The Wings Of Pegasus Part 38

Dealingwiththeuntalentedtookheroicefforts,Boristhought.Ontheotherhand,didhereallywanteveryonetohaveparanormalabilities?

Oratleastsomeminorparanormalquirk,sothattherewouldbelessha.s.sle?b.u.t.thatgaverisetoenvyenvyofsomeonemoreTalentedthanoneself,whichonlyincreaseddissensionandprejudice.No,farbettertohaveasmallminority,dedicatedanddisciplinedtoperformfunctionsthatthemindnumbcouldnot.Andallofthepeculiarandunusualquirksregistered!

Sir?Loufanpaused.Iremovedthestrandfromthescalp,asitinterferedwiththereadingandiscertainlyirrelevant.ThesubjectisaEurasianethnicmix,preadolescentfemale.Goodstronggenoprint,goodimmunefactors,healthy,unusuallyso.Thetechniciansoundedsurprised.LinearGsubsistencefarewasnutritionallyadequate,ofcourse,butifthechildwasillegal,asBorissuspected,howhadshemanagedtobehealthy?Andthere'snomatchofbirthID.

Boris:Didyoureallyexpecttofndone?

Loufan:Yes,sir.

ItwasBoris'sturntobesurprised.

Loufan:Shecouldhavebeenarunawayorakidnap.

Boris:Okay.Filethedata,Loufan,andgivethehairtoBertha.Askherinyourineffablypolitestyleifthisartifactsparksanythingoffinhermind?

MomentslaterBerthacamestormingbacktohim."Oh,thepoorthing!

Hairtornrightoutofherscalp!Commish,whodidit?"

"PossiblyBulbar.Senseanything?"

Berthapressedthelockagainstheramplebosom,closedhereyes,andconcentrated."Notathing,but.i.t'sthereinmymindnow."Shegrimacedinsuddenrevulsionandthrust.i.tbacktohim."Takeitaway!"

Saschainterceptedthelock."Black,goodlength,"hemurmured"Someofthosewomennevercuttheirhair.Healthy,andmuchcleanerthanyou'dexpect.Shouldn'tbetoohardtofindajuvenilewithahunktornoutofherscalp."

"I'dratheryougiveittoCarmen,"Boristoldhim.Ranjitthinksquiteafewoftheolderillegalkidseludedthesearchteams,headded.Couldshebeoneofthem?Shemightleadustotherest.

CarmenSteinlaidthelockacrossherthighsandstrokeditflat,usingherlongfingernailstoseparatethetangledhairs.Forseveralmoreminutesshefingeredthem,softlycoaxingasenseoftheirgrower'swhereabouts.CarmenalwayslookedsoplacidandimperturbablewhenshewasevokingherTalentasfinder.Betterthanmost,Saschaknewjusthowmuchactivityherbrainwasgeneratingatsuchmoments.Shewasoneofthebestsearchershehadeverencounteredand,becauseherTalentwasintenseandexhausting,heprotectedherasmuchashecould,limitinghera.s.signments.

"Theincidentoccurredhowlongago?"sheaskedwithouttakinghereyesfromthehair.

"Approximatelysixtytwominutes."

"Ah,sheis.h.i.+ding.Thataccountsforthedarkness.Icannotseewhere.Thereisnolight.Aconstricteds.p.a.ce."

"Aconduit?"

"That'spossible."Carmensoundeddubious."Ithinkshesleeps."

"That'sacoolone."

"No,"Carmensaid,takinghimliterally."Notcool.Tired."Sheofferedhimthehair.

"No,keepit,Carmen,fornow.We'llneedtoknowifshemoves."

CalmlyCarmenleanedforward,tookaclipfromthebrightlyenameledjaronthetable,andfastenedthetress,thescalpendnowcoatedwithaprotectivefilm,highontherightsideofherhead.

SaschahadrelayedCarmen'scommentstoBoris.

Aconduit,bub?There'ssofewofthoseinaLinear.TheLEOCommissioner'smentaltonewasfacetious.We'reflus.h.i.+ngkidsoutofeveryavailables.p.a.ce.Ihatethis,Sascha,Ihateit.Saschasentquicksoothingthoughtstoeasetheturmoilinhisbrother'smind,butBoriswenton.Themiracleoflifeshouldbeablessing,notacurse.

Howcanpeoplebesoirresponsibleastoproducecountlessunwantedchildrenandwastethem?

Evenillegalkidshaverights,Sascharesponded,gentlyquotinghisbrotherhisownwords.Seethateventheleastofthemgetthatmuch.

