Againtheneedlerushedacrossthegraph,aslightwhooshbarelyaudibleinthequietroom.RuthglancedovertomakesuretheIncidentwasbeingbeamedtotheCenterandnoticedthesmileonherhusband"sface.Asmile?Ahappypremonition?Sheforcedherselftorelax,unaccountablya.s.sailedbyaravingcuriosity.Lajossorarelyhadhappyforesights,andfleetinglysheregrettedthathewasaprecog.
Lajosstirredrestlessly.Hewaswakingnow.Sheturnedonthevoicerecorderandleanedtowardshim.
"Whatisit?Whatdoyousee?"sheaskedinthesoftpersuasivevoicetheCenterhadtaughthertouseatthesetimes.Herabilitytostimulatehisverbalaccountswashighlypraised,foritwa.s.sometimesdifficultfortheprecogtoarticulatethesemirealintosufficientdetailforpreventiveorsupportiveaction.
"Flames!"Lajosgroaned."Must.i.talwaysbeflames?"Hesatboltuprightinbedthen,hisbrowneyeswideashestaredstraightaheadattheretinalimageofhispremonitoryvision.Theelectrodeswerejerkedfromhisskull,retractingwithametallicclinkintothecase.
"Theship"sburning,exploding.Throwingflamingdebrisacrosstheharborintothesuburbs.Dampit!Deflect!Shieldthosepa.s.sengers.
Watchout!Thepropellantwillspray.It"s.e.xploding.Containit!"
"Markingsontheliner?"agentlebutinsistentvoicewhisperedfromtheintercom.
Lajosshookhishead,blinkingfuriouslyinanattempttoholdthefadingsight."It"sawashwithflame.IthinkIseeaneight,afour,athreeorisitanothereight?It"saReynarder.Itmustbe.They"retheonlyoneswhousethatcla.s.s."
"Whichcla.s.s?"theinexorablewhisperwantedtoknow.
SuddenlyLajossagged,pantingwithshock,coldsweatbreakingoutonhisforehead.Helaybackexhausted.
"It"sgone,"hemoaned."It"sgone."
"Youhadasecondone,"Ruthsaid."Whatwasthatabout?"
Lajos"sbrowsdrewtogetherinahalffrownashebrushedhisstraightblackhairoutofhisface.Hekept.i.toverlongtohidethedepilatedcircleswheretheelectrodesfit.Hislipscurvedinahalfsidedsmile."Somethinggood?"heaskedhopefully.
Ruthsuppressedhersigh.Lajosrarelydetailedthefelicitousones.
"Incidentvalidated,astrongreading,Lajos,"theintercomvoicesaid.
"Reportina.s.soonasyou"reable."
"They"llcheckitout,won"tthey?"Lajosaskedneedlessly.
"Actionalreadyinitiated."
LajoslaysostillthatRuthknewitwasnotpa.s.sivequiescencebutrigidstrain.AnotherthornintheTalented"ssidewastheharshrealizationthattheirwarningswereoftendisregardedandtheywereforcedtoseetheirpredictionscomehorriblytrue.RuthwipedthesweatfromLajos"sforeheadandbegantoma.s.sagehisneckandshoulders.Afteramomenthegrinnedweaklyupather.
"Whatawaytostarttheday,huh?"
"Atleastyouendedonahappynote.Maybethatmeansthey"llprevent?"
"Iftheycancorrelateenoughdata,inenoughtime,"hesaidgloomily.
"AndReynarderbotherstolisten!"Hefloppedontohisstomach,poundingthemattresswithimpotentfists.
Ruthtransferredherattentiontohismuscularback.Shelovedthelineofhim,thebroaddoubleplateauofhisshoulderbladeswiththesmallmoundsofhardmuscle,thegracefulcurvethatsweptdowntothenarrowwaist,thehollowofhisspine,theGrecianbeautyofhisb.u.t.tocks.Shequicklysuppressedaflareofdesire.Thiswasnotthetimetointrudes.e.xonhispersonalanguish.Andsheknewthatherintenses.e.xualhungerforhimstemmedfromayearningforthechildofhisseed.Adaughter,tallandfair,withLajos"sdimplesinhercheek.Ason,strongbackedandarrogant,withthickblackstraighthair.
