"I"llseeifIcancalmherdown,makeherseereason,"VernonsaidwithagestureforJohnnytoremain."D"Amato,sendmymealandherstotheprivateroom.I"llbethere."
"Doyoubelieve,inyourownheart,PerDuoml,"Rhyssaasked,leaningacrossthetabletotheman,"thatweareevadingourdutytotheworld?"
Heshrugged,hismind,withitsmetalshield,asimpervious,Rhyssathought,ashisunwillingnesstounderstandthenatureofTalent."Itistheopinionthatthisreluctanceputsthewholeplatformprojectinjeopardy."
"ItisLudmillaBarchenkawhoputsitinjeopardy,"Rhyssasaidwithmoreheatthanshehadintended.Shesmiledquickly,hopingtorepairthedamageofhercandor.PerDuomlmightnotbeTalented,buthewa.s.scarcelystupid.
"Ah!Myesteemedcolleaguewascorrect,"hesaid.
"Iamnotstandinginherway.Iamprotectingmyprofessionalsevena.s.sheisprotectingherproject."
Well,sheiswhyTalentswon"tworkforher,Johnnysaidinswiftrea.s.surance.Andweallknowit!
Gordie:Yeah,butshestays!Thiswillbeaninterestingpowerstruggle,speakingfromapurelylegalisticviewpoint.
"IadmireBarchenka"sunquestionableabilitiesasaspatialengineer.
Iwouldpreferthatshereturntheprofessionalcompliment,"Rhyssasaidamiably."Thissoupis.e.xcellent,PerDuoml.Letusenjoyit."
Bingo!GordieHaverstoldRhyssathenextday.Therewasabsolutelynojoytohistone.
YoumeanBarchenkacanconscriptTalents?Rhyssafeltacoldparalysisgripher.
You"vegot.i.t!I"vebeenoverthestatuteanditisRussian,fromthepreglasnostdays,andshouldhavebeenrepealedlongagoit"ssoarchaic.InthegoodoldBolshevikdays,itwasillegalgetthat,illegaltobeunemployed.TheStatewastheonlyemployernottheemployeroflastresortb.u.t.theonlyemployer.Ergo,everyoneworked.
Consequently,theonlyemployerinasystemthatmakesitillegaltobeunemployedcancertainlydowhateverisdeemednecessarywithitsworkforce.Legally,itgivesBarchenkatheright,underPadrugoi"sInternationalCharter,todraftanytechnicians,professionals,orworkersrequiredbythes.p.a.ceeffortthes.p.a.ceeffortintermsoftheoriginallawbeingtheRussianone.b.u.t.thestatuteisstillineffect,and,bylegalcrook,shecanapplyittoTalents.Wecanfight.i.t,ofcourse!
And?sheprompted.
WithaglibtonguedattorneylikeLesterFavelly,wemightjustwin.
b.u.t.thetrialwouldtakeyears,andcouldbeconstruedbyBarchenkatoprovehercontentionthattheTalentsareobstructingtheGoodWork.Hepausedsignificantly.Wecouldjustgiveherenoughropetohangherself?
TheTalentswillbemiserable,andtheywon"tperformwell.ThatwaswhatrankledRhyssa"sfinesenseofintegrity.Talentsdidthebesttheycouldnomatterwhatthecirc.u.mstances.Togivetheslightestsuggestionthattheyskimpedwasagainstthemoststringentoftenetsfortheparapsychic.But,ins.p.a.ce,worndownbypunishinghoursandpsychicstatictheycouldnotavoid,inevitablytheirperformanceswouldsuffer.
Exactly,Gordiesaid.Asktheotherdirectors.Youmustappeartobeacceptingtheinevitable.
ThesortofpressthiscouldgiveTalentswouldundotheworkofthelastcentury,Rhyssasaiddespairingly.
Iknow.Althoughtosweetenthisverybitterpill,Rhyssa,MallieVadenseesnothinggoingwrong.
Whosesideissheon?Rhyssacouldnotkeepthebitternessoutofhertone.
Ours,asyouwellknow,wasGordonHavers"scrispreply.Ergo,ithastoworkoutbyourcompliance.ButI"veinitiatedsomeinvestigationsthatmightjustgiveusaleveragainstBarchenka.Meanwhile,consult,Rhyssa.Quickactionmightshiftpublicsupporttous.
Chapter5.
SomeofthefourteenotherCenterdirectorswerenotbestpleasedtoberousedbyherurgentrequestforconferenceinthemiddleoftheirnighttimes,andtherewa.s.somegrumbling.ThoughallCentersweretheoreticallyequal,nodirectordecidedissuesthatwouldaffectallTalentswithoutconsultingtheothersfirst,andRhyssainchargeofnegotiationsfortheTalentsbecausePadrugoi"sadministrativeheadquarterswasinJerhattandeemedameetingnecessary.a.s.soonasallwereattending,sheexplainedthesituation.
