The Wings Of Pegasus - LightNovelsOnl.com
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"Andtellmejusthow,youngman,"VernonAltenbachasked,skeptically,"youaccomplishedsuchafeat?"
Sticktothefacts,man,thefact$Rhyssasaid,mentallaughterripplinghertone.
"Well,theErasmusneededhelplandingatDaccabecausethekineticsbadtobetheretoreducethedisasterpotential.SoRhyssacalledaGandHthat'saTalentmaydayandIgottousethegeneratorsattheEastSidepowerstation,"Peterreplied.Hekepthisfacestraight,buthewasenjoyingtheincredulityofthenonTalentedinhisaudience;eventheRussiantelempathwasadmiring,andPetersathimselfevenstraighterinthechair.
Dorotea:Wellsaid,Peter!
GordonHavers:Intimesofdoubt,honestyisthebestpolicy.
JohnnyGreene:Youbetterbelieveit,becausethey'renot!
Un.o.btrusively,hepattedPeter'sknee.
"Youhave,Imusta.s.sume,akineticTalent?"Vernoncontinued.
"Yes,sir.I'mintrainingasakinetic,butIcan'tdoasmuchasI'dlikebecausethepeoplewhoshouldbetrainingmearealluponthestation."Rhyssa:Don'tspreaditontoothick,Peter.
Johnny:Nonsense.Theydeservethatkickinthes.h.i.+ns.
"Howmuchtraininghaveyouhadthen?"thegeneralasked.
"Well,RhyssaandDoroteadothebesttheycan,b.u.t.they'retelepaths..."Rhyssa,dryly:Thankyou!
Gordon:He'sstickingtothetruth.
"InitiallyRickHobsonwashelpingme,"Peterwenton,"butwe'donlyjustgottenpastthenecessarystuffwhenhegotconscriptedtothestation."
"Talentswerenotconscripted,"GeneralShevchenkoobjectedforcefully.
"Theyvolunteeredtoa.s.sistinthecompletionofthefirstGreatWorldProject."
Petergaveacontemptuouslittlesnort."Ifyou'renotgivenachoice,you'vebeenconscripted."
"AndyouexpectustobelievethatafrailboymanipulatedtheErasmus?"PrincePhanibals.h.i.+mazshotoutofhischairandstoodbelligerentlyinfrontofPeter,shakinghisfingerathim."I,Phanibals.h.i.+maz,princeofMalaysiaWest,knowthatthiswouldhavebeenimpossiblefromsuchasource!Tell.u.s.thetruth,littleboy!"
hedemanded,makingtheadjectivepejorative.
"Heistellingthetruth,"JohnnyGreenesaid,risingtohisfeettolookdownatthemuchshorterprince.DaveLehardtandRhyssajumpedtotheirfeetangrily,readytoleapintothefrayifneedbe.
"AsAndreiconfirmstome,"GeneralShevchenkosaidinahardvoice.
"Youexceedyourauthority,YourHighness."
"AndIshallproveit,"Peteradded,glaringbackattheprince.JustbecausehecoulddogameswithJosephsonjunctionsandtrafficflowpatternsthatnooneelsecoulddodidnotmakehimanauthorityonTalent."Look!"AndPeterraisedhisrightarm,wis.h.i.+nghehadenoughsmallmotorcontroltopointafinger,buthehadnotquitemasteredthatyet.
Actually,itwaseasyenoughwithpowerdivertedfromtheCenter'sequipmenttoraiseandholdthebighelicopterjustoutsideRhyssa'sbaywindowsothatallcouldseeitandseethatthehugerotorbladesmovedidlyinthebreezeofitsascent.
"Dobecarefulwithit,Peter,"JohnnyGreenesaidamiably,oneofthefewintheroomenjoyingthemoment."It'sgovernmentproperty."
"I'malwayscareful,ColonelGreene,"Peterreplied,feelingtheeuphoriaofpotency.HewasalmostsorrythathecouldnotthinkofanevenmoreconvincingdemonstrationofhiskineticTalent.Doroteawasglaringathimsignificantlyinherenoughisenoughlook.Hereturnedthevehiclegentlytotheground.
"Howoldareyou,Peter?"ColonelGreeneasked,justasifheandPeterweretheonlyonesintheroom.
"IwasfourteenontheeighthofSeptember."
"Andyougetaboutnowyourselfunderyourownpower?"thecolonelinquired.
Petercouldseeinhiseyesthatthemanknewthetrueextentofhishandicap.
"Iwasthatmuch"hisfingersmeasuredatwocentimetergap"awayfromparaplegiamyselfafterMissionNumber21,"Greenecontinued.