Thishungerforhischildwa.s.soprimal,itparalyzedthesophisticationoverlaidbyeducationandsocialreflexes.Nowadaysawomanwas.e.xpectedtoa.s.sumemorethantheancientdutiesrequiredofher.Nowadays,andRuthsmiledtoherself,thesophistscalledthosewomanlytalents,Maintenance,RepairandReplacement,insteadofhousekeeping,cooking,nursingandhavingbabies,b.u.t.thet.i.tlesdidn"talterthedutiesnorcurbtheresurgentdesires.And,whenyougotdowntoit,menstillexplorednewground,evenifitwerealienlands,anddefendedtheirhomesandfamilies.YoucouldcallLajos"sprecogakindofanearlywarningdefensesystem.Well,then,she"daddedthech.o.r.eofbeingCerebralRecordingSecretarytoMaintenanceandRepairb.u.t.they"dbetterletherReplacesoonor....
Sheconcentratedonmoresoothingthoughts,usingherlatentempathytoeasehisremorse.Whenhebegantotakedeeplongbreaths,sheknewhewasconqueringtheaftermathoftheIncident,dispellingitsdestructivedespondency.Hehaddoneeverythinghecould.Hecouldnotchangethecourseofeveryfatedlife.Someeventshadtocometotheirdireconclusions,foroutofpresenttragedysooftenrosefuturetriumph;theresultofsorrowfulrecriminationswasoftenthecatalystofprogress.AspeciousrationaleintheSilverlinedCloudApproachb.u.t.trueenoughtosavethesanityoftheTalented.
Itwasabitterthing,Ruthunderstood,tobeTalented:bitterandwonderful.But.i.twasworsetohaveevidenceofTalentandneverknowwhat.i.twas.Nonsense,shetoldherselfsternly,discardingthesereflections,youcan"tbewhatyoucan"tbe.
"Ahh,you"vegottherightspot,"Lajossaidgratefullyandshedoubledhereffortsacrosstheheavyshouldermuscles.
Andyet,whensheantic.i.p.atedhisdesiresandneeds,sometimesthewordsfromhismouth,shewonderedjusthowshehadtappedthatneed;justwhatmightawakentheoccludedTalentwithinher.
TheCenterbelievedthatpsionicabilitieswerelatenthumancharacteristics:theirabsenceduetomalfunctionofthenecessarybrainsynapsesor,evenmorebasically,underdevelopmentduetoaproteinlackinthegene.Whenchromosomesinthetwentyfirstpairweredamagedorblurred,noTalentwasdetected.Therewas...o...b..rrationinRuth"schromosomes,andalthoughshetestedasTalented,herabilitywasunidentifiable.ShehadneverbeenabletostimulateanIncidentinvolvinganyoftheknownabilities.
She"dmetLajosduringthetesting:they"dbeenapproachedbytheEasternAmericanCenterafterfinishingtheirsecondaryschoolingandhadqualifiedforthesixmonths"trainingdesignedtostimulatelatentTalent.Theirgenetichistoryhadbeentapedbacktothefourthgeneration.TheyhadenduredhoursofcerebralrecordingontheGooseggunderavarietyofstimuli.Ruthwasfinallylabeled"indeterminate";Lajosshowedstrongprecogtendencies.
