The Wings Of Pegasus Part 7

Againtheneedlerushedacrossthegraph,aslightwhooshbarelyaudibleinthequietroom.RuthglancedovertomakesuretheIncidentwasbeingbeamedtotheCenterandnoticedthesmileonherhusband'sface.Asmile?Ahappypremonition?Sheforcedherselftorelax,unaccountablya.s.sailedbyaravingcuriosity.Lajossorarelyhadhappyforesights,andfleetinglysheregrettedthathewasaprecog.

Lajosstirredrestlessly.Hewaswakingnow.Sheturnedonthevoicerecorderandleanedtowards.h.i.+m.

"Whatisit?Whatdoyousee?"sheaskedinthesoftpersuasivevoicetheCenterhadtaughthertouseatthesetimes.Herabilitytostimulatehisverbalaccountswas.h.i.+ghlypraised,foritwa.s.sometimesdifficultfortheprecogtoarticulatethesemirealintosufficientdetailforpreventiveorsupportiveaction.

"Flames!"Lajosgroaned."Must.i.talwaysbeflames?"Hesatboltuprightinbedthen,hisbrowneyeswideashestaredstraightaheadattheretinalimageofhispremonitoryvision.Theelectrodeswerejerkedfromhisskull,retractingwithametallicclinkintothecase.

"Thes.h.i.+p'sburning,exploding.Throwingflamingdebrisacrosstheharborintothesuburbs.Dampit!Deflect!s.h.i.+eldthosepa.s.sengers.

Watchout!Thepropellantwillspray.It's.e.xploding.Containit!"

"Markingsontheliner?"agentlebutinsistentvoicewhisperedfromtheintercom.

Lajosshookhishead,blinkingfuriouslyinanattempttoholdthefadingsight."It'sawashwithflame.IthinkIseeaneight,afour,athreeorisitanothereight?It'saReynarder.Itmustbe.They'retheonlyoneswhousethatcla.s.s."

"Whichcla.s.s?"theinexorablewhisperwantedtoknow.

SuddenlyLajossagged,pantingwithshock,coldsweatbreakingoutonhisforehead.Helaybackexhausted.

"It'sgone,"hemoaned."It'sgone."

"Youhadasecondone,"Ruthsaid."Whatwasthatabout?"

Lajos'sbrowsdrewtogetherinahalffrownashebrushedhisstraightblackhairoutofhisface.Hekept.i.toverlongtohidethedepilatedcircleswheretheelectrodesfit.Hislipscurvedinahalfsidedsmile."Somethinggood?"heaskedhopefully.

Ruthsuppressedhersigh.Lajosrarelydetailedthefelicitousones.

"Incidentvalidated,astrongreading,Lajos,"theintercomvoicesaid.

"Reportina.s.soonasyou'reable."

"They'llcheckitout,won'tthey?"Lajosaskedneedlessly.

"Actionalreadyinitiated."

LajoslaysostillthatRuthknewitwasnotpa.s.sivequiescencebutrigidstrain.AnotherthornintheTalented'ssidewastheharshrealizationthattheirwarningswereoftendisregardedandtheywereforcedtoseetheirpredictionscomehorriblytrue.RuthwipedthesweatfromLajos'sforeheadandbegantoma.s.sagehisneckandshoulders.Afteramomenthegrinnedweaklyupather.

"Whatawaytostarttheday,huh?"

"Atleastyouendedonahappynote.Maybethatmeansthey'llprevent?"

"Iftheycancorrelateenoughdata,inenoughtime,"hesaidgloomily.

"AndReynarderbotherstolisten!"Hefloppedontohisstomach,poundingthemattresswithimpotentfists.

