The Wings Of Pegasus Part 27
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"Whyblametheteens?"Madlynasked,bridling.
"Theywon'thavebeenscannedforTalentyet.Okay,"Saschaaddedgraciously,"tryanyonefacedwithasuddenlackofmobility.I'lladdtheprisonsystems,too."HegrinnedatMadlyn'sgroan."Oneofthemostfamouswasaguyescapingas.a.d.i.s.ticjailor."
Madlyn'seyeswidened."CantheCentergetprisonersreleased?"
Budworthchortled."Don'tyourememberyourCenterhistory?Thisplacewa.s.startedbyrejectsfromprisonsandmentalinst.i.tutions"HeshotaslylookatSascha."andallkindsofotherwiseasocialand/oreccentricpersonalities."
"Ifmybrotherwerehere..."SaschawaggledanadmonitoryfingeratBudworth.
"Huh!"Budworthsnorted."I'mnotafraidofyourbrotherevenifheisthehighandmightyLawEnforcementandOrdercommissioner."
"Iwouldbe,"Saschareplied."Whichremindsme,I'mlateforthatappointment.Gettheprogramstartedoncheckinghospitalsandprisons.Andbuddyboy,youcandothementalinst.i.tutions.Iappreciatethereminder."
"Ha!"MadlynsaidtoBudwortha.s.saschalefttheControlRoom.
"HowcantherebethatmanyillegalchildrenintheResidentials?"
JerhattanCityManagerTeresaAiellodemandedofMedicalChiefHarvDunster."Yourpeoplearesupposedtotieoffafterasecondpregnancy."
Harv'sangularfacewasgrim."Onlyifwegettodeliver'em.Youknowthatsomeethnicgroupsstillrefusetopracticecontraception.
Untilwehavetherighttouseinfertilitydrugsinsubsistencelevelfood,there'llbeunreportedbirthsandcontinuedtrafficinpre-adolescentsfors.e.xualperversions,orcheaplaborinillegalfactories.Andtheoneswiththerightbloodfactorsandhealthyorganswillstillbestashedawaybytheveryrichfortransplantsasneeded."HegesturedatthefaxsheetsonTeresaAiello'sdesk.
"Andruthlesspeoplewillstilldisposeoftheusedones,"addedBorisRoznine,commissionerofLawEnforcementandOrder."Evenillegalkidshaverights."Heglancedobliquelyatthefaxesscatteredontheworktop.
Teresainadvertentlyglanceddown.Shewasatoughmindedwoman,butshehadatenyearolddaughter,andthefaxofthebloatedbodiesdiscoveredasflotsamofftheNorthSh.o.r.eofLongIslandsparednoone'ssensibilities.Sheavertedhereyes.Thecoronerreportedthattheoldesthadbeentwelve,theyoungestfive.
BorisRozninehadcontactedherthemomenttheappallingdiscoveryhadbeenmade.ThetemperofJerhattanwasalwaysuncertainwhenfacedwithsuchnews,andTeresahadcalledanemergencymeetingofhercommissionerstoprepareforapossibleeruptionifthenewswasleakedtothemedia.Boris'stwinbrotherSascha,wasduetoarrivewiththeParapsychicCenter'ssuggestions.Toinsurethetightsecurityaroundthetragedy,thefourweremeetinginthes.h.i.+eldedprivacyofthecitymanager'stoweroffice.
"Ah,"BorisinterruptedwhatTeresahadbeenabouttosay,hisrighthandlightlytouchinghistempleinindicationthathewasreceivingatelepathicmessage."PositiveIDofone,theWaddellgirlwhowaskidnappedsixweeksago..."
Teresawincedandletoutagroan.TheWaddellswereacquaintancesofhers,hightechexecutives;thechild,brightandextremelypretty,hadbeenaschoolfriendofherdaughter.Teresahadputatoppriorityontheabduction,andhadofficiallyrequestedthatRhyssaOwena.s.signherbestfindertothecase.
"Twoothersarelistedasrunaways,reportedmissingtwomonthsago.
