The Wings Of Pegasus Part 6

"Healsosaidthatafterhewasdead,"andthelawyerfaltered,embarra.s.sedbytheinadvertentrhyme,"hesaidthepartywastobegin.Thatthiswastobeconsideredajoyousoccasion..."

"Hewasglad,"DaffydopOwensaid,andhisratherhomelyfacelitwithhappiness."Thatwa.s.soastonis.h.i.+ng.Hismind,thethoughtswerehappy,sohappyatthemomentofdeath.Hewashappy.Itellyou.Iknowhewasglad!"

"ThankG.o.d!"wasHenryDarrow'sferventprayer.Heraisedhisuntoucheddrink."Atoast,ladiesandgentlemen."Gla.s.sesobedientlywerelifted."Tothosewhoridethewingedhorse!"

Oneafteranotherthegla.s.sesfollowedHenry'sintothefireplaceofBeechwoodstopreservethetributetoGeorgeHenner'smemory.

PARTTWO

AWOMANLYTALENT.

"Ifyouwereonewhitlesshonorable,DaffydopOwen,"exclaimedJoelAndresheatedly,"youandyourwholeCentercouldgo...goflyakinetickite."

Thepa.s.sionatesenatorwasoneofthoserestlesslyenergeticmenwhogavetheappearanceofcontinuousmotioneveninraremomentsofstasis.JoelAndreswasrigidnowwithaggravation.Theobjectofhisfrustration,DaffydopOwen,DirectoroftheEastAmericanParapsychologicalResearchandTrainingCenter,was.h.i.+sant.i.thesis,physicallyandemotionally.Bothmen,however,hadthesameindefinablestrengthandpurposefulness,qualitieswhichsetthemapartfromlessermen.

"Ican'twinsupportformyBill,"Andrescontinued,tryinganothertackandpacingthethickpiledgreencarpetingofopOwen'soffice,"ifyouconsistentlyplayintoMansfieldZeusman'shandswiththisirrationalcompulsiontotelleverythingyouknow.Ifonlyonthegroundsthatwhatyou'know'isnotgenerallyacceptableasreliable'knowledge."

"Anddon'ttellmethatfamiliaritybreedscontempt,Dave.Theuntalentedarenevergoingtobecontemptuousofthepsychicabilities,they'regoingtocontinuebeingscaredstiff.It'shumannaturetofearanddistrustwhatisdifferent.Surely,"andAndresflunghisarmswide,"you'vestudiedenoughbehavioralpsychologytounderstandthatbasicfact."

"MyTalentpermitsmetolookbelowthesurfacerationalizationsanduncoverthe..."

"ButyoucannotreadthemindsofeverysingleoneofthemenwhomustvoteonthisBill,Dave.Norcanyoualtertheirthinking.Notwithyourthinkingandyourethics!"Joelwasalmostderisiveashepointedanicotinedfingeraccusinglyathisfriend."Anddon'tgivemethatwheezeaboutlawmakersbeingintelligent,thoughtfulmen!"

OpOwensmiledtolerantlyathisfriend,unaffectedbytheyoungerman's.h.i.+strionics."NotevenwhenSenatorZeusmanstealsamarchonuswiththatsoaptquotationfromPope?"

Andresmadeastartlednoiseofexasperation,thencaughtthelookintheother'seyesandlaughed.

"Yeah,hesurecaughtmeflat-footedthere."Hedeepenedhisvoicesomewhattomimictheaffectedba.s.sofMansfieldZeusman: "'Whoseeswithequaleye,asG.o.dofall,Aheroperishorasparrowfall..."'

"Whatarallyingcrythatis!Whydidn't.i.thinkofitfirst?Mindyou,"andAndreswasdeadlyseriousagain,"thatquoteispuregenius...fortheopposition.Spikesourpitchinadozenplaces.Theironyisthat.i.twouldbejustaspowerfulforusifwe'donlythoughtofitfirst.Dave,won'tyoureconsider,"Joelasked,leaningacrossthetabletothetelepath,"eliminatingtheprecogsfromtheBill?That'swhat'shangingitupnowinCommittee.I'msureIcouldget.i.tputon..."

