"WasthatwhyYa.s.simwasthere?Tobuychildren?"
"Whyelse?"Mirdaliftedhershouldersinaneloquentshrug."Hewouldhavenointerestinspiritualthings."
"Didhegetthemall?"Tirlawasaghast.YetifabigscoreputYa.s.siminaverygoodmood,hewouldbeeasierforhertodealwithoverthematterofthetiedsshehadbeenunabletowash.
"No,theygotmostofthem.Ya.s.simcannothavemany,b.u.t.thosehegothegotfornothing!"Mirdawasindignant."Nopricewaspaidtotheirgrievingmothersandfathers.TheyranintohisarmstoescapetheLEOs.Ran!Andnocredits.e.xchanged,notevenabargainmade.Oh,hewillnotdaretoenterGagain."ThensuddenlyMirdalatchedsteelyfingersintoTirla"sshoulder."WhatwastheLamashamansaying?Youdidn"ttellus.Aiiiye,andtoincreaseinsult,youdidnotevenhavethegracetoacceptthestrandthatchoseyou.YouhaveearnedtheundyinghatredofBilalaandPilaufornotacceptinghischoice."
Tirlawrenchedherselffree."Choice?Iamnothingwhywouldhechooseme?Ithinkhemissed.TellBilalathat.i.thinkhewasaimingforherandmissed.But,asforwhathesaid,youmissednothing.ThatLamashamanspewedstupidsyllablesonly.Notaproperwordinanylanguage.Eveninhisheadhewasn"tusingrealwords.Hedidn"tmeanto.Heisashamman,notashaman.ItwasallsetupforthePublicHealthtoraidLinearG."
"Howcouldthatbe?"Mirdawa.s.startled."No,itcouldnotbe.NotwithtraderstherewithalltheirgoodsandsomeofitnotthingstheLEOsshoulddiscoveronthem.AndcertainlynotwhenYa.s.sim,andeveryladrone,hitter,andsa.s.sinheemploys,werealsopresent.Theywouldhaveknown.PerhapsthestrandwasmeantforBilala,asyousaid.Shefeltthatwasproperforher,too,youunderstand,forshehasbeenworthy.Awomanwhohasborneachildeveryyearforherhusband.
Aiyyee,andtheyhavetakenthatfromhernow,andhispridefromhim.
Hewillreproachheruntilthedayofherdeath."Mirdabegantobeatherselfacrossherb.r.e.a.s.t.s,andTirlausedthedistractiontoslipaway.
So,Ya.s.simhadchildrenfromGandhadnotpaidforthem.Andshehadtiedsthatshecouldnotdealforhim,whichshehadbetterreturn.Ifhehadenoughchildren,thenwithluckhewouldnottakeher.
ItwaswrongofBilalatohateher.TirlawishedthatshehadaskedMirdaifanymoreofherclientsdid.ItwasessentialforTirlatostayongoodtermswitheveryoneinLinearG.Shewasjustasillegal.
BilalaorPilaucouldbespitefulenoughtoturnherin,asatokenrevengeforthelossoftheirownchildren.Unless...
UnlessTirlacouldgetapriceforthechildrenwhohadrunintoYa.s.sim"sclutches.Sheknewwherehekeptsuchmerchandise.Itwoulddependonwhohehadtaken.
Sheskippeddownasideaislewhere,lookingaroundtobesureshewasnotobserved,sheyankedataconduitgrille.Itresisted,andshesawthatthescrewshadbeenreplaced.Shefeltinsidethegrilletobesuretherewerenowiresoreyes,b.u.t.thiswasasmallopening,oneonlyaverysmallorthinchildcouldhaveused,andhadnotbeenstakedout.Shegotoutthevibrobladeshehadearnedforsomelongforgottenfavorandsheeredofftwoscrews.Thensheclimbedintothedarkconduit.
Carmenwas.e.xasperated.JustwhenIhadagoodplacementorthoughtIdidshe"sgoneintothedarkagain.No,wait,Sascha,there"slightaroundhernow.She"sinsomesortofacrampedtunnel.
Sascha:Usestheb.l.o.o.d.yconduitslikeasubway.I"llhavetheschematicofGonmyscreenforthenextyearatthisrate.
Carmen:Thinkhowwellyou"llknowtheinnardsofaResidentialbythen.
Sascha:Thanks.Keeptrackofourmole.
Carmen:Waitaminute,Sascha,Ithinkshe"smovingoutofG.
Sascha,startled:Howcanshe?
