The Wings Of Pegasus Part 42

"Andtellmejusthow,youngman,"VernonAltenbachasked,skeptically,"youaccomplishedsuchafeat?"

Sticktothefacts,man,thefact$Rhyssasaid,mentallaughterripplinghertone.

"Well,theErasmusneededhelplandingatDaccabecausethekineticsbadtobetheretoreducethedisasterpotential.SoRhyssacalledaGandHthat'saTalentmaydayandIgottousethegeneratorsattheEastSidepowerstation,"Peterreplied.Hekepthisfacestraight,buthewasenjoyingtheincredulityofthenonTalentedinhisaudience;eventheRussiantelempathwasadmiring,andPetersathimselfevenstraighterinthechair.

Dorotea:Wellsaid,Peter!

GordonHavers:Intimesofdoubt,honestyisthebestpolicy.

JohnnyGreene:Youbetterbelieveit,becausethey'renot!

Un.o.btrusively,hepattedPeter'sknee.

"Youhave,Imusta.s.sume,akineticTalent?"Vernoncontinued.

"Yes,sir.I'mintrainingasakinetic,butIcan'tdoasmuchasI'dlikebecausethepeoplewhoshouldbetrainingmearealluponthestation."Rhyssa:Don'tspreaditontoothick,Peter.

Johnny:Nonsense.Theydeservethatkickinthes.h.i.+ns.

"Howmuchtraininghaveyouhadthen?"thegeneralasked.

"Well,RhyssaandDoroteadothebesttheycan,b.u.t.they'retelepaths..."Rhyssa,dryly:Thankyou!

Gordon:He'sstickingtothetruth.

"InitiallyRickHobsonwashelpingme,"Peterwenton,"butwe'donlyjustgottenpastthenecessarystuffwhenhegotconscriptedtothestation."

"Talentswerenotconscripted,"GeneralShevchenkoobjectedforcefully.

"Theyvolunteeredtoa.s.sistinthecompletionofthefirstGreatWorldProject."

Petergaveacontemptuouslittlesnort."Ifyou'renotgivenachoice,you'vebeenconscripted."

"AndyouexpectustobelievethatafrailboymanipulatedtheErasmus?"PrincePhanibals.h.i.+mazshotoutofhischairandstoodbelligerentlyinfrontofPeter,shakinghisfingerathim."I,Phanibals.h.i.+maz,princeofMalaysiaWest,knowthatthiswouldhavebeenimpossiblefromsuchasource!Tell.u.s.thetruth,littleboy!"

hedemanded,makingtheadjectivepejorative.

"Heistellingthetruth,"JohnnyGreenesaid,risingtohisfeettolookdownatthemuchshorterprince.DaveLehardtandRhyssajumpedtotheirfeetangrily,readytoleapintothefrayifneedbe.

"AsAndreiconfirmstome,"GeneralShevchenkosaidinahardvoice.

"Youexceedyourauthority,YourHighness."

"AndIshallproveit,"Peteradded,glaringbackattheprince.JustbecausehecoulddogameswithJosephsonjunctionsandtrafficflowpatternsthatnooneelsecoulddodidnotmakehimanauthorityonTalent."Look!"AndPeterraisedhisrightarm,wis.h.i.+nghehadenoughsmallmotorcontroltopointafinger,buthehadnotquitemasteredthatyet.

Actually,itwaseasyenoughwithpowerdivertedfromtheCenter'sequipmenttoraiseandholdthebighelicopterjustoutsideRhyssa'sbaywindowsothatallcouldseeitandseethatthehugerotorbladesmovedidlyinthebreezeofitsascent.

"Dobecarefulwithit,Peter,"JohnnyGreenesaidamiably,oneofthefewintheroomenjoyingthemoment."It'sgovernmentproperty."

"I'malwayscareful,ColonelGreene,"Peterreplied,feelingtheeuphoriaofpotency.HewasalmostsorrythathecouldnotthinkofanevenmoreconvincingdemonstrationofhiskineticTalent.Doroteawasglaringathimsignificantlyinherenoughisenoughlook.Hereturnedthevehiclegentlytotheground.

"Howoldareyou,Peter?"ColonelGreeneasked,justasifheandPeterweretheonlyonesintheroom.

"IwasfourteenontheeighthofSeptember."

"Andyougetaboutnowyourselfunderyourownpower?"thecolonelinquired.

Petercouldseeinhiseyesthatthemanknewthetrueextentofhishandicap.

"Iwasthatmuch"hisfingersmeasuredatwocentimetergap"awayfromparaplegiamyselfafterMissionNumber21,"Greenecontinued.

