "Family problems, low self-image—but quite intelligent and imaginative. Has her family been contacted?"
    "It seems she never provided their correct address. I've asked Security to look into it."
    Thrudore rapped the paper with her knuckles. "A linkup could present certain risks. In this sort of catatonia, the patient is usually aware on some level of her own condition. But she's erected a subconscious wall—and she's unwilling or unable to lower it. Whatever caused the trauma, it frightened her so much that she's rejecting contact with the world, for fear of repeating the hurt." Thrudore looked up. "In her case, the trauma was an intrusive linkup. If we evoke her memory of that intrusion, there's a risk that she'll withdraw even further."
    "I understand that," Jonders said. "But suppose the contact were done in a nonthreatening manner. We might get through that barrier."
    "And who would make the contact?"
    Jonders rubbed his eyebrows. He sat down and gazed at her. "I was hoping you would try. I can't claim any real rapport with her—and you're better qualified. I think she might find a woman less threatening."
    Thrudore nodded noncommittally. "I'll think about it," was as far as she would go.
     
    * * *
     
    Diana Thrudore was not one to be rushed into questionable actions regarding her patients—but neither would she overlook a potentially valuable idea. As a research fellow at the prestigious Riddinger Institute, she had many other patients to consider, as well. The computer-link setup offered potential in a variety of schizophrenic disorders, not just catatonia; and she knew that she'd be a fool to lightly pass over an opportunity to explore its possibilities.
    It took her two days to reach a decision, and it finally rested on the poor prognosis for conventional psychochemical therapy. The standard EEG and central nervous system screening on Mozelle showed none of the usual signs associated with schizophrenic catatonia; and a test injection of a selective neurotransmitter-blocker showed no effect whatsoever. That left her with a choice of either prolonged and possibly futile conventional treatment, or an attempt with the computer-link.
    It was, she decided, worth the risk.
     
    * * *
     
    As technicians bustled about, making adjustments, Thrudore breathed deeply and slowly, centering herself, mentally reviewing lessons from the practice sessions. Once the techs were out of the way, she could again see her patient in the reclining chair, capped by a headset. Thrudore was facing her from a straight-backed chair crammed, along with ancillary equipment, into the opposite side of the cubicle. Mozelle appeared completely impassive. Thrudore raised her eyebrows to the psychiatric nurse attending Mozelle, and the nurse nodded.
    "Let's get started," Thrudore murmured into the audio circuit.
    The lights in the room dimmed. Thrudore sensed a flicker of light that seemed to come from her peripheral vision, but was in fact the initialization of the link. A buzzing sound brushed her inner ears as she tumbled gently into the womb of the computer. She acclimated herself gradually, as she had been trained to do, and reached out to find Jonders, who was monitoring the system unobtrusively.
    (Are you comfortable?)
    (Yes.)
    (Ready to initiate contact?)
    Momentary hesitation. (Yes.)
    There was a soft rumbling of doorways opening. She became aware of new passageways, circuits running mazelike through the realm of possibilities. Options shifted like subtly changing angles, perspectives altering until one passage at