The Wings Of Pegasus Part 8

Doroteatwistedherheadbackwardsoverhershoulderandburbledmoistlyathermother.

"Loveatfirstbite,"Lajossaidinamutterofmocksurliness.

"There'saconspiracyoffemalesagainstthispoorlonemale."

Doroteaimpartiallygurgledathim,hereyesbrightandwideandhappy.

"Youneverhaditsogood,"saidRuth.

AndLajosprivatelyadmittedthetruthofthat.Ruthwa.s.soenthralledwithherdaughter,theirapartmenthadanoticeableatmosphereofbenevolence.Hewasmorerelaxedthanever,anddespiteanincreaseinIncidents,extendingbeyondhisusualaffinity,hesufferedlessfromthedepressionsandexhaustionsthatweretheinevitablepostlude.

ThedayDorotea'sTalentblossomed,DaffydopOwenwasreviewingtherecordsobtainedovertlyandcovertlyfromtheHorvathapartment.He'dhadLesterWelch,hiselectronicchief,rigaburiedwebinRuth'smattress,incasethebabyinstinctivelycontactedhermotherfirst.

However,LesterhadpointedouttheslightvariationinRuth'sreadings.Itwasmoreasiftheneedlehadsnaggeditselfonanimperfectioninthegraphpaper.Therewasnosuchvariationonthebaby'srecordings.WelchhadbeenabouttodiscredittheoccurrencesuntilhecheckedthemagainstLajos'sanddiscoveredthattheminutevariationsinRuth'schartalwaysoccurredexactlyattheonsetofLajos'Incidents.

"Shemightwellbealatent'receiver,'"opOwensaidtoWelch,"onlynowbeginningtodevelopfromcontinuedproximitytoherhusbandandtheadventofthechild.Ican'tpresentanotherexplanation."

"That'dbenice,Dave.Ruth'sagoodlittleperson:cheerful,intelligentandcrazyforherhusbandandchild.Justthesortofwell-balanced,understandingparenttohavefora..."

LesterwasabruptlystaringatopOwen'sretreatingback.Themanhadleapedtohisfeetandraceddownthehalltotherecordingroom.

LesterWelchwasnotTalented,althoughhiselectronicengineeringwasoftensheerinventivegenius,butopOwendidn'treactlikethatwithoutgoodcause.WhenWelchreachedthedoorway,hesawthatCharlieMoorfield,thedayengineer,washunchedovertheconsole,unconscious,butopOwen'sattentionwasforagraph.

"TakeacloselookatDorotea'sgraph,"opOwensaid,grinningfittopophisjaw,andthenhepa.s.sedhisa.s.sociateonhiswayout.

CommonsensetoldopOwenthat,despitetheurgencyofthesummons,therecouldbenodangerthreateningthebaby.Yethecouldnotdisregardthatcall.Whatcouldhavehappened,hewonderedasherandownthefrontsteps.Suddenlyhenoticedthatthereseemedtobeama.s.s.e.xodusfromallpartsofthebuilding.Andeveryonewasheadedinthesamedirection.Asabruptlyasthecallhadbeenissued,itceased.Peoplesloweddown,stopped,lookedaround,grinningfoolishly.

"Whatwasthat?"

"Whocalled?"

"Wothoppened?"

"It'sallright,"opOwenfoundhimselfrea.s.suringthem."Anewtechniqueimproperlys.h.i.+elded,"hesaidtothetelepaths.AndgrinnedathisowndissemblingashecontinuedtowardstheHorvaths'apartment.

Iherewasacrowdinthehallbeforetheirapartment.OpOwenpolitelypushedhiswaythroughthedisturbedresidents.Doroteaherbabyfacestilltearstreaked,washeldhighinhermother'sarms,cooingandchortlingatthesmilingfacesaroundher.OpOwen'sarrivalsignaledthecrowd'sdiscreetdispersalandshortly,hewasalonewiththemortifiedmother.

"I'msoembarra.s.sed,sir,"Ruthsaid,jigglingherbabya.s.shewalkednervouslyupanddownherlivingroom."Ifellasleepwiththetaperecorderblaringaway.AndIjust...didn'thearDoroteawakeup...

I'veneverdonesuchathingbeforeandwe'veneverpermittedhertocrylong..."

"NooneisremotelysuggestingthatyoumistreatDorotea."OpOwensmiledasthebabyflirteddelightfullywithhim."Infactalittlehonestfrustrationisveryuseful.ItcertainlyplacedherTalent."

"Ooooooooh,"andRuthcollapsedonthesofa,staringwideeyedatDaffydopOwena.s.sheabsorbedtheimplication,whichshehadbeentoopreoccupiedwithcalmingDoroteatosee.

"Shebroadcastaveryloudsignal.Ishouldn'tbeatallsurprisedifeveryTalentinthecityheardher."