Oftheothers..."Roznineshrugged,glancingatthemedicalofficer.
"Thebestthelabcandoisgenotypes,andit'sallsorts."
EverycitizenoftheUnitedWorldwaspermittedprovidedtheydidnotcarrytheproscribedgeneticrecessivestoproduceareplacement.Oneparent,onechild.Twoparents,twochildren.ZPGwa.s.stringentlyenforceduntilthepressureofEarth'spopulationcouldbereleasedonthenewhabitableworlds,identifiedbutnotyetattainable.ThePropagationLawswereeasiertoenforceinruralcommunitiesthaninthehugeresidentialwarrensofcitieslikeJerhattan,withitspopulationofoverthirtymillion.
TeresaturnedtotheLEOcommissioner."Youhaven'tstoppedthespotchecks,haveyou,Boris?"
"h.e.l.l,no,butwe'restillnotlocatingtheearlypregnanciesnomatterhowwetry.IfIhadthepersonneltomountsimultaneouslevelsearches,we'dcatchmore."Borisbroughthisclaspedhandstogetherasifclosinganet.Hegaveaghostof.a.grin."WedidprettywellattheResidentials,sixweeksafterthelastbigpoweroutage,b.u.t.thatwasaonceoff."Thenhespreadhishandswide,matchingDunster'sresignation."Youknowoursituation.Wemanagetokeepalidonmostofthetroubleifwe'reallsittingdownashardaswecan.Itisn'tasifweneedmorebodies."
"Theonesthatignorethelegalcontrol,"Harvsaiddejectedly,"areexactlytheoneseducationalandhygieneprogramsdon'treachinanylanguage."
Teresagrimaced."Sothere'snoindicationwheretherestofthosepoorkidsweres.n.a.t.c.hed?"
Roznineshookhishead."Couldhavecomefromanysubsistencelevel."
"Inthelastgruesomechucking,threemonthsbackorso,onlyfourwererecognizableethnictypes,"HarvDunstersaidgrimly."NearEasternersLebaneseandArabic.TwowereTaySachs,tenweredarkskinned,andonewasanHIVcarrierwhichmaywellbewhytheywereall...disposedof."Themedicsighedheavily."IsuspectLabmayalsofindantibodypositivesamongthislatest""Spareme,Harv,"Teresasaidfirmly,andcalledupthemainJerhattanmaponherscreen.
"We'vejusthadagoroundoftheResidentialswithPublicHealth.Wehaven'tgotthefundsavailableforanother.Exactlywherewerethebodiesfound,Boris?"Herfingershoveredovertheterminala.s.shewaitedforananswer.
"WashedupoutbyGlenCove,notfarfromsomeofthemoreexclusiveresidentialhivesborderingtheSound."
"Great!"Teresa'sfrustrationcameouta.s.sarcasm."NoIncidentlogged?"sheaskedBoris,thoughthatwouldhavebeenincludedintheinitialreport.
"Thestorm,yes.Theflotsam,no."
"Shouldn'tyourbrotherbeherebynow?"Teresafrowned,glancingattheclocktickingoffthesecondsinthecornerofthemainscreen.
"Weneedallthehelpwecangetonthis."
ThefocusofBorisRoznine'sblueeyeslockedbrieflyashelinkedmindswithhisyoungerbrother."Trafficsnarl'sbreakingup.Buthesays"hisvoicesuddenlydeepenedastheTalentpeculiartothetwinbrothersallowedonetospeakthroughtheother"Look,Iwanttosavetimeyoursandmine.ThesemurdersG.o.deeperthanthelossofthirtyjuveniles.ForgettheHIVfactorit'sirrelevanthere.Theyweredisposedofbecausewe'dgottooclosetothem,butnotcloseenough,soonenough.Teresa,Carmen'sbeenonsearchandfinddutyeversinceyouhandedustheWaddellkidnapfile.Shegotawhiffortwoofterror,butneverenoughlighttopinpoint.Exceptthatshegotahintofwater."Boris'swidemouthquirkedbriefly,reflectinghisbrother'schagrin."Mostofthosechildrenhadtobeillegals.Weallknowthatthatgroupofpederastsisactiveandsupplieddespiteinternationaleffortstoeradicatethatsortoftraffic.Weknowthatkidsareboughtascheaplaborands.h.i.+ppedwhoknowswhere.Andthatsomearealsosecretedaspossibletransplantdonors.