Carmen:She"sintheundergroundRedlight.Thefreightsubwaysaretheonlytunnelsilluminatedinred,aren"tthey?
Sascha:OmiG.o.d,whichdirectionha.s.shegone?
Sascha,Ca.s.shere.MirdaKhanwasjustseentalkingwithourquarry.
Khaninsiststhatthegirlescapedfromher.I"llbelievethatwhenpigsfly.
Sascha:Whatweretheytalkingabout?
Themeeting,Flimflam,Ya.s.sim.Khanhasgoneintopanicandisn"tmakingmuchsense.She"safraidthere"ssuddenlyarealbigdollopofguilt,anxiety,mainlyfear.orherselfandjustalittleforTirla.
Sascha:Boris!OurquarrymaybeventuringintooneofYa.s.sim"sindustrialterritories.Alertyoursurveillance.
AthisdeskintheParapsychicTower,SaschaRoznineexperiencedthesortoffrustrationthatplaguedfewTalents.Hardenedcriminalswereeasiertoapprehendthanonepreadolescentchildwholookednearlyhalfheractualage.AndwhatonearthwasthechilddoinginYa.s.sim"sterritory?Shewouldhavedonebettertocrawlbackintoherverysecrethideyhole.Hewastormentedwithmemoriesofthepixofvivisectedchildbodies.
Chapter10.
Barchenkawasfuriouswheninformedthatshewouldbedeprivedofherstrongestkineticsfortheweekitwouldtaketomitigatethemonsoonflooding.Shefirstcriedmutiny,thengrandlarceny,butwasbroughtupshortbyherownStationAuthority,whopointedoutthattheTalentshadalegalrighttoattendmajordisasterssuchastheonethatundeniablyexistedintheBangladeshflooding.Also,thepilotwasanoffdutyvolunteer,andtherehadbeennodamagetotheErasmus,whichhehadreturnedtoPadrugoia.s.soonasWoomeraclearedhimforalaunch.
Ma.s.siveeffortsinshoringuptheleveesandcarefulmanipulationofthebarriersanddamspreventedtheGangesfromturningthelowerportionofBangladeshintoavastlagoonfromBogratothesea.Still,wholetownshadtobeevacuatedandnecessarysuppliesshifted,difficultevenkineticallyintheappallingconditions.TheforceofthechanneledflooddidinundateChittagongandcoastaltownsbelowit,butnotasdisastrouslyastheprecoghadpredicted.Talentonceagainhadreducedtheimpactofamajornaturalcatastrophe.
PeterReidinger,ontheotherhand,sleptlateintothenextmorning,butwhenDonUsenikcheckedhimover,heseemednonetheworseforhismajorgestalteffort.b.u.t.therewasnodoubtthathisachievementhadalteredhim:heneitherfloatednoressayedtowalkhestrutted,chinhigh,withaslightlysuperiorsmirkonhisface.
"Whatwasthesaying?"Powertendstocorrupt,andabsolutepowercorruptsabsolutely"?"SaschaaskedRhyssa,peevishinhisfrustrationoverthelostgirl."He"sinsufferablysmugthismorning."
Doroteagaveasnort."Don"toverreact,Sascha!He"sgotarighttocrow.Perfectlynaturalinanyone,especiallyafourteenyearoldboywhoseonlyavailablemovementuntilrecentlywastonguingaswitchorblinkinghiseyesattridtochangechannels.Prettyheadystufftosaveacountry.Iscannedhimprettydeeplyatbrunchwhilehewa.s.stillsleepy,andthere"snothinginhismindthatsmacksofcorruption."Shegrinned."Abiggergenerator,morederringdo,andplentyofselfsatisfaction."
"Lightenup,Saschabear,"Rhyssasaid,smilingencouragingly."Ordon"tyouremembersomeofthetricksyouandBorispulledatthatage?"
"Atelepathcan"tgetintoquitethesamesortoftroubleakineticcan,"Saschasaid,grimlythinkingof.a.girlfumblinginredlitfreightways.WhatwasherTalent?
"Peter"sgotafinesenseofintegrity,Sascha,"Rhyssasaid."He"ssensitiveandsensible.Wehavetothinkhowtobringhimbacktocruelrealityafterhisminormiracle."
"Adiversionusuallyhelps,"Dorotearemarkedwithagleaminhereyes.
"Iusedthatployoftenwithmylads."Shewrinkledhernoseandsighed."Alltoooften."
"It"sgoingtohavetobeprettygoodtodistracthimfromtheErasmusstunt,"Saschasaidwithuncharacteristicgloom.