"Theprecogsneedthelegalprotectionmostofall,"opOwenrepliedwithunusualvehemence,amomentaryflashofalarmcrossinghisface.

"Iknow,Iknow,"andAndrestossedahandceilingwardinresignatiOn.

"b.u.t.that'sthefacetoftheparapsychicthatscaresandfascinatespeoplemost."

"Andthatis.e.xactlywhyIinsistwebeascandidaspossibleonallphasesoftheextrasensoryperceptionTalents.Thenpeoplewillbecomeasusedtothemasto'finders,''ports'and'paths."HenryDarrowwa.s.sorightaboutthat."

JoelAndreswhirledbacktothedesk,grippingtheedgesfiercely.

"TheprophetDarrownotwithstanding,youdon'ttellsuspiciousfrightenedpeopleeverything.Theyautomaticallya.s.sumeyou'reholdingsomethingbackbecausetheywould.Noonedarestobesohonestanymore.Thereforetheyaresurethatwhatyou'rewithholdingisfarworsethanwhatyou'vereadilyadmitted."HecaughttheadamantgleaminDaffyd'seyeandunexpectedlycapitulated."Allright.Allright.

ButIinsistthatwecontinuetoemphasizewhattheotherTalentsarealreadyabletodo...intheirnarrowspecializedways.OncepeoplecanstomachtheideathattherearelimitsonindividualpsionicTalents,thatallTalentsarenotmindreadersc.u.mweightthrowersc.u.mfiredowsersc.u.mcrystalball-seers,allrolledupintoonefrighteningpackage,they'llstarttreatingthemasyouwantTalentstreated:asprofessionalspecialists,trainedinoneareaofavariedprofessionandent.i.tledtoprofessionalimmunityinthatareaiftheyarelicensedandregisteredwiththeCenters.Don't,"andthehandwentupagainasDaffydtriedtointerrupt,"tellthemyou'reexperimentingtofindouthowtobroadeneveryTalentedmind.Don'askforthewholepieceofbreadwithjamonit,Dave!Youwon'tget.i.t,butyouwillgetprotectionforyourpeopleinthepracticeoftheirspeciality,evenyourprecogs.I'llbeardownheavilyonthescientificcorroborationofauthenticforesights,"andAndresbegantopaceatightrectangleinfrontofopOwen'sdesk,hisdarkheaddown,hisgesturesincisive,"theuseofcomputerstocorrelatedetailsandestimatereliabilityofdata,thefactthatsometimesthreeandfourprecogscomeupwiththesameincident,seenfromdifferentangles.

AndmostimportantlythattheCenterneverissuesanofficialwarningunlessthecomputeragreesthatsufficientdatacoincidesbetweenIncidentandreality..."

"Pleaseemphasizethatweadmittohumanfallibilityandusecomputerstolimithumanerror."

JoelfrownedatopOwen'sdrollinterjection."ThenI'llshowhowtheforesightpreventedoravertedtheworstoftheIncidents.ThatMontereyQuakeisaheavensentexample.Noheroesperished,evenifafewsparrowsdidfallfromgasdischarges."

"Ithought.i.twasthemeddlingwiththesparrow'sfallthatperturbsSenatorZeusman,"Daffydremarkedwryly."Forwantofthatseed,thegrainwon'tsprout..."

"Hmmm,yes,itdoes!'Whatwillbe,willbe,'"andAndresmimickedZeusman'svoiceagain.

"SinceheinitiatedPope,"saidopOwen,"I'dreply'Whateveris,isright."""YouwantmetoturnPapistnow,huh?"Joelgrinnedwickedly.

Daffydchuckledashecontinued,"Popealsoadvises,'BecandidwherewecanbutvindicatethewaysofG.o.dtoman!'"Thegentlydeliveredquotehadaninstanteffectonthesenator,comparabletotouchingamatchtoaonesecondfuse.Midwaytoexplosion,Andressnappedhismouthshut,sighedextravagantlyandrolledhisslightlyyellowedeyesheavenwards.