PeterrealizedthatColonelGreenewasverymuchontheirsideandmakingitverycleartoeveryoneelsethatPeter'sTalentwasofflimits."I'velearnedhowtocompensatejustfine,"hereplied,andaglanceatthecoloneltoldhimthatthatwastherightanswertomake.

"RickHobsonreallyhelpedme.WewerejustbeginningtogoontotougherthingswhenhehadtogotoPadrugoi."

"Soyou'vebeenRhyssa'sskeletoncrew?Allbyyourself?"ColonelGreenechuckledandlookedacrossatthesecretaryofs.p.a.ce.

"I'mnotnearlyasmuchofaskeletonasIusedtobe."Peterextendedhisarmsandlegsandregardedthemdispa.s.sionately."I'llgetsomemuscleonthemyet.I'vegottobuildslowly,yousee,andittakestime."

ColonelGreenerose."Ithinkthat'stheanswer,gentlemen.Ittakestimetobuildmuscle,anykindofmuscle,andyoubuildslowlytolastlonger."

"Nowwaitjustamomenthere,"PrincePhanibalsaid,recoveringfromhisinitialsurprise."ThatisnottheanswerIcametofind.YouhaveindeedconcealedfromtheworldakineticTalentofdemonstratedability.HecantaketheplaceofthoseatBangladesh..."HeleanedacrossRhyssa'sdesk,andPetersawherflinchbackfromsuchamenacingposture.

Petercouldnotstandit.KineticallyhedraggedPrincePhanibalbackwardfromRhyssa,theprince'sfacesetinaparalyzedrictusofamazement.Thedoorthatopenedtoallowhis.e.xitclosedfirmlybehindhim.

"Peter!"Rhyssacouldnotquitedisguiseherrelieforherconsternationathisbreachofcourtesy.

"He'sgotnorighttothreatenyou,Rhyssa!Norightatall!"

Dorotea:Bravo,Peter,thoughIshouldn'tencourageyou!

"Nowseehere,youngman"ShevchenkotookonesteptowardPeterandstopped,blinkinginastonishmentwhensomeinvisibleforcepreventedhimfrommovingfartherforward.

"That'senough,Peter,"Rhyssasaidwithappropriateseverity.Thatwasrathercleverofyou,dear,evenifyouwouldn'trealizeit.Thementalimageinhermindshowedsuppressedlaughter."Thegeneralwillnotintimidateyouanyfurther.General,IthinkPeterhasinadvertentlydisplayedanothercogentreasonwhytheCenterisunwillingtoutilizehisuniqueabilities.e.xceptinacrisis.Atfourteen,hedoesnotalwaysabidebythecourtesiesthatamorematurepersonalityhaslearned."

"IdemandthattheboyapologizetoHis.h.i.+ghnessPrincePhanibalimmediately."

"Youmaydemandallyouwish,General,Rhyssasaidsharply,"butIdon'tevenknowwhyatrafficmanager,royalornot,wasincludedinthisgathering."

EngineerBarchenkainsistedonhisinclusion,'VernonAltenbachremarked,attemptingsomediplomaCY.

IinsistthathebeexcludedfromanyfuturemeetingsInvolvingtheCenterormyself."

Peter:He'saslimeball!

JohnnyGreeneandGordonHavers,simultaneously:Wheredidyoustashhim?

Peter:Hesinthehelicopter,andhecan'tseemtogettheseatbuckleundone.Hecouldnothelpgrinning.Iwon'tlethim.

Johnny:Buckledown,Winsockie,buckledown!

Dorotea:Ididn'tthinkanyoneinyourgenerationknewthatoldsong.

Now,gentlemen,youhave,Itrust,SeentoyourownsatisfactionthatwehaveonlybeenprotectingyoungPeter,notdeliberatelydenyingtheplatformhisTalent.I'msorrythatyouhadalongtripfornothing."

Rhyssasaid,comingaroundherdesktoshakehandswithAndreiGrushkov."However,whenPeterisfullytrainedandwehaveabetterunderstandingoftheparametersofhispotential,wewill,ofcourse,beobligedtoletprospectiveemployersbidforhiscontractualservices."

VernonAltenbacheasedthedisgruntledRussiangeneraltowardthedoor,theNASAcolonelandthetelempatha.s.sistingb.u.t.theotherslingereduntilthefirstgrouphadenteredtheelevator.

"Ms.Owen,"theNASAgeneralbegan."Isitpossible,giventheboysdisplayofincredibleabilitythathecouldfromtimetotime,thatis...Well,wedohaveaSeriouscrisisrightnow..

"Whatkind"RhyssaaskedinanunenCouragingtone.

"NASa.s.supplyscheduleisatastandstillwiththecurrentworldwideweatherconditions..."