RuthstillsecretlyhopedthatherTalentwoulddevelop.She"dbeena.s.suredthatthiswasapossibility:theycitedherhighempathyrating,herabilitytoantic.i.p.ateatt.i.tudesandactionsofthosenearestanddearesttoher.True,shemightbenomorethanareceptivetelempath,oneunabletobroadcastbutreceptive.Ruththereforealternatedbetweenhopeanddespair:beingapracticalcreature,shedweltmostlyonthepessimisticsideofthependulum,refusingtobelieveanythingb.u.t.themostconclusiveevidence.Thisatt.i.tudewasreinforcedduringLajos"sworstIncidents,whenshewantednopartofthecruelgift.
LajosHorvathwasoneofseveralthousandTalentedpeople,licensedandregisteredwiththeCenter;devotedtoitspreceptsandideals,contributingallofhissalarytoit.TheCenterwasnotpaternalistic,nordiditrequireanyrecompense.b.u.t.theTalentedpreferredtolivetogether,ifpossible,onorneartheCenter"sgroundsatBeechwoods,amongtheirpeers:rea.s.suredandreinforced.AstheCenter"policed"itsownmembers,italsoprotectedthem.
Ruthhadnospecificobjectionstotheirsituation:shehadwillinglytakenthecourseorientinguntalentedpartnerstotheirgiftedspouses.
Shewouldhaveundergoneafarmorearduousrequirement,sodeepwasherloveofLajos.Butlately,obediencetoE.A.C.hadbeguntogallRuthanditwasnotduetoanyfaultoftheCenter"s.Sherecognizedthat.
Themutedbuzzoftheintercomrousedbothofthem.Lajosproppedhimselfuponhiselbows,hisprofiletowardshersothatsheobservedthethinbitterlineofhismouthandknewthathewa.s.steelinghimself.
"Lajos,"itwasDaffydopOwen,"youwerecorrect.Acla.s.s7ReynarderhadapropellantleakatBuffalojetport."
Somethinginthedirector"sslowdeepvoicetoldthemthatLajossinformationhadnotaverted.
"And?"Lajos"squestionwasafirmdemandforthetruth.
"Wehadtocomputethevariabledetailswiththepossibleairportsnearwater,flightslandingordepartingontheReynarderline.WegotonlyoneotherpersonalprecoginvolvingtheIncidentbutyourdataaloneparticularlytheregistrywa.s.sufficient.Thelosswouldhavebeencatastrophicwithoutyourwarning.TeleportsontheRescueSquaddeflectedmostoftheflamingwreckageintotheLakebeforeitcouldlandinthesuburbs.Kineticsmanagedtoshieldthepa.s.sengerdeckuntilthepropellantcouldbefoamed.Thepa.s.sengersandcrewsufferedma.s.siveheatprostrationbutallwilllive.Ruth,doesheneedatranquilizer?"
"No!"thenegativeexplodedfromLajos"slips.
"Goodlad!"opOwen"svoicewaswarmwithapproval."We"veauthenticatedtheIncident.Itavertedamajortragedy:onemorepoundofevidenceonoursideofthescalesfortheBill.Andthepa.s.sengersandjetportpersonnelknowwhogavethewarning."
LajoswentlimpwithreliefastheDirectorsignedoffwithexpressionsofgrat.i.tude.LajoshalfturnedhisfaceandRuthdidn"tknowforamomentwhethertocomforthimornot.Shewaited.Finallyhegavealongshudderingsighandrelaxed,onehandslippingoverthesideofthebed,fingerslimp,theveinsinhisforearmbulging,blueunderhisunusuallyfairskin.
"ThenwhatIsawdidn"thappen,Ruth.Thejetdidn"tturnintoaflaminghull,explodingalloverthesuburbs.SowhatdidIsee?
Whichdidn"thappenbecauseIsawit?Becausemyseeingitwa.s.sufficienttoalterthefuture?"Heshookhishead,hisbeardstubbleraspingagainstthetightlydrawnbedsheet,buthisvoicewasnolongerhoa.r.s.ewithrecrimination;itwascalm:hisphilosophywasa.s.sertingitself.
Ruthfeltthemusclesinhershouldersunknotandonlythenrealizedhowtenseshehadbecome,waitingforhisreaction.