NosoonerwerethewordsoutofhismouththanLajoschargedthroughthedoor.

"Whathappenedtoher?Howdidshegethurt?Myheadissplitting!"

Lajoss.n.a.t.c.hedDoroteafromhermother'slaptoexamineherfirsthand.

Shebegantowhimper,catchinghisanxiety.

"Onlyherfeelingswerehurt,"Ruthreplied,suddenlyverycalm.OpOwennoticedthatwithapproval:shewasdampeningherowndistresstosoothetheothers."I'dfallenasleepwiththetaperecorderblastingawayandjustdidn'thearherwhenshewokeuphungryandalldamp."

Shetookherdaughterback,rockingheruntilthebabybegantobeamagain."Shewashurtbecauseshefeltshewasbeingignored,isn'tthatright,sweetie?"

"Well,goodG.o.d!"Lajossankontothecouch,moppinghisforehead."1neverheardanythinglikeitbefore.Sir,"andheturnedtoopOwen,"look,thiscan't...Imean,canthissortofthinghappeneverytimemydaughter'supset?"

"Oh,I'msureshe'slikelytoprotestmanya.s.sumedindignities,Lajos.

Babieshavetosuffersomefrustrationstogrow.We'lljustmoveyoualltoas.h.i.+eldedapartmentanddampendownthatlovelyloudyoungvoice."

"You'renotsurprisedaboutDoroteaatall,"Ruthsaid,regardingopOwenwithround,suspiciouseyes."Sothat'swhyeveryonewa.s.soexcitedaboutherinthenursery."

"Well,yes,"theDirectoragreedslowly."ShewasheardbytheTPnurseatbirth."

"But.i.thoughtpsionicTalentsdon'tusuallyshowupuntiladolescence..."

"ConsciousTalent,"opOwensaid,correctingher.

Ruthlookeddownatthedroolingbabyinherarms.Astrainedlookcrossedherprettyface."ButIwantDoroteatohaveanormal,happychildhood!"

"Andshewon'tbecauseshe'sTalented?Isthat.i.t,mydear?"OpOwenknew,sadly,thathisinstinctaboutnottellingRuthatoncehadbeenalltoowellfounded."Exceptforthisability,whichmightaswellbedrawingfreehand,sheisanormal,healthychild,totallyunawarethatsheisinanywayremarkable..."

"ButIknowyou'llwanttotesther,andallthat,withstimuli..."

Ruth'sdistresswa.s.soacutethatshecouldn'tgoon.

"Ruth!"Lajosbenttocomforther,surprisedbyherreaction.Sheclutchedherdaughtertightlytoher.

"MydearRuth!"opOwensaidgently,"testingandstimuliareforpeoplewhocometousaftertheyhavesubvertedandsuppressedtheirTalents.WeknowwhatDoroteaisalready,averystrongtelepath.Andwe'vebeen'testing'her,asyoucallit,already.

Asforstimuli,Ia.s.sureyou,"andtherewasnothingforcedinopOwen'schuckle,"she'sapplyingtheonlystimuli...tous."

Lajoslaughed,brus.h.i.+nghishairbackfromhisforeheadasherememberedhisfrantichomewardflight.Beneathhisarm,hecouldfeelRuthrelaxing.Aslightsmiletouchedherlips.

"Doroteawillhaveanunusualopportunity,mydear.OnedeniedyouandLajos,andmyself,andsomanyotherpotentialTalents.ShehasthechancetogrowupinherTalent,learningtouseitasnaturallya.s.shelearnstowalkandtalk.Wewillallhelphertounderstandit...asmuchaswedoourselves,"headdedwithawrysmile."Tobecandid,Ruth,weareinmuchthesamepositionasyourdaughter.Wearealllearningtoactinapubliclyacceptablefas.h.i.+onwiththisnewfacetofhumanevolution.PsionicTalentsareintheirinfancy,too,youknow.

"Youmightevenextendthea.n.a.logyalittletoincludetheAndresBill,whichwehopewillaffordallTalentsprofessionalstatusandlegalprotection.We,ineffect,mustprovetothepublic,ourparentbody,ifyouwish,thatwearenot'bad,''naughty'or'capricious'children.Doroteahasalreadycontributedsomethingtothatend,"andopOwencaughthimselfbeforeheexplainedhisownrevelation.

"Doroteaneedsloveandrea.s.surance,disciplineandunderstanding.

She'llpickthatupfromyou,Ruth,withyourwarmthandsweetness.Iwanther,possiblymorethanyoudo,tohaveanormal,happychildhoodsothatshewillbeanormal,happyadult."

Herose,smilingatthebaby'sinfectiousgaiety.

"See,sheknowshowpleasedwearewithherrightnow,thelittlerascal."