'Wehaven'tbeenidle,"Sascha'svoicecontinued."Thiscould,infact,bethebreakwe'vebeenwaitingfor.Wegottooclose.It'dbenicetoknow"andatthatwordthedoortoTeresaAiello'sofficeswungopenandSaschaRozninestrodein,smilingateveryone.Ashegavehisbrother'sshoulderagratefulsqueeze,hecontinued,"whereexactlywegotsoclose.We'reworkingonit,andwithyoura.s.sistance,HarvandTeresa,Ithinkwehavealinetothrowouttothosesharks."Hissmiletookineachofhislisteners,buthec.o.c.kedhisheadathisbrotherandwinked.
SlowlyasmilebegantolightenBoris'sfaceashereadthedetailedthoughtsinSascha'smind."Tagkidswithstrandsthroughtheschoolsystem?Thatmightjustwork!Wemightevencatchtheb.a.s.t.a.r.dchildstealersthistime."Borisleanedforwardacrossthetable.
"Youareallfamiliarwiththerestraintfilamentsthatwererecentlydeveloped?Sometimesthosewetanglewiththestrandsescapebeforetheycanbesecured.Asecondapplicationhasbeenmadewithaslightlyalteredformula,andnowthealteredstrandcanbetracedforuptosixmonths.There'recertainanomaliestoberesolved,but.i.t'sworththeefforttotageverychildinthevulnerablegroup."
"Youmean,thissideoftheriver?"Teresawavedatthepanoramavisiblefromhertoweroffice,theuptowncl.u.s.terofbeehive,cone,andsingletowerResidentialbuildingsclearlyvisibleonthisbrightmorning."Butstatistically,it'stheillegalsintheLinearResidentialswh.o.a.remoreatrisk."
"IfwecouldcatchLinearkidstostrand'em,"Borissaid,raisinghishandspalmsupinresignation,"we'dbewayahead.Meanwhilewe'llstrandasmanykidsaswecanonbothsidesoftheriverandhope."
"Hope?"Saschaaskedsoftly.
Rhyssa!SherecognizedthementaltouchofJohnGreene,theTalentedbodyguardofSecretaryofs.p.a.ceVernonAltenbach.
Wegotproblems?sheasked.
Girl,youreallydeservealltheheadachesofadministrationifyoucanguessthatmuchfromjusthearingmespeakyourname.
Noprecogneeded,JG,becauseyouneverbothermeunlessthere'spoliticalp.u.s.s.yfooting.Whatisitthistime?
AbilltodrafttheTalentedintowhateverpositionthegovernmentneedsthem!
Notagain?Rhyssa'sresponsewashalfamused,halfirritated.
Concertedattemptshadbeenmadeinthepastbygovernmentagenciestocirc.u.mscribethefreedomofchoiceoriginallygrantedtotheTalented.
ThatwaspriortothepointatwhichthegovernmentbegantoappreciatetheapplicationsofTalentafterthedayswhenDaffydopOwen,herill.u.s.triousgrandfather,abettedbySenatorJoelAndres,hadfoughttogainlegalimmunityforTalents.e.xercisingtheirabilities.
Immunityhadbeenparticularlyvitalforprecogsbecause,whentheywarnedofdisasterswhichwere,bythosewarnings,averted,theyhadbeensubjectedtoexpensiveandtimeconsuminglawsuits.Therehadbeenattemptssincethen,fromtheridiculoustothedeadlyserious,toregulateorrestrict,allmannerofTalentstomilitary,civilservice,ormercantileuses.
b.u.t.theTalentedhadalwaysmanaged,quitelegallyandwithnountowardexerciseoftheirparticularabilities,tocirc.u.mventsuchattempts.
