Iwanttoseewhowasawakeonthewardsatthreeforty-threethismorning."
"Thelastthingyouneedtonightissomepimplefacednerdrousingyou."
"Onthecontrary,Bud,Ithinkthat"s.e.xactlywhatIdidneed.Ayoungsterabletogooutofbody?He"sgottohavefantasticpotential."
"Forwhat?"Budworthwantedtoknow.
"That,"Rhyssasaidwithasurgeofhope,"iswhatwe"llhavetofindout."
a.s.sheclimbedbackintobed,shehadalottothinkaboutbeforeshecouldcomposeherselfforsleep.HowlonghaditbeensinceanewTalentthatstronghadbeenidentified?AndwhatsortofaTalentwasit?Evenstrongtelepathydidnotleaveanimage,howevertransparent.
Anewtypeofkinesis?Veryfewkineticscouldmovethemselves!
Inanimateobjects,yes,butanimateones,no.Mostoutofbodyexperiencesweretheresultsoftraumasanduselessinacommercialsenseandtheoristsstillarguedoverwhethertheoutofbodyphenomenonwasakineticmanifestationorastrongtelepathicprojection.
Justremember,shetoldherselfthat.i.twasthecommercialapplicationsofTalentsthatprovideduswithlegalimmunities,goodjobs,andspecialstatusforthepastfourscoreyears...andletusgetmarvelouslycomplacent.Maybeitwasn"treally"noise"thatevenkineticsheardins.p.a.cebutsomeotherformofinterstellarcommunication,amultilingualgarblethattheywerepickingup.Openyourmindup,gal.Lookaroundyou.LookatDaveLehardt.HehastobeTalented,evenifitwon"tregisteronaGoosegggraph.
Why,RhyssaOwen,sheaskedherself,doesDaveLehardthavetobeTalented?
Andthatwasthequandaryshefussedovera.s.shefinallyslippedintoanuneasysleep.
"Idiscoveredsomeinterestingnewfacetsofemploymentontheplatform,"DaveLehardttoldRhyssainherofficetwodayslater.
"Cameoutinfurthertalkswithmyplatformcontact,Samjan,andafewjudiciousinquiries."Hegaveherahumorlessgrin."Thecasualties.
""Yes,thetotalishorrific."Rhyssashuddered."Butworkingins.p.a.cetherewereboundtobesome."
"Some?"Daveraisedhiseyebrows."Some,yes,butwhenIcheckedwithJohnnyGreeneinAltenbach"soffice,wefoundseveraldifferentsetsoffiguresonthecasualtyrate."
Rhyssastraightened.WhenDavehadarrivedunexpectedly,shehadbeenbusyreshufflingtherotasoftheCenter"skinetics,steelingherselftoenduretheirunderstandablereproachesandarguments.Anyinterruptionwaswelcome.
"ThenIgotJGandSamjantogether,andtheybothdidabitofresearch,"hewenton,"and,usingtheirsecurityclearances,theycameupwithwhatwethinkaretherealstatistics."His.e.xpressionwasbleak,andtherewasastillnessabouthisbodythatforewarnedher.
"YouknowhowtheunemployedareterrifiedtobeconscriptedtoPadrugoi?TheymaynotbeTalented,b.u.t.they"vegotaninstinctaboutbaaaaaadsituations.Theyhavegoodreasonnottowanttogetconscripted.Shelosesgruntsatafrighteningratefarbeyondtheallowable.ThemajorreasonisbecauseBarchenka"ssob.l.o.o.d.ymindedaboutkeepingherSacredSchedules,shewon"tinterruptashifttoretrievedrifters!"
Tobesuresheunderstoodhismeaning,Rhyssaunconsciouslytriedtoreadhismind.Itwaslikestubbinghertoeonastairriserandsheblinked."Runthatpastmeagain,please,Dave,"sheasked,strugglingwithconfusionatherinabilitytoreadhimthewayshewasusedtoreadingmostofherfriends.