Ruthtransferredherattentiontohismuscularback.Shelovedthelineofhim,thebroaddoubleplateauofhisshoulderbladeswiththesmallmoundsofhardmuscle,thegracefulcurvethatsweptdowntothenarrowwaist,thehollowofhisspine,theGrecianbeautyofhisb.u.t.tocks.Shequicklysuppressedaflareofdesire.Thiswasnotthetimetointrudes.e.xonhispersonalanguish.Andsheknewthatherintenses.e.xualhungerforhimstemmedfromayearningforthechildofhisseed.Adaughter,tallandfair,withLajos'sdimplesinhercheek.Ason,strongbackedandarrogant,withthickblackstraighthair.

Thishungerforhischildwa.s.soprimal,itparalyzedthesophisticationoverlaidbyeducationandsocialreflexes.Nowadaysawomanwas.e.xpectedtoa.s.sumemorethantheancientdutiesrequiredofher.Nowadays,andRuthsmiledtoherself,thesophistscalledthosewomanlytalents,Maintenance,RepairandReplacement,insteadofhousekeeping,cooking,nursingandhavingbabies,b.u.t.thet.i.tlesdidn'talterthedutiesnorcurbtheresurgentdesires.And,whenyougotdowntoit,menstillexplorednewground,evenifitwerealienlands,anddefendedtheirhomesandfamilies.YoucouldcallLajos'sprecogakindofanearlywarningdefensesystem.Well,then,she'daddedthech.o.r.eofbeingCerebralRecordingSecretarytoMaintenanceandRepairb.u.t.they'dbetterletherReplacesoonor....

Sheconcentratedonmoresoothingthoughts,usingherlatentempathytoeasehisremorse.Whenhebegantotakedeeplongbreaths,sheknewhewasconqueringtheaftermathoftheIncident,dispellingitsdestructivedespondency.Hehaddoneeverythinghecould.Hecouldnotchangethecourseofeveryfatedlife.Someeventshadtocometotheirdireconclusions,foroutofpresenttragedysooftenrosefuturetriumph;theresultofsorrowfulrecriminationswasoftenthecatalystofprogress.AspeciousrationaleintheSilverlinedCloudApproachb.u.t.trueenoughtosavethesanityoftheTalented.

Itwasabitterthing,Ruthunderstood,tobeTalented:bitterandwonderful.But.i.twasworsetohaveevidenceofTalentandneverknowwhat.i.twas.Nonsense,shetoldherselfsternly,discardingthesereflections,youcan'tbewhatyoucan'tbe.

"Ahh,you'vegottherightspot,"Lajossaidgratefullyandshedoubledhereffortsacrosstheheavyshouldermuscles.

Andyet,whensheantic.i.p.atedhisdesiresandneeds,sometimesthewordsfromhismouth,shewonderedjusthowshehadtappedthatneed;justwhatmightawakentheoccludedTalentwithinher.

TheCenterbelievedthatpsionicabilitieswerelatenthumancharacteristics:theirabsenceduetomalfunctionofthenecessarybrainsynapsesor,evenmorebasically,underdevelopmentduetoaproteinlackinthegene.Whenchromosomesinthetwentyfirstpairweredamagedorblurred,noTalentwasdetected.Therewas...o...b..rrationinRuth'schromosomes,andalthoughshetestedasTalented,herabilitywasunidentifiable.ShehadneverbeenabletostimulateanIncidentinvolvinganyoftheknownabilities.

She'dmetLajosduringthetesting:they'dbeenapproachedbytheEasternAmericanCenterafterfinis.h.i.+ngtheirsecondaryschoolingandhadqualifiedforthesixmonths'trainingdesignedtostimulatelatentTalent.Theirgenetichistoryhadbeentapedbacktothefourthgeneration.TheyhadenduredhoursofcerebralrecordingontheGooseggunderavarietyofstimuli.Ruthwasfinallylabeled"indeterminate";Lajosshowedstrongprecogtendencies.