""Aparadox,aparadox,amostingeniousparadox,""shechantedlightly,strokinghisbackwithherfingertips."Mydarlingpirate,"andshekissedhischeek.
Lajosbouncedoutofbedandstretched,hissleeppantsfallingoffhisnarrowhips.Hegrabbedthembackup,notoutofmodestyb.u.t.tokeepfromtrippingoverthemonthewaytothebathroom.
"Maybethegoodprecogyouhad...itfollowedabaresixtysecondsafterthefirst,youknow,"Ruthremarkedlatera.s.sheservedhisbreakfast,"wastherealizationthatyouhadaverted."
Lajosconsideredthat,thenshookhishead."No.Thetwoweredefinitelynonrelated."
"Whyisit,"Ruthaskedwithmockshrewishness,"thatyoucandetailthehorrorsbutnotthehappies?"
Hedidn"tknowandbegantoeatheartily,hisappet.i.teindicativeofrestoredequilibrium.
"Gottorun,honey.Beabusyday.Andthat"snoprecog.It"sasurething."Hegrinnedthenkissedhersoundly."Annualreviewofcontracts,andZeusmannotwithstanding,theFirmhandlesthegovernment"sinsurancesinthiscity."
Ruthwouldhavetohurryaswell.Shedislikedbeinglatealthoughherjobwasnotessential.Shefittedfilamentstofractionalfeeders,anintricate,delicateoperationwhichrequireddefthandsevenwithwaldoaids,andacertaintenaciouspatiencewithmicromovements.Heremployersneverobjectedtoheroccasionaldelaysastheyemployedteleportsandtelekineticsforthetransportationofdelicateequipmentandtoa.s.semblebyremotecontrolthe"hot"componentsofinstrumentationtobeusedintheJupiterprobes.Ruthdidnotneedtowork,forLajoswashighlypaid,butshepreferredtokeepbusyuntiltheirrequestforprogenywasapproved.Shewantedsotobeafulltimemother.
Therewasunlikelytobeaprobleminreceivingapprovaleventuallybutanyonewasliabletopickupadoseofaccidentalradiationthatcouldblurordamagechromosomes.Theyknewtheirgeneticpatternsweresoundandtheyhadcompletedthethreeyears"probationtoestablishthecompatibilityandstabilityoftheirmarriage.Forthelastsixmonthstheyhadundergonecontinualeggandspermcellcheckforpossibleaberrations.Itwastime-consuming,butwhowantedahandicappedchild?IthadtakenyearstoweedoutthepsychedelicdamagesthathadresultedinthefreaksofthelateSeventiesandearlyEighties.TherewerestilloccasionalmutantsasaresultoftheheavySolarWindsinthefirstdecadeofthetwentyfirstcentury.Itwasonlycommonsensetocheckeveryvariable.
ButRuthfoundithardtobepatient.Sheaskedforverylittleofwhatherheritagehadonceseemedtooffer.Shedidn"tmindbeinganunidentifiableTalent,shehadadjustedtoit.Shedidn"treallymindtheoftenworrisomeroleofapa.s.siveobservertothementalaskedinasmallvoice,awareevenasthewordspoppedoutthatshesoundedresentful.Oh,Idon"tmeanitthatway.It"sjustthatwhenyoupredetermine,ittakesawayallthemysterythat"slefttomotherhood."
"Ruthie,"andLajos"stenderteasingvoicethrilledher."You"rearealrecessive.O.K.,we"lljustletnaturetakeitscourse."
"Can"tweeatfirst?"
Lajosthrewbackhisheadandlaughedboyishlyatherdeliberatecoquetry.Hehuggedheruntilheheardherribscrackandherdinnersizzling.
Itwasamagicalnight.Ruthrespondedtolovemakingwithanardorthatastoundedherhusband:asurrenderthatlefthimbreathlessandnotalittleawed:asif,sloughingofftheonusofcontraceptiveinterference,shecouldallowherselftobetouchedtothedepthsofherbeing.
