The Wings Of Pegasus Part 39

"WasthatwhyYa.s.simwasthere?Tobuychildren?"

"Whyelse?"Mirdaliftedhershouldersinaneloquentshrug."Hewouldhavenointerestinspiritualthings."

"Didhegetthemall?"Tirlawasaghast.YetifabigscoreputYa.s.siminaverygoodmood,hewouldbeeasierforhertodealwithoverthematterofthetiedsshehadbeenunabletowash.

"No,theygotmostofthem.Ya.s.simcannothavemany,b.u.t.thosehegothegotfornothing!"Mirdawasindignant."Nopricewaspaidtotheirgrievingmothersandfathers.TheyranintohisarmstoescapetheLEOs.Ran!Andnocredits.e.xchanged,notevenabargainmade.Oh,hewillnotdaretoenterGagain."ThensuddenlyMirdalatchedsteelyfingersintoTirla'sshoulder."WhatwastheLamashamansaying?Youdidn'ttellus.Aiiiye,andtoincreaseinsult,youdidnotevenhavethegracetoacceptthestrandthatchoseyou.YouhaveearnedtheundyinghatredofBilalaandPilaufornotacceptinghischoice."

Tirlawrenchedherselffree."Choice?Iamnothingwhywouldhechooseme?Ithinkhemissed.TellBilalathat.i.thinkhewasaimingforherandmissed.But,asforwhathesaid,youmissednothing.ThatLamashamanspewedstupidsyllablesonly.Notaproperwordinanylanguage.Eveninhisheadhewasn'tusingrealwords.Hedidn'tmeanto.Heisashamman,notashaman.ItwasallsetupforthePublicHealthtoraidLinearG."

"Howcouldthatbe?"Mirdawa.s.startled."No,itcouldnotbe.NotwithtraderstherewithalltheirgoodsandsomeofitnotthingstheLEOsshoulddiscoveronthem.AndcertainlynotwhenYa.s.sim,andeveryladrone,hitter,andsa.s.sinheemploys,werealsopresent.Theywouldhaveknown.PerhapsthestrandwasmeantforBilala,asyousaid.Shefeltthatwasproperforher,too,youunderstand,forshehasbeenworthy.Awomanwhohasborneachildeveryyearforherhusband.

Aiyyee,andtheyhavetakenthatfromhernow,andhispridefromhim.

Hewillreproachheruntilthedayofherdeath."Mirdabegantobeatherselfacrossherb.r.e.a.s.t.s,andTirlausedthedistractiontoslipaway.

So,Ya.s.simhadchildrenfromGandhadnotpaidforthem.Andshehadtiedsthatshecouldnotdealforhim,whichshehadbetterreturn.Ifhehadenoughchildren,thenwithluckhewouldnottakeher.

ItwaswrongofBilalatohateher.TirlawishedthatshehadaskedMirdaifanymoreofherclientsdid.ItwasessentialforTirlatostayongoodtermswitheveryoneinLinearG.Shewasjustasillegal.

BilalaorPilaucouldbespitefulenoughtoturnherin,asatokenrevengeforthelossoftheirownchildren.Unless...

UnlessTirlacouldgetapriceforthechildrenwhohadrunintoYa.s.sim'sclutches.Sheknewwherehekeptsuchmerchandise.Itwoulddependonwhohehadtaken.

Sheskippeddownasideaislewhere,lookingaroundtobesureshewasnotobserved,sheyankedataconduitgrille.Itresisted,andshesawthatthescrewshadbeenreplaced.Shefeltinsidethegrilletobesuretherewerenowiresoreyes,b.u.t.thiswasasmallopening,oneonlyaverysmallorthinchildcouldhaveused,andhadnotbeenstakedout.Shegotoutthevibrobladeshehadearnedforsomelongforgottenfavorandsheeredofftwoscrews.Thensheclimbedintothedarkconduit.

Carmenwas.e.xasperated.JustwhenIhadagoodplacementorthoughtIdidshe'sgoneintothedarkagain.No,wait,Sascha,there'slightaroundhernow.She'sinsomesortofacrampedtunnel.

Sascha:Usestheb.l.o.o.d.yconduitslikeasubway.I'llhavetheschematicofGonmyscreenforthenextyearatthisrate.

Carmen:Thinkhowwellyou'llknowtheinnardsofaResidentialbythen.

Sascha:Thanks.Keeptrackofourmole.

Carmen:Waitaminute,Sascha,Ithinkshe'smovingoutofG.

Sascha,startled:Howcanshe?

