The Wings Of Pegasus Part 44

Dorotea:Whenyou'rewearingnothingbutyourLEObat!

Saschahadamentalimageofhisbrotherwithdrawingquietlyoffendinghatinhand.NoonetookonDoroteainacrusadingmood.HeglanceddownatTirla,whowasdeepinthought,staringdownatthefloor,thoughherbodyappearedrelaxed.WhenthecargopoddooropenedastheyreachedthevehicleparkinthequietgroundsoftheEasternCenterforParapsychics,shereactedwithamazementanddisbelief.AstheothermembersofSascha'steampiledout,laughingandchattingoverthesuccessfula.s.signment,Tirlajuststood,herlargeeyeswideandwhitea.s.shestaredaroundher.Saschadidnothurryher.TheoldHennerestate,withitsbigoldbeeches,maples,andoaks,thewidelawnsandtheattractivetwostoryresidentialunits,wasunusualenoughinmodernJerhattanandhadtobearevelationtoaLinearresident.

Tirlalookedappalled.

"Mygrandmotherlivesoverthere,"Saschasaid,pointingtothedwellingthathadoncebeenthegardener'slodge."Theresheis,weedingtheborder."Youarethemostcompleteham,Dorotea.

Weeding?

Trueenough,butIwasn'tgoingtoswathemyselfinblacksubsistenceandbedeckmyselfwithbraceletsandnoseringstomakeherfeelatease.Andtheborderdoesneedweeding.

Whataboutyourarthritis?

Ialwayssufferformyart,m'dear.I'verecruitedPeter,too.Heneedstoclimbdownfromrarefiedatmospheres,andsomethinghomelywillhelp.Also,bemaybeolderthansheis,butbelooksyoung.

He'stoappearwitheats.Refreshmentsarealwaysagoodwaytostartoffaconversation,particularlyforsomeonewithaNearEastbackground."Why,Sascha,whatapleasantsurprise!"Doroteahoistedherselftoherfeetandheldoutherarmstohim.Kissme,youlout.

Evengrandmothersneedarationofpa.s.sionnowandagain!

"Grandmother,thisisTirla...Tunnelle."

Inventiveboy!Doroteacommented.

"Sheneedsaplacetostayforafewdays.Woulditbetoomuchofanimposition?"

DoroteaextractedherselffromSascha'senthusiasticembraceandextendedamuddaubedhandtoTirla.SinceDoroteahadbeenacceptedandacceptablefromthemomentofherbirth,shehadaboutheranaurathatmaderejectionfromanyoneimpossible;Tirladelayedonlyamomentbeforegraspingtheextendedhand.She's...o...b..neslikeabird's,Sascha.Howcouldshepossiblydoallshe'sjustdone?

"Tirla,thisisDoroteaHorvath."There'snothingfrailaboutTirla'smind,Dorotea.

"Actually,Iwasjustabouttoquitandhavesomethingtoeatanddrink.Thesun'swarmtoday.Peter,isthejuiceready?"shecalled,andgesturedforhergueststoprecedeherintothelittlehouse.

SaschawasgladthathehadthoughtofDorotea,insteadoftakingTirlatothefarmoredauntingmanorhouseanditsformalityJudgingbythegirl'sstunnedexpression,eventhishomeyroomwasfaroutsideherexperience.

"Iexpectyou'llwanttowashup,andIneedto,"Doroteasaidgently,touchingTirla'sarmandpointingtothelittlehall"Lavatory'sseconddoorontheleft,dear,plentyoftowels.Peter,"shesaida.s.shemadeforthesmallkitchen,"wehavetwomoreguests."

Peter:What'sshelike?

Sascha:Scared.

Peter,wryly:Knowthefeeling!

Dorotea:Mights.h.i.+eld.

Peter,earnestly:I'llbecareful.

Dorotea:Anddon'tshowoff,You'llterrifyher.

Peter:IdidalltheshowingoffI'mgoingtodothismorning.