RhyssawasdistractedfromtheconversationbythementalhailofJohnnyGreene.Rhyssa,youguyscalledaGandH.DidithavesomethingtodowiththespectacularlandingandtakeoffoftheErasmus?
OneofthephonesonRhyssa"sdeskrang,andbeingnearest,Saschapickeditup.
"Yes,Dave?No,Rhyssa"sgotacallonhermind.CanIhelp?"Helistenedforamomentandthenreplacedthehandset,hisfacegrimmerthanever.
Johnny,Rhyssawa.s.saying,it"sverycomplicated.
Sascha:youhaven"theardthehalfyet,dear.Dave"s...o...b..dnewsforus,too.Ludmilla"sclaimingthatwe"veperjuredourimmortalsoulsanddeliberatelyfalsifiedourRegister.
Johnny:Vernon"shadallkindsofflakfromNASA,thes.p.a.ceAuthorities,thePadrugoiAuthority...
Rhyssa,fiercely:RemindVernonwhatkineticsaredoingontheIndiancontinent.Sascha,tellDavethathispublicpitch15that,despiteallodds,Talenthaskept.i.tscovenantofdisastera.s.sistance.AndIwantJohnnyandDaveuphereasfastastheycanmakeit.Particularlyyou,Greene.ToDorotea,shesaid,"IthinkPeter"simmediateillusionsofgrandeuraregoingtobeheavilydampened."
Borisenteredthetelepathicconference.ThePowerResourcescommissionerisalsodemandinganexplanationforaGandHthatcausedlastnight"sbrownoutandwipedoutalhispowerreserves,hesaidplaintively.Thecitycommishwantsalotofanswers.Sascha,youheardanything?
Sascha,savagely:No!
VsevolodGebrowski,urgently:Rhyssa,Barchenkaisouttogetyou!Andthere"snothingIcandotodistracther.ItoldherGandH.HertelempathshaveexplainedthatthisisaTalentemergencycodewhichneedsnoelaboration.Shedoesnotacceptthat.
Rhyssa:YoutellLudmillafrommethatshe"shadplentyofsecretsshedoesn"tshare,likeearlycompletionbonuses,aswellasfinesondelays.Idon"tquestionher;shedoesn"tquestionme.
Vsevolod:Shedoes.Iwarnyou.
Dorotea,helpfully:AmaldaVadenseesnothinguntowardRhyssa:Whydidyoubringherinonthis?
Dorotea:Ithinkweneedaltherea.s.surancewecanget.
Sascha:DaveLehardt,GordieHavers,andtwotopNASAgeneralsareonthesameheliwithJohnny.
RhyssarememberedhowsatisfiedPeterhadlookedafterdealingsobeautifullywiththeErasmuscrisis.Shegroaned."He"sonlyfourteen."Carmen:Sascha,I"vegotafixonher.
Saschawasoutthedoorinaflash.Goodluck!
Rhyssa:Rightbackatyou!
"Peter"sfarmorematurethanmostfourteenyearoldsI"vedealtwith,"Doroteamused."Includingyou,"sheadded,favoringRhyssawithanadmonitoryglance."Andhe"sgotalltherightinstincts...o...b..ingTalented."
Tirladidnotlikeusingthefreightsubways.Theredlightwasoffputting.However,acargotrainservicingtheautomaticindustrialcomplexesallalongtheriversidewastheonlywaytogettothesecretedholdingplaceYa.s.simusedtostashhismerchandiseatraingoingintotheJindustrial.Thenshewouldhavetowalktothecorrectshunt.Therewereemergencyalcovessetatintervalsallalongtherighthandside,soshecouldavoidbeingcrushedbyanypa.s.singcars.Deadunthinkingthingsliketramtrainsdidnotfrightenher.
LiveunthinkingthingslikesomeofYa.s.sim"ssa.s.sinsandhittersdid.
ShewaitedahundredmetersfromtheyawningredandblackmouthoftheGshuntfornearlyanhourbeforeaJtrainarrived.Itwouldhavetoslowasitreachedthejunction,soitwasnoproblemforanagilepersontodropontothefirstsegment,catchagoodholdofthef.l.a.n.g.e,andsettledownforthetrip.Flattenedonthetop,shewa.s.smallenoughtohaveseveralcentimeters"clearancefromthecurvedceilingofthetunnel.Sheresethergripasthetrainpickedupspeedagain,vibratingunderher.Thefetidwind,anoxious...o...b..nationofoverheatingmetal,grease,andtheacridstinkofelectricity,roareddownacrossherbody,andsheangledherfacedown.