"Surelyyou"veseenthepromotionalfootage,"hesaid,"withthegruntssuitedupandpushingginormoussectionsofaspokewiththetipsoftheirfingersorasparefoot?"
"Yes..."
"Intherealworkingsituation,notthatmockuptheydidforrecruitment,aworker"llpushtoohard,andwitheveryactioncausingareactionins.p.a.ce,thepoorsodgoesspinningoffintothedarkdeeps."
"Yes..."
"Well,Barchenkadoesn"tstopworktorescuethem.Oh,no,anyonethatstupidhastowaituntiltheshiftisoverbeforehisbuddiesareallowedtogoafterhim.Thatis,ifaskiffisavailable,andifthebod"sbeentracked."
Appalledatthevividscenehiswordsevoked,Rhyssastaredathim.
"Isthispublicknowledge?"
Hegaveheracynicallook."Whydoyouthinkthegruntsnevertakesurfaceleave?It"snotthefactthatthey"repaidsolittlethattheycan"taffordsurfaceleave,orthatthere"snoavailables.p.a.ceonshuttlesformeregrunts,orthatthey"reunlikelytohaveanyfamilytovisitonEarth.It"sthatthey"replainnotallowedbackdowntotellanyonewhat"shappening.Thegruntsarealsosegregatedsothateventheobservantamongthemoreeliteemployeesdon"tknowexactlywhat"sgoingon.IttookbothJGandSamjanandsomelongprograma.n.a.lysestopiecefactoutofthepubliclyavailablefictions."
"Butalltherecruitmentfilmsshowsafetylinesand..."PartofRhyssacrowedwithdelightatdiscoveringBarchenkaresortingtoveryquestionabletactics,whileanotherpartbalkedattheenormityofthecrime.
"That"sprom.o.f.ootage,mydeardirector.Thetheoryisgreat.Inpractice,Barchenkadispensedwithsafetylinestheykeptgettingtangledinequipment,slowingdownherpreciousworkschedule.Sosafetylinesareas.p.a.cemyth.
"AndBarchenkaha.s.suchsavingways."DaveLehardtperchedhisleanframeontheedgeofherdesk."Forinstance,wediscoveredbyana.n.a.lysisofrecordsthatasuitedgruntisgivenonlyenoughairinhistanksforthatshiftandmaybeasniffortwoleftover.Oh,there"splentyofsafetyregsfortheengineersandsupervisorsandskilledtechniciansbutnotthegrunts.Shedoesn"tcarewhathappenstothem.
There"replentymorewheretheycamefrom."
Rhyssawasoutraged."Youjustvalidatedmyinstinctsaboutthatwoman.Lawbed.a.m.ned,Iwon"taskmykineticstofacesuchrisks!"
Davegaveasnort."They"refartoovaluabletoberisked.There"dbetoomuchofastinkkickedupifadriftingTalentwasn"tretrievedrightthen.Overworked,yes.Samjanconfirmedthenotionthateighthourshiftsareanotherplatformfallacy.
"Ontopofthatconspicuoussavingsofconsumables,Iuncoveredseveralotherlittleanomalies:gruntsuitshavelimitedrangecomunits.Theycan"tbeheardshriekingforhelp!Mightdisturbtheirfellowworkers."
Rhyssastaredathimaghast.
"There"salsoahighincidenceof.a.goraphobiaamongthegruntsandgenuines.p.a.cecafard.Butailinggruntsarenevertransferreddown.
Theyjustdisappear!Accidentaldeath!Neversuicide!Alwaysaccidental.Afterall,"hesaid,takingonamockRussianaccent,"everyoneknowshowdangerousitistoignoresafetywarningsandprocedures.AndthenthereappearstobeaneatlittlesystemwhichcausesunexpectedcasualtiesduringtheroutinedrillstheysoconspicuouslyholdfromtimetotimeonPadrugoi."Davepausedagain.