Ifthequalityoftheirlovinghadanythingtodowiththefinalproduct,theirchildoughttobeaperfecthuman,Lajosthoughtastheyfinallyfellasleepineachother"sarms.Therewasnoguaranteethatconceptionoccurredthatnight.Infact,Lajoshopedthat.i.thadn"tifRuthwouldreactlikethisuntilshedidconceive.
Shortly,however,itwasapparentthatconceptionhadoccurred.Ruthdevelopedaluminousbeautythattouchedeverythingaroundherwithharmony.JerryFrames,theCenter"sresidentphysician,withahealingtalent,privatelytoldopOwenthatthefoetuswasfemaleandthatRuthwashealthyenoughtoexperiencenoproblems.
ThegirlweighedsevenpoundsandthreeouncesatbirthandwasimmediatelychristenedtheLittlePrincessbythenurserystaffintheCenter"shospital.HerparentscalledherDoroteaandwereutterlybesottedwithherminiatureperfection,herpinkandgoldbeauty.Theywereoblivioustothecuriousstaresandwhisperedcommentsofthestaff.ItwasRuth,preternaturallysensitivetoanythingregardingherdaughter,whobegantonoticethesurrept.i.tiousglances,thecl.u.s.terofpeopleconstantlynearherdaughter"scrib.
"You"rehidingsomethingfromme,"shetoldJerryFramesaccusingly.
"There"ssomethingwrongwithDorotea."
"There"snotathingwrongwithher,Ruth,"Jerryrepliedsharplyandthrustthebaby"schartather."You"veenoughpediatricstoreadthemedicalnotations.Goahead."
Ruthscannedth.e.s.h.eetsquickly,thenrereadwordandgraph,checkingthelaboratoryreportsofbodyfunction,thecerebralandcardiacreadings,eventhenourishmentintakeandeliminations.TherewasdefinitelynothingabnormalaboutDorotea.EvenherchromosomemappingwasXX/healthy/normal.Rea.s.sured,Ruthpa.s.sedtheclipboardback,andsmilingconfidently,continuedtonurseherchild.
Frameslatersaidthathe"dhadamomentofpurepanicbecausehecouldn"trememberhowmuchgenetictrainingRuthhadhadormightremember.OpOwena.s.suredhimthathisinstinctiveimpulsehadbeentheonlypossiblecourseunderthecirc.u.mstances.
"It"s.e.xceedinglyfortunatethough,Jerry,"thedirectorsaid,hiseyesactivewithspeculation,"thattheyarealreadyundertheCenter"sprotection.Thatchildmusthaveeverysafeguardwecanprovide.Iwantequipmentinstalledinhernursery,tunedtoherpatterndayandnight.Ifwhatwesuspectiscorrect,itmaymanifest.i.tselfinherfirstsixmonths.Canyouimaginethestrideswecanmakeinformulatinganearlychildhoodprogramwithsuchasuperbexample?"
"Apurecaseofdoingwhatcomesnaturally."
"Nothingmustinterferewiththechild"sdevelopment."
"Istilldon"tseewhywe"vekept.i.tfromtheparents.Areyousteppingdownfromyour"knowall,tellall"pedestalafterall?"
OpOwenreturnedthephysician"ssardoniclook.
"I"mnotaprecog,butIfeltastrongreluctancetoinformLajos."
"Why?He"dbewalkingninefeettalltothinkheproducedsuchaTalentedchild."
"Haven"twechangedsides,Jerry?"
"It"sonethingtowithholdinformationfromtheunwashedpublic,butanothertoclamupononeofthegang."
"Wedon"tknowpositivelythatDoroteaHorvathis..."