"Youarethemostdifficultmantohelp,DaffydopOwen!"

"That'sonlybecauseI'mawarehowcarefullywemustmoveinthepromulgationofthisBill,Joel.Idon'twant.i.tbackfiringatthewrongtime,whensomeofthebasicresearchnowinprogressbecomesdemonstrable.TheTalentscan'tbehamstrungbyobsoletestatutesimperfectlyrealizedonascrabblingcompromisebasis."

"Dave,youwanttorunbeforeyoucanwalk?"

"No,b.u.t.troublehasbeenforeseen."

"Darrowagain,huh?Orareyouhoistonyourownpetard?"Joelwaggledafingertriumphantly."Troublestemmingfromcurrentnonprotection.GocastupaprecogaftertheBillispa.s.sed."

"Ahha"andDaffydmimickedJoelnow,"butwedon'tseetheBillpa.s.sing!"

ThatrenderedAndresspeechless.

"Andwearehoistonourownpetard,"thetelepathcontinuedwithahintofsorrowfulresignationinhisvoice,"becauseallourpreventivemethodsareaffectingthefuture,unfortunately,mucha.s.senatorZeusmanpresentedthesyndromeinhisSparrow'sFallperoration.Thatwa.s.suchamasterfulspeech,"opOwensaidwithruefulenvy."Valid,too,fora.s.surelyastheCenterissuesawarning,allowingpeopleachancetoavertorpreventtragedy,theyhavealreadyprejudicedtheeventsfromhappeningastheywereforeseen.That'stheparadox.Yethow,bowcananethicalmanstandasideandletaheroperish,orevenasparrowfall,whenheknowsthathecanpreventunnecessaryorprematureloss."

"TheMontereyQuakecouldnohavebeenprevented,"Joelremindedhim,thenblinkedinamazement."You'renotholdingoutonme,areyou?

Youhaven'tfoundakineticstrongenoughtoholdtheearth'ssurfacetogether?"

Dave'slaughterwasaspontaneousoutburstofdelightathisfriend'sdiscomposure.

"No,no.Atleast...notyet,"hesaidjusttowatchtheoutragedexpressiononAndres'smobileface.

TherewerefewpeoplewithwhomDaffydopOwencouldrelaxorindulgeinhisflightsofhumorandhyperbole."Seriously,Joel,theMontereyQuakeisaspectacularIncidentandaprimeexampleoftheconcerteduseofTalent,minimizingthelossoflifeorproperty.Wehaveneverhadsomanyprecogsstimulatedintheirseparateaffinities.Andit'sthemostconcreteexampleofwhyprecogsneedlegalprotection.DoyourealizethattheWesternCenterwasdelugedwithdamagesuitsforthetsunamithatfollowed?

""Thatwaspredictable."

"Butweissuednowarnings.Andit'sagainstsuchirrationalatt.i.tudesthatprecogsneedlegalprotectionmorethananyotherTalent.Theirsisstimulatedbymentalperceptionsaserraticasasmellinthemorningair,aglanceataphoto,thesoundofaname.Inasense,precogistremendouslyunreliablebecauseitcannotbeusedasconsciouslyastelepathy,teleportationandtelekinesis.AndtoprotecttheTalentaswellastheCenter,weinsistoncomputercorroborationwhendetailsarecoherentlyspecific.Weneverissueapublicwarninguntilthecomputeradmitsreliability...andwegetd.a.m.nedbecausewehave'heard'andnotspoken.Ofcourse,anumberofourprecogshavebecomeabsorbedintobusinesswherepeculiaraffinitiesplacethem.Forinstance,"andDaffydheldupatapefile,"thisyoungman,who'sapplyingforprogenyapproval,isafireconscious.Buthe'sonereasonthiscityha.s.suchlowfireinsurancerates:hisTalentpreventsthemablessingindirectlypa.s.sedontoeveryresident..."

"Hmmm,butscarcelyspectacularenoughtoregisterwiththeaverageegocentricJoeCitizen,"saidAndressourly.HewasrestlesswithDaffyd'searnestreviewoffactsheknewwell."However,everylittlebithelps,Dave,andthepublicmovesalotfasterprobonapocketbook."

