The Wings Of Pegasus Part 46

"Afterallyoujustfinishedeating?"Saschademanded.

"Thatwasthetreat.Don'tIgetsupperafteratreat?"

"Ofcourseyoudo,"Doroteaa.s.suredher,glaringatSascha.

Ifyou'dseenthethreehuge,gooey,sickeninglysweetthingssheconsumedonlyahalfhourago,youmightnotbesoquicktostuffherwithsupper,Saschacautioned.

"Washyourhands,Tirla,andI'llserveimmediately.Areyoustaying,Sascha?"

"No,thanks,"hesaid,managingtosoundpolite.Peterwasrightaboutherbeingtelepathic.Butshedoesn'tknowsheis.

Hmmm.Yousee,yodidlearnsomethingfromhertoday.Whatdidshelearnfromyou?

Howtospendmoney,Sascharepliedsourly,andleft.

Iftheofficialspectatorsatthelaunchevennoticedtheyoungsterseatedtoonesideintheuppercontrolroom,theywouldhavesupposedhimtobeachildonaspecialtour,hisyouthaccordinghimatreat.

Themencertainlynoticedthewomanwhosatbesidehim,forshehadanarrestingbeautyandanunusualsilverstreakinherdarkhair.

However,herattentionneverstrayedfromtheboy.Equallyinvolvedinhimwasthetalldarkhairedmaninfatigueswithacolonel'seagleononecollartab.Sofewsparedthetriomorethanapa.s.singglance.

Therealactionwastakingplaceoutbythema.s.sivetoweringgantry,wheregaleforcewindswhippedthesteamfromtheshuttle'srocketend.

Allrecentlauncheshadbeenprettytricky,thebadweathercausinghavocwithallairtransportbutnonemoresothanthecriticalfirstminutesofashuttlelaunch.

Thecountdownechoedthroughthes.h.i.+eldedroomatthecountofeight,thespectatorswerejockeyingforpositionforanunimpededviewthroughthetreatedslitwindows,eagerforignitionandtakeoff.

Fingersweresurrept.i.tiouslycrossed,forthiswasthethirteenthsuccessiveshuttleflight.

"Wehaveignition!"Asoftenasthatphrasewasuttered,itwasalwayssaidwitharingofquiettriumph.

Astheshuttleenginesbegantheirfullthroatedroar,noneofthespectatorswouldbeabletohearanothernoise,thatofpowergeneratorspulsingateverincreasingspeed:asubtlewhinethatbuiltandthenleveledoffjustastheshuttle,oneofthemajesticnewRigelcla.s.s,beganitsfirstimperceptibleupwardthrust.Thefinallinktothelaunchtowerfellaway.Everyoneheldhisorherbreath.

Then,despitethehowlingwindandthelas.h.i.+ngrain,theshuttlecreptupwardfromthereinforcedconcretewithoutdeviatingacentimeterfromtheoptimumtakeofftrajectory.Liftbecameobviouswithincreasingacceleration,andsuddenlythebirdwasupandrunning,disappearing,exceptfortheradianceofitsrockets,intotheloweringceilingofdarkgrayswirlingclouds.

Immediatelyalleyesturnedtothenewlyinstalledinfraredmonitorsthatcontinuedtotracktheshuttleonitsunswervingpaththroughtheatmosphereandsafelyabovetheturbulence,wellonitswaytoPadrugoiStation,whereitspayloadwasurgentlyneeded.

"Thepilothastheconn,"PeterReidingersaid,openinghiseyes.HeglancedfirstatRhyssaandshenodded,smilingrea.s.surancea.s.sheremovedherhandfromhis.Helikedhertobetouchinghiminthesemoments,evenifhecouldnotfeelit.

"Youhavetheconn,Crosbie,"thecontrollersaid,lettingoutasmallsightofrelief."Goodthrust,Pete.You'reworkinglikeacharm.

Gotthewholethingdowntoascience."

"Itis,"JohnnyGreeneremindedhim,grinning.

"YouknowwhatImean,Colonel,"thecontrollersaid,flappinghishand.

"He'steasingyou,"Petersaid,turninghisattentiontothemonitor.

Hedidnotreallyneedithecouldfollowtheascentoftheshuttlelikeapulseinhisvein,atingleofpowerrunningupanddownhisbones.

Hecouldfeelthat.

"Veryeconomicalthrust,Peter,"Johnnysaid,perusingtheprintoutonthegeneratorcontrolpanel."That'sthethirdoneinarowatthatlevelgestalt.IthinkwecannowestablishcertainparameterstopowerusageinbadweatherlaunchesevenifIstillcan'ttellhowyoudoit."Hemadeadisgruntlednoiseinhisthroat.TheexetoppilothadbeenhopingthathecouldlearnPeter'sgestaltlinkbyfollowinghismindduringalaunch.HeandRhyssahaddecidedthatthefactthathehadonlylatentkineticTalentmightbealltothegoodforapurekineticmightbeunabletoadapttoPeter'sways.ButhehadhadnomoreluckthanSaschaatdiscerningtheboy'smethod.

"Maybeyou'retryingtoohard,JG,"Petersuggested."IkeepasopenasIcan..."

"Iknowyoudo,lad.Wideopen.I'mjusttooclumsytogetthroughthedoor.Ithinkit'sgoingtohavetobeatrainedkinetic."

"Secondstageignition,"thecontrollersaid,alertedbyhisboard."Onitsway!Youdogoodwork,Pete.Goodwork."

"C'mon,timeforyourswimminglesson,Pete,"Johnnysaid"Gottakeepyoufitenoughtolaunchthesebirds."

"Can'tIstay?Tobesureitdocksokay?"Peterwouldnotadmit,evendeepinhisskullwhereRhyssamightsee,thathedidnothaveenoughenergyleftimmediatelyafteralaunchtomovefromthecouch.Hegraspedatanyexcusetogainthefewnecessarymomentstoreenergizehimself.

"Thebird'sokay,"thecontrollera.s.suredhim.

"Lookallyouwant,"Johnnysaid,reseatinghimself.IfhehadguessedPeter'ssecret,heneverleton.

Thespectatorsbelowwerebeginningtofileoutofthegallery,hunchingintowetweathergear,bracingthemselvesforthestiffwinds.

Withawink,thecontrollerturnedontheintercom.

"Itellyou,Senator,itisameasureofthestateoftheartins.p.a.cetechnologythatwe'renowabletolaunchdespitetheweather."

"IfIhadanickelforeveryholdI'vehadtowaitthrough,m'boy,I'dbeabletobuydrinksfortheentirebase.Justhowmuchdidyousaythisnewtechnologycostus?"

ThefigurementionedbythecongressmanwasthreetimesasmuchasPeter'scontracthadactuallycost.Andnearlyonehundredpercentmorethanthegenerator.

Petergrinnedbroadly,thoroughlyenjoyingtheeavesdropping.HehadbeenappalledathowmuchabiggeneratorcostthoughColonelGreenea.s.suredhimthat.i.twasapittancewhencomparedtootheritemspurchasedforCanaveralandhecouldnotbelievethecontractfigureforhisshorttermservices.Nottomentionthebonusesforeverysuccessfullaunch.HehadbeenevenmoredelightedwhenRhyssasuggestedthattheCenterincreasethepensionthatwasbeingsenttohisparents.

Talentsweregenerallynotcontracteduntiltheywereatleasteighteenyearsold,b.u.t.thecirc.u.mstancesandhisunusualabilityhadbeenconstrueda.s.sufficienttomakeanexceptionabriefexception.

Vernon'sadvicetotheCenterhadbeenthatifthetechnologycost,itwasboundtobeconsideredmoreefficientthansomethinginthemediumrange.ThedifferencebetweenfactandfictionwentintotheCenter'sresearchfund.

Atthat,ithadtakensomefinaglingonAltenbach'sparttogettheCanaveralstafftoconsiderthe"newtechnology,"evenwiththeenthusiastica.s.sistanceofGeneralHallowayandColonelStraub.Peterhadnotbeenmentioned;thegeneratorshad,plussomeveryodd"instrumentation."Peter,infact,hadbeenhiddenbehindascreenwithRhyssawhenthe"newtechnology"hadhaditsfirsttest.HehadkineticallyflownadronefromCanaveraltoEglinFielddespitegaleforcewindsandaceilingof100meters.Hehadlandeditrightonthetargetpaintedontherunwaytoshowtheprecisionofthe"newtechnology."Hewasthenallowedtolaunchaloadeddroneintoorbit,whereitcouldberetrievedbyaPadrugoibasedcraft.Hisprecisionagainwasthedecidingfactor:somanydroneshadwanderedoffcoursethatthedroneprogramhadbeendrasticallycurtailed.

Twodayslaterapropershuttlelaunchwasgrudginglypermitted.Therewasnoforeseeablechangeintheterribleweatherpatterns,ands.h.i.+pmentshadfallenweeksbehinddelivery.Thatfirstmorning,Peterhadbeenatrifleanxious,andtheshuttlehadascendedatsuchanastonis.h.i.+ngratethatthecontrollershadthoughtthatamisfirehadoccurred,andtheyhadbeenabouttoabortthemission.Peter,withJohnnytelepathicallya.s.sistinghim,hadreducedthethrustandthemissionhadcontinued.Thepilotlaterwasheardtomentionthathisinstrumentationhadregisteredagforceof11forthefirstfewmomentshehadbeenscareds.h.i.+tlessthinkinghewouldnotevenbeabletoactivatetheescapepodcontrolonhisarmrest.

The"newtechnology"improvedinfinesseovertheensuinglaunches,andNASAbreathedacorporatesighofreliefthat.i.tcouldcompletealltheprogrammedsupplyrunstoPadrugoi.

RhyssaandJohnnywatchedtheexpressionontheboy'sraptfaceashefollowedthecurrentshuttle'sprogress.ThecontrollerhandedthemcoffeeastheywaitedthroughPeter'sabsorption.

"Okay,"theboysaidfinally,asthescreenshowedtheshuttlenearingitsdockingrendezvousandhehadrecoveredsufficiently."Thenewtechnologyisreadyforitsswim."Thoughstillabitweak,hemanagedaproperdescentfromhischair,raisinghisrighthandinacreditablewavetothecontrollerashemaneuveredthestepstothegroundexitoftheroom.

Ithadtakenfourlaunchesbeforethemissionlaunchcontrollerwascomfortablewith"newtechnology"andPeter'speculiarpartinitsschematics,buthehadcometoliketheyoungsterandhadgivenuptryingtofigureouthowhedidwhathedidwhateveritwas.

"Getyourslickeron,Pete,"Johnnysaid.

Peterhaddiscoveredthathecouldkineticallykeeprainfromsoakinghim,buthetriedtoresistthetemptationtoshowoffunnecessarily.

Dutifullyheflippedtheslickeroverhim.Exitingtheconcretebunker,theyallmadeadashfortheirwaitingaircar.

TwoweeksafterRhyssaandPeterwenttoFlorida,BorismadeoneofhisrarevisitstotheCentertoappriseSaschaofthefactthatundercoveragentsbelievedmorechildrenhadbeensold.TheagentshadnoticedalotoffloatersbeingspentinLinearsA,B,andC.SoCa.s.sandSuzweresentona.s.signmenttoLinearE.AsthetwowomenfrequentedalltheJerseyLinears,theywereknowntotheinhabitants.Ca.s.s'spregnancymadeherevenlesssuspicious,andshepretendedillhealthtoaccountforSuz'scompany.Sofartheyhadnothingtoreport,notevenarippleofexpectation.Whenevercontactpermitted,theystuckalocatingstrandinthehairofeachchildtheyencountered.

SimilarteamswerestrandingLinearchildrenthroughouttheJerhattanarea.Scanteamsworkedaroundtheclock,waitingforastrandtoshowupinanunlikelyarea.

BorismadeoneofhisrarevisitstotheCenter."Youknow,Bro,"hesaid,"we'vegotnothingbutstopgaptechniques.Plantingatelempathwon'tstopkidsbeingabducted."SaschawasinRhyssa'soffice,attendingtoroutineadministrationdetailsashetookabreakfromformulatingnewtestingprocedures.Boriswa.s.standingatthewindow,lookingoutonthepeacefulscenebelow.

"No,no,no,andno,Bro,"Saschasaidwithoutlookingupfromthemonitor.Hemadearapidmotionacrossthekeyboard,thenswiveledabouttogivehisbrotherahardstare."ThereisnowayinwhichI'llpermitTirlatobeusedasbait!"

"Butshe'sanatural,"Borissaid."SheknowshowtodecipherLinearrumorsthewaynootheroperativeavailabletouscan."

"YouthinkI,"Saschajabbedhischestwithhisfingers"wouldriskher?"

"Candidly,Idon'tthinkTirlawouldbeatrisk,"Boriswenton,beginningtopace."WecouldputherinwithCa.s.sandSuz,setherupwitheverytelltaleknowntotechnology.SheknowsLinears,shecanspeakanylingo,she'scleverascanstare,and""She'stwelveyearsoldandyou'renotusingherasbait,"Sascharoared,notbotheringtodampenhisoutrageandfury.

Borisregardedhimwithsurprise."Thatkidwasnevertwelve!Andwhat'sthematterwithusingtheoneadvantagewe'vefoundindealingwithLinearabductions?She'sgotauniqueTalent,anaturalcamouflage,andanabilityforthissortofthing.LookhowshemanagedinLinearG."

"LinearGwasaonceoff.I'mnotputtingheratrisklikethatagain."

"Shewasneveratrisk.Exceptmaybefromyou!"Borisglaredrightbackathisbrother."AndthiswasCa.s.s'sidea.Ithinkithaspotential.Onethingsure,Brounlesswecangetatthemastermindbehindthisdespicabletraffic,we'regoingtobelosingkids.KidswhomightwellbeTalented,too."

"Youstepupyoursearchandseizes,Boris.LeaveTirlaoutofyourcalculations.Thereareotherways,ethicalandtechnologicalways,tosolveLEOproblems."

"Sascha,ifIhadthepersonneltodoitthehardway,Iwould,"Borisreplied,hisfacereddeninginanefforttokeephistemperinthefaceofhistwin'sintransigence.

"UsesomeoftheLinearGkidsasbaitthen.They'dloveachancetogetoutofthehostel!"

Borisgavehisbrotheronelonglook."Youknow,that'snotabadidea.I'llcheck'emout."Withthathestrodeoutoftheroom.

Chapter14.

Despitethework,thoselastthreeweeksinFloridahadbeenalmostvacationtimeforRhyssa,JohnGreene,andPeter.LaunchingthirteenoftheeighteensupplyshuttlesoccupiedtwoorthreehoursofadayatthemostforPeter.

WhenJohnnyGreenestartedtoexplainthemechanicsoflift,trajectory,orbiting,andothersuchmatterspertainingtothejobathand,heandRhyssadiscoveredthattherewerewoefulgapsinPeter'seducation.Hehadnotevenhadbedsideschoolingduringhismonthsinthehospital.Soatelempathictutorwasimmediatelyhired.

AlanEtonquicklydiscoveredthatPeterhadtheusualboyishdisregardforgrammar,spelling,andsyntax,thoughhisvocabularyskillswere,intechnicalareas,beyondhisagegroup.Hismathematicswerewellintofirstyearuniversity,andhisunderstandingofcertainaspectsofphysicswascuriouslyadvanced.Withthecolonelas.h.i.+srolemodel,Peterwaseagertoprogressinthosesciences.Takingadvantageoftheboy'sadmiration,JohnGreenesuggestedthathehadbetterimprovehiscomputerandEnglishskills,aswell,evenifhewaskineticallysuperior.WhilePeterunderstoodsomechemicalandbiologicalconceptsparticularlythosethathadabearingonhisaccidenthehad,naturally,hadnolaboratoryexperience.Acourseofstudywasinitiatedandregularschoolhourskept,withAlanguidingPeterdeftlyintoindependentstudyofwhatevertheboywantedtolearnwhilefillinginthemoreobviouslacks.Auniversitydegree,bachelororadvanced,wasnotatissueforPeterReidinger:hiscareerwaswellunderway,butifhewastodeveloptohisfullpotential,itwasessentialforhimtohaveanoverallunderstandingofmanydisciplines.

Occasionally,ashestruggledthroughhislessons,hewonderedhowTirlawasdoingandwhatsortoftrainingSaschawasflushofpleasureatthenews."Howdoyouknow?Youcan't'hear'himifIcan't."

"Isawhimgetoutofthecar.He'scomingaroundthroughthehouse."

ThegleaminJohnny'seyeswasintolerabletoher.

"We'rejustworkingfriends,"shesaid,andheardamentalhaha.fromJohnnyasDaveLehardtstrodeintothepoolroom.Johnny.chuckledagainasDave'sglancerestedonherjustthatmomentlongerbeforehegreetedtheothers.

"Hithere,Skeleteam,"DavecalledtoPeter,whohadanarmloopedaroundthepoolstairrail."Needahandout?"

"Ithinkyou'dbetter,Pete,"Rhyssasaid."Yourlipsareblue,andyourskin'swrinkled.Hi,Dave."

Johnny,onatightband:You'dmakeagoodteam,youknow.Hisbeautyandyourintelligence!.

RhyssaprojectedanimageofherselfchasingJohnnywithanoutsizedhunkofwoodwiththewords"bluntinstrument"carvedonit.

Johnny:Doroteathinksso,too.

Rhyssa:Youguysletmedomyownthinking.

Johnny:Davewill,becausehecan'thearyou.Andthat'sabouttheonlydrawback.Hel.u.s.tsafteryou,youknow.

"Reallyimpressivelaunchtoday,Pete,"Davewenton,haulingtheboyoutofthepoolbyonearmanddeftlycoveringhimwithahugetowel.

"Hegetsbettereverytime,"Johnnysaid,latchingontoaspareloungerwithhisartificialfootandhaulingitclosertowhereheandRhyssaweresitting.

Rhyssa:Youwatchyourself;JohnGreene.I'vemyownminder,sherecalledwithamus.e.m.e.ntPeter'shandytreatmentoftheannoyingPrincePhanibal,andI'lltellhimtodunkyouifyoumisbehave.

Johnnysentheranimageofwideeyedinnocence.Me?Stepoutoflineespeciallyifyouthreatentoshortcircuitmycyberneticlimbsinalousypool?D'youknowwhatsalt.w.a.terdoestomyspareparts?Heimagedaviolentshudderthatsentbitsandpiecesspinningoffhisartificialarmandleg.

"Actually,thelastthreeshootshavebeenwithinajogofthesamepowersettings,"Rhyssasaidtothenewarrival.

DaveLehardtperiscopedhisleanlengthtoseathimselfonaloungerandgrinnedatRhyssa.Wa.s.sheimaginingthathiseyeswerewarmerwhenhelookedather?d.a.m.nhimfornothavingaTalent!d.a.m.nhimforhavingsuchanaturallydens.e.m.e.ntals.h.i.+eld!Shehadnorealclueexceptinblueeyesshewantedtodrownintogoon.Nowondertheuntalentedregularlybungledrelations.h.i.+ps.Andyet...

"NASAisdelightedwiththeeffectivenessofitsnewguidance-andtrackingsystem,"Davewa.s.saying,lookingwellpleased,"andthey'requitehappytoleaveitinthe'needtoknow'category.

MorequeriesfromPadrugoi,requestingdetailsofthistopsecretGandTasapossibleadjuncttotheirsystems."

"And?"Johnnyqueried,flippingoveronthesunbed,eyesnarrowedtoslitsandhisbodyrelaxinginthewarmth.

"GeneralHallowayhemsandhawswiththebestofthemaboutatrialmodel,withaformidabletestscheduleaheadofit,bynomeansatotallyprovensystem..."

"Iamtooaprovensystem,"Petersaid,lookingdisgruntledashefloatedover,aneerielookingmaneuversincehisfeetwereinvisibleundertheswathingoftowelthathewastryingtokeepoutofthepuddlesaroundthepool.Histeethchattered.

"Ohhere,"Rhyssasaid,makingroomforhimonthesunbed.ShewouldhavefallenoffifDavehadnotquicklypreventeditwithhandsandknees.Shefeltwarmwherehetouchedher,awarmththatwasnothinggeneratedbyasunbed.ThenshesettledPeterbesideher,adjustinghislimbs."You'reuptofifteenminutes'sunningtoday,aren'tyou?"

"Tellyouonething,"Davewenton,stillsupportingRhyssa'sbody.

"I'mgoingtohavetochangethenicknameSkeleteam.Youdon'tlooksomuchlikeoneanymore."

"AllthisgoodwholesomeFloridasuns.h.i.+ne,"Petersaid,grinningatDave.HehadfinallygottenoverhisjealousyofthePRman:itwasdifficulttobejealousof.a.guyhelikedsomuch,whocouldthinkupneattreatsandfoundthebestplacestoeat.JohnnyoftenarguedtoRhyssawhenDavewasnotaroundthatthemanhadtohaveTalentb.u.t.that.i.tsimplywasn'tmeasurable.Thenhediscussedthingsliketraumaticbreakthroughsandpsychologicalreluctances,andRhyssarepliedthatsometimesitwasnicetoknowsomeonewhocouldalwayssurpriseyou.

"Ifyouseeanyofthatwholesomesuns.h.i.+ne,letmeknow,huh?"Daveremarked,referringtothefactthattherainhadliftedonlybrieflyinthepastthreeweeks."WhenareyouguysgoingtodevelopareliableWeatherTalent?"