"Checkingthroughmedicalrecords,itbecomesapparentthattheunfortunatevictimsofthosedrill"accidents"arealwayseithertheinjuredortheheadcases."
"Oh,myG.o.d,Dave!"Rhyssapropelledherselffromherchairtopaceagitatedlyupanddownthetowerroom."Whyhaven"tanyoftheprecogscaughtthis?"
"AccordingtoyourbriefsummaryonTalents"capabilities,precogsusuallylatchontolargenumbers,Rhyssa.Thereareneverenough""Numericsisnoexcuse!"Rhyssawa.s.surprisedbyavehemencethatansweredthedespairinhisvoice.Shewonderedifhismind,too,wasfilledwithfacelessforms,twistingandturningins.p.a.ce,driftingfartherandfartherfromthenetworkoflightsthatwastheoasisofairandwarmthintheblackness,andaviolentshudderseizedher.
Awarmhandcuppedhershoulder."Easy!Talentspreadsitselfthinenoughasitis.You"renotG.o.d,orG.o.ds,tomarkeachsparrow"sfall."
Sheblinkedandlookedupathim.Thoughhismindwasasclosedtoherasever,thesympathyandunderstandinginhiswarmblueeyeswasobvious.ShewouldnottellhimthatTalentsgenerallydislikedtactilecontactsurprisinglyenough,shehaddiscoveredthatshelikedhimtouchingher.
"Armedwiththisinformation,however,youcanspreadBarchenkaoverabarrel."Hisvoicewa.s.softandteasing."IfyouseewhatImean.
Or,maybeyouTalentsaretoosimonpuretoloweryourselvestooutrightblackmail."
"NotwhenthelivesandsafetyofmyTalentsareatrisk,I"mnot,"Rhyssadeclaredstoutly."Nottomentionthosepoorsodswho"venotevenbeengivenhalfachancetosurvive.I"llinsistonshortshiftsandshields,andwe"llincreasethatantetosafetylinesforeveryoneworkingontheplatformandthedeploymentofrescueskiffs.Ordoskiffshavelimitedpowerandaironthem,too,soastosavecosts?"
Hecrossedhisarmsonhischest,grinningather."YourTalentswouldn"tbeatriskanyway,unlessI"vemisunderstoodtheircapabilities.There"snowayBarchenkacanpullthesametricksonhemthatshedoeswiththepoorgrunts.Andunlessyourresponseisuniqueamongyourilk,Ican"tseeyourfolkstandingbyforsomeofhertricks,oncetheyknowwhattolookfor.Someofthekineticsaretelepaths,aren"tthey?"
"Quiteafew."Rhyssagaveasardonicchuckle."Afactwehaven"tactuallymentionedtoBarchenka,whoseunderstandingofTalentisseverelylimited."
Daveletoutabarkoflaugh."Notthewholetruthnorevenhalfthetruth,huh?Goodgirl,Rhyssa!"Heplayfullyknuckledherchin."Isdistanceaproblem?Orthevacuumofs.p.a.ce?"WhenRhyssashookherhead,hewenton."Well,youguyscouldsurebepopularwiththegruntsbecauseyou"hewaggledhisfingerather"couldbetheirinsurance.ATalentcouldhaulbackadrifter,couldn"the?Withoutaskingforpermissionduringhisshift,orwaitingforaskiff?"Hegaveherabroadsmile."That"llhelpalotofways.d.a.m.nedgoodPR,too.Thebest,becauseitprovesthattheTalentswillhelptheordinarygruntwhereBarchenkajustsimplyhasn"t!"
Rhyssasuddenlyturnedaway,notwantingDavetoseeherexpression.
Sascha?shecalled.I"vejustfoundtheperfectjobforMadlyn!Tellyoulater!
Icanreadyourevilmind,Saschasaid,andshe"snotevenonthelistfortheplatform.
