The Wings Of Pegasus - LightNovelsOnl.com
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"I'llseeifIcancalmherdown,makeherseereason,"VernonsaidwithagestureforJohnnytoremain."D'Amato,sendmymealandherstotheprivateroom.I'llbethere."
"Doyoubelieve,inyourownheart,PerDuoml,"Rhyssaasked,leaningacrossthetabletotheman,"thatweareevadingourdutytotheworld?"
Heshrugged,hismind,withitsmetals.h.i.+eld,asimpervious,Rhyssathought,as.h.i.+sunwillingnesstounderstandthenatureofTalent."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,worndownbypunis.h.i.+nghoursandpsychicstatictheycouldnotavoid,inevitablytheirperformanceswouldsuffer.
Exactly,Gordiesaid.Asktheotherdirectors.Youmustappeartobeacceptingtheinevitable.
ThesortofpressthiscouldgiveTalentswouldundotheworkofthelastcentury,Rhyssasaiddespairingly.
Iknow.Althoughtosweetenthisverybitterpill,Rhyssa,MallieVadenseesnothinggoingwrong.
Whosesideissheon?Rhyssacouldnotkeepthebitternessoutofhertone.
Ours,asyouwellknow,wasGordonHavers'scrispreply.Ergo,ithastoworkoutbyourcompliance.ButI'veinitiatedsomeinvestigationsthatmightjustgiveusaleveragainstBarchenka.Meanwhile,consult,Rhyssa.Quickactionmights.h.i.+ftpublicsupporttous.
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,astransfersconstantlys.h.i.+ftedkeyTalentsatneedfromoneCentertoanother.
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!
Barchenkabelieveswesetuptheconditionsofs.h.i.+eldedquartersandshorthourstobeobstructive!Rhyssasaid.Iwasinformedthatthereisnonoiseinthevacuumofs.p.a.ce,and,becausethereisalsonogravity,thereislessphysicalstressandlongerhourscanbeworked,notfewer.
Thewomanisutterlywithoutashredofunderstandingorempathy,thedirectorofAfricaNorthsaid.
Hasanyonetriedtoadjustherthinking?HongkongJimmyasked.
You'venevermetBarchenka,haveyou?s.h.i.+eldstighter'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,andDoloresoftheBrazilianCenterwouldattempttoachieves.h.i.+eldedquartersandworks.h.i.+ftsofsixhoursmaximum,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'dbeenworkinguptotheRusskisbywayoftheBritis.h.i.+slesandScandinavia.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.
Whatiftheyliketheoldfas.h.i.+onedwaysanddon'twanttorehireourpeople?
Rhyssasnortedderisively.Justconsiderhowmuchmoneykineticssaveindustryeveryyearinequipmentandmaintenancecoststheargumentsweusedtogetthemtotakekineticsinthe.firstplace!
Yeah,buthowdoweexplainittoourkinetics?
Rhyssaprojectedanimageofheronherknees,tearingherhairout,pleadingtoamorphousfaces,offeringjewelsandingotsofgold.
Enlistmenthasalwaysbeenpreferabletoconscription.Andthenwecaninsistons.h.i.+eldingandshorts.h.i.+fts.Wecan'tifsheimplementsthatbluelaw.We'reoverabarrel,andeveryTalentwillrealizethat!
Vsevolodcanthelpusthere?Saschaasked.
Hewasappalled,apologetic,andall,butapoplecticthatoneofhisnationalswasdoingthistous.
Nothingmentionedaboutgettingthelawwipedoffthehooks?