Carmen:She'sintheundergroundRedlight.Thefreightsubwaysaretheonlytunnelsilluminatedinred,aren'tthey?

Sascha:OmiG.o.d,whichdirectionha.s.shegone?

Sascha,Ca.s.shere.MirdaKhanwasjustseentalkingwithourquarry.

Khaninsiststhatthegirlescapedfromher.I'llbelievethatwhenpigsfly.

Sascha:Whatweretheytalkingabout?

Themeeting,Flimflam,Ya.s.sim.Khanhasgoneintopanicandisn'tmakingmuchsense.She'safraidthere'ssuddenlyarealbigdollopofguilt,anxiety,mainlyfear.orherselfandjustalittleforTirla.

Sascha:Boris!OurquarrymaybeventuringintooneofYa.s.sim'sindustrialterritories.Alertyoursurveillance.

AthisdeskintheParapsychicTower,SaschaRoznineexperiencedthesortoffrustrationthatplaguedfewTalents.Hardenedcriminalswereeasiertoapprehendthanonepreadolescentchildwholookednearlyhalfheractualage.AndwhatonearthwasthechilddoinginYa.s.sim'sterritory?Shewouldhavedonebettertocrawlbackintoherverysecrethideyhole.Hewastormentedwithmemoriesofthepixofvivisectedchildbodies.

Chapter10.

Barchenkawasfuriouswheninformedthatshewouldbedeprivedofherstrongestkineticsfortheweekitwouldtaketomitigatethemonsoonflooding.Shefirstcriedmutiny,thengrandlarceny,butwasbroughtupshortbyherownStationAuthority,whopointedoutthattheTalentshadalegalrighttoattendmajordisasterssuchastheonethatundeniablyexistedintheBangladeshflooding.Also,thepilotwasanoffdutyvolunteer,andtherehadbeennodamagetotheErasmus,whichhehadreturnedtoPadrugoia.s.soonasWoomeraclearedhimforalaunch.

Ma.s.siveeffortsinshoringuptheleveesandcarefulmanipulationofthebarriersanddamspreventedtheGangesfromturningthelowerportionofBanglades.h.i.+ntoavastlagoonfromBogratothesea.Still,wholetownshadtobeevacuatedandnecessarysuppliess.h.i.+fted,difficultevenkineticallyintheappallingconditions.TheforceofthechanneledflooddidinundateChittagongandcoastaltownsbelowit,butnotasdisastrouslyastheprecoghadpredicted.Talentonceagainhadreducedtheimpactofamajornaturalcatastrophe.

PeterReidinger,ontheotherhand,sleptlateintothenextmorning,butwhenDonUsenikcheckedhimover,heseemednonetheworseforhismajorgestalteffort.b.u.t.therewasnodoubtthathisachievementhadalteredhim:heneitherfloatednoressayedtowalkhestrutted,chinhigh,withaslightlysuperiorsmirkonhisface.

"Whatwasthesaying?"Powertendstocorrupt,andabsolutepowercorruptsabsolutely'?"SaschaaskedRhyssa,peevis.h.i.+nhisfrustrationoverthelostgirl."He'sinsufferablysmugthismorning."

Doroteagaveasnort."Don'toverreact,Sascha!He'sgotarighttocrow.Perfectlynaturalinanyone,especiallyafourteenyearoldboywhoseonlyavailablemovementuntilrecentlywastonguingaswitchorblinkinghiseyesattridtochangechannels.Prettyheadystufftosaveacountry.Iscannedhimprettydeeplyatbrunchwhilehewa.s.stillsleepy,andthere'snothinginhismindthatsmacksofcorruption."Shegrinned."Abiggergenerator,morederringdo,andplentyofselfsatisfaction."

"Lightenup,Saschabear,"Rhyssasaid,smilingencouragingly."Ordon'tyouremembersomeofthetricksyouandBorispulledatthatage?"

"Atelepathcan'tgetintoquitethesamesortoftroubleakineticcan,"Saschasaid,grimlythinkingof.a.girlfumblinginredlitfreightways.WhatwasherTalent?

'Peter'sgotafinesenseofintegrity,Sascha,"Rhyssasaid."He'ssensitiveandsensible.Wehavetothinkhowtobringhimbacktocruelrealityafterhisminormiracle."

"Adiversionusuallyhelps,"Dorotearemarkedwithagleaminhereyes.

"Iusedthatployoftenwithmylads."Shewrinkledhernoseandsighed."Alltoooften."

"It'sgoingtohavetobeprettygoodtodistracthimfromtheErasmusstunt,"Saschasaidwithuncharacteristicgloom.

