The Wings Of Pegasus - LightNovelsOnl.com
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"Whichis?"
"ThatSenatorAndresisspendinghislastmomentshelpingaminoritygroupthatnotonlyhaspredictedhisimminentdemisebutdestroyedhisonechanceofacure."Hervoiceheldnoinflectiona.s.sheutteredthesequicksentences,butherdislikeofimpartingthegossipwasobvioustoherlistener.Maraclearedherthroatsuddenly."Idohaveaprecogthough,"sheadded,mildlyamused.
"Agoodone,ifIrecognizethattoneofvoice.Icouldstandsomepleasanttidings."
"I'llbeseeingyoushortly,"andshelaughedmischievously."Intheflesh,Imean.Here!"
"InWas.h.i.+ngton?"DaffydopOwenwa.s.startled.HerarelylefttheCenterand,atthismoment,hehadnodesireunderheaventosetfootinWas.h.i.+ngton.
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.Somethingtodowithas.h.i.+ftintheRNAmessengerproteinsorsomerotlikethat.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.
"As.h.i.+eldedcage?"Daffydasked.
"Yeah,"andthesoundwasmoreof.a.growlthananaffirmative."Don'tthinkIdidn'tprotestthatinsulting..."
"Infact,"Marasaid,"herantedandscreamedatthetopofhisvoice.
AllWas.h.i.+ngtonheard.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,"Andressaidasheheldopenthedoorintothes.h.i.+eldedroom,"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,theWas.h.i.+ngtonBureau,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.ThePresidentwasalreadyinfavorofprotectionfortheTalentedsincehebenefitedfromtheirguardians.h.i.+p.
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."Isatinas.h.i.+eldedroomandlistened.ItwasLajos'sprecog..."
"Therewerethreeotherreports,sir,"Lajossaid,"butisitreallyconfirmedthatSenatorAndreshashadaremissionofthatliverailment?"
"Yes,absolutely,demonstrablytrue.Iknowwe'veallfeltburdenedwithacertain...regret,onthataspectoftheNorthEastIncident.
Itistheinevitableconcomitantoftheprecognitivegift."
"AndDr.Rizor'sgrantwillberestored?"