"Comeoffit,Dave.CecilyKingisastrongTPandsheheardthatchildprotestbirth.Oh,Iknowthatsomeof"emcancryoutinthewombb.u.t.thiswasnophysicalcryoritwouldhavebeenaudibletotherestofthedeliveryroompersonnel.IsyourstumblingblockRuthHorvath?"
OpOwennoddedslowly.
"Well,thatmakesalittlemoresense,althoughI"dsayshe"dwelcomeherdaughter"sTalent.Akindofvindicationthatshe"sneverbeenidentified.UnlessyoucallthetransmissionofstronggenetictraitsaTalent."
OpOwenshookhishead,hislipspursedinthought."Shehaswantedachilddesperately.Asamotherwantsachild:notasaTalentedpersonwantsevidenceofsuccession."Hespokeslowly,thewordsdraggedoutofhismouthasifheweresortingthethoughts."LajossaysthatalthoughRuthisagreathelpandveryunderstanding,sometimeshisIncidentsbotherhermorethansheadmits.Let"sjustletthingstaketheircourse.We"llkeepaneyeonthem."
"Whattheydon"tknowwon"thurtthem,huh?"Framessighed."Wishyou"dletthatatt.i.tudespilloverintootherareas,Dave."
OpOwenregardedthedoctorintently."Icanconceivablybendalittleprivately,forthebenefitofthoseundermycare,butIcannotaseasilyrationalizethebroaderissuewhichIcannotoverseeorcontrol."
"Allright,Dave,butIfeel,andJoelAndresfeels,thatprivatereactionsareastrongbasisforpredictingpublicones.You"rereluctanttotellRuthHorvath,agirlconditionedandtrainedtoacceptTalent,thatherchildshows.e.xceedinglystrongtelepathicTalent.Youwillinglywanttobroadcastinformationthatevenfrightensme,andI"mTalented,toapublicthatisinnowayconditionedtoacceptafragmentofthatknowledge.Thetwoatt.i.tudescannotbereconciled."
"TheethicalpositionoftheTalentedmustneverbequestioned."
"Dave,"andtherewasentreatyinJerryFrame"svoiceandmanner,"yoareunabletobeunethical.Thewithholdingofprejudicialknowledgeisnotunethical,it"splaingoodol"commonsense.WhichyouaresensiblyapplyingtoRuthHorvath"scase.HowmanytimesIhaveconsideredtellingapatienthe"sbought.i.tandhowfewtimeshaveIactuallycomeclean.Veryfewpeoplecanstandthewhole,complete,unvarnishedtruth."
"Ihangbetween,indoubttoactorrest,"opOwensaid,resignedaswellasfrustrated.
"What"sthat?"
"Iapologize,Jerry.Yourpointiswelltaken.I"veerredonthesideoftheangels,Ihopeb.u.t.thisatt.i.tudeofminetowardsRuthHorvathisacuriousvacillationfrommytendencytobeforthright.YetIknowthatthereisareasontobeslightlydevious."
"Thenyou"lleasebackonthisallopenandaboveboardroutine?"
"Yes,I"lleasebackasyouput.i.t."
"Still,"andJerryfrownedslightly,"itisn"tasiftheywon"tfindoutsoonenough."HemeanttheHorvaths.
"Theyneedtimetogetusedtotheidea."OpOwenwasthinkingabouthumanity.
"Whereonearthdidshegetthoseblueeyes?"Lajosaskedashesatentrancedbyhisthreemontholddaughter"sattemptstocapturehertoes.Shefloppedover,gurglingcheerfullytoherself.
"Heavens,it"spossible,"Ruthreplied,beamingfatuouslya.s.shecaughtherdaughter"seye."Imaybegreyeyed,andyoubrown,butwebothhaveancestorswithblueeyesfourgenerationsback."
"Ialwayssaidyouwererecessive,hon."
"Humph.Idon"tmindintheleast,notifitproducesablueeyedblondedaughterwithdimples.AndI"vegother,haven"tI,love?
You"reallmine."
"Exceptforthetwentythreechromosomesfromme."