AndfromwhatequallycriticalpositionsdoesthisRussianthinkwecandrafttheseessentialkinetics?LanceBaden,theAustraliandirector,demanded.RhyssaalwaysfounditoddthathismentalvoicewasdevoidoftheAussieaccent.Wesenteveryonewecouldbribeorblackmailupthere.Sheerb.l.o.o.d.ymindednesskeepssomeof"eminplace,butmystaff"sdowntonubbinsorfeathermovers.
IhavetoldLudmillaIvanova,saidVsevolodGebrowskioftheLeningradbureauathismostapologetic,timeandagain,thattherearefewkineticsnotalreadydoingdouble,tripleworkinordertosupplyessentialservicesinRussia.Believeme,Ihavetriedtoeducatehertothepracticalities.
Wedobelieveyou,Geb,wedo,wasthema.s.sthoughtthatrea.s.suredhim.
What"sthelevy,Rhyssa?MiklosHorvath,theWestCoastdirector,asked.
She"sdemandingonehundredfortyfourkinetics!Rhyssasaidgrimly,andthrewupabufferagainstthecriesofoutrage.ThenumberofregisteredTalentsineveryCenterwasopenknowledgetoeverydirector,astransfersconstantlyshiftedkeyTalentsatneedfromoneCentertoanother.
Wedon"thappentohaveabandygrossofkinetics,theBrazildirectorsaidangrily.AndIspentsixmonthsupthere,inthemostG.o.dforsakenbarrioI"veeverseen.Constantnoise!Dreadfulfoodnutritiousfoodcouldatleasthaveadistinctiveflavor.Howshecanexpectustofunction...
Ifweusethediscretionaryclause,wecanremovetherequirednumberfromcommerceandindustry,MaxPerigeauxofthelargeEuropeanbureaubeganinhisslow,thoughtfulway.
Ignoringthehowls...
Underthecirc.u.mstances,atleastwe"renotliabletopenalties..
That"sarealcomforttothoseforceduptoPadrugoi...
Well,CommerceandIndustrywantthisstationthey"llhavetosucklemonsalongwiththerestofus...
Maxwenton,hismessageweavinginexorablyamongtheasides:...putthetraineeswhereatleasttheycanbeoverseen,wecouldjustaboutmanageit.Butbowcanweexpectourpeopletoenduretheconditionsupattheplatformandstillperformcreditably?Todolessthanourbestreducesourreputations,buthowcananyoneoperateathisbestinthatmilieu!Andthenoise!Thetallaestheticmanimagedashudderofrevulsion.
Butsomethingmustbedonetogivethosewh.o.a.reconscriptedsomerelief!
Barchenkabelieveswesetuptheconditionsofshieldedquartersandshorthourstobeobstructive!Rhyssasaid.Iwasinformedthatthereisnonoiseinthevacuumofs.p.a.ce,and,becausethereisalsonogravity,thereislessphysicalstressandlongerhourscanbeworked,notfewer.
Thewomanisutterlywithoutashredofunderstandingorempathy,thedirectorofAfricaNorthsaid.
Hasanyonetriedtoadjustherthinking?HongkongJimmyasked.
You"venevermetBarchenka,haveyou?Shieldstighter"nachast.i.tybelt!Badensaidinanacidtone.
What"sachast.i.tybelt?HongkongJimmyflickedbackingenuineinnocence.
Imagesfromninehelpfultelepathsenlightenedhisignorance.Rhyssawasgratefultohimforeasingthegrowingtensioninthelinkagewiththatbyplay.
Wearecompelledtocomply,arewenot!Perigeauxsaid,athismostmournful.Andwithoutdelay,sothatwecanbargainonthebestpossibleconditionsforthosewhomustsacrificethemselves.Arotationscheme,perhaps..
Ifshe"safterthegross,thatmakesrotationimpossible!
Icantrytoinsistonsomesortofshorttermstretches,Rhyssasaid.
Letusalsoissuesomepublicity,MiklosHorvathsuggested,aboutconditionsupthere.
Ofdubiousvaluewhensheneedstorecruitsomanygrunts.Youknowshehastogototh.e.s.h.eltersforanyonebelowCivilService8.
b.u.t.thepublicmustseethatTalent"sobjectionstoworkingins.p.a.cearevalid!
ThemostvalidbeingBarchenkaherself...
Cannooneleanonher?
It"sbeentried...
Who"sthebestwe"vegot?
Whatabouthera.s.sociate,PerDuoml?Anyc.h.i.n.ksinhim?
Itisn"tthatwedon"twanttohelpwiththeproject,butsheisherownworstenemy.
Didshespecifykineticsonly?
Noone"stoldherthatsomekineticsarealsotelepaths!
Don"tanyonementionthat!LanceBadensaidwithunusualvehemence.
Wouldn"tdreamofit!
Youmean,shedoesn"tknow?
LudmillaIvanovaknowswhatshewantstoknow,Vsevolodsaidwearily.
Sheonlyhearstheexplanationsshewishestohear.