RhyssawasdistractedfromtheconversationbythementalhailofJohnnyGreene.Rhyssa,youguyscalledaGandH.DidithavesomethingtodowiththespectacularlandingandtakeoffoftheErasmus?

OneofthephonesonRhyssa'sdeskrang,andbeingnearest,Saschapickeditup.

"Yes,Dave?No,Rhyssa'sgotacallonhermind.CanIhelp?"Helistenedforamomentandthenreplacedthehandset,hisfacegrimmerthanever.

Johnny,Rhyssawa.s.saying,it'sverycomplicated.

Sascha:youhaven'theardthehalfyet,dear.Dave's...o...b..dnewsforus,too.Ludmilla'sclaimingthatwe'veperjuredourimmortalsoulsanddeliberatelyfalsifiedourRegister.

Johnny:Vernon'shadallkindsofflakfromNASA,thes.p.a.ceAuthorities,thePadrugoiAuthority...

Rhyssa,fiercely:RemindVernonwhatkineticsaredoingontheIndiancontinent.Sascha,tellDavethathispublicpitch15that,despiteallodds,Talenthaskept.i.tscovenantofdisastera.s.sistance.AndIwantJohnnyandDaveuphereasfastastheycanmakeit.Particularlyyou,Greene.ToDorotea,shesaid,"IthinkPeter'simmediateillusionsofgrandeuraregoingtobeheavilydampened."

Borisenteredthetelepathicconference.ThePowerResourcescommissionerisalsodemandinganexplanationforaGandHthatcausedlastnight'sbrownoutandwipedoutalhispowerreserves,hesaidplaintively.Thecitycommishwantsalotofanswers.Sascha,youheardanything?

Sascha,savagely:No!

VsevolodGebrowski,urgently:Rhyssa,Barchenkaisouttogetyou!Andthere'snothingIcandotodistracther.ItoldherGandH.HertelempathshaveexplainedthatthisisaTalentemergencycodewhichneedsnoelaboration.Shedoesnotacceptthat.

Rhyssa:YoutellLudmillafrommethatshe'shadplentyofsecretsshedoesn'tshare,likeearlycompletionbonuses,aswellasfinesondelays.Idon'tquestionher;shedoesn'tquestionme.

Vsevolod:Shedoes.Iwarnyou.

Dorotea,helpfully:AmaldaVadenseesnothinguntowardRhyssa:Whydidyoubringherinonthis?

Dorotea:Ithinkweneedaltherea.s.surancewecanget.

Sascha:DaveLehardt,GordieHavers,andtwotopNASAgeneralsareonthesameheliwithJohnny.

RhyssarememberedhowsatisfiedPeterhadlookedafterdealingsobeautifullywiththeErasmuscrisis.Shegroaned."He'sonlyfourteen."Carmen:Sascha,I'vegotafixonher.

Saschawasoutthedoorinaflash.Goodluck!

Rhyssa:Rightbackatyou!

"Peter'sfarmorematurethanmostfourteenyearoldsI'vedealtwith,"Doroteamused."Includingyou,"sheadded,favoringRhyssawithanadmonitoryglance."Andhe'sgotalltherightinstincts...o...b..ingTalented."

Tirladidnotlikeusingthefreightsubways.Theredlightwasoffputting.However,acargotrainservicingtheautomaticindustrialcomplexesallalongtheriversidewastheonlywaytogettothesecretedholdingplaceYa.s.simusedtostashhismerchandiseatraingoingintotheJindustrial.Thenshewouldhavetowalktothecorrectshunt.Therewereemergencyalcovessetatintervalsallalongtherighthandside,soshecouldavoidbeingcrushedbyanypa.s.singcars.Deadunthinkingthingsliketramtrainsdidnotfrightenher.

LiveunthinkingthingslikesomeofYa.s.sim'ssa.s.sinsandhittersdid.

ShewaitedahundredmetersfromtheyawningredandblackmouthoftheGshuntfornearlyanhourbeforeaJtrainarrived.Itwouldhavetoslowasitreachedthejunction,soitwasnoproblemforanagilepersontodropontothefirstsegment,catchagoodholdofthef.l.a.n.g.e,andsettledownforthetrip.Flattenedonthetop,shewa.s.smallenoughtohaveseveralcentimeters'clearancefromthecurvedceilingofthetunnel.Sheresethergripasthetrainpickedupspeedagain,vibratingunderher.Thefetidwind,anoxious...o...b..nationofoverheatingmetal,grease,andtheacridstinkofelectricity,roareddownacrossherbody,andsheangledherfacedown.