ManyTalentshadwillinglysacrificedpersonalfreedomstoserveinthepublicsectors,someonalifelongbasis,topreservetherightfortheirpeerstochoose.Rhyssa'sparentshaddonethat,togivehertheopportunitytoachievethepositionshenowheld.
Again,andthisisn'tfunny,Rhyssa,JohnnyGreenewenton,s.p.a.ceisinabind.Theplatformhastobefinishedonschedulebeforeth.e.s.h.eerweightofnumbersonEarthbecomesmoreunmanageablethanitalreadyis.
SoLudmilla'sbeenlobbying?
She'sgotsomeheftyhelp,andVernon'sgottremendouspressureonhim.
I'mtheloudestoftheWas.h.i.+ngton/Luxembourgvoices,soI'mmakingthecontactwithyoufortherestoftheminders.We'vebeenexcludedfromfarmoresessionsthanweoughttobesessionsthathavebeenattendedbysomeofthemostantagonisticRightMutesthathaveeverbeenlinedupagainstTalents.AndwhenyouthinkthatIhelpedhimdevelophiss.h.i.+eldsagainstunauthorizedpeeking,Icouldspit!Thenerveofhimclosingmeout!
OneofthemoresensitiveprofessionsopentoempathicTalentswasthatof"minding"vulnerabletoprankingofficials.Terrorismwa.s.stillafactofpoliticallife,andalthoughtheproblemofthedisplacedandtheminoritieshadbeensomewhateasedbythema.s.sresettlementsandtheinst.i.tutionoftheLineardevelopmentsneareverymajorurbanarea,andtheincidenceofa.s.sa.s.sinationshadbeendrasticallyreduced,empathswerestillemployedto"mind"thoseofficialswhomightbetargetsforthefanaticswhostilloccasionallyemerged.RhyssacouldhearthehurtinJohnny'svoicethatVernonAltenbachhadbeens.h.i.+eldinghisthoughtsfromhisminder,especiallysinceJohnnywasalsoVernon'sbestfriend,aswellas.h.i.+sbrother-inlaw.Inhisofficialcapacity,Johnnyservedasundersecretaryinthes.p.a.ceSecretariat.Priortothathehadbeenatrainedetop-earthtoplatformpilotwithtwentysuccessfullaunches...untilthetwentyfirsthadgroundedhimforever.HisTalenthadsavedhiscrewfromdeathbutnothimselffromlosingbothleftlegandarm.Despitestateoftheartprostheses,anewcareerhadseemedadvisable.SofarJohnnyhadalreadypreventedfourattemptstokillorkidnapSecretaryofs.p.a.ceAltenbach.
Johnny:Ishouldabeenincludedintheselatesttalks,butIwasn't.
Rhyssa:WhichmeansthatTalentwasbeingdiscussed.BarchenkaandDuomlwantmorekineticsontheplatformintheworstway.I'mdoingmybesttohelp...
Johnny,inanuncompromisingtone:AnyonethoughtoftellingBarchenkathatshe'sthereasonwhyTalentswon'tworkupthere?
Rhyssa:LanceBadendid.Hethinkssheha.s.selectiveamnesia.Can'tevengetherreplaced,notwiththeperformancerecordshe'sgot!
Vernon'stried!She'ssob.l.o.o.d.ygoodatwhatshedoesit'sonlyhowshedoesit.I'llkeepintouch,butwefeltyououghttoheforewarned.
Therewasahintofcriticisminhisvoice.
Nothinghascomeupwithanyprecog,Johnny.
Iknow,Iknow.Thatworriesmeasmuch.Thisthingcouldbeveryverybig,andnotevenMallie'sgotawhiff!
Rhyssa:Then.o.bviouslythematterissolvedbeforeitreachescritical.
Shetriedtosoundfirmlyoptimisticevenasalittleshudderrippleddownherbackbone.Someoneshouldhavebeensensingsomething!MallieVadenwasoneofthemostsensitiveprecogstheCenterhadeverproduced,andherlackofforesightifJohnny'sreadingofthesituationwascorrectwa.s.surprising.