AnapprehensiveTirlareenteredtheroom,surrept.i.tiouslytrailingfingersalongwoodensurfacesandacrossthesofabacks.Saschanoticedthatshehadwashedhands,arms,neck,face,andthatportionofherchestthatwasvisibleabovetheroundneckofherratherwornclothing.Shehadbrushedherlonghairneatlybackoverhershoulders.SaschathoughtofthecheerlessfunctionalityofsubsistencelivingquartersandgaveTirlaanotherfullmarkfornonchalance.

"Hereweare,"Doroteasaid,arrivingwithalargetrayladenwithallsortsoffingerfoods:savories,smallopenfacedsandwiches,wedgesoffruit,andstripsoffreshvegetables."Peter,don'tdropthegla.s.ses!"Fortunately,Tirla'sbackwastotheboywho,withbothhandsonthehugepitcheroforangejuice,wasallowingfourlargetumblerstofloatalongbesidehim.

"HolditwhileIpour,"Petersaid,handingTirlaagla.s.s,adiversionthatkeptherfromnoticingtheothergla.s.sesslidingtopositionsonthelowtablenearDoroteaandSascha.

Dorotea:Peter!

Peter:Shedidn'tseeit.

Whenallhadbeenservedwithjuice,PeterbouncedintothechairbesideTirlaandtookalongdrinkofthejuice,wipinghismouthandexclaimingwithsatisfactionatthetaste.

"Don'tinhalethejuice,Peter,"Doroteasaida.s.sheofferedTirlathetrayofsnacks.Anuncommonfondnessforgreenpepper,shenotedwhenshesawTirla'seyesbrightenatthesightoftheslices.CloselywatchingDorotea,thegirlhadclosedherfingersaboutthree,thenincreasedherhaultosixwhentherewasnoreaction."Thecheesepuffsarehotandfresh,"Doroteasaid,pus.h.i.+ngthemtowardTirla.

"You'dbettergetthemnowbeforeSaschaorPeterhogthemall."

Tirlaletthepepperstripsfallintoherlapandobedientlytookacheesepuff.

Icouldn'tmakemyselfsomecoffee,couldI,Doro?Saschaaskedplaintively.

Drink!Anything.Shewon'tuntilwealldo."Peter,thisisjustwhatIneeded.Imusthavedehydratedinthesun.Sascha,there'reasparagusinthebreadrolls.Iknowyoulikethem!AndPeter,youarenottoeatallthechickensandwiches.Hewould,youknow,"Dorotearattledon,nibblingatacheesepuffwhichshethenputtoonesidetotakeabiteofapatedcracker.Well,we'veallsampledeverythingtoprovethere'snopoisonordrugs.Ah,good!Ob,myword!She'sstarved!

Tirlahadstartedtodrinkandeatwithquicksharpbitesands.n.a.t.c.hedswallows,asifshewastornbetweeneatinganddrinkingandafraidthatthefoodwouldsuddenlydisappear.Allthreetelepathswereawareofasuddenlighteningofhercarefullyguardedthoughtsa.s.shemadeinroadsonthesnacks.Thepastrymeltedinhermouth,releasingtastesthatsatisfiedunknowncravingswithtexturesthatt.i.tillatedhertongue,fromtherea.s.suringcrispwaterytangofthegreenpepperstothebiteofsharpcheeseandsavorymeatfillings.

Foodwouldbeatrigger,Doroteawentonwryly,whenyouconsidershe'sprobablybeenhungryallherlife.Shetookalongdrinkoftheorangejuice."Ihopeyou'vemoreinthekitchen,Peter,becauseittastesmarvelous.b.u.t.then,freshsqueezedorangejuicealwaysdoes,don'tyouthinkso,Tirla?"

Sascha!Boris'stonewasauthoritative.Yourwaif'singoodbands.

Someonejusts.n.a.t.c.hedoneoftheJerhattanschoolkidswestrandedthreeweeksago.