WhentheJtrainfinallyslowedwithscreechingbrakesandmadethelefthandturnintothecarG.o.docksofitsdestination,shereadiedherselftojumpoff.Shehadtolandclearofthecodingmachinerythatopenedandsortedoutthegoodstobedeliveredfromtheload.

Butshehaddoneitwithnoproblembeforeanddiditagain,droppinglightlydownandrunningupthenarrowledgebythevariouschutesandmovingrampsthatbegantheunloading.

Whenshecametothefirstcurveinthenarrowtunnelandthelastoftheredlightwasgone,sheusedherhandlight,gladthatshehadfilchedafreshchargeforitonlythepreviousweek.Withthedimbeamtolightherway,shetrottedalonginahalfcrouchuntilthemusclesinherlegsandbackached.Shedroppedtoherkneesthenandrestedamomentbeforecontinuingon.

Motivatedbyherkeensenseofselfpreservation,Tirlahadoncetakentheprecautionofinvestigatinghisholdingcell,aroomhiddenbehindafalsewallofbarrelsatthebackofanautomatedfactory,wherethenoiseoftheilltunedmachinerywoulddrownanyscreaming.Buthedidkeepthechildrenreasonablywellcaredfor,sincepurchaserscouldviewthemonaclosedcircuitsystemheprovided.DisablingthearchaicscannerwouldbenoproblemforTirla,andsheknewthepreciselocationoftheventilatorhatchintheroom'sceiling.

Thekidshadbeenintherenearlytwodays.Theywouldberested,sheknew,andpossiblyfeelingprettygoodabouttheirnewconditions,whichwere,afterall,aconsiderableimprovementoversquats.Theymightnotwanttoleave.ShewishedsheknewwhomYa.s.simhadgrabbedthenshecouldfigureouthowtostirthemtoleaveYa.s.sim'shospitalitylongenoughtoforcehimtopaytheirparentspropercompensation.

Sheloosenedtheappropriatewiresontheancientscannersothatthestaticwouldsnowthevisual.Then,gainingentrancethroughtheventilatorhatch,shedangledfromtheceilingtotheexcitedclamorofyoungvoices.

"Heythere,coolitwaydown!"sheorderedinBasic,repeatingthemessageforthosewhomightbeslowtotranslateorneedtoberea.s.sured."Yus.h.i.+,pullamattressdownsoIcanlandsoft.It'sadrop."

WhileYus.h.i.+andhisyoungerbrothercomplied,shedidaquickestimate.

Ya.s.simmusthavebeenquitepleasedathiscatch:twenty-fourprimekidstosell.Theremainsofarecentmealrelievedherofoneobstacletheguardswerenotlikelytochecksoonagainbut.i.tmeantthatthekidswouldhaveonelessreasontowanttoleavesuchacushysetup.Why,therewereonlytwokidsperbunk.Theyallhadnewgearon,andthegirlsweretartedupliketheirmothers.

"Ya.s.simtakeanyofyouyet?"Tirlaasked,imbuinghervoicewithtremblingurgencyandwideninghereyeswithrealfear."IgothereasquickasIcould!"sheadded,implyingthatmaybeshehadnotbeenquickenough.

"Huh?"Yus.h.i.+wasgoodattakingordersbutnotatthinking.

"Theytookmysister!"SuddenlylittleMirmalar'spaintedfacescrewedupintotears."Theytookheranhourago.Andshehadontheprettiestthingsorangeandbrownwithgold,andnewearrings..."

"Oh,I'msosorry,Mirmalar.IdideverythingIcouldtogethereintime."AsTirlalavishedsympathyontheweepingsevenyear-old,shecouldseepanicbeginningtospreadtotheothers.ShegotmadderthaneveratYa.s.sim.Itwasonethingtotaketenyearoldsbutnotsevenandeightyearoldbabies!Whatkindofpervsdidhesupply?

"Whaddyamean?"Tombi,Bilala'seldestson,asked,hismannerslightlyaggressive.Hewasnibblingatasweetbar;judgingfromthesmearsonhisface,itwasoneofaseries.

"Wegottagitoutofhere,"Tirlasaid,releasingMirmalarwitharea.s.suringpat."Thisplacehasabaaaadstink."

"Itain'tgotanyatall,"Tombireplied,thoughheturnedhisheadimmediatelytotherudimentarysanitaryunitinthecorner.

"TheytakeRainaalready,youallareinbiiiiigtrouble.I'mgonnagetyouallout.Now.Beforemorebadmencome.YougirlsknowwhatImean,"sheadded,wagglingasternfingeratthem.TombiandDiksnickered."Samethinghappensyouguys,too,andyouknowyoutoosmallforthatcarryonyet."