PeterrealizedthatColonelGreenewasverymuchontheirsideandmakingitverycleartoeveryoneelsethatPeter'sTalentwasofflimits."I'velearnedhowtocompensatejustfine,"hereplied,andaglanceatthecoloneltoldhimthatthatwastherightanswertomake.
"RickHobsonreallyhelpedme.WewerejustbeginningtogoontotougherthingswhenhehadtogotoPadrugoi."
"Soyou'vebeenRhyssa'sskeletoncrew?Allbyyourself?"ColonelGreenechuckledandlookedacrossatthesecretaryofs.p.a.ce.
"I'mnotnearlyasmuchofaskeletonasIusedtobe."Peterextendedhisarmsandlegsandregardedthemdispa.s.sionately."I'llgetsomemuscleonthemyet.I'vegottobuildslowly,yousee,andittakestime."
ColonelGreenerose."Ithinkthat'stheanswer,gentlemen.Ittakestimetobuildmuscle,anykindofmuscle,andyoubuildslowlytolastlonger."
"Nowwaitjustamomenthere,"PrincePhanibalsaid,recoveringfromhisinitialsurprise."ThatisnottheanswerIcametofind.YouhaveindeedconcealedfromtheworldakineticTalentofdemonstratedability.HecantaketheplaceofthoseatBangladesh..."HeleanedacrossRhyssa'sdesk,andPetersawherflinchbackfromsuchamenacingposture.
Petercouldnotstandit.KineticallyhedraggedPrincePhanibalbackwardfromRhyssa,theprince'sfacesetinaparalyzedrictusofamazement.Thedoorthatopenedtoallowhis.e.xitclosedfirmlybehindhim.
"Peter!"Rhyssacouldnotquitedisguiseherrelieforherconsternationathisbreachofcourtesy.
"He'sgotnorighttothreatenyou,Rhyssa!Norightatall!"
Dorotea:Bravo,Peter,thoughIshouldn'tencourageyou!
"Nowseehere,youngman"ShevchenkotookonesteptowardPeterandstopped,blinkinginastonishmentwhensomeinvisibleforcepreventedhimfrommovingfartherforward.
"That'senough,Peter,"Rhyssasaidwithappropriateseverity.Thatwasrathercleverofyou,dear,evenifyouwouldn'trealizeit.Thementalimageinhermindshowedsuppressedlaughter."Thegeneralwillnotintimidateyouanyfurther.General,IthinkPeterhasinadvertentlydisplayedanothercogentreasonwhytheCenterisunwillingtoutilizehisuniqueabilities.e.xceptinacrisis.Atfourteen,hedoesnotalwaysabidebythecourtesiesthatamorematurepersonalityhaslearned."
"IdemandthattheboyapologizetoHis.h.i.+ghnessPrincePhanibalimmediately."
"Youmaydemandallyouwish,General,Rhyssasaidsharply,"butIdon'tevenknowwhyatrafficmanager,royalornot,wasincludedinthisgathering."
EngineerBarchenkainsistedonhisinclusion,'VernonAltenbachremarked,attemptingsomediplomaCY.
IinsistthathebeexcludedfromanyfuturemeetingsInvolvingtheCenterormyself."
Peter:He'saslimeball!
JohnnyGreeneandGordonHavers,simultaneously:Wheredidyoustashhim?
Peter:Hesinthehelicopter,andhecan'tseemtogettheseatbuckleundone.Hecouldnothelpgrinning.Iwon'tlethim.
Johnny:Buckledown,Winsockie,buckledown!
Dorotea:Ididn'tthinkanyoneinyourgenerationknewthatoldsong.
Now,gentlemen,youhave,Itrust,SeentoyourownsatisfactionthatwehaveonlybeenprotectingyoungPeter,notdeliberatelydenyingtheplatformhisTalent.I'msorrythatyouhadalongtripfornothing."
Rhyssasaid,comingaroundherdesktoshakehandswithAndreiGrushkov."However,whenPeterisfullytrainedandwehaveabetterunderstandingoftheparametersofhispotential,wewill,ofcourse,beobligedtoletprospectiveemployersbidforhiscontractualservices."
VernonAltenbacheasedthedisgruntledRussiangeneraltowardthedoor,theNASAcolonelandthetelempatha.s.sistingb.u.t.theotherslingereduntilthefirstgrouphadenteredtheelevator.
"Ms.Owen,"theNASAgeneralbegan."Isitpossible,giventheboysdisplayofincredibleabilitythathecouldfromtimetotime,thatis...Well,wedohaveaSeriouscrisisrightnow..
"Whatkind"RhyssaaskedinanunenCouragingtone.
"NASa.s.supplyscheduleisatastandstillwiththecurrentworldwideweatherconditions..."
Peterzoomedoutofhischair,hoveringbetweenRhyssaandthegeneral.
Pleaseconsiderit,Rhyssa.workingforNASAwouldn'tbethesameasworkingforBarchenka,wouldit?But.i.twouldbealmostasgoodasbeingins.p.a.ce.Heexertedallhismind'spressureagainsthers,beggingherconsideration.Hefelthersternresolvenottoexploithim.
Johnny:It'ssomethingtoconsider,Rhyssa,thoughwewon'tbepushyabout.i.t.Ifyousayno,we'llgoquietly.But.i.twouldgallmepersonally,andprofessionally,tohaveBarchenkasayingthattheAmericanscouldn'tmeettheircontractualobligations.Hec.o.c.kedhisheadatRhyssa,grinningwryly.
PetercouldfeelRhyssabeginningtorelent.
Dorotea:Consideritatrainingdiversion,Rhyssa.
Rhyssa:b.u.t.that'sit!He'shadhardlyanytraining!
Johnny:Repet.i.tionhonesskills,gal,anditsurereducestheglamourquotient.
PeterdidnotunderstandthatbutfeltDorotea'sapprovalbecomemoreurgent.HesensedthatatlastRhyssawa.s.seriouslyconsideringthesuggestion.
"Look,"Johnnysaidaloud,"thisissoimportantthatVernonwouldactuallygethimselfanotherminderforafewweeks.IknowallthetechnicaldatathatPeterneedstounderstandifhe'sflingingshuttlesaboutthestratosphere.h.e.l.l,I'dgetavicariousthrilloutofitmyself,gettingbackintos.p.a.cebyproxy.AndifPeter'sworkingforNASA,Barchenkacan'tsayTalenthasbeen.o.bstructingPadrugoi'stimelycompletion."
"Iknowitappearsthat.i.t'salwayswewhocompromise,"GordonHaverssaid,enteringthediscussion,"butweputawedgeinherworksifsuddenlyweinsuredeliveryofthematerielsheneeds."
"You'dhavetogowithPeter,Rhyssa.I'mnolongeruptothatsortofsustainedeffort,"Doroteasaid."Sascha'stooinvolvedinthepresentcrisisatLinearGtoleavethat.Andfrankly,mydear,youarethestrongertelepathand,Ithink,moretunedintoPeter'smindthanSaschais.Someonehastomonitorhimduringthegestalts.Icanseeyousquirmingtogo,PeterReidinger.Isitwhatyoureallywant?
w.i.l.l.youbehavelikeamatureTalent?"
PetermanagedtocurlhisfingersaroundRhyssa's."I'llbehave.I'lldojustasI'mtold.Ipromise!AndI'dlearnalot."
"You'dcallthemoves,Rhyssa,"JohnnyGreenesaid.
"Idon'tthinkwehaveanychoiceinthiseither,"RhyssasaidandPeterleanedagainsther,wis.h.i.+ngforhernottosoundsodefeated.
Shelookeddownathimandcuppedhisheadwithonehand,smilingtenderlyathim."I'mnotdefeated,Peterdear,butIintenselydislikebeingleftwithnooptions."
"Thinkoftheoptionsthatyou'vecanceled,"JohnnyGreenesaidwithamaliciousnoteinhisvoiceasheliftedhismiddlefingerskyward.
"Putlikethat,"Gordiesaid,grinning,"we'reoneuponBarchenka."RhyssaturnedtoDaveLehardt,herexpressionsevere."AndyoukeepPeter'snameoutofthe'castsandthefax."
"Yourskeletoncrewatworkagain?"Daveasked,pretendingtowardoffanattack.
"'Dembones,dembones,demdrybones,andhearthewordoftheLord!'"JohnnyGreenesang,doinganintricatebreakdancestep.
Chapter12.
TheblondmanhadanairabouthimthatfascinatedTirla.ShehadneverhadmuchtodowithTalents,andshesurrept.i.tiouslycrossedherwrists.ShehadheardsuchfolkdiscussedintheResidentialoftenenough,infearful,awedwhispersbutshehadnotbelievedhalfofthepowersallegedtothem:findersofpersonsandthings,seersofsouls,readersofsecrets,prophetsoffuturethings,andmoversofmountains.
Shestolealookathimwherehesatwithhisheadleanedbackagainstthepaddedwallandhiseyesclosed;daringtoobservehimmoreclosely,shenoticedthequickflowoffacialmuscles,asifhewerehavinganargumentinhishead.Hisjawtightenedinangerandhislipsthinned.Heshouldhavebeenpleasedwithhisday'swork,Tirlathought.Shewa.s.startledthen,whenhismouthrelaxedintoahalfsmile,acleversortofsmile,andhiseyebrowstwitched.Hadhewonhisinternalargument?Hewasastrangeman,shethought,eventhoughoutwardlyheappearednodifferentfromothers.
HewasnotLEO,andyethewas,andshecouldnotfigureoutwherehefitin,orhowheandhisteamshadappearedsoconvenientlyattheJshuntespeciallywhenshehadjustrealizedthedifficultyofcajolingscaredwhineybratslikeTombiintoridingcargopodsbacktoG.
Withoutthatunexpectedrescue,Ya.s.sim'sladroneswouldsurelyhaverecapturedthem,herselfincluded.Sheshuddered.
SotheyhadbeenrescuedfromYa.s.sim.ButnotfromAuthority.ShewantednopartofAuthority.toomanyconflictingrulesandregulationsandsillyrestrictionsthatonlybeggedtobeignoredorevaded.TheprospectofanewIDbrieflydazzledher,tothepointwhereshecouldfeelthenarrowplasticstripknockingagainstherwristbone.Butshedidnot--quitebelievethatthemanwouldbeabletoproduceanysuchID,nomatterhowwellheseemedinwiththeLEOs.
Nomatter!ShehadcleanfloatersmorethansheneededforthetiedsshehadbeensupposedtolaunderforYa.s.simsoshewaswellaheadinthegame.Thematterofthehottiedsbotheredher,butshewasloathtofaceYa.s.simaslongashewasinthemarketforkids.AnditwasverylikelythattheLEOscouldnotcollarYa.s.sim,andthathewouldgointodeephidingsomewheretowaitoutthefuror.So,morally,shecouldhidethetiedsforawhileanddiscreetlyexchangethem,especiallyifYa.s.simwasoutofcirculation,overthenextseveralmonths.Thiswasthebiggesthitshehadevermade.
Butstillshewasuneasy.Shewastrappedintheclosedcargopodanddidnotreallyknowwheretheyweregoing,thoughshehadbeenkeepingmentalcountoftherailjunctions.Theblondmancouldjustaseasilyleaveheroffatthehostelwiththeothers.
Whowouldbelievethatshehadanarrangementwithhim?Thetrainbegantodecelerate,andTirla,withaspurtofdreadantic.i.p.ation,waitedfortheshuntconnect.TheyweregoingtotheGplatform.Shewasbothcomfortedandconcerned.
"Wherearewenow?"sheasked.
Saschaopenedhiseyes,andshesawthattheywereanunusualshadeoflightblue.Helookedamused."Youknowwe'reatG.Sonowwereturnthelostchildrentotheirgrievingparents.Thatisimportanttoyou,isn't.i.t,Tirla?ThatBilala,Zaveta,Pilau,andespeciallyMirdaKhanandMamaBobchikknowthatyouhelpedretrievetheirlostones?"
Nowhowcouldheknowthat?Howmuchdidheknowabouther?Whywasheplayingheralongthisway?Hewasasharponeindeed.Whatsortofascamwasherunning?NotallofthisactionhadtodowiththatpervYa.s.sim.
Sherefusedtobedrawnbywhatcouldjustbeashrewdguessonhispart.LEOswerenotaboveputtingsurveillanceonMeetings,evenasillyRIGwiththatLamashaman.Perhapstherehadbeeneyesonherclients,althoughwhysuchagaggleofsillywomenwouldbetheobjectofLEOinterestshedidnotknowunlessithadtodowithsellingkids.
Butnoneofthemhadbeentheretodealkidsmostoftheirsweretooyoungyet.Theyhadallbeenlookingfor"messages"and"salvations."
YetSaschahadidentifiedherclients,andhehadevenknownthatMirdaKhanandMamaBobchikwereespeciallyimportant.
"Itjustpaystobeagoodneighbor,"sheanswereddiffidently.
"Oh,youhavedefinitelybeenagoodneighbortoday,Tirla.Andaverygoodcitizen!"Helaughedsoftly,throwinghisheadbackandshowinglargewhiteeventeeth.Itwouldbeaverynicelaugh,Tirlathought,ifithadnotworriedherthathewaslaughingatall.Perverselyshelikedhim,forhisstronggripandhisdrollwords,butshedidnottrusthimanyfurtherthanshecouldhavethrownBulbar.
Shegavehimaquickstareforcallingher"citizen."Citizenslivedacrosstheriverinthebeautifulhives,luxurycones,platforms,andcomplexes,notinLinears.
"Trustme,Tirla?"Hiseyeswerenotlaughing,norwas.h.i.+smouth,andhisvoicewasgentleandentreating.