WhentheJtrainfinallyslowedwithscreechingbrakesandmadethelefthandturnintothecarG.o.docksofitsdestination,shereadiedherselftojumpoff.Shehadtolandclearofthecodingmachinerythatopenedandsortedoutthegoodstobedeliveredfromtheload.
Butshehaddoneitwithnoproblembeforeanddiditagain,droppinglightlydownandrunningupthenarrowledgebythevariouschutesandmovingrampsthatbegantheunloading.
Whenshecametothefirstcurveinthenarrowtunnelandthelastoftheredlightwasgone,sheusedherhandlight,gladthatshehadfilchedafreshchargeforitonlythepreviousweek.Withthedimbeamtolightherway,shetrottedalonginahalfcrouchuntilthemusclesinherlegsandbackached.Shedroppedtoherkneesthenandrestedamomentbeforecontinuingon.
Motivatedbyherkeensenseofselfpreservation,Tirlahadoncetakentheprecautionofinvestigatinghisholdingcell,aroomhiddenbehindafalsewallofbarrelsatthebackofanautomatedfactory,wherethenoiseoftheilltunedmachinerywoulddrownanyscreaming.Buthedidkeepthechildrenreasonablywellcaredfor,sincepurchaserscouldviewthemonaclosedcircuitsystemheprovided.DisablingthearchaicscannerwouldbenoproblemforTirla,andsheknewthepreciselocationoftheventilatorhatchintheroom"sceiling.
Thekidshadbeenintherenearlytwodays.Theywouldberested,sheknew,andpossiblyfeelingprettygoodabouttheirnewconditions,whichwere,afterall,aconsiderableimprovementoversquats.Theymightnotwanttoleave.ShewishedsheknewwhomYa.s.simhadgrabbedthenshecouldfigureouthowtostirthemtoleaveYa.s.sim"shospitalitylongenoughtoforcehimtopaytheirparentspropercompensation.
Sheloosenedtheappropriatewiresontheancientscannersothatthestaticwouldsnowthevisual.Then,gainingentrancethroughtheventilatorhatch,shedangledfromtheceilingtotheexcitedclamorofyoungvoices.
"Heythere,coolitwaydown!"sheorderedinBasic,repeatingthemessageforthosewhomightbeslowtotranslateorneedtoberea.s.sured."Yushi,pullamattressdownsoIcanlandsoft.It"sadrop."
WhileYushiandhisyoungerbrothercomplied,shedidaquickestimate.
Ya.s.simmusthavebeenquitepleasedathiscatch:twenty-fourprimekidstosell.Theremainsofarecentmealrelievedherofoneobstacletheguardswerenotlikelytochecksoonagainbut.i.tmeantthatthekidswouldhaveonelessreasontowanttoleavesuchacushysetup.Why,therewereonlytwokidsperbunk.Theyallhadnewgearon,andthegirlsweretartedupliketheirmothers.
"Ya.s.simtakeanyofyouyet?"Tirlaasked,imbuinghervoicewithtremblingurgencyandwideninghereyeswithrealfear."IgothereasquickasIcould!"sheadded,implyingthatmaybeshehadnotbeenquickenough.
"Huh?"Yushiwasgoodattakingordersbutnotatthinking.
"Theytookmysister!"SuddenlylittleMirmalar"spaintedfacescrewedupintotears."Theytookheranhourago.Andshehadontheprettiestthingsorangeandbrownwithgold,andnewearrings..."
"Oh,I"msosorry,Mirmalar.IdideverythingIcouldtogethereintime."AsTirlalavishedsympathyontheweepingsevenyear-old,shecouldseepanicbeginningtospreadtotheothers.ShegotmadderthaneveratYa.s.sim.Itwasonethingtotaketenyearoldsbutnotsevenandeightyearoldbabies!Whatkindofpervsdidhesupply?
"Whaddyamean?"Tombi,Bilala"seldestson,asked,hismannerslightlyaggressive.Hewasnibblingatasweetbar;judgingfromthesmearsonhisface,itwasoneofaseries.
"Wegottagitoutofhere,"Tirlasaid,releasingMirmalarwitharea.s.suringpat."Thisplacehasabaaaadstink."
"Itain"tgotanyatall,"Tombireplied,thoughheturnedhisheadimmediatelytotherudimentarysanitaryunitinthecorner.
"TheytakeRainaalready,youallareinbiiiiigtrouble.I"mgonnagetyouallout.Now.Beforemorebadmencome.YougirlsknowwhatImean,"sheadded,wagglingasternfingeratthem.TombiandDiksnickered."Samethinghappensyouguys,too,andyouknowyoutoosmallforthatcarryonyet."