Sheis,asofrightnow,Rhyssareplied.HowoftenhaveyousaidthatMadlyncouldbeheardatthes.p.a.ceplatform?We"lljustput.i.ttothetest!
ShesmoothedherexpressionandlookedupatDaveLehardt,whowaseyeingherkeenly.
"Whowereyoutalkingtojustthen?Anddon"tholdoutonme.I"mgettingusedtoyourways,woman!"Hisvoicerippledwithanoddemotion,andThegleaminhiseyesintensified.
Rhyssa"sgrinwashalfembarra.s.smentathisscrutinyandhalfdelightwithherinspiration."We"vegotatelepathwithanextraordinarilyloudvoice.We"llsendherupinanadministrativecapacity.Putheronaradarscope,andshe"lllocateandrea.s.sureanydriftersforthenearestkinetictohaulbacktosafety."
"Lady,youdon"trealizewhatadifferencethatcouldmaketomoraleupattheplatform."Dave"sgrinwa.s.soinfectiousthatRhyssahadtogrinback."NotonlyisBarchenkaunawarethatshe"sherownworstenemy,butherignoranceaboutTalentingeneralwillpreventherfromrealizingthatshe"sjusthiredabattalionofundercoveragents."
"That"sthebeautypart!"Rhyssasaid,grinningmorebroadly."DoesDuoml?OrPrincePhanibal?"
DaveLehardtconsideredbriefly."PrincePhanibalmight,buthe"snotontheplatformasmuchlatelysomecrisisinMalaysiathatoccupiesalotofhistime.Besides,Ireadhimasbeingjustorneryenoughnottotellhersomethingascrucialatthistimeforth.e.s.h.eerpleasureofwatchinghersquirm.Nowwhat"sthisemergencyclauseLanceBadenwantsaddedtothecontracts?"
"Incaseofamajoremergency,wemustbeabletobringTalentsbackdown.YourememberthefloodslastmonsoonontheIndiancontinentandthatmajorshakeinAzerbaijan?Weknewabouteachofthemtendaysbefore,sowewereabletomusterhelpandreducetheeffectofthecatastrophe.Sendingherahundredandfortyfourkineticshaswipedoutourdisastersquadorganization.WewantatwentyfourhourclausetobringkeypersonnelbacktoEarthintimetocopehere."
"Can"tyouteleport"emdown?"
Rhyssalaughed."No,more"sthepity.OurTalentsarefinite,definite,andnowherenearsuchafantasyapplicationasinstantaneoustransmissions.Thattakesmorepowerthanahumanbraincangenerate."
"IthoughttheMoralCodeonlegitimatebioengineeringpermitted""Holditrightthere,Dave."Rhyssaheldupawardinghand.
"ReadtheCode:congenitaldefects,yesmanipulations,no.AndIdoubtanygeneticengineerwouldmonkeywiththebrainyet-evenamonkey"sbrain."
"Ifyoucanfindone.Thoughdon"tyouthinkit"slikelythatsomeonehasbeendoingillicitexperimentation,theworldbeingwhat.i.tisthesedays?"
"That"scynicalofyou,Dave."
"Sometimessayingnoisregisteringachallenge,"herepliedwithashrug."Iwouldn"truleoutthepossibility."
"Meanwhile,"Rhyssasaid,bringingthediscussionfirmlybacktorelevantmatters,"I"dverymuchliketoseeafullreportonwhatJGandSamjanhavebeendiscoveringaboutplatformpersonnelproblems."
Davegrinned,takingthreediskettesfromabreastpocket."Ithoughtyoumight.Givesyouastrongerbargainingpositionforshields,shortshift""Safetylinesandskiffs,"Rhyssafinished,takingthediskettesbutlettingherfingerslingeronhisalittlelongerthanthetransactionsrequired."Ithankyou,sir."WhatonearthwashappeningtoherinDaveLehardt"spresence?ShefeltasgiddyasasMadlyncouldbeinSascha"scompany.