"True,exactlytrue,andtheygetrathernastywhenwetrytosavethemmoneyandwillnotunderstandthatalegitimateforewarningautomaticallyaltersthefuture,eventothepointofpreventingtheforeseenIncidentwhichwillhavecostoldpublicanmoney,ortime,orefforthethenfeelswasunnecessary."

"Andthereweare,rightbackatsquareone,"saidJoelinflatdisgust."ThatiswhatMansfieldcalls'meddling'andwhatmakes.h.i.+mfightthisBillwitheveryounceofhisoutragedmoralistic,neoreligious,mockethicalfibre.Remember,he'sbackedbythetransportlobbies,andeverytimeoneofyourprecogs.h.i.+tsthatjollylittlebrotherhood,causingdelays,hurriedinspections,thewholejazzyougotanumberoneheadache.Because,whenthepredictionsdon'thappenaspredicted,Transportswearsyourmeddlingissuperst.i.tiousinterference,uncalledfor,unnecessaryandnothingwouldhavehappenedanyway."

Daffydsighedwearily."Howmanytimeshavewefoundbombs?Fuelleaks?Avertedhijacks?Metalfatigue...mechanicaljustifications?"

"Doesn'tsignify,Dave,notifittouchesthepocketbookoftheTransportCompanies.Remember,everyprecogimpliesfault:humanormechanical,sincetheCompanieswillnotrecognizeProvidenceasaforce.Andhumanormechanical,thepubliclosesfaithintheCompanythusstigmatized.WhenCompanyprofitsarehit,Companygetsmad,suestheprecogfordefamationofcharacter,interference,etcetera."

"Thenwearetoallowthetravelingpublictofryintheirownjuiceorbespreadacrossthefieldsbecauseaprecogha.s.seenacrashbutdoesn'twanttooffendaCompany?Forwantofascrewthenailwaslost!"opOwen'susuallysoothingvoicewasroughwithasperity.

"d.a.m.nit,Joel,wehavetopreserveimpartiality,andwarnanyoneoranythingthatistouchedbytheprecognitiveTalent,orwedousurpthepositionoftheAlmightybywithholdingthatevidence.Idon'tcareifthetransportationcompaniesthendecidetodisregardthewarningthat'stheirproblem.ButIwantmypeopleprotectedwhen,ingoodfaithandbasedoncomputer-accepteddetail,theyissuethatwarning.Wehavenoaxtogrind,commercially,thankstotheDarrowendowmentandmembersupport,butwemustcontinuetobeimpartial."

"Ihopeyouraltruismisnotgoingtobeyourdownfall,"saidJoel,hismannerunusuallygrave.

"There'sbeennowarningthat.i.twill,"Daffydreplied.Ahintofirritationinhisvoice.

"You'retoohonesttobeupagainstuscrookpoliticians,"Joelsaid,grinning,thenglancedathiswatch."Wup.Gottago."

"Youpushyourselftoohard,Joel.Youdon'tlookwell."

"Abitliverish,that'sall,andnosnooping."

"Notwithoutpermissionandyouknowit."

"Hah!Amongfriends,Idon'ttrusttelepaths.Say,how'stherecruitingprogram?"Joelaskedasheswoopeduphistravelcapeandcase.

"Wegethopefulseveryweek,"thedirectorrepliedasheescortedthesenatortotheelevator."Sometimesweevencatchafewyoungones,beforetheylearntosuppressaperfectlynormalability."

"That'sanotherphraseyoushoulddeletearoundZeusman,"Joelsaid.

"HewillnotbuyyourpremisethateverymindhaspsionicTalent.""But,Joel,thatisscientificallyvalid.WeknowthatthosewhopossessTalenthavestrong,healthytwentyfirstchromosomepairs.Itiscertainlyadmissibleevidencethatwhenthetwentyfirstisblurredordamagedtoanydegree,brainfunctionisinhibited.And,withtheDowns'sSyndrome,youhavementalr.e.t.a.r.dation."