RuthstillsecretlyhopedthatherTalentwoulddevelop.She'dbeena.s.suredthatthiswasapossibility:theycitedherhighempathyrating,herabilitytoantic.i.p.ateatt.i.tudesandactionsofthosenearestanddearesttoher.True,shemightbenomorethanareceptivetelempath,oneunabletobroadcastbutreceptive.Ruththereforealternatedbetweenhopeanddespair:beingapracticalcreature,shedweltmostlyonthepessimisticsideofthependulum,refusingtobelieveanythingb.u.t.themostconclusiveevidence.Thisatt.i.tudewasreinforcedduringLajos'sworstIncidents,whenshewantednopartofthecruelgift.

LajosHorvathwasoneofseveralthousandTalentedpeople,licensedandregisteredwiththeCenter;devotedtoitspreceptsandideals,contributingallofhissalarytoit.TheCenterwasnotpaternalistic,nordiditrequireanyrecompense.b.u.t.theTalentedpreferredtolivetogether,ifpossible,onorneartheCenter'sgroundsatBeechwoods,amongtheirpeers:rea.s.suredandreinforced.AstheCenter"policed"itsownmembers,italsoprotectedthem.

Ruthhadnospecificobjectionstotheirsituation:shehadwillinglytakenthecourseorientinguntalentedpartnerstotheirgiftedspouses.

Shewouldhaveundergoneafarmorearduousrequirement,sodeepwasherloveofLajos.Butlately,obediencetoE.A.C.hadbeguntogallRuthanditwasnotduetoanyfaultoftheCenter's.Sherecognizedthat.

Themutedbuzzoftheintercomrousedbothofthem.Lajosproppedhimselfuponhiselbows,hisprofiletowardshersothatsheobservedthethinbitterlineofhismouthandknewthathewa.s.steelinghimself.

"Lajos,"itwasDaffydopOwen,"youwerecorrect.Acla.s.s7ReynarderhadapropellantleakatBuffalojetport."

Somethinginthedirector'sslowdeepvoicetoldthemthatLajossinformationhadnotaverted.

"And?"Lajos'squestionwasafirmdemandforthetruth.

"Wehadtocomputethevariabledetailswiththepossibleairportsnearwater,flightslandingordepartingontheReynarderline.WegotonlyoneotherpersonalprecoginvolvingtheIncidentbutyourdataaloneparticularlytheregistrywa.s.sufficient.Thelosswouldhavebeencatastrophicwithoutyourwarning.TeleportsontheRescueSquaddeflectedmostoftheflamingwreckageintotheLakebeforeitcouldlandinthesuburbs.Kineticsmanagedtos.h.i.+eldthepa.s.sengerdeckuntilthepropellantcouldbefoamed.Thepa.s.sengersandcrewsufferedma.s.siveheatprostrationbutallwilllive.Ruth,doesheneedatranquilizer?"

"No!"thenegativeexplodedfromLajos'slips.

"Goodlad!"opOwen'svoicewaswarmwithapproval."We'veauthenticatedtheIncident.Itavertedamajortragedy:onemorepoundofevidenceonoursideofthescalesfortheBill.Andthepa.s.sengersandjetportpersonnelknowwhogavethewarning."

LajoswentlimpwithreliefastheDirectorsignedoffwithexpressionsofgrat.i.tude.LajoshalfturnedhisfaceandRuthdidn'tknowforamomentwhethertocomforthimornot.Shewaited.Finallyhegavealongshudderingsighandrelaxed,onehandslippingoverthesideofthebed,fingerslimp,theveinsinhisforearmbulging,blueunderhisunusuallyfairskin.

"ThenwhatIsawdidn'thappen,Ruth.Thejetdidn'tturnintoaflaminghull,explodingalloverthesuburbs.SowhatdidIsee?

Whichdidn'thappenbecauseIsawit?Becausemyseeingitwa.s.sufficienttoalterthefuture?"Heshookhishead,hisbeardstubbleraspingagainstthetightlydrawnbedsheet,buthisvoicewasnolongerhoa.r.s.ewithrecrimination;itwascalm:hisphilosophywasa.s.sertingitself.