OpOwenleft,a.s.suringthemnewquarterswithintheweek.Ruthwa.s.soquietandthoughtfulthatLajosremainedhometherestoftheday.HefoundtherevelationofDorotea'sTalentasmuchashockasRuthapparentlydid.However,bymorning,hewasconsumedwithapaternalprideand,inthesucceedingdays,discoveredanoverweeningtendencytomaunderonabouthisdaughter'sprowess.Bythetimetheymovedtothelarger,s.h.i.+eldedapartment,hewasaccustomedtothenotionand,sinceDoroteamadenomorefranticsummonses,succeededinignoringit.UntilhenoticedthegradualchangeinRuth.Atfirst,itwasnomorethanasuddenfrown,quicklyerased,oranervouslooktowardsthebaby'sroomifshesleptlongertha.n.u.sual.ThenhecaughtRuthlookingatherchildwiththatwaryexpressionhehadonceprivatelycalled'thefreakLook,'whichuntalentedpeopleoccasionallydirectedathimwhentheydiscoveredhisaffiliationwiththeCenter.

"You'vegottostopthat,honey,"heblurtedout."You'vegottokeepthinking...strongly...thatDoroteaisjustlikeotherkids.Oryou'llprejudiceher.Whichistheonethingwehavetoavoid."RuthvehementlydeniedtheaccusationbutsheturnedsowhitearoundthelipsthatLajosgatheredherquicklyintohisarms.

"Ah,sweetie,shehasn'tchangedjustbecausewe'vefoundoutshe'sTalented.Butsheisperceptiveandshecansenseyourfeelingstowardsher.Youstartsuppressingthat'freakfeeling'rightnow.Youthinkpositivelythatshe'sourbeautifulbabygirl,sweetandloving,kindandthoughtful.She'llhavethatopinionofherselfanditwon'tmatterthatshe'sastrongTPaswell.She'llmerelyconsiderthatpartofthewholebit.It'swhenshesensescriticismandrestraintandhypocrisythatwe'llbeintrouble.Ihadtogetusedtoit,too,Ruthie.Say,"andhetiltedherchinupandgrinneddownatherrea.s.suringly,"whydon'twegetalittlehelpfromopOwen?Talkthisoverwithhim.Hecanputablockonifyouneedone."

Theverysuggestionthatshecouldn'tloveandunderstandherownchildmadeRuthindignant.She'dhadyearsofparenttraining.Sheunderstoodeveryphaseofearlychildhooddevelopment.SheadoredDoroteaandshecertainlywouldn'tdoathingthatmightjeopardizeherdaughter'shappiness.Theybothfeltbetteraftersuchacandiddiscussionandtheproblemwa.s.shelved.

"Sir,IthoughtyououghttoseetheHorvathcharts,"LesterWelchtoldopOwen."AvariationkeepsappearinginRuthHorvath's.See?"AndWelchunrolledthepaper,pointinghereandtheretothealmostimperceptiblealterationinRuth'snormalpattern."See,hereandhere,it'sacoupleofmicrosecondslongerandbroader.Itbeginstobroadenminutelyuntilithitsthisframewhichhasremainedconstant.

Now,comparehertimesequencetoLajos's...andrememberwe'repickingupherpatternanywhereinthenewapartmentjustaswepickuphisfromtheoffice."

OpOwensawthecorrelationimmediately.

"He'sfinishednoprecoginsixweeks?"

WelchcontentedhimselfwithanodasopOwenstudiedthegraphs.

"IfIdidn'tthinkitwasimpossible,I'dsayRuthwa.s.suppressinghim.

Buthow?"

"Don'tyoumeanwhy?"

"That,too,ofcourse,but'how'isthebiggerquestion."

"Ifyoumeanthetypeofpattern,Dave,Ican'tgiveyouthat.Thereisn'tenoughtoidentifyitasaknownvariation."

"Thatwasn'texactlywhatImeant,althoughIwouldlikeamagnificationofthistostudy.Canyouputonamoresensitivegauge,orafasterneedle,tolengthenthestroke?"

"Hmmm."Welchconsideredthesuggestion."I'llrigupsomething,Iguess."

OpOwenchuckled."Oneofthecomfortingthingsaboutyou,Les,isyourunfailingrisetothechallenge.Idon'tbelieveyouknowwhatfailureis."

Welchregardedhissuperiorwithsomesurprise."Failureisaninabilitytoconsiderwhatisnotpresentlyknown.LikeRuthHorvath'svariation?"Thenheadded,"OrSenatorZeusman'sstrategy?"

OpOwendismissedthatwithawaveofhishandandcontinuedtoscantheHorvaths'readings."Dorotea'sfirstIncidentrockedhim,didn't.i.t?"

"Yes,itshowsupinhissleeppatternasunusualrestlessnessthefirstnights,butsee,he'scalmingdownbythethird."