Tombistoppednibblingthesweetandlookedapprehensivelyatthedoor.

"Suretheyfeedyouupgood.Sweetstuffcomingoutyoura.s.s,givingyouabellyache,"shesaid,dismissingtheremainsoftherecentmeal.

"Thisplace'sgoodtokeepyoufromcryingmuch.Youcryplentysoonandnoonehearyouever.Stickitupyougood,everywhichway,andthat'sthebestofit.Youknowwhatyourmotherstol'you.Youknowwhattowatchoutfor."Shewa.s.succeedinginscaringthemtheyoungeroneswerebeginningtoweep.Shedidnotwantthemsoscaredthattheycouldnotmove."Yus.h.i.+,Dik,Tombi,helpmemovethebunks.Wemakeastepstair.There'sroomuptheretostand.""Iain'tgoin',"Tombisaid,glaringdefianceather.HewasheavierandtallerthanTirla,butshekickedhimsohardthathedoubledup.

"You'regoing'causeyourmothersentmetogetyou,"TirlaknewhowscaredTombiwasofBilala."Soyou'recoming.Now,move!Andcryingwon'tdonogood,sostop.Youneedyourbreathforclimbingandwalking."

Justthentheenormityofmovingtwentyfourscaredandperhapsunwillingkidssankin.Tirlaallowedherselfonlyamomenttoreflectonit.Shehadtodoit,somehow,becauseotherwiseshewouldhavetoleaveG,andshedidnotwantto.LinearGwashome.

Shehadmadeherselfaplacethere,shehadabusinessshewa.s.safethere.Well,safeenough,ifshelaidlowforawhile.

Shechivviedandbulliedallthekidsupintotheventilationshaft,kickedthetelltalebunkover,andreplacedthegrille.Someonemightthinkthatthekidsweresmallenoughtoescapethroughit,butwherewouldtwentyfourofthemgo?

Sheledtheway,groupingthekidssothattherewerebiggeronesholdingthehandsofthesmallest.ShemadeTombirearguardtogivehimsomeresponsibilityandputYus.h.i.+nthemiddle.Hewouldalwaysfolloworders.

Theunloadingplatformwithitseerieredlightgavehernocomfortsheknewthatsomeofthekidswouldnotbeabletomanagetheacrobaticsneededtogetononeofthedrones.Theycould,ofcourse,straddletracksallthewaybacktoG,but.i.twasalong,longwalk,andtherewouldbedangereverytimeoneofthespeedingtrainswentby.

Well,maybetheycouldallmakeitbackonestationtoIandgetlostinthatindustrialcomplex.Itwa.s.saferthanstayinginJ.Orwasit?

Maybeshewouldjusttaketheolderones,whowouldbeinmoredanger?

No,theywereallindanger,becausewhoeverwasleftcouldbemadetotellwhohadrescuedtheothers.Maybeifsheputtheyoungeronesinasafeplaceandwentbackforhelp...Mirmalar'sfatheradoredhisdaughtersandwoulddoanythingtosavetheremainingone.AndYus.h.i.+'sfatherwasoneofthestrongestmeninG.

Thevibrationsthattoldheratrainwasonthetracksbeyondtheshuntalertedher.HowmuchtimedidtheyhavebeforetheywouldknowifitsdestinationwasJ?

"Hideinthetunnels!Quickly!Standontheledges!"ShetookMirmalarherself,forthelittlegirlwaspuckeringuptocryagain.

"Ah,there'sneveranyoneongoodstrains,"Tombisaid.

"Yeah,andhowd'youthinkYa.s.sim'speoplegetbackandforth?Dumpercarsarebigenoughtoholdadozenpeople."

ThatshutTombisilentandlosthimmorefaceintheeyesoftheotherboys.Tirlashovedhimtowardatunnela.s.shepulledMirmalarafterher.

ThescreechofdistressedmetalannouncedanothergoodstrainbeingshuntedintoJfromthenorth.Shehadnotcountedononearrivingquitesosoon.Shewouldnevergetthekidsonthisoneevenifitwasgoingintherightdirectionforthemtogethomeunlesstherewasadumpercar.

b.u.t.therewa.s.somethinG.o.ddhere:Tirlarealizedwithasinkingfeelingthattherewasnocargowaitingontheplatformtobeloadedontothearrivingtrain.If.a.goodstrainwascominginhere,whatwasitcomingfor?CouldYa.s.simhavesomeoneinthemainDispatchoffice?