Ruthfeltthemusclesinhershouldersunknotandonlythenrealizedhowtenseshehadbecome,waitingforhisreaction.

"'Aparadox,aparadox,amostingeniousparadox,'"shechantedlightly,strokinghisbackwithherfingertips."Mydarlingpirate,"andshekissedhischeek.

Lajosbouncedoutofbedandstretched,hissleeppantsfallingoffhisnarrowhips.Hegrabbedthembackup,notoutofmodestyb.u.t.tokeepfromtrippingoverthemonthewaytothebathroom.

"Maybethegoodprecogyouhad...itfollowedabaresixtysecondsafterthefirst,youknow,"Ruthremarkedlatera.s.sheservedhisbreakfast,"wastherealizationthatyouhadaverted."

Lajosconsideredthat,thenshookhishead."No.Thetwoweredefinitelynonrelated."

"Whyisit,"Ruthaskedwithmockshrewishness,"thatyoucandetailthehorrorsbutnotthehappies?"

Hedidn'tknowandbegantoeatheartily,hisappet.i.teindicativeofrestoredequilibrium.

"Gottorun,honey.Beabusyday.Andthat'snoprecog.It'sasurething."Hegrinnedthenkissedhersoundly."Annualreviewofcontracts,andZeusmannotwithstanding,theFirmhandlesthegovernment'sinsurancesinthiscity."

Ruthwouldhavetohurryaswell.Shedislikedbeinglatealthoughherjobwasnotessential.Shefittedfilamentstofractionalfeeders,anintricate,delicateoperationwhichrequireddefthandsevenwithwaldoaids,andacertaintenaciouspatiencewithmicromovements.Heremployersneverobjectedtoheroccasionaldelaysastheyemployedteleportsandtelekineticsforthetransportationofdelicateequipmentandtoa.s.semblebyremotecontrolthe"hot"componentsofinstrumentationtobeusedintheJupiterprobes.Ruthdidnotneedtowork,forLajoswas.h.i.+ghlypaid,butshepreferredtokeepbusyuntiltheirrequestforprogenywasapproved.Shewantedsotobeafulltimemother.

Therewasunlikelytobeaprobleminreceivingapprovaleventuallybutanyonewasliabletopickupadoseofaccidentalradiationthatcouldblurordamagechromosomes.Theyknewtheirgeneticpatternsweresoundandtheyhadcompletedthethreeyears'probationtoestablishthecompatibilityandstabilityoftheirmarriage.Forthelastsixmonthstheyhadundergonecontinualeggandspermcellcheckforpossibleaberrations.Itwastime-consuming,butwhowantedahandicappedchild?IthadtakenyearstoweedoutthepsychedelicdamagesthathadresultedinthefreaksofthelateSeventiesandearlyEighties.TherewerestilloccasionalmutantsasaresultoftheheavySolarWindsinthefirstdecadeofthetwentyfirstcentury.Itwasonlycommonsensetocheckeveryvariable.

ButRuthfoundithardtobepatient.Sheaskedforverylittleofwhatherheritagehadonceseemedtooffer.Shedidn'tmindbeinganunidentifiableTalent,shehadadjustedtoit.Shedidn'treallymindtheoftenworrisomeroleofapa.s.siveobservertothementalaskedinasmallvoice,awareevenasthewordspoppedoutthatshesoundedresentful.Oh,Idon'tmeanitthatway.It'sjustthatwhenyoupredetermine,ittakesawayallthemysterythat'slefttomotherhood."

"Ruthie,"andLajos'stenderteasingvoicethrilledher."You'rearealrecessive.O.K.,we'lljustletnaturetakeitscourse."

"Can'tweeatfirst?"

Lajosthrewbackhisheadandlaughedboyishlyatherdeliberatecoquetry.Hehuggedheruntilheheardherribscrackandherdinnersizzling.

