The Wings Of Pegasus - LightNovelsOnl.com
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Doroteatwistedherheadbackwardsoverhershoulderandburbledmoistlyathermother.
"Loveatfirstbite,"Lajossaidinamutterofmocksurliness.
"There'saconspiracyoffemalesagainstthispoorlonemale."
Doroteaimpartiallygurgledathim,hereyesbrightandwideandhappy.
"Youneverhaditsogood,"saidRuth.
AndLajosprivatelyadmittedthetruthofthat.Ruthwa.s.soenthralledwithherdaughter,theirapartmenthadanoticeableatmosphereofbenevolence.Hewasmorerelaxedthanever,anddespiteanincreaseinIncidents,extendingbeyondhisusualaffinity,hesufferedlessfromthedepressionsandexhaustionsthatweretheinevitablepostlude.
ThedayDorotea'sTalentblossomed,DaffydopOwenwasreviewingtherecordsobtainedovertlyandcovertlyfromtheHorvathapartment.He'dhadLesterWelch,hiselectronicchief,rigaburiedwebinRuth'smattress,incasethebabyinstinctivelycontactedhermotherfirst.
However,LesterhadpointedouttheslightvariationinRuth'sreadings.Itwasmoreasiftheneedlehadsnaggeditselfonanimperfectioninthegraphpaper.Therewasnosuchvariationonthebaby'srecordings.WelchhadbeenabouttodiscredittheoccurrencesuntilhecheckedthemagainstLajos'sanddiscoveredthattheminutevariationsinRuth'schartalwaysoccurredexactlyattheonsetofLajos'Incidents.
"Shemightwellbealatent'receiver,'"opOwensaidtoWelch,"onlynowbeginningtodevelopfromcontinuedproximitytoherhusbandandtheadventofthechild.Ican'tpresentanotherexplanation."
"That'dbenice,Dave.Ruth'sagoodlittleperson:cheerful,intelligentandcrazyforherhusbandandchild.Justthesortofwell-balanced,understandingparenttohavefora..."
LesterwasabruptlystaringatopOwen'sretreatingback.Themanhadleapedtohisfeetandraceddownthehalltotherecordingroom.
LesterWelchwasnotTalented,althoughhiselectronicengineeringwasoftensheerinventivegenius,butopOwendidn'treactlikethatwithoutgoodcause.WhenWelchreachedthedoorway,hesawthatCharlieMoorfield,thedayengineer,washunchedovertheconsole,unconscious,butopOwen'sattentionwasforagraph.
"TakeacloselookatDorotea'sgraph,"opOwensaid,grinningfittopophisjaw,andthenhepa.s.sedhisa.s.sociateonhiswayout.
CommonsensetoldopOwenthat,despitetheurgencyofthesummons,therecouldbenodangerthreateningthebaby.Yethecouldnotdisregardthatcall.Whatcouldhavehappened,hewonderedasherandownthefrontsteps.Suddenlyhenoticedthatthereseemedtobeama.s.s.e.xodusfromallpartsofthebuilding.Andeveryonewasheadedinthesamedirection.Asabruptlyasthecallhadbeenissued,itceased.Peoplesloweddown,stopped,lookedaround,grinningfoolishly.
"Whatwasthat?"
"Whocalled?"
"Wothoppened?"
"It'sallright,"opOwenfoundhimselfrea.s.suringthem."Anewtechniqueimproperlys.h.i.+elded,"hesaidtothetelepaths.AndgrinnedathisowndissemblingashecontinuedtowardstheHorvaths'apartment.
Iherewasacrowdinthehallbeforetheirapartment.OpOwenpolitelypushedhiswaythroughthedisturbedresidents.Doroteaherbabyfacestilltearstreaked,washeldhighinhermother'sarms,cooingandchortlingatthesmilingfacesaroundher.OpOwen'sarrivalsignaledthecrowd'sdiscreetdispersalandshortly,hewasalonewiththemortifiedmother.
"I'msoembarra.s.sed,sir,"Ruthsaid,jigglingherbabya.s.shewalkednervouslyupanddownherlivingroom."Ifellasleepwiththetaperecorderblaringaway.AndIjust...didn'thearDoroteawakeup...
I'veneverdonesuchathingbeforeandwe'veneverpermittedhertocrylong..."
"NooneisremotelysuggestingthatyoumistreatDorotea."OpOwensmiledasthebabyflirteddelightfullywithhim."Infactalittlehonestfrustrationisveryuseful.ItcertainlyplacedherTalent."
"Ooooooooh,"andRuthcollapsedonthesofa,staringwideeyedatDaffydopOwena.s.sheabsorbedtheimplication,whichshehadbeentoopreoccupiedwithcalmingDoroteatosee.
"Shebroadcastaveryloudsignal.Ishouldn'tbeatallsurprisedifeveryTalentinthecityheardher."
NosoonerwerethewordsoutofhismouththanLajoschargedthroughthedoor.
"Whathappenedtoher?Howdidshegethurt?Myheadissplitting!"
Lajoss.n.a.t.c.hedDoroteafromhermother'slaptoexamineherfirsthand.
Shebegantowhimper,catchinghisanxiety.
"Onlyherfeelingswerehurt,"Ruthreplied,suddenlyverycalm.OpOwennoticedthatwithapproval:shewasdampeningherowndistresstosoothetheothers."I'dfallenasleepwiththetaperecorderblastingawayandjustdidn'thearherwhenshewokeuphungryandalldamp."
Shetookherdaughterback,rockingheruntilthebabybegantobeamagain."Shewashurtbecauseshefeltshewasbeingignored,isn'tthatright,sweetie?"
"Well,goodG.o.d!"Lajossankontothecouch,moppinghisforehead."1neverheardanythinglikeitbefore.Sir,"andheturnedtoopOwen,"look,thiscan't...Imean,canthissortofthinghappeneverytimemydaughter'supset?"
"Oh,I'msureshe'slikelytoprotestmanya.s.sumedindignities,Lajos.
Babieshavetosuffersomefrustrationstogrow.We'lljustmoveyoualltoas.h.i.+eldedapartmentanddampendownthatlovelyloudyoungvoice."
"You'renotsurprisedaboutDoroteaatall,"Ruthsaid,regardingopOwenwithround,suspiciouseyes."Sothat'swhyeveryonewa.s.soexcitedaboutherinthenursery."
"Well,yes,"theDirectoragreedslowly."ShewasheardbytheTPnurseatbirth."
"But.i.thoughtpsionicTalentsdon'tusuallyshowupuntiladolescence..."
"ConsciousTalent,"opOwensaid,correctingher.
Ruthlookeddownatthedroolingbabyinherarms.Astrainedlookcrossedherprettyface."ButIwantDoroteatohaveanormal,happychildhood!"
"Andshewon'tbecauseshe'sTalented?Isthat.i.t,mydear?"OpOwenknew,sadly,thathisinstinctaboutnottellingRuthatoncehadbeenalltoowellfounded."Exceptforthisability,whichmightaswellbedrawingfreehand,sheisanormal,healthychild,totallyunawarethatsheisinanywayremarkable..."
"ButIknowyou'llwanttotesther,andallthat,withstimuli..."
Ruth'sdistresswa.s.soacutethatshecouldn'tgoon.
"