"Don'tbeleaguerme,"Joelsaidwithwidenedeyesofinnocence,"Ibelieve!"Helaidahandonhisheart."Icouldn'tdoubtnotafterthat'finder'locatedmybrotherinthemineshaftbeforehebledtodeath.IfwecouldonlysubjectMansfieldZeusmantosuchanexperience,hewouldn'tbesoskeptical.Can'toneofyourpetTalentsdosomethingaboutthat?Ithoughttheyalwayskeepaneyeoncontroversialmentopreventa.s.sa.s.sinationandstuff."

OpOwengaveasnort."WouldSenatorZeusmanhonoraprecogforeseeinghisowndemise?"

"Hmmm.Probablynot.Say,you'renotfundedontheGovernmentResearchProgram,areyou?"

"No,thankG.o.d.TheHennerBequestwasreservedforthat.Why?"

"Hmmm.JustthatZeusmanis.e.xtendingthisargumentagainsttheBilltoall'specious'ashetermsitformsofresearch,governmentfunded.

Andspringisappropriationstime,youknow."

"Fortunately,we'veneverhadthatkindofpressure."

"Talentedofyou,"Joelsaidwithagrin.

Behindhimtheelevatordoorslidopenandayoungwoman,obviouslyinahurry,ranout,rightintothemuscularframeoftheyoungSenator.

Sheblurtedoutanapology,flus.h.i.+ngwithembarra.s.smentasAndresreachedouttosteadyher.Thenhereyesopenedwidera.s.shesawopOwenandonehandflewtohermouth."I'mawfullysorry,sir."

JustasDaffydrecognizedRuthHorvath,healsoidentifiedthecombinedemotionsofshameatherprecipitousarrivalintoadistinguishedchampionoftheTalented,regretforherimpulsivenessincomingtotheToweratthishour,andtheunderlyinghopeandapprehensionthathadcompelledhertocome.Instinctively,Daffydtouchedherwithsoothingrea.s.surances:butJoelAndres'samiableandadmiringglancewasthetonictheprettywomanneeded.

"Noharmdone,Ia.s.sureyou,Miss...?"

"Mrs.Horvath...SenatorAndres,"DaffydsaidandwatchedJoel's.e.xpressionchangefromdelightedinteresttoflatteringchagrin.

"Idoapologize,Senator,"Ruthrepeated,hercheeksblushstainedagain.

"AndIapologizeforbeinginthewrongplaceatthewrongtimeand..."anextravagantsigh"...toolate."HeboweddeeplytoRuth,reluctantlysteppingasidetoletherpa.s.s.

Insteadshefumbledwiththeelevatorb.u.t.ton.

"I'monmylunchbreak,"shesaidwithastammer."I'vegottogetback."

ThepanelslidopenandAndressteppedinbesideher,onefingerjammingthe"hold"b.u.t.ton.

"Me,too,"hesaid,grinningdownather.

"Yourfileisonmydeskrightnow,Ruth,"Daffydsaid,suddenlycomprehendingthereasonforhervisitandherhesitancyinmentioningthesubjectinAndres'spresence."I'llcallyoutomorrow."

Herfacelitup,hereyesbecameeagerand,a.s.sheglancedaway,Daffydthoughthesawthes.h.i.+neoftears.

"Takecareofyourself,Joel.You'reworkingtoohard."

"Apleasure,Ia.s.sureyou."Joel'slaughwascutoffbytheclosingdoor.

DaffydopOwenstoodlookingattheindicatorpanelforafewmomentsbeforeheturnedslowlybacktohisisolatedtoweroffice.Hehadmuchtothinkabout.Notthathewoulddeflectonecentimeterfromhiscourseofaction.Onlyhisfirmbeliefssustainedhimforitdidn'trequireprecog,onlyintelligentextrapolationwhichsomeuninformedpeopleinsistedwastheessenceofprecogtodeterminethedifficultiesstillfacedbytheTalentedallovertheworld.TheBillwa.s.sovitalaforwardstep,raisingtheTalentsfromtheonerouscategoryof"mentalchiropractors,"(SenatorZeusman'sphrase,thoughchiropractictreatmenthadlongbeenanaccreditedbranchofmedicine),toacreditablepositionamongprofessionalabilities.MansfieldZeusmanhadalreadystalledtheBillinCommitteeformonths,wascapableofstallingitthroughthesummer,andkeepingitofftheagendanextyear.ThesenatorwashopingtofindsomediscreditingIncidentthatwouldforeverbanishhopeoflegalprotectionfortheTalented.