Itwasamagicalnight.Ruthrespondedtolovemakingwithanardorthatastoundedherhusband:asurrenderthatlefthimbreathlessandnotalittleawed:asif,sloughingofftheonusofcontraceptiveinterference,shecouldallowherselftobetouchedtothedepthsofherbeing.

Ifthequalityoftheirlovinghadanythingtodowiththefinalproduct,theirchildoughttobeaperfecthuman,Lajosthoughtastheyfinallyfellasleepineachother'sarms.Therewasnoguaranteethatconceptionoccurredthatnight.Infact,Lajoshopedthat.i.thadn'tifRuthwouldreactlikethisuntilshedidconceive.

Shortly,however,itwasapparentthatconceptionhadoccurred.Ruthdevelopedaluminousbeautythattouchedeverythingaroundherwithharmony.JerryFrames,theCenter'sresidentphysician,withahealingtalent,privatelytoldopOwenthatthefoetuswasfemaleandthatRuthwashealthyenoughtoexperiencenoproblems.

ThegirlweighedsevenpoundsandthreeouncesatbirthandwasimmediatelychristenedtheLittlePrincessbythenurserystaffintheCenter'shospital.HerparentscalledherDoroteaandwereutterlybesottedwithherminiatureperfection,herpinkandgoldbeauty.Theywereoblivioustothecuriousstaresandwhisperedcommentsofthestaff.ItwasRuth,preternaturallysensitivetoanythingregardingherdaughter,whobegantonoticethesurrept.i.tiousglances,thecl.u.s.terofpeopleconstantlynearherdaughter'scrib.

"You'rehidingsomethingfromme,"shetoldJerryFramesaccusingly.

"There'ssomethingwrongwithDorotea."

"There'snotathingwrongwithher,Ruth,"Jerryrepliedsharplyandthrustthebaby'schartather."You'veenoughpediatricstoreadthemedicalnotations.Goahead."

Ruthscannedth.e.s.h.eetsquickly,thenrereadwordandgraph,checkingthelaboratoryreportsofbodyfunction,thecerebralandcardiacreadings,eventhenourishmentintakeandeliminations.TherewasdefinitelynothingabnormalaboutDorotea.EvenherchromosomemappingwasXX/healthy/normal.Rea.s.sured,Ruthpa.s.sedtheclipboardback,andsmilingconfidently,continuedtonurseherchild.

Frameslatersaidthathe'dhadamomentofpurepanicbecausehecouldn'trememberhowmuchgenetictrainingRuthhadhadormightremember.OpOwena.s.suredhimthathisinstinctiveimpulsehadbeentheonlypossiblecourseunderthecirc.u.mstances.

"It's.e.xceedinglyfortunatethough,Jerry,"thedirectorsaid,hiseyesactivewithspeculation,"thattheyarealreadyundertheCenter'sprotection.Thatchildmusthaveeverysafeguardwecanprovide.Iwantequipmentinstalledinhernursery,tunedtoherpatterndayandnight.Ifwhatwesuspectiscorrect,itmaymanifest.i.tselfinherfirstsixmonths.Canyouimaginethestrideswecanmakeinformulatinganearlychildhoodprogramwithsuchasuperbexample?"

"Apurecaseofdoingwhatcomesnaturally."

"Nothingmustinterferewiththechild'sdevelopment."

"Istilldon'tseewhywe'vekept.i.tfromtheparents.Areyousteppingdownfromyour'knowall,tellall'pedestalafterall?"

OpOwenreturnedthephysician'ssardoniclook.

"I'mnotaprecog,butIfeltastrongreluctancetoinformLajos."

"Why?He'dbewalkingninefeettalltothinkheproducedsuchaTalentedchild."

"Haven'twechangedsides,Jerry?"

"It'sonethingtowithholdinformationfromtheunwashedpublic,butanothertoclamupononeofthegang."

"Wedon'tknowpositivelythatDoroteaHorvathis..."