"Well,"Saschasaid,risinganddustingcrumbsoffhisfingers."I'llleaveyoutoit,Tirla.You'resafeenoughhereforafewdays,andPetercanshowyouhowtologontoTeacher.Right?"

Ashestrodeacrossthelawntothemainhouse,Doroteatoldhim,Shepausedinhereatingwhenyouleft,butIfearthesnacktrayandtheorangejuicepitcherareoffargreatermomentthanyou,honey.

Saschawasnotcertain,inhisprivatemind,ifhelikedtakingsecondplacetoabatchofcanapes,evenwithapreadolescent.

Chapter13.

Youbeenherelong?"TirlaaskedPeterthenextmorningastheyatebreakfastinthepleasantand,toTirla,amazingkitchenroom.Doroteawaspreparingeggsfresheggsinapanatthestove,using,ofallthings,anakedflame.Tirladidnotwishtodistractherfromthedangerousprocedure,soshespokeinalowvoice.

"Hmm,"Petersaid.amiably,takingneatspoonfulsoftheripemelon.

"EversinceIgotoutofthehospital."

Tirlawatchedtoseehowhedealtwiththefoodshewouldhavesliceditthinandeatendowntotherind."Whywereyouinthehospital?"sheasked.HospitalswerefearsomeplacestoTirla,whohadalwaysmadeapracticeofavoidingmedics,aswellasquacks.Shealsohadawarydistrustofsickpeople,neverhavingbeenillorinjuredherself.

Petergaveadiffidentshrugofoneshoulder."Awallcollapsedalloverme."

"Youmusthavebeenhurtbad."InTirla's.e.xperiencepeopledidnotsurvivewallscomingdownonthem.

"Couldn'twalkformonths.Couldn'tevenfeedmyself."Hiseyestookonanunfocusedcast.

"Andtheyletyoulive?"Tirlawa.s.stunnedatsuchgoodfortune.

Peterregardedherwithsomesurprise."Ofcourse,thoughforawhilethere,Ireallydidn'twanttolive."

Tirlaabsorbedthatremarkablestatementa.s.shebenttothetaskofeatingmelon.Itwasreallygoodnotgoneofflikemostofthoseshescrounged.SheflickedcarefulglancesatDoroteatomakesurethefirewasundercontrol.Whydidn'tthewoma.n.u.sethehottershehadrightthereinthewall?OneofthefirstthingsonelearnedintheLinearswasnottomesswithnakedflames.FirewasasurewaytobringdownthewrathoftheLEOs.

"Whydidyou?"Tirlaasked,realizingthatPeterwaswaitingforhertocomment."Live,Imean."

"Rhyssataughtmehowtomoveagain."

"Youdomovesortofoddly,"shesaid,havingnoticedthepeculiarglidingmotionheused.Hedidnot,infact,seemtotakerealsteps,thoughhislegsmoved.

Petersnickered,hismouthfullofmelon.Heswallowedandgrinnedbroadly."That'sbecauseI'mnotreallywalking.Iimpelmyselfkinetically."Hiseyesglintedwithmischiefathermystification."Imakemybodymove.Itcan't."

Tirlastoppedeating,staringathimuntilsherecalledthateveninLinearsalengthystarewasimpolite."Yourbodydoesn'tmove?Butyou'reeating.You'reusingyourarmandyourhandjustlikeme."Sheheldherownhandup.

"I'mprettygoodat.i.t,aren'tI?"PeterwasdelightedwithhiseffectonTirla."I'vedonesomeotherstuff,too,moving"Hebrokeoff,withaslightlyruefulgrin."Ihearyou'reprettygoodatyourTalent,too.Thatwaslarkygettingthekidsawayfromthepervert."

Tirlaslowlyshookherhead,dismissingherachievement."Nothinglikewhatyoudo.Idon'thavemuchTalentatall."