Intwelveminutesofrapidfireexchanges,theTalentsarrivedatagrimbutworkablecourseofaction.Max,Baden,andJimmywoulddotheactualselectionofsuitablekinetics.SomeTalentscouldbeexcusedongroundsofinfirmity,pregnancy,orunsuitableskillsthoughtwoofBaden"s"featherdusters"werewellabletohandlethefinetunings.
Rhyssa,Miklos,andDoloresoftheBrazilianCenterwouldattempttoachieveshieldedquartersandworkshiftsofsixhoursmaximum,fourfortheless.e.xperiencedkinetics.Barchenkamightberunningheroperationtwentyfourhoursaday,buteighthoursoftelekinesiswereimpossiblydraining,evenins.p.a.ceandin0.5gravconditions.
Whatwemustalsoorganize,forourselves,KayankiraoftheDelhiCentersaidasthemainissueshadbeenresolved,isanemergencysysteminadisastersituation.Inhermindchurnedimagesofthepreviousyear"scatastrophicfloodsinthenortheasternsectionsoftheIndiansubcontinent,mitigatedonlybytherapidmobilizationofhundredsofkineticswhentheprecoghadcomein.
Kayan,you"vebadfarmoreexperiencewiththatsortofthingthananyoneneeds,Badensaidwithunexpectedhumility.Adviseusandwewillcomply.
Youalwaysdo!We"llhavetostripallnonessentialindustrialfarmsandreducePortAuthoritystafftoadangerousminimum.ButweshallbeveryshortofthosewemostneedWeatherpermitting!wasHongkongJimmy"sdrollremark.Whenarewegoingtofndaweatherman?
Ifweweatherthisone,Miklossaid,weca.n.a.llapply!
Themindlinkwasdissolved,anddespitethema.s.sivetaskahead,theCenterdirectorsweremuchheartenedbythecontact.WhenRhyssainformedGordieHaversoftheresults,hegavealoudmentalcheerforsolidarity.
There"regoingtobesomemightyunhappykinetics!shetoldhim.
EveryCenterisgoingtobestripped,andI"msteelingmyselftoenduretheslingsandarrowsofoutragedbusinesses.
MacHinerypredatedkinetics,andmenusedtheirmusclesbeforethat.
Let"emgobacktotraditionalways.It"llmake"emappreciateusmorethanever.Gordieimagedanarchaicblockandtackletomovematerielusuallyhoistedbyakinetic.Who"shandlingthepublicity?
We"regoingtohavetobecarefulaboutthatdon"twantBarchenkatosaywe"reinterferingwithherongoingemploymentdrive.
ThemanIhaveinmindisnotavalidTalent,b#tbe"sabrilliantpublicist,Rhyssa.LetmegetDaveLehardttowavetheflagforus.
DaveLehardt?
HeputourhonoredpresidentintheWhiteHouse.
Andhe"snotTalented?That"sunfair!Thatcampaignwa.s.sheergenius!
WehavetoallowtheMutesafewprerogatives,youknow.ShallIapproachhimonthisdelicatematter?
Pleasedo.I"llgivehimallthehelpIcan.
Bytheby,didyourealizethatmostofwhatyoudoistotallyillegalinScotland,whichstillhasanti-witchcraftlawsonthebooks?
Spareme!
Ihad,andlookwhat.i.tgotus.I"dbeenworkinguptotheRusskisbywayoftheBritishIslesandScandinavia.Sorryaboutthat!Youneverknowwheretostartinnullifyingageoldbigotry,doyou!
WhenGordiehadbrokentheirmentallink,RhyssaspoketoSascha.
Yougottouchedagain?hedemanded.
Inthehead,butnotbymypeeper.Sheputinhismindallthathadhappenedinthepasthalfhour.
Hewhistledinadescendingscale.We"regoingtogetalotofflakfromCommerceandIndustry!
Theycan"thaveitbothways.They"rethegroupthatgaveBarchenkasuchpunitive.finesifshedoesn"tdeliverontime.Thatclauseisjustcominghometoroostwheretheydidn"texpect.i.t.They"llhavetodustofftheirmachineryandtoughenuptheirmuscles.We"vemadeitfartooeasyforthem.
Whatiftheyliketheoldfashionedwaysanddon"twanttorehireourpeople?
Rhyssasnortedderisively.Justconsiderhowmuchmoneykineticssaveindustryeveryyearinequipmentandmaintenancecoststheargumentsweusedtogetthemtotakekineticsinthe.firstplace!
Yeah,buthowdoweexplainittoourkinetics?
Rhyssaprojectedanimageofheronherknees,tearingherhairout,pleadingtoamorphousfaces,offeringjewelsandingotsofgold.
Enlistmenthasalwaysbeenpreferabletoconscription.Andthenwecaninsistonshieldingandshortshifts.Wecan"tifsheimplementsthatbluelaw.We"reoverabarrel,andeveryTalentwillrealizethat!
Vsevolodcanthelpusthere?Saschaasked.
Hewasappalled,apologetic,andall,butapoplecticthatoneofhisnationalswasdoingthistous.
Nothingmentionedaboutgettingthelawwipedoffthehooks?