"Comeoffit,Dave.CecilyKingisastrongTPandsheheardthatchildprotestbirth.Oh,Iknowthatsomeof'emcancryoutinthewombb.u.t.thiswasnophysicalcryoritwouldhavebeenaudibletotherestofthedeliveryroompersonnel.IsyourstumblingblockRuthHorvath?"

OpOwennoddedslowly.

"Well,thatmakesalittlemoresense,althoughI'dsayshe'dwelcomeherdaughter'sTalent.Akindofvindicationthatshe'sneverbeenidentified.UnlessyoucallthetransmissionofstronggenetictraitsaTalent."

OpOwenshookhishead,hislipspursedinthought."Shehaswantedachilddesperately.Asamotherwantsachild:notasaTalentedpersonwantsevidenceofsuccession."Hespokeslowly,thewordsdraggedoutofhismouthasifheweresortingthethoughts."LajossaysthatalthoughRuthisagreathelpandveryunderstanding,sometimes.h.i.+sIncidentsbotherhermorethansheadmits.Let'sjustletthingstaketheircourse.We'llkeepaneyeonthem."

"Whattheydon'tknowwon'thurtthem,huh?"Framessighed."Wishyou'dletthatatt.i.tudespilloverintootherareas,Dave."

OpOwenregardedthedoctorintently."Icanconceivablybendalittleprivately,forthebenefitofthoseundermycare,butIcannotaseasilyrationalizethebroaderissuewhichIcannotoverseeorcontrol."

"Allright,Dave,butIfeel,andJoelAndresfeels,thatprivatereactionsareastrongbasisforpredictingpublicones.You'rereluctanttotellRuthHorvath,agirlconditionedandtrainedtoacceptTalent,thatherchildshows.e.xceedinglystrongtelepathicTalent.Youwillinglywanttobroadcastinformationthatevenfrightensme,andI'mTalented,toapublicthatisinnowayconditionedtoacceptafragmentofthatknowledge.Thetwoatt.i.tudescannotbereconciled."

"TheethicalpositionoftheTalentedmustneverbequestioned."

"Dave,"andtherewasentreatyinJerryFrame'svoiceandmanner,"yoareunabletobeunethical.Thewithholdingofprejudicialknowledgeisnotunethical,it'splaingoodol'commonsense.WhichyouaresensiblyapplyingtoRuthHorvath'scase.HowmanytimesIhaveconsideredtellingapatienthe'sbought.i.tandhowfewtimeshaveIactuallycomeclean.Veryfewpeoplecanstandthewhole,complete,unvarnishedtruth."

"Ihangbetween,indoubttoactorrest,"opOwensaid,resignedaswellasfrustrated.

"What'sthat?"

"Iapologize,Jerry.Yourpointiswelltaken.I'veerredonthesideoftheangels,Ihopeb.u.t.thisatt.i.tudeofminetowardsRuthHorvathisacuriousvacillationfrommytendencytobeforthright.YetIknowthatthereisareasontobeslightlydevious."

"Thenyou'lleasebackonthisallopenandaboveboardroutine?"

"Yes,I'lleasebackasyouput.i.t."

"Still,"andJerryfrownedslightly,"itisn'tasiftheywon'tfindoutsoonenough."HemeanttheHorvaths.

"Theyneedtimetogetusedtotheidea."OpOwenwasthinkingabouthumanity.

"Whereonearthdidshegetthoseblueeyes?"Lajosaskedashesatentrancedbyhisthreemontholddaughter'sattemptstocapturehertoes.Shefloppedover,gurglingcheerfullytoherself.

"Heavens,it'spossible,"Ruthreplied,beamingfatuouslya.s.shecaughtherdaughter'seye."Imaybegreyeyed,andyoubrown,butwebothhaveancestorswithblueeyesfourgenerationsback."

"Ialwayssaidyouwererecessive,hon."

"Humph.Idon'tmindintheleast,notifitproducesablueeyedblondedaughterwithdimples.AndI'vegother,haven'tI,love?

You'reallmine."

"Exceptforthetwentythreechromosomesfromme."