Illegalsgotothes.p.a.cestation.Borissoundeddefeated.

Theydon'tgoasgruntsThey'retrainedtodosomethingalotmoreconstructivethantheirparentseverdid.Leaveit,brother.

Iscratchyourback,Bro,notyournose,Borissaidwryly.Now,I'mputtinginanappearancetoscaresomesenseoutofthoseflippingfocusfemales!

Noonebetter.Bytheway,whenyouhaveasparemoment,listentoanewsupdate.Thenyou'llknowwhywetwistedyourarmwithaGandH.

IcongratulatethetriumphIsenseinyourmind,butI'llhavetowaitonareplayoftheevent,Borissaidasheenteredtherehearsalhall,thinkingwhatascarcecommoditytimewasrightthen.

Hecrossedthethreshold,a.s.suminghismostaweinspiringofficialmanner.Tall,handsome,thestrengthinhispowerfulframeshownoffevenbythebulkyactionuniform,hesucceededinscaringthegaggleofwomensilent,asilencethatdidnotlasttoolong,thoughtherenewedburstsofargumentativecrosstalkwereconsiderablysubdued.

Ijustgotsomething,Commissioner,Ranjittoldhim.Aflashfromthewomanfourthontheleft,theplumpyoungonewiththecastemark.

"It'sallTirla'sfault."Tirlais,Ithink,afemininename.

"Translateforme,Lieutenant,"Borissaid,stridingimperiouslyinfrontofthewomen,histonehaughty."IamLEOCommissionerBorisRoznine.Whereisthegirlchildyouhadwithyouthisevening?"

Borishadnotroublepickingupthereactionsofresentment,envy,anger,dismay,andfearashegaveRanjittimeenoughtorepeathiswordsinthevariouslanguages.ThewomenhadhadtimetorealizethattheywereindeeptroublewithAuthority.Severalhadvividworriesabouttheirchildren,lefttoolongaloneintheirsquats.Othersconcentratedonnursingtheirsenseofgrievance.HecaughtoccasionalvariationsonthephraseRanjithadtwigged,butnooneelsevolunteeredaname."Itwasallherfault."Theycontentedthemselveswithimpersonalmalice.

"Letmerea.s.sureyouthatthechildreninyourhomesarebeingcaredforuntilyoucanreturntothem,"hesaid,smilingkindly.

Astheimportofhissentencewasunderstoodbyeachgroup,thewailing,breastbeating,andpullingofhairbegan,andmorerecriminationswerespewed.Boriswaswellawareoffury,loss,resignation,andreliefinonecase,buthecouldnotunderstandanyactuallinguisticsusedinthevariedemotionalreactions.

Ranjit:ThisBilalasaysthat.i.tisallherfaultforresistingtheLama'schoosing.Ranjitwasrestrainingtheplumpcastemarkedviragofromrus.h.i.+ngatthehaughty,hawknosedolderwomanontheothersideoftheroom.ShesaysMirdaKhanbroughtallthisonherselfMirdaKhanrepliesthatah,thenameagain,Tirlawouldnothavebeenabletotranslateforanyofthemuponthestage.Shehaddonelittleenoughtoearnbaksheesh,atip.

Boris:Lieutenant,askthemwhoisTirla'smother.

Thequestionshutthewomenupandbrieflycloseddowntheirmentalperturbations.Thentheyalllaunchedintopersonallamentationsagain.Theanswerwasalsoquick.NoneofthemwasTirla'smother,andwithoutexception,justasBorishadhoped,everyoneofthemflashedaquickmentalimageofthegirlinquestion.

Got.i.t,RanjitandNormatoldhiminunison.

AsIdid.Withagesturetosignifythatthewomencouldbeprocessedorreleasedastheirconditionwarranted,theLEOcommissionerhurriedbacktotheIncidentRoom.

Loufanawaitedhimthereinfrontofthegraphicspad,stylusready.

Forthissortoftransference,Borisgraspedthetechnician'sthinshoulderandconcentratedonthevividimageoftheTirlachild.

Loufansketchedquickly,capturinginafewcleverlinestheintensefacerememberedbymostinitspanicatbeingstrandedthewideset,slightlytiltedhugedarkeyesaboveprominentcheekbones,theabundantwavingdarkhairframingit,thefinestraightnose,thesmallcautiousmouth,thelongsweepofadeterminedjawline,theoddcleftinthechin.Acharmingface,ifonediscountedthefright,intelligentdespitethefear.Tirlalookednomorethaneightornine,butsomewispofthoughtfromthefatoldwomansuggestedthatshewasolder.Thewoman'smemoryofherwentbackquiteafewyears.