WhenPerDuoml,PrincePhanibalShimaz,andtwootherminorofficials,oneofthemtheaccommodationsofficer,arrivedtosettletheminordetails,DaveLehardthadanotherpresentationthatalteredtheproceedings.Rhyssa,sittingwithMaxPerigeaux,GordieHavers,andLanceBaden,foundthemeetingeminentlysatisfying.
ShowingtheaccuratefatalitystatisticsfiguresthatbleachedallcolorfromthefacesofDuomlandtheprinceDaveLehardttalkedknowledgeablyofsomeofthe"minor"problemsthattheTalentswouldbewillingtoundertake,suchastheretrievalofanysuitedworkers.e.xperiencing"malfunctionofsuitjets,"andtelepathiccontact"withthoseusingshortrangecomunits,"plusmonitoringsystems;theywouldalsoincludeamongtheTalentstwowithbroaddiagnosticcapabilities.DavepointedoutthatthesavingsonskifffuelandmanhoursrequiredforretrievalwouldmorethancompensateforthecostofshieldingrequiredinTalentaccommodations.
Norwasthereanydiscussionabouttheemergencyclause.LanceBadenannouncedthathewastobeTalentliaisonwiththeengineeringstaffandthatwasthat.
Andwhatweretheysayingaboutcowardlycapitulations?Lancecommented.
Rhyssawa.s.sowearyfromacc.u.mulatedstressesthatsheexperiencednoelationathavingforcedeverysingleconcessionoutofthePadrugoiofficials.Shewantednothingmorethanaquietsupperandsomementalpeace.PerDuomlhadanaturalshieldb.u.t.theotherprojectrepresentativesatthemeetinghadnot,andwhentheirinitialeuphoriaatcoercingTalentsontotheworkforcewasburstbyhardfactsandfiguresandcompromises,theiremotionalresponsesofanger,horror,andembarra.s.smenthadbeenhardtodeflect.
Sascha:I"veclearedeveryoneoutofthefirstfloor.Relax!
Rhyssa:Oh,youareapet!
Sascha:Lotofgooditdoesme!ButsheknewhewasonlyteasingRhyssaenteredtheHennerhouse,appreciativeofthedeepsilenceintheelegantlyappointedrooms.VerylittlehadbeenalteredfromthedaysofGeorgeHenner,theparapsychics"firstbenefactor:allhadbeenlovinglypreservedinhismemory.Thesubterraneanoffices,theannexes,andhertowerweremodern,withstateofthearttechnology,b.u.t.themainreceptionroomswereremindersofmoreleisurelytimes.Thekitchen,wheremodernappointmentswerehiddenbehindoldfashionedcupboards,exudedanauraofcomfort.i.twa.s.s.p.a.cious,withanarchaicbutworkingfireplace,ahugetable,andcomfortablechairs.Thediningportionfacedontothegardensattherearofthemainhouse,brightwithbloomsandbushes.
Somethoughtfulkinetichadactivatedthekettle.Shemadeherselfacupoftea,foundsandwichesinthecrisper,andkickingoffhershoes,curledupinoneofthewingchairs.
Therewa.s.somethingamazinglyrestorativeaboutlookingoutontothegarden,watchingtheflowersmoveinthelightbreeze.Shesethermindadrift,savoringthequiet,despitethedeepseatednaggingpresentiment.
"I"mnotaprecog,"shetoldherselfandsippedhertea."WhatIamfeelingisjustreactiontothelastfewhecticdays.Aquitenaturaldepression."
Thenshefeltthetouch,onceagaincoloredwithwistfulnessandadeepsadnessthatpiercedhertotheheart,makingherownmalaiseseeminsignificant.
Shedarednotreachoutforfearofstartlingtheboy.Boyhewas,anddespairing.Hadhertransitoryuneasetriggeredaresponsefromhimmidday?Orwasithisneedseekingconsolation?Whatcouldsodesolateayoungperson?Onecouldenduredetachedmiserytragedyhappeningatadistancetopeopleonehadnevermetb.u.t.tofeelthepalpitatingmiseryofanotherpersonwasanintenseexperience.