Petersnortedwithgoodnaturedcontempt."That'swhatyouthink.It'snotwhatRhyssasaid.I'mgoodatwhatIdo.Butyou'reveryverygoodatwhatyoudo.Don'tknockit."

Slightlyembarra.s.sedbythesincerityofPeter'stone,Tirlachangedthesubject,eagertopumphimonpuzzlingtopics."YousaidRhyssahelpedyou?IsshethedarkhairedonewhowasherelastnightafterSaschaleft?"

Peternoddedhishead."She'sthedirectorhere."

"NotSascha?"

Petershookhishead,grinning."Sascha'sthedeputychief.HetakesoverwhenRhyssa'sinvolvedwithsomeone.Likeme!I'mherspecialproject"Hebrokeoff,blinkinghiseyesrapidly,andflashedaquick,almostapologeticglanceatDoroteabeforehegrinned."Rhyssahaslotsofspecialduties,beingthedirector.I'mnottheonlyone."

Tirlanoticedthathischeeksflamedbriefly.Whatcouldembarra.s.saboylikePeter?ThenDoroteawaspa.s.singplateswithfreshlycookedeggsandbaconandurgingTirlatosamplethehottoast.Tirlaateuntilshewa.s.stuffed.ShethankedDoroteaprofuselyfortheeffortofhandcooking.

"Ienjoyit,"Doroteareplied,smilinggently."Especiallyforappreciativeappet.i.tes.Peter,whydon'tyoutakeTirlatothestudyandlogherin?You'vegottogothroughsomea.s.sessmentsfirst,honey,butonceyourstandard'sbeendecided,you'llbeexpectedtobepresentforallthecla.s.sesyou'rea.s.signed."

Tirlanoddedbriefly,farmoreinterestedinthewayPetergotdownfromhischairindeedhedidglideasheconductedhertothestudy,andthecuriousfluidityofhismovementsfascinatedher.

"Andyouaren'treallywalking?"sheasked.

"Nope,it'sallkinetic.Myspinalcordgotseveredwhenthewallfellonme.Medicalsciencecan'tsplicethatyetbutkineticsciencegivesmemovement.Better'nbeingstuckinasupportchair,"hea.s.suredherblithely."Here'syourterminal,andhere'reyourearplugs.I'vegottodomyhourswithTeacher,too.Can'tslipoutofthatwithkinesis!"Hemadeafacea.s.sheslidintothechairheindicated.

Whenshehadslippedtheplugsintoherears,hetypedasequencewithanoddfingermovement,andsuddenlytheblankscreencleared.

"TirlaTunnelle,mayI,asyourpersonalTeacher,welcomeyoutothisEducationalProgram."ThescreenshowedtheSchoolRoomandapleasantfacedwomanseatedatthedesk.TirlaknewthattheTeacherwasaconstruct,devisedtoreproducetheoldteacherpupilconfrontation,butshehadalwayslikedthelookofTeacher;someoneapersoncouldtrust,whowouldnotlaughatquestionsorhonestmistakes,whowastheretohelponelearn."SaschaRozninetoldusthatyouhavehadsomecreditsunderthenameofKail,LinearGresident,Flat8732a.Today,ifyouwillbearwithme,Tirla,wewilljustseehowmuchofthoseearlylessonsyouremember.Now,shallwebegin?Ifyouneedtoberefreshedaboutthefunctionkeys,pleasetypeHforhelp.Or,ifyou'rereadytobegin,strikeRETURN,andwe'llbeginthea.s.sessment."

WithconflictingemotionsaweatrealizingalonghelddreamandfearthatthemiraclemightbewithdrawnforsomecapriciousreasonTirlatouchedRETURN.

Ithink,"Doroteabegan,drummingherfingersrapidlyonthekitchentable,"Tirlaisgoingintoaneducationoverkillphase.Shewon'tleavetheterminal,thoughPeterhasbeena.s.slylydeviousasyou,Sascha,ingettingheroutside.Ialsothinkshefindsthegroundsdauntinginsteadofpleasant.Shestickstothepathsandwon'tusetheplaygroundfacilities.Butallthisstudyandnoplayisnotanimprovement."