Peterzoomedoutofhischair,hoveringbetweenRhyssaandthegeneral.

Pleaseconsiderit,Rhyssa.workingforNASAwouldn'tbethesameasworkingforBarchenka,wouldit?But.i.twouldbealmostasgoodasbeingins.p.a.ce.Heexertedallhismind'spressureagainsthers,beggingherconsideration.Hefelthersternresolvenottoexploithim.

Johnny:It'ssomethingtoconsider,Rhyssa,thoughwewon'tbepushyabout.i.t.Ifyousayno,we'llgoquietly.But.i.twouldgallmepersonally,andprofessionally,tohaveBarchenkasayingthattheAmericanscouldn'tmeettheircontractualobligations.Hec.o.c.kedhisheadatRhyssa,grinningwryly.

PetercouldfeelRhyssabeginningtorelent.

Dorotea:Consideritatrainingdiversion,Rhyssa.

Rhyssa:b.u.t.that'sit!He'shadhardlyanytraining!

Johnny:Repet.i.tionhonesskills,gal,anditsurereducestheglamourquotient.

PeterdidnotunderstandthatbutfeltDorotea'sapprovalbecomemoreurgent.HesensedthatatlastRhyssawa.s.seriouslyconsideringthesuggestion.

"Look,"Johnnysaidaloud,"thisissoimportantthatVernonwouldactuallygethimselfanotherminderforafewweeks.IknowallthetechnicaldatathatPeterneedstounderstandifhe'sflingingshuttlesaboutthestratosphere.h.e.l.l,I'dgetavicariousthrilloutofitmyself,gettingbackintos.p.a.cebyproxy.AndifPeter'sworkingforNASA,Barchenkacan'tsayTalenthasbeen.o.bstructingPadrugoi'stimelycompletion."

"Iknowitappearsthat.i.t'salwayswewhocompromise,"GordonHaverssaid,enteringthediscussion,"butweputawedgeinherworksifsuddenlyweinsuredeliveryofthematerielsheneeds."

"You'dhavetogowithPeter,Rhyssa.I'mnolongeruptothatsortofsustainedeffort,"Doroteasaid."Sascha'stooinvolvedinthepresentcrisisatLinearGtoleavethat.Andfrankly,mydear,youarethestrongertelepathand,Ithink,moretunedintoPeter'smindthanSaschais.Someonehastomonitorhimduringthegestalts.Icanseeyousquirmingtogo,PeterReidinger.Isitwhatyoureallywant?

w.i.l.l.youbehavelikeamatureTalent?"

PetermanagedtocurlhisfingersaroundRhyssa's."I'llbehave.I'lldojustasI'mtold.Ipromise!AndI'dlearnalot."

"You'dcallthemoves,Rhyssa,"JohnnyGreenesaid.

"Idon'tthinkwehaveanychoiceinthiseither,"RhyssasaidandPeterleanedagainsther,wis.h.i.+ngforhernottosoundsodefeated.

Shelookeddownathimandcuppedhisheadwithonehand,smilingtenderlyathim."I'mnotdefeated,Peterdear,butIintenselydislikebeingleftwithnooptions."

"Thinkoftheoptionsthatyou'vecanceled,"JohnnyGreenesaidwithamaliciousnoteinhisvoiceasheliftedhismiddlefingerskyward.

"Putlikethat,"Gordiesaid,grinning,"we'reoneuponBarchenka."RhyssaturnedtoDaveLehardt,herexpressionsevere."AndyoukeepPeter'snameoutofthe'castsandthefax."

"Yourskeletoncrewatworkagain?"Daveasked,pretendingtowardoffanattack.

"'Dembones,dembones,demdrybones,andhearthewordoftheLord!'"JohnnyGreenesang,doinganintricatebreakdancestep.

Chapter12.

TheblondmanhadanairabouthimthatfascinatedTirla.ShehadneverhadmuchtodowithTalents,andshesurrept.i.tiouslycrossedherwrists.ShehadheardsuchfolkdiscussedintheResidentialoftenenough,infearful,awedwhispersbutshehadnotbelievedhalfofthepowersallegedtothem:findersofpersonsandthings,seersofsouls,readersofsecrets,prophetsoffuturethings,andmoversofmountains.

Shestolealookathimwherehesatwithhisheadleanedbackagainstthepaddedwallandhiseyesclosed;daringtoobservehimmoreclosely,shenoticedthequickflowoffacialmuscles,asifhewerehavinganargumentinhishead.Hisjawtightenedinangerandhislipsthinned.Heshouldhavebeenpleasedwithhisday'swork,Tirlathought.Shewa.s.startledthen,whenhismouthrelaxedintoahalfsmile,acleversortofsmile,andhiseyebrowstwitched.Hadhewonhisinternalargument?Hewasastrangeman,shethought,eventhoughoutwardlyheappearednodifferentfromothers.