Tombistoppednibblingthesweetandlookedapprehensivelyatthedoor.
"Suretheyfeedyouupgood.Sweetstuffcomingoutyoura.s.s,givingyouabellyache,"shesaid,dismissingtheremainsoftherecentmeal.
"Thisplace"sgoodtokeepyoufromcryingmuch.Youcryplentysoonandnoonehearyouever.Stickitupyougood,everywhichway,andthat"sthebestofit.Youknowwhatyourmotherstol"you.Youknowwhattowatchoutfor."Shewa.s.succeedinginscaringthemtheyoungeroneswerebeginningtoweep.Shedidnotwantthemsoscaredthattheycouldnotmove."Yushi,Dik,Tombi,helpmemovethebunks.Wemakeastepstair.There"sroomuptheretostand.""Iain"tgoin","Tombisaid,glaringdefianceather.HewasheavierandtallerthanTirla,butshekickedhimsohardthathedoubledup.
"You"regoing"causeyourmothersentmetogetyou,"TirlaknewhowscaredTombiwasofBilala."Soyou"recoming.Now,move!Andcryingwon"tdonogood,sostop.Youneedyourbreathforclimbingandwalking."
Justthentheenormityofmovingtwentyfourscaredandperhapsunwillingkidssankin.Tirlaallowedherselfonlyamomenttoreflectonit.Shehadtodoit,somehow,becauseotherwiseshewouldhavetoleaveG,andshedidnotwantto.LinearGwashome.
Shehadmadeherselfaplacethere,shehadabusinessshewa.s.safethere.Well,safeenough,ifshelaidlowforawhile.
Shechivviedandbulliedallthekidsupintotheventilationshaft,kickedthetelltalebunkover,andreplacedthegrille.Someonemightthinkthatthekidsweresmallenoughtoescapethroughit,butwherewouldtwentyfourofthemgo?
Sheledtheway,groupingthekidssothattherewerebiggeronesholdingthehandsofthesmallest.ShemadeTombirearguardtogivehimsomeresponsibilityandputYushiinthemiddle.Hewouldalwaysfolloworders.
Theunloadingplatformwithitseerieredlightgavehernocomfortsheknewthatsomeofthekidswouldnotbeabletomanagetheacrobaticsneededtogetononeofthedrones.Theycould,ofcourse,straddletracksallthewaybacktoG,but.i.twasalong,longwalk,andtherewouldbedangereverytimeoneofthespeedingtrainswentby.
Well,maybetheycouldallmakeitbackonestationtoIandgetlostinthatindustrialcomplex.Itwa.s.saferthanstayinginJ.Orwasit?
Maybeshewouldjusttaketheolderones,whowouldbeinmoredanger?
No,theywereallindanger,becausewhoeverwasleftcouldbemadetotellwhohadrescuedtheothers.Maybeifsheputtheyoungeronesinasafeplaceandwentbackforhelp...Mirmalar"sfatheradoredhisdaughtersandwoulddoanythingtosavetheremainingone.AndYushi"sfatherwasoneofthestrongestmeninG.
Thevibrationsthattoldheratrainwasonthetracksbeyondtheshuntalertedher.HowmuchtimedidtheyhavebeforetheywouldknowifitsdestinationwasJ?
"Hideinthetunnels!Quickly!Standontheledges!"ShetookMirmalarherself,forthelittlegirlwaspuckeringuptocryagain.
"Ah,there"sneveranyoneongoodstrains,"Tombisaid.
"Yeah,andhowd"youthinkYa.s.sim"speoplegetbackandforth?Dumpercarsarebigenoughtoholdadozenpeople."
ThatshutTombisilentandlosthimmorefaceintheeyesoftheotherboys.Tirlashovedhimtowardatunnela.s.shepulledMirmalarafterher.
ThescreechofdistressedmetalannouncedanothergoodstrainbeingshuntedintoJfromthenorth.Shehadnotcountedononearrivingquitesosoon.Shewouldnevergetthekidsonthisoneevenifitwasgoingintherightdirectionforthemtogethomeunlesstherewasadumpercar.
b.u.t.therewa.s.somethinG.o.ddhere:Tirlarealizedwithasinkingfeelingthattherewasnocargowaitingontheplatformtobeloadedontothearrivingtrain.If.a.goodstrainwascominginhere,whatwasitcomingfor?CouldYa.s.simhavesomeoneinthemainDispatchoffice?