"Whichis?"
"ThatSenatorAndresisspendinghislastmomentshelpingaminoritygroupthatnotonlyhaspredictedhisimminentdemisebutdestroyedhisonechanceofacure."Hervoiceheldnoinflectiona.s.sheutteredthesequicksentences,butherdislikeofimpartingthegossipwasobvioustoherlistener.Maraclearedherthroatsuddenly."Idohaveaprecogthough,"sheadded,mildlyamused.
"Agoodone,ifIrecognizethattoneofvoice.Icouldstandsomepleasanttidings."
"I"llbeseeingyoushortly,"andshelaughedmischievously."Intheflesh,Imean.Here!"
"InWashington?"DaffydopOwenwa.s.startled.HerarelylefttheCenterand,atthismoment,hehadnodesireunderheaventosetfootinWashington.
Twoweekslater,DaffydopOwen,inaswivetofanxietywhichnoperceptioncoulddispel,disembarkedfromthehelijetontheSenatelandingpad.MaraHelmandJoelAndreswerewaitingforhim.Daffydhadnoeyesforanyoneb.u.t.thesenatorwhostrodeforward,grinningbroadly,eagerlygraspingthetelepath"shand,forgettingintheexcessofhiswelcomethatDaffydavoidedcasualphysicalcontacts.
However,opOwenwantedmorethananythingtotouchsensehisfriend.
Andwasrea.s.suredbythevigoroussensationhefeltequallystrongthroughmindandbody.HemightdisbelievetheevidenceofhiseyesashestaredatAndres"sclearpupils,thehealthytannedskinwithnotraceoftheyellow,indicativeofliverdisorder.OpOwencouldnotdenythefeelingofhealthandenergythatcoursedtohiminthatheartyhandclasp.
"Whathappened?"heaskedhoa.r.s.ely.
"Whoknows?"Joelreplied."Themedicscalleditaspontaneousremission.Saidmybodyhadstartedmanufacturingtherightenzymesagain.SomethingtodowithashiftintheRNAmessengerproteinsorsomerotlikethat.Anyhow,nomoreamyloidsintheperivasculars.p.a.cesifthatmakesanysensetoyoutheoldliverandspleenarebacktonormalsizeandIcanfeelthat.So,friend,InolongerneedthatneoproteinresearchthatZeusmansc.r.a.pped."MaraHelmremainedaside,smilingbenevolentlyatthetwomen,untiltheyfinallyrememberedherpresence.
"Dai,see?"andshelaidafingerfleetinglyonhissleeve."You"rehereaspredicted!"
"DidyoubringthegraphsandrecordsIaskedfor?"Joelinquired.
"Heretheyare,"andDaffydhandedtheneatpackageover.
"Good,"andthesenator"s.e.xpressionwasmaliciouslygleeful."We"regoingtohoistSenatorMansfieldZeusmantodayonhispetard.
However,"andblackangersurgedacrossAndres"sface,"Ibegyourindulgence,Daffyd.Certainwhatwouldyoucallthem,Marasecuritymeasures?"
Mara"slipstwitchedb.u.t.therewasanansweringindignantsparkleinhereyes.
"Ashieldedcage?"Daffydasked.
"Yeah,"andthesoundwasmoreof.a.growlthananaffirmative."Don"tthinkIdidn"tprotestthatinsulting..."
"Infact,"Marasaid,"herantedandscreamedatthetopofhisvoice.
AllWashingtonheard.Ielectedtokeepyoucompanyinthegiltwiredgoldfishbowl,"andshegaveopOwenaflirtatiouswink.
"You"llhaveanadvantageoverme,"Andressaid."YoucanswitchoffthesoundofZeusman"svoice."
"Who?Me?"DaffydaskedandthethreeenteredtheSenateBuildinglaughing.
OpOwenwasnotsurprisedatMansfieldZeusman"sinsultingtreatment.
Heexpectedlittleelse.AlthoughthesenatorhadinitiatedtheinvestigationofalltheCenters,hehadneverpersonallyenteredone.
ObviouslyZeusmanwasamongthosewhobelievedthatanytelepathcouldreadeverymind:hewouldbeunlikelytobelievethattelepathsperformedtheirservicesmuchasasurgeondoesanexploratoryoperationinthehopeofuncoveringapatient"smalignantdisease.
Zeusma.n.a.lsodecriedthepsychiatricsciences,sohisatt.i.tudewasatleastconsistentlynarrowminded.
"Onemorething,"Andressaidasheheldopenthedoorintotheshieldedroom,"you"rehereattheCommittee"srequest,notZeusman"s,ormine.Theymaywanttoquestionyou.Please,Dave,don"ttellallyouknow?"