HewasnotLEO,andyethewas,andshecouldnotfigureoutwherehefitin,orhowheandhisteamshadappearedsoconvenientlyattheJshuntespeciallywhenshehadjustrealizedthedifficultyofcajolingscaredwhineybratslikeTombiintoridingcargopodsbacktoG.

Withoutthatunexpectedrescue,Ya.s.sim'sladroneswouldsurelyhaverecapturedthem,herselfincluded.Sheshuddered.

SotheyhadbeenrescuedfromYa.s.sim.ButnotfromAuthority.ShewantednopartofAuthority.toomanyconflictingrulesandregulationsandsillyrestrictionsthatonlybeggedtobeignoredorevaded.TheprospectofanewIDbrieflydazzledher,tothepointwhereshecouldfeelthenarrowplasticstripknockingagainstherwristbone.Butshedidnot--quitebelievethatthemanwouldbeabletoproduceanysuchID,nomatterhowwellheseemedinwiththeLEOs.

Nomatter!ShehadcleanfloatersmorethansheneededforthetiedsshehadbeensupposedtolaunderforYa.s.simsoshewaswellaheadinthegame.Thematterofthehottiedsbotheredher,butshewasloathtofaceYa.s.simaslongashewasinthemarketforkids.AnditwasverylikelythattheLEOscouldnotcollarYa.s.sim,andthathewouldgointodeephidingsomewheretowaitoutthefuror.So,morally,shecouldhidethetiedsforawhileanddiscreetlyexchangethem,especiallyifYa.s.simwasoutofcirculation,overthenextseveralmonths.Thiswasthebiggesthitshehadevermade.

Butstillshewasuneasy.Shewastrappedintheclosedcargopodanddidnotreallyknowwheretheyweregoing,thoughshehadbeenkeepingmentalcountoftherailjunctions.Theblondmancouldjustaseasilyleaveheroffatthehostelwiththeothers.

Whowouldbelievethatshehadanarrangementwithhim?Thetrainbegantodecelerate,andTirla,withaspurtofdreadantic.i.p.ation,waitedfortheshuntconnect.TheyweregoingtotheGplatform.Shewasbothcomfortedandconcerned.

"Wherearewenow?"sheasked.

Saschaopenedhiseyes,andshesawthattheywereanunusualshadeoflightblue.Helookedamused."Youknowwe'reatG.Sonowwereturnthelostchildrentotheirgrievingparents.Thatisimportanttoyou,isn't.i.t,Tirla?ThatBilala,Zaveta,Pilau,andespeciallyMirdaKhanandMamaBobchikknowthatyouhelpedretrievetheirlostones?"

Nowhowcouldheknowthat?Howmuchdidheknowabouther?Whywasheplayingheralongthisway?Hewasasharponeindeed.Whatsortofascamwasherunning?NotallofthisactionhadtodowiththatpervYa.s.sim.

Sherefusedtobedrawnbywhatcouldjustbeashrewdguessonhispart.LEOswerenotaboveputtingsurveillanceonMeetings,evenasillyRIGwiththatLamashaman.Perhapstherehadbeeneyesonherclients,althoughwhysuchagaggleofsillywomenwouldbetheobjectofLEOinterestshedidnotknowunlessithadtodowithsellingkids.

Butnoneofthemhadbeentheretodealkidsmostoftheirsweretooyoungyet.Theyhadallbeenlookingfor"messages"and"salvations."

YetSaschahadidentifiedherclients,andhehadevenknownthatMirdaKhanandMamaBobchikwereespeciallyimportant.

"Itjustpaystobeagoodneighbor,"sheanswereddiffidently.

"Oh,youhavedefinitelybeenagoodneighbortoday,Tirla.Andaverygoodcitizen!"Helaughedsoftly,throwinghisheadbackandshowinglargewhiteeventeeth.Itwouldbeaverynicelaugh,Tirlathought,ifithadnotworriedherthathewaslaughingatall.Perverselyshelikedhim,forhisstronggripandhisdrollwords,butshedidnottrusthimanyfurtherthanshecouldhavethrownBulbar.

Shegavehimaquickstareforcallingher"citizen."Citizenslivedacrosstheriverinthebeautifulhives,luxurycones,platforms,andcomplexes,notinLinears.

"Trustme,Tirla?"Hiseyeswerenotlaughing,norwas.h.i.+smouth,andhisvoicewasgentleandentreating.