Delicatelysheimpingedontheboy"smind,hopingtogainsomecluetohiswhereabouts.Hewasdreadingsomething,andtheyearningfortreesandlawnandflowersandsomeplacethatwasnothospitalhadprecipitatedthenebulouscontact.Andhermind,lesscontrolledtha.n.u.sualinitsweariness,hadattractedhis.Dreadingwhat?Sheinsertedthequestion.
Thebodybrace!
Rhyssahadnotexpectedananswer.Shetriedtokeepthelightestofcontacts,though,oddlyenough,hefeltverycloseatthatmoment.
Isn"t.i.tmeanttohelp?sheaskedcautiously.
Itdoesn"t.Ithurts.It"sartificial,it"sawful.It"sacage.Thebedisbadenough.Idon"twantto.Idon"t--wantto!
Awailfromthedepthofaforlornandcomfortlessmindreachedherthenitwasabruptlycutoff.
Wegotanotheroneofthosesurgesthisafternoonusuallyweget"ematnight,"thehospital"smaintenancemansaidashehelduptheprintouttotheconsultantengineerwhomtheconcernedhospitaladministrationhadfinallycalledin.
Theengineerpeeredatthepeak,asuddensharpdeviationlastingseventytwoseconds.Heaskedfortheotheranomaliesandwaspresentedwithfurtherexamples."Shouldn"tbeanydrainonthesystemsatthreefortythree,threeohthree,threefiftytwo,orthreethirteen.
You"vecheckedalltheequipment?"
"Iputmetersonseveralfloors.GotabliponPedOrthWardTwelvewhenIwasinstallingit.SoItookeverythingapartonthatwardandtherewasn"tnothingmalfunctioning.CraziestthingI"veeverseen.
AndyouknowhowAdminiswhenyougotoutagesandanomalieswithallthemlifesupportsystemshookedup.Funnythough,nothingintheICUs."
"Okay,screenmeyourschematicsforalltheequipmentonPedOrthandseewhat"sbeingusedthere."Theengineersighedheavilyhecouldseeitwasgoingtobeoneofthosedays.
AstiraroundthebedsinthecircularwardalertedPeterReidinger,andheblinkedawaythescreenthatblockedhisview.Averyoldladystoodinthedoorway,MizAllenhoveringwithher"you"dbetterbehave"lookonherfacea.s.sheglancedaroundthewardtobesureeverythingwasinorderforthevisitor.
InstantlyPeter"sattentionwasrivetedonthelady.Shewasdifferent.ThatbecamemoreapparenttohimasMizAllenbegantointroducehertothekidsintheward.Cecilyevensmiledandansweredthelady.Cecilywasaspinabifidacasewho"ought"tohavebeencorrectedinuterobuthadnotbeen.Osteomyelitishadcausedhertohaveonelegamputated,andherrecoveryfromthatoperationwasveryslow.Sherarelyopeneduptootherpeopleandparticularlynottostrangerssoherresponsetotheoldladywasaminormiracle.Peterwasinasweatofantic.i.p.ationbythetimetheladyreachedhim.
"ThisisPeterReidinger,Ms.Horvath."ThewayMizAllenc.o.c.kedherrighteyebrowtoldPeterthathehadbetterbehavehimself.
Ms.Horvathjustsmileddownathim,hereyestwinkling,andtheywerenotatallold,orrheumy,orhard.Hewonderedsheletherselflooksoold.
IpromisedmyhusbandthatIwouldgrowoldgracefully,shestartledhimbysaying.ThatwayIwouldn"tsurprisepeoplesomuchwhenIdon"tactmyage.
Petergoggledather.Shehadnotmovedherlipsandyethehadheardhervoiceclearlyinhismind.
"Peter..."MizAllenpromptedhim.