"Isthather?"Loufanasked,transferringthesketchtothescreen.

TheLEOcommissionerallowedhimself.a.goodlonglook,matchingtheimageonthescreentotheconsensusinthemindsoftwentywomen.

"Yes,that'sit.Print.i.t,circulateittoallofficersandTalents.

Ithinkweshouldfindthatchild.Ca.s.smightberightaboutlatentTalent.AndifFlimflamwasafterher,theremaybemoretoherthanwerealize.IalsoneedtofileanintelligentreasonwhyaRIGd.a.m.nednearturnedintoafullscaleriot,andshejustmightprovidetheanswer,"heconcluded.Sascha,couldsomeonebeaninstantaneoustranslator?

Saschaconsideredthat.I'dsaythatshedisplayedmorethanamerelanguagefacilityquitepossiblyTalent.Anyonewhocouldtranslatetendifferentlanguagesa.s.sheapparentlycouldwouldbevaluabletoeitherorbothofus.Hegrinnedathisbrother.Firstwe'llhaveto.findher.Thenwecanevaluateherabilities.

Tirla!

Tirlawokesuddenly,joltedoutofherexhaustedsleepbysomeonecallinghernamesoftlyandappealingly.Tirladidnotmove,orsomuchasopenhereyes.

Cleverlittletrinket,isn'tshe?Callheragain.

Won'twork,Boris.She'salertnoIthadtohavebeenpartofadream.

Sheoftendreamedthatsheheardhermothercallinghername.Ithadtobeadream,becausenoonecouldknowwhereshewas,despiteLEOssearchingthemainconduitsandsendingdroneunitsdownthesmallerones.Onherwayhomefromthedebacleofthemeeting,shehadescapedalltypesofearnesthunters.Shehadseenthenumbersofchildrenbeingflushedfromhideyholes.

Herhunchaboutthemeetinghadbeencorrect.Ithadservedasanexcusetosweepdownonthepads,collectillegalchildren,andcheckallID's.Noone,absolutelynoone,hadeverknownwhereshesquatted.Shedidnoteventhinktoherselfwhereshewas.

Andnoonewaslikelytodiscoverhereveninthisintensivesearch.

Somewhatrea.s.sured,Tirlanestledbackintothewarmthofhersleepsack.Suddenlysheheardnoisesnearbyandfroze.Sheheardthedoorsintotheclosedsectionbeingopened.Thissearchwasunusuallythorough.Notevenshehadbeenabletogetintotheengineerings.p.a.ce,andyet.i.twasbeingchecked.

NotevenYa.s.sim'smencouldfindher,andtheyknewalltheducksanddodgesthatanysubbiehadeverfiguredout.ShehadbeensoluckynottobecaughtbyBulbar.Hewaswickeddangerous.Herheadstillthrobbedwherethehairhadbeentornaway.

Shehaddabbedonsomediswipe.Bulbarcouldhavebeencarryinganykindof'munetoinfecther,scabbyoldscuz.

HerproblemwithYa.s.simremained.Shehadnotwashedthetieds.Howwouldheexpecthertowhenhe,andeverytrader,hadbeenluckytoescapethebust?Notthathetookexcuses.WhatawfullucktobesingledoutbytheLamashaman!Whichofthewomenhadhereallybeenafter?Andwhy?ItmadenosensetoTirla.Noneofthemwasprettyoryoung,orevenonthelaynotwiththeirhusbands!

Thenoiseofsearchwasdiminis.h.i.+ng,andcarefullyTirlareachedunerringlyforthewaterjugandfoodthatshekeptforsuchemergencies.Chewingthedryeatmadeterriblenoisesinherhead.Shehadheardaboutthewiderangeultrasensitivegearthatwa.s.saidtopickupbreathinginaradiusoffiveklicks,b.u.t.thereshouldbeenoughminornoisesfromthegeneratorsandairconditioningunitstomaskherchewing,andshewasterriblyhungry.Finally,thirstandhungera.s.suaged,Tirlasnuggleddeeperintohersackandwenttosleepagain.

"Takeabreak,Carmen,"Saschatoldthefinder."Shewon'tventureoutuntilnight.Ifthen."

Carmenrubbeddelicatelyathertemplesandsighed."You'reright.

I'llrest.She'sunusual,isn'tshe,Sascha?"

"Webelieveso,evenifwedon'tknowspecificallywhy."