Th.e.s.h.eergeniusofthatPopequotationwasameasureoftheiropponent'sworth,opOwenmusedasheturnedtothema.s.sofadministratedfilesawaitinghim.ThepityofitwasthatthequotewouldhavebeenmuchmoreapplicabletotheTalentsideoftheargument.Cometothinkofit,muchofPope's"EssayonMan"wastothepoint.

Otherpertinentlinescameeasilyoutofmentalstorage.NotmuchthatDaffydopOwenhadonceseencouldeludehisrecall...ablessingaswellasahandicap.

WithtoomuchknowledgefortheSkepticside,WithtoomuchweaknessfortheStoic'spride,Hehangsbetween,indoubttoactorrest:Indoubttodeemhimself.a.G.o.dorBeast:IndoubthismindorbodytopreferBornb.u.t.todieandreas'ningb.u.t.toerr...

"Enough!"andopOwenrousedfromintrospectiontodirection.Heflippedopenthenearesttapecaseandslappeditintotheplayback.

Itseemedsomehowmeetthat.i.twastheHorvaths'progenyapplication.

WereopOwenasuperst.i.tiousmanhecouldhaveaccounteditagoodomen:afavorableauspicefortheworkheandhisfellowdirectorsaroundtheworldwereinaugurating.Breedliketolike,strengthenstronggeneticTalenttraitsanddevelop,notthesuperraceofomniscient,omnipotentsuperpeopleZeusmanbasicallyfeared,butpeopletrainedandconditionedfromchildhoodtousetheirTalentsforthebenefitofman.And,bysuchservice,forcetheWorldtorecognizethetreasurethatcanbeunlockedintheunused,untappedportionofthehumanbrain.

Aflaming,shatteringprecogcaughtLajosHorvathatthemomentwhenREMsleepwasoverandhisunconsciousmindwasrousingfromthatphaseofrest.

Hisgroanofanguishawakenedhiswifeinstantly.Withthereflexoftraining,RuthflippedtherecorderandpulledtheretractableelectrodeGooseggnettohishead,expertlyclampingthemetaldiscsonthecirclesofhisscalpthathadbeenpermanentlydepilated.

Blinkinghereyestoseethereadinginthedawndimroom,RuthwatchedthedefinitepatternofanIncidentemerge.Centerwasalreadypickingitupforauthentication.TheIncidentlastedascantelevensecondsbeforethebrainwavessettledbacktoacalmreading.Shelayback,goingthroughthedisciplinethatwouldrelaxherandpreventherfromimposingherhasteurgencyreactiononLajos.a.s.soonasheroused,shemustbecomposedenoughtoquestionhimforaverbalreport.

Sheachievedtheproperreposequickly,suppressingthethrillofsatisfactionathersuccess.ShewasnolongerastroubledbyflashesofenvythatLajospossessedavalidTalentwhileherswa.s.sonebulousastoeludeidentification.Nowitwasenoughforhertoknowthat,bytheexerciseofthedeepempathywhichexistedbetweenthem,byherwomanliness,shemadehisdevelopmentmorecertain.Lajosneededherasabuffer,asourceofsolacefromthesharpedgesofTalent.Eventhestrongestpersonalitycouldsucc.u.mbtotheCa.s.sandracomplexthatdestroyedthesanityoftheunwaryprecog.Whywasit,Ruthmusedinaquietinnervoice,thattragedyha.s.suchaviciouswayofreachingoutofthemistsofthefuture:likeafallingman,blindlygrabbingatanythingtorestorebalanceandaverthisfall?