"It'sfromthatdatethathisprecogsbegintodwindle."

"ByG.o.d,you'reright.Ithoughthe'dbetoostableforadeviationlikethat."

"Yes,he'sbeentooconsistentaprecog.IthinkI'llcallhiminanddropafewleadingquestionstoseewhatreactionIget."OpOweninitiatedthecallthenandthere.

"There'snothingwrongwithDorotea,isthere,sir?"Lajosaskeda.s.soonasheenteredtheoffice.

"Goodheavens,no,"DaffydopOwensaid,gesturingLajostoachair.

"It'saboutmydropinIncidents,then,isn't.i.t?"

OpOweneyedhisyoungcolleagueforamoment,savoringtheperipheralemotionsthemanwasgenerating.IttooknoTalenttorecognizethedefensivenervousnessinLajos'satt.i.tude.

"Notexactly.Therearealwaysperiodsofrestforprecogs,causedbyanynumberofvalidreasons,includingtheabsenceoffires.However,yourgraphsshowanonsetofIncidents,brokenoffjustastheybegin."

"Onceortwiceintheoffice,I'vefeltasifsomethingwaspreventingme..."

"Preventingyou...?"OpOwenpromptedLajosgentlyashehadbrokenoff,startledbyhisownphrasing.

"Yes,sir,"Lajoswentonslowly,"it'sasifsomething'spreventingmefrompreviewing.Sortoflike...glancingintoastrangeroomandhavingthedoorslammedinyourface."

"Aptlyput.Couldyousuggestwhy...orperhapswhat...ispreventingyou?"

"Youthinkit'sapsychologicalsuppression,don'tyou?"

"That'smyfirstthought."

IndignationanddisbeliefwereLajos'sinstantreactions.

"WhywouldIwanttosuppresssuddenly?"

"Somethingyouyourselfdon'twanttosee.PrecogisnottheeasiestofTalents,Lajos,"opOwenreplied."Oftentheprecogimposes.h.i.+sownblock,asarelieffromthepsychologicalpressures."

"Ifyouthinkthere'sachancethatI'mdevelopingtheCa.s.sandracomplex..."Lajoswasheatedlyprovokednow.

"No,thatfollowsanentirelydifferentpattern."

"Dorotea'spreventingme?"

"Ifthisoccurredonlyinyourhomeenvironment,we'dhavetoseriouslyconsiderthepossibility.But.i.t'simprobableforavarietyofreasons:theprimeonebeingthatherroomiss.h.i.+eldedtoprotectherfromovertonesofyourprecogsasmuchastoprotectusfromherblatantcalls."

"Ruth?"Lajos'shushedquestionhadthepowerofashout."SheisTalentedafterall.Butwhysuppressme?Shelovesme.Iknowshedoes.She'salwayshelpedwithIncidents.Itmadeherfeelapart..."LajosstaredatopOwen.Thenshookhishead,violentlydisagreeingwiththenaturalconclusion."No!Idon'tseewhysuppressingmewould...doheranygood."

"Ha.s.somethingelseupsether?ThesuppressionstartsnotlongafterDorotea'sfirstIncident."

Lajoscoveredhiseyes,groaningdeeply.Hecollectedhimselfalmostimmediatelyand,lookingupatopOwen,recountedRuth'scuriousuncertaintyaboutDorotea.

"Yes,Iseenowwhathaspossiblyhappened.She'smadeyouherwhippingboy."

"Nowwaitaminute,sir.Ruth'snotpettyorvindictive."

"I'mnotforamomentimplyingthatsheis,Lajos.Letusbothtrytoseeherconflicts.She'shadtomakesomanyadjustments.Shehadsuchhopeswhensheenteredthetrainingprogram.rememberhercheerfulnessandvivacitysowell.Itwasdifficulttohavetodisillusionher.Youtwomarriedandshehas.e.xhibitedskillina.s.sistingyou.Buteventhemostgeneroussoulexperiencestwingesofenvy.Shelookedforwardtomaternityasanoutletforhernaturalinclinationandthea.s.suagementofherfailures.

SuddenlyshefindsherselfwiththeextraordinarydaughterwhomakeseventheDirectoroftheCenterjumpatherwhim."LajosweaklyreturnedopOwen'ssmile."Ithoughtatthetimeshewasverymuchdistressedatthethoughtofrelinquis.h.i.+nganyofDorotea'scaretoourimpersonaltoils.Idon'tbelieveweentirelyrelievedherfearthattheCenterwillusurpherroleinherdaughter'supbringing.Canyouseewhyshemaybeindirectlypunis.h.i.+ngyouforcirc.u.mstancesthatthreatenherhappiness?"

"Yes,Ican."Lajos'sadmissionwasdejected.