I'llbeintouch,Johnnya.s.suredher.I'llevenseewhattheghoststhink.Youknowhowthey'dliketoseeourTalentednosesoutofjoint.
IthinkI'lltryafrontalattack,Rhyssasaid.Mightjogafewbraincellsloose.
When'llIseeyouthen?Johnnyasked,histonebrightening.
Ifpossible,today.RunmethroughVernon'sschedule.WhenJohnnydid,Rhyssastoppedhimatthelunchtimeengagement.Ilikethefoodthere.I'lljustdropin!
Rhyssaalways.e.xperiencedamildshockwhensheencounteredJohnnyintheflesh,forthelighttenorofhismentalvoicewasatvariancewithhisstrongphysicalappearance.Mediumtall,hekepthimselfphysicallytrim,andonewouldneverguess.h.i.+sseriousinjuriesfromseeinghimwalkormanageeatingutensils.Somelatentkineticabilityhadprovedtobeana.s.setwithhisprostheticlimbs.HeroseashespottedRhyssaapproachingthetablewherehe,Secretaryofs.p.a.ceVernonAltenbach,ExaltedEngineerLudmillaBarchenka,andPadrugoiPersonnelManagerPerDuomlwereseated.Johnny'sbroadsmilewelcomedher,andtheyexchangedtouchandakiss.
WouldyouhavedaredlooksostunningiftheamorousPhanibalhadcome,too?Johnny'sgreenfleckedambereyestwinkledwithdevilment.
Rhyssa:Whydoesn'tthatodiousmangobacktothePacificislandthatsp.a.w.nedhimandattendtothefamily'splantations?
Johnny:Allyouneedisastronghandsomemanwho'llscarehimoff.
Rightnowyou'vegotthislotembarra.s.sedbyyourappearance,andyettheyhaven'tsaidathingoutofline,headded,allinthesplitsecondsofthegreeting.
RhyssagaveAltenbachagenuinelygladsmile,thennoddedpolitelytothefiercelyscowlingBarchenkaandtheblandfacedPerDuoml."JustthepeopleIhopedtosee.WhenIsawyouweretobeinWas.h.i.+ngton,MadameBarchenka,IrealizedthatIshouldputinanappearancebeforemattersgetoutofhand."
"Now,Rhyssa,"Altenbachsaid,signalingawaitertobringachairandsetupanotherplaceforhisunexpectedguest,"youcan'tdisrupttheestablishedprocedureoflobbying.That'snotthewaytoplaythegame."
"Norisgoingbehindmyback,"Rhyssasaid,smilingtotakethestingoutofhercriticism.SheturnedtoBarchenka."Youhaveascheduletokeep.WhatyouwillnotappreciateisthatonecannotscheduleTalentorlobbyit.Thekineticsyousodesperatelyneedcannotmaterializetohelpyoumeetyourschedule.Thatmanykineticsdon'texist.Talentisarandomandhighlyindividualtrait,notanimposedone.NoonecandictatetoaTalentandexpectthepersontoperformtothebestofherorhisability.ThatdictationinhibitstheTalenta.s.surelya.s.seasicknessinhibitsappet.i.te.Thereisnolegislationintheworldthatmaychainthemind."
"Thereislegislationthatwillrecruitthoseneededtodothejobthattheentireworldhasdecidedmustbedone."Barchenka'sstolidwordscomplimentedheruncompromisingexpression."Theplatformwillbefinisheda.s.scheduled.Thekineticswillpartic.i.p.ate."
Rhyssacaughtanotherstrongemanation,thistimefromPerDuoml,whonoddedsolemnlytosupportBarchenka'sstatement.
"Thereareways,"Barchenkaadded,hercoldeyesscanningRhyssa'swholeappearancefromtheelegantlycoiffedhairandsubtlemakeuptothecoutureoutfit.
"Legal?"Rhyssaaskedwithaslightsmile.
ThesecretaryclearedhisthroatandhandedRhyssaamenu."I'mstilloftheopinionthatthisimpa.s.secanbenegotiatedtothesatisfactionofallconcerned."
Barchenkamadeamonosyllabicnoiseofdisbeliefandresumedherperusalofthemenu.Afteronlyseconds,shetosseditnegligentlytothetable."Iwouldprefernutritiousfoodtothis..."
JohnnyGreenebeckonedtothemaitred',whowasfamousforhispoiseunderthemosttryingsituationsthatWas.h.i.+ngtoncouldproduce.
"D'Amato,ManagerBarchenkarequirestheothermenu."
AtasnapofD'Amato'sfingers,anunderlingappearedandhandedhimaslimfolder,whichhepresentedtoBarchenkawithaflourish.Shegavehim,thenJohnny,asardoniclookthatturnedtoagreeablesurprisea.s.shescannedamenucomposedofthefoodstuffsavailableontheplatform.
"Five,twelve,andtwenty,takenwithtea,"shesaidinavoicethatstillvibratedwithcontrolledanger.
Watchit,Rhyssa!Johnnycautioned.Didyoucatchthatfash?She'spoisonsureshe'sgotuswhereshewantsus.
Simultaneouslythreeotherminders,diningwiththeirchargesinthesameroom,sentRhyssasimilarwarnings.ShewasparticularlygladtofeelthementaltouchofGordonHavers,theyoungestSupremeCourtjusticeeverappointed,whoseexpertisemightbeextremelyuseful.
Fine!Nowdiscoverwhat?Rhyssasaidmentallyasvocallyshechoseherluncheonofcoldfruit,soup,andsalad.Gordie,areyouavailableforsomequickscansofobsoletestatutesthatcouldcoversuchacontingency?
Beendrivingmyselfandmyclerksallhourstryingtofndone,Rhyssa,repliedGordonHavers.There'snothinginourconst.i.tution,butsincetheRussianswonthecontractforPadrugoi,theremaybesomethingintheRussiansectionthatdoes!Theirlegalsystemisasconvolutedastheirgrammar!
"Youcan,ofcourse,invokesomeforgottenbutstillactivestatute,"Rhyssaremarkedalltooblandly,waitingforreactions,"toconscriptTalents..."BothBarchenkaandDuomllookedstartled.
Bingo!Gordiecried.I'llconcentrateontheRussianendofs.p.a.celaw.
"But,"Rhyssacontinuedsoothingly,"ithasalwaysprovedunwisetoforceTalenttoperforminanareathatiseitherpersonallyorprofessionallydistastefultothem,andunderpunitiveconditions."
'Wehavebeentoolenientwithyourtemperamentaltricksandtraits,"Barchenkasaid,leaningacrossthetableinanger."Youwilldothis,youwon'tdothat!"Sheaffectedachild'spetulanttone."ManyconcessionsweremadetocatertothewhimsandfadsofyourTalents,andstillnosignificantnumberswillvolunteerforthemostimportantworldprojectofallhistory.Youratt.i.tudeisunacceptable."
"Iamprotectingmycolleagues,notbeingobstructive.Imustrepeat,"Rhyssacontinuedsmoothly,"ithasalwaysprovedunwisetoforceTalenttoperformdutiesunacceptabletothemandunderpunitivelivingconditions."
"Thatwillchange!Willbechanged!Theplatformwillbefinishedonschedule!"Barchenka'svoicehadrisenwitheachsentenceuntilitstoppedconversationthroughouttheopulentdiningroom.Shepushedherselffromherchair,wobblingslightlyashermovements,moresuitedtohalfgrav,broughtherstockybodyponderouslytoanuprightposition.Shekickedthechairawayfromher."Idonottolerateinsubordination!"Andsheclumpedawayfromthetable.
"Iwasdoingmybestforyou,"VernonAltenbachsaidtoRhyssa,hisfaceandmannerresignedasherose,hischairpulledbackbyahoveringwaiter.
"Youdonotunderstandourposition,DirectorOwen,"PerDuomladded,buthemadenomovetoleavethetable."Weareforcedtouseunpleasantalternativestoavertfarmoreseriousdisastersovertakingtheworld!"
The Wings Of Pegasus Part 27
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The Wings Of Pegasus Part 27 summary
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