DonUsenik,whohadjoinedtheinformalmeetingasmedicaladvisor,shookhishead,mildlyamusedbyDorotea'sfervor."Accordingtothemedicalreports,she'sinexcellentshape.Amazinglysowhenyouconsidertheconditionsunderwhichshe'slived."

"Well,Ithinkit'swrongforachildheragetotryandabsorbtwoyears'educationinfourdays,"Doroteamaintained.

"Anyimprovementinreceptivity?"Rhyssaasked.

"WhatdoesPetersay?"Doroteacounteredwithsomeheat.

Rhyssalaughed."Peterthinksshecouldifshewould.Whenshe'sinvolvedinherstudying,hecanhearanongoingmentalcommentary.

Shehasamazingretentivepowers,visualaswellasauditory.She'sansweredhimtelepathicallyonceortwicewhenshedidn'trealizeit."

Wehavegottomakeherawareofherpotential,"Saschasaid,frustrated.

Rhyssaleanedacrossthetable."Itwilltaketime,Sascha.There'snoneedtoforcescopetoherTalent."

"Boriswouldlikeahundredmorelikeher,"Saschasaid,frowning.

"But.i.thoughtyouandBorishadfoundtheJerhattanchild,"Rhyssasaid,havingfollowedhisthought.Shedidnotlikewhatsheread:thatBoriswantedTirlatoworkundercoverwithCa.s.s.

"Oh,wefoundandrescuedherallrightenough,"Sascharepliedwithnosenseofachievement,"andtwoothers,b.u.t.therewerenoleadswhateverofanyuse.Onlyaminorladronewh.o.r.eportsbyphoneanotherofthoseconvenientlyillegalconnects.Soadeadend.Thegirlscouldtellusnothing;theyhadbeenga.s.sed,blindfolded,stuckinsomesortofsmoothplasticcoc.o.o.n.Theirtraumawentprettydeep."

"Thepsychologicalscarringoftheirincarcerationisgoingtobedifficulttoneutralize,"Donremarked,frowning."Anewwrinkleinrenderingtheabducteddociletactiledisorientation.Villainoustrick."Heshookhishead."YouandPeterareofftoday,aren'tyou?

SothatleavesDoroteaandmetocomeupwithsomebrilliantideasonsharpeninguptheTests,huh?"

"Andme,"Saschasaid,comingoutofhisgloom."Iamafterall,directoroftrainingforthisCenter.ThetroublewithauniquelikeTirlaisthatshedoesn'trealizeshe'sgotTalentinthefirstplace.

Andinthesecond,howcanyoutestchildrenthataren'tsupposedtoexist?"

"WhattraininghaveyouplannedforTirlathen?"Rhyssasaid.

Saschashrugged."Training?She'sanaturalatwhatshedoesgettingintothecommunicationcenterofanyone'sbrainandadaptingtowhateverlanguagethey'reusing."Hespreadhishandswide."Howcanweimproveonthat?Andshecan'texplainanymorethanPetercanexplainhowhedoeswhathedoes."

"I'ddoitmyself,butIhatecrowdsandIcan'twalkfar,"Doroteasaidsuddenly,"butSascha,whydon'tyoustartbyhaulingherawayfromTeacherforanafternoon?Thoseissueshoesareuseless,andwhileshemightfeelhappyinsubsistenceissue,Iwouldliketoseeherdressedinsomethingnicer.Severalsomethingnicers."

"Me?7'SaschaglancedfirstatDoroteaandthenatRhyssaandpretendednottoseeDon'samusedexpression.

"You!"Doroteapointedasternfingerathim."Shetrustsyou."

"ButI'veneverboughtclothesforakid."

"Noneedtopanic,"Dorotearepliedunfeelingly."I'msureTirlaknowswhatshe'dbecomfortablewearing,andthat'sallyouneedtogoby.