Carmenregardedhimwithsomesurprise."It'salovelyclearmind.

Likeabellwhenshe'sasleep.She'swaryandcautiousawake,thatone.

Icantouchherbutnotreadher.Andwithherinthedarkness,Ican'tevenhelpyouhomeinonher."

"She'llcomeoutingoodtime."

CarmenshotalookthatsuggestedthatSaschaRozninemightthisoncebewrong.Hegrinnedandwinkedasheturnedtoleaveherquarters.

"Frankly,Sascha,we'veruneverythingwegotonthepeopleFlimflamfingeredforYa.s.sim,"BorisRozninesaid,tossingasheafofhardcopyontothedesktop,"andwecan'tfindacommondenominator.They'remostlyablebodies,doingenoughworktokeepawayfromConscriptiveWorkServices,onlyminormisdemeanorsontheirsheets,noneof'emknowntogambleordip."

Saschasmiledknowinglyandfelthisbrotherpokeathismind,buthekepthiss.h.i.+eldinplace.HecoulddothattoBoris,whereasBoriscouldnotkeephimoutatall."You'vehadahardthirtyhours,soI'lltellyou.Theywereallfathers."

"What?"BloodsuffusedBoris'sface.

"FlimflamhadaccessedordinaryinfoonresidentsoftheLinear.Mindyou,itwa.s.sosimplewedidn'tseeitatfirst.Bertha'ssensitivetofemalesandchildren,Auertotheblackersideoflife."

Borisscrubbedathishead."Sometimesitisthesimplethingswemiss.SoFlimflamwasfingeringfatherswithlikelyyoungstersandthegirlwasabonus?"

"Iguess,andwe'restillinthedarkabouther,"Saschaaddedawareofhisbrother'snextquery."Carmen'slatched,b.u.t.thegirl'scautiousandhasn'tmovedsinceshewenttoground."

"Scared?"

"Strangelyenough,no.I'dhazardthatshe'shadtokeepalowprofilebefore.She'sapreteenandillegal."

"Thatwillsharpenthesenses."

"How'reyoudoingwithYa.s.sim'soperation?"

Wefigurehepickedupatleastnineteenchildren,maybeafewmore."

Borisgrimaced.WecollectedeighthundredandthreeillegalkidsfromLinearG.IfwhatHarvbelievesispossiblethateveryoneoftherelatedmothershasbeenhavingakidayearwe'reminusapossibleforty.Welocatedeighteenofthatfortyinastoragebas.e.m.e.nt,b.u.t.they'vegottheentryjammed.We'reworkingonit."Borisshookhishead."Theyreallywillbebetteroffinhostels."

"Andins.p.a.ce?"Saschaaskedwryly.

"Evenins.p.a.cetheyhaveabetterchancethanstalematedinaLinear."

"b.u.t.theywon'tbeabletoreproducethemselves."Saschahadneverapprovedofthelawthatrequiredthesterilizationofillegaloffspring.

Borisraisedhishandsinresignation."Idon'tmakethelawsSascha.

Ionlyenforcethem."Thenheleanedforwardandtappedupanewprogramonhisbigscreen."Allright.Now,wehavetofindYa.s.simInhiswarrenandsavenineteenkidsormorefromhim.

""She'smoved,Sascha,"Carmensaid,hertonehalftriumphant,halfanxious.

Saschaconsultedhiswatch."Thistimeofday?"

"Linearwillbecrowdedwiththosecomingoffwork."

"Keepascloseasyoucantoher."

"It'sverydifficult,Sascha.It'salmostasifsheisn'tseeingthethingsshe'slookingat.Ican'tgetarealfix,exceptthattherearepeopleallaroundher.Wait!She'sstopped.No,that'snogood.AllIgetisama.s.sofstandardissueclothing.She'sstillinacrowd."

"I'mintouchwithourteamsonthemainlevelsofG.Justgiveusadirection,Carmen.Anydirection."Alerttoourquarry!headdedinamentalcalltoCa.s.sandSuz.

Tirlawasrelievedthat.i.thadbeenMirdaKhanshefirstcameacross.

Mirdawasfullofthewholeaffair,herblackeyessnappingwithindignationandacertainslymalicethatshehadnotsufferedatthehandsofthePublicHealthithadbeenalongtimesinceherwombhadbornefruit.Butshehadthegracetomournherfriends'losses...o...b..ththeirexistingchildrenandtheirhopeofmore.

"Theywillseehowharditisforthoseofuswhohavenochildrentosell."