"I"llbeaverbalmiser,Ipromise."
"That"llbeoursaving,"Andresreplied.HeobviouslydistrustedopOwen"ssuddenmeekcompliance.
"Doesn"tJoellookwonderful?"whisperedMaraastheyseatedthemselves.
"Yes,"Daffydrepliedandthenshuthislips.Eventhatinterchange,broadcastintothechamberbeyond,dreweveryeyetothem.OpOwencrossedhislegs,claspedhishandsandcomposedhimselfoutwardly.
ZeusmanwasnotaslargeamanasopOwenthoughthe"dbe.Norwasheasmallmaninstaturewhichmighthaveexplainedtheaggressive,suspiciouspersonality.Heresembledaprofessormorethanasenator,exceptfortheelaborategesticulationswhichweredecidedlyoratorical.Andhewas.e.xpatiatingatlengthnowwithmanygestures,pointedlyignoringAndreswhotookhisplaceattheconferencetable.
TheotherfivemembersoftheCommitteenoddedtowardsAndresasiftheywelcomedhisarrival.Theirsmilesfadedastheyturnedbacktothespeaker.ItwasapparenttoDaffydthatZeusman"saudiencewasheartilyboredwithhimandhadheardthesameargumentsfrequently.
"TheseExpertsclaim..."andZeusmanpausedtopermithislisteners...o...b..orbthevitriolheinjectedintothatlabel,"thateventheadvertis.e.m.e.ntofthatprecognitivewordchangesevents.Nowthat"sacowardlyevasionoftheconsequencesoftheirperniciousmeddling."
"We"vebeenthroughthatargumentfromstemtosternbefore,Mansfield,"thelankybaldmanwithahawknosesaid.OpOwenidentifiedhimasLambertGouldMcNabb,theseniorSenatorfromNewEngland."Youcalledthis.e.xtraordinarysess...o...b..causeyouclaimyouhaverealevidenceprejudicialtothisBill."
ZeusmanglaredatMcNabb,McNabbcalmlytampeddownhispipe,relit.i.t,pinchedhisnosebetweenthumbandforefinger,blowingagainstthepressuretorelievehiseardrums,sniffedonceortwice,putthepipebackinhismouthandturnedanexpectantfacetowardsZeusman.
"Well,Mansfield,eitherhang"emorcut"emdown."
"Ihaveyourattention,SenatorMcNabb?"
"Atthemoment."
"Mycontentionhasalwaysbeenthatprotectionforthesemeddlersisagainstcommonsense,ethics,andallthelawsofmanandG.o.d.TheyusurpthepositionoftheAlmightybydecidingwho"stoliveandwho"stodie."
"Tothepoint,Mansfield,"McNabbsaid.
"SenatorMcNabb,w.i.l.l.youdesistfrominterruptingme?"
"SenatorZeusman,Iwillifyouwilldesistfromjawing."
ZeusmanlookedaroundforsupportfromtheotherfivemembersoftheCommitteeandfoundnone.
"Onthe14thofJune,IleftmyofficesinthisbuildingforthepurposeofvisitingseveraloftheuniversitiesrequestingtherenewalofResearchFunds.Asyouknow,itismycustomtoarriveunannounced.
Therefore,itwasnotuntilwewereairbornethatIgavemypilothisdirections."
"Whattimewasthat?"askedAndresquickly.
"Thetimeisirrelevant."
"No,itisn"t.Irepeat,atwhattimedidyougiveyourpilothisflightdirections?"
"Ifailtoseewhatbearing..."
"Ihaveatranscriptofthepilot"slog,fromthefilesoftheSenateAirwing,"Andressaidandpa.s.sedthecopyovertoMcNabb.
"Tentwelve,DaylightSavingTime,therecordsays,"McNabbsaidinadrawl,hiseyestwinklingashecasuallyflippedtherecordacrossthetabletotheothers.
Zeusmanwatched,frowningbleakly.
"Ihavehere,"JoelwentonbeforeZeusmancouldgrabthefloor,"authenticatedgraphreadingsoffourprecognitiveIncidents:onefromEasternAmericanCenter,theWashingtonBureau,DeltaCenterandQuebec.Theperiod,allowingfortimezones,inwhichtheseprecogsoccurredisbetween10:12and10:16.Excusetheinterruption,Zeusman,butI"mtryingtokeepthingschronological."
ZeusmanawardedAndresavicioussmileandthenakeenerlook.OpOwenwonderedifZeusmanwasonlynowawareofAndres"simprovedhealth.
"Ahem.WhenmyhelijetlandedatNorthEastUniversity,IandmypartywerephysicallyrestrainedbyDr.HenryRior,theResearchDeanandmembersofhisstaff,fromconductingourinvestigationoftheirprojectonthespeciousgroundsthataprecoghadbeenissued,predictingaflamingdeathformeandmyparty,duetoafaultyheatconverterwhichwa.s.supposedtoexplode.Well,gentlemenIfathomedthislittletrapimmediately."
"Whoa,whoaMansfield,"RobertTeaguesaid,tappingthematerialnowinfrontofhim."TheprecogreportsIhavehere...byG.o.d,I"mgettingsoIdon"tneedanexperttotranslatethemformeanymore...indicatethat"s.e.xactlywhatwastohavehappened.
At...ah,shortlybeforenoon.WhendidyouarriveatNorthEast?"
"Quartertotwelve."
"Thenyou"d"vebeeninthebuildingaroundtwelve.I"dsayyouowedtheseprecogsyourlife."
"Mylife?Don"tberidiculous!"
"I"mnot.Youare,"Teaguerepliedwithconsiderableexasperation.
"I"mnofool,Bob.IknowwhenI"mbeinghad,inspiteofalltheforgedrecordsgoing.Thewholebusinesswasrigged.Heatconvertersdon"tblow."
"Right,sohowcouldoneberiggedtoblowatpreciselytwelvenoonatNorthEastwhennoone,includingyourself,knewwhenorwhereyouweregoingthatmorninguntil10:12?"
"Aflawwasdiscoveredwhentheheatconverterwasdismantled:airbubbleinthesteeltank,"JoelAndressaid,pa.s.singanotheraffidavittoTeague."Themainchamberhasbeenreplaced.Itcouldhaveblown,throughthatairbubbleflaw,underjustsuchcirc.u.mstancesofoverloadaspredicted."
"But.i.tdidn"t!"Zeusmansaidinaroar.
"No,becauseithadbeenturnedofftopreventsuchanoccurrence."
"Exactly.Thewholethingwasahoax.Tentwelve,twelvenoon,whatever.And,"Zeusmanrattledthewordsoutsoloudandsofastthatnoonecouldinterrupthim,"inturningoffthatsocalledfaultyconverter,theexperimenttheninprogress,paidforbygovernmentfunds,wasruinedjustbeforewhatwascertaintobeasuccessfulconclusionofahighlydelicate,valuableproject.I"vepapersofmyowntopresent"hedramaticallyflungstapledsheetstothetable"depositionsfromthevariousqualified,highlytrained,highlyreputablescientistsinchargeoftheneoproteinresearch.Andhereiswherethese...thesemeddlingG.o.dletsoverreachthemselves.Thatneoproteinresearch,sorudelyinterruptedonthebrinkofsuccesswouldhaveproduced,byscientificmethodsaccurate,repeatable,provenasubstancethatwouldpreventcertainalltoocommonandterriblypainfuldeathsduetoliverfailure.PreventanagonizingdeathfacingacertainmemberofthisaugustCommittee.And,iftheseprecogsaresoomniscient,sobenign,soaltruistic,sowise,whyIaskyou,why,didtheynotforeseetheeffectsoftheirownmeddlingontheiravowedchampion?"
OpOwen"saltruismandbenignityhita.n.a.lltimelowandhefoundhimselfobsessedwithanintensedesiretoturnkineticandclogZeusman"swindpipepermanently.
"Ahha,"crowedJoelAndres,leapingtohisfeet,"whyshouldtheyforeseemydemise,mydearcolleague?Duetoliverfailure?Howinteresting!Ofcourse,youhaveapapertoproveit,Senator,suchasmydeathcertificate?"
"Easy,Joel,"saidMcNabb,squintingatAndreskeenly,"Anyonecanseeyou"rehealthyasahog,thoughImustadmityouhadbeenlookingabitjaundiced.Youlookgreatnow,though."
"ButIhadareportthathewasdyingofliverfailure,"Zeusmansaid.
"Gotthatauthenticated?"Teagueaskedsarcastically.
"Easy,Bob.WeknowMansfield"sbeendoingthejobhewaselectedtodo,protecthisconst.i.tuentsandthiscountry.Thatusedtobeaseasytodo,"McNabbpausedtodragonhispipe,"asfindingdecentsubst.i.tutetobacco.ButMansfieldprovedthatwasbadformostofus."
"We"rediscussingexperts,nottobacco,"Zeusmanremindedhim.
"No,we"rediscussingprogress,onalevelsomeofusfindashardtotakeasgivinguptobacco.However,itwasprovedthattobaccowasunhealthy.ThesepeoplehaveprovedthattheirCentersprotecthealthandproperty,andtheygoabout.i.tscientifically.EverythingI"veheardtoday,"andMcNabbjerkedhispipestematZeusmanasthelatterstartedtointerrupt,"provesconclusivelytomethatyou"vebeenputtingthewrongeggsintherightbasket.Thatprecogwasforyourhealthandwellbeing,Mansfield,whichthesepeoplearepledgedtoprotect:youdidn"thavetotakethewarning...""Iwasforced..."
"Lotsofuswereforcedtostopsmoking,too,"McNabbsaid,grinning.
"Thisartificialstuffstilldoesn"ttasterightbutIknowit"sbetterforme.
"Mostimportantofall,Mansfield,anditseemstohavecompletelyescapedyourlogical,scientific,onetrackmind,istheveryfactthatthesepeoplewarnedyou!WhethertheyknewtheconsequencestoJoelAndresornotiftheyalsostoppedtheexperiment,theyhadtowarnyouandyourparty!Sostopyourmaunderingonabouttheirethicsandmeddling.I"d"veletyouburn!"
Zeusmansankdownintoachair,blinkingatMcNabb"scraggyface.ThentheNewEnglandsenatorrose,aslightsmileonhislips.
"Gentlemen,we"veha.s.sledthisBillbackandforthforclosetotwoyears.We"vesatisfiedourselvestheprovisionsprotectingtheparapsychicprofessions,asoutlinedinArticlesIVandV,donotthreatenthesafetyofthecitizensofthiscountry,donotjeopardizepersonalliberty,etceteraandallthat,and,h.e.l.l,let"splaceitontheagendaandstartprotectingthesepooridealisticb.a.s.t.a.r.dsfrom...
fromthemasdon"twishtobeprotected."
McNabb"sgrinwaspuremalicebuthedidn"tglanceinZeusman"sdirectionnorwasthemidwesternerawareofanythingb.u.t.thisunexpecteddefeat.
OpOwenreachedtheCenterafterfulldarkofthelatespringevening.
Thepleasantsenseofvictorystillenvelopedhimincontentment.Hefoundhimself,however,turningtowardtheapartmentsratherthanhisownquarters.ThenewsthattheAndresBillhadleftCommitteeandwouldbepresentedtotheSenatenextsessionhadalreadybeenrelayedtotheCenter.Heheardechoesofthecelebratingwhichappearedtobegoingonalloverthegrounds.
Alittlepremature,hethoughttohimself,fortheBillmustpa.s.sSenateandCongress.Therewouldbesharpdebateb.u.t.theypredicteditwouldpa.s.s.ThePresidentwasalreadyinfavorofprotectionfortheTalentedsincehebenefitedfromtheirguardianship.
OpOwenenteredthebuildingwheretheHorvathslived.Hehesitatedattheelevator,thenmadeforthesteps,pleasedtoarrivewithoutbreathlessnessattheirapartmentdoor.
Hehadasplitsecondofconcernthathemightbeinterruptingtheyoungcouplebut.i.twasquicklydispelledwhenLajos,stilldressed,flungthedoorwide.
"Mr.opOwen!"Theprecog"sfacewasastudyinincredulousamazement."Goodevening,sir!"
"I"msorry.Wereyouexpectingsomeone?"
"No,noone.Exactly.Please,comein.It"sjust...well,everyone"sbeenapartmenthoppingsincethenewscame.
"TheDirectorisimmunetojubilation?"
Lajoswa.s.sparedthenecessityofansweringbecauseRuthenteredfromthekitchen,herfacelightingupa.s.sherushedforwardtogreettheirguest.OpOwenwasrelievedatherobviouswelcome:shecouldhavedevelopedasubconsciousantipathyforhimaftertheirrecentsession.
"Idon"tthinkanyoneexpectedyoubacktonight,sir,"Lajoswa.s.saying,pressingadrinkonopOwen.
"We"reallsoproudofyou,sir,"Ruthaddedshyly.
"Ididnothing,"opOwenreplied."Isatinashieldedroomandlistened.ItwasLajos"sprecog..."
"Therewerethreeotherreports,sir,"Lajossaid,"butisitreallyconfirmedthatSenatorAndreshashadaremissionofthatliverailment?"
"Yes,absolutely,demonstrablytrue.Iknowwe"veallfeltburdenedwithacertain...regret,onthataspectoftheNorthEastIncident.
Itistheinevitableconcomitantoftheprecognitivegift."
"AndDr.Rizor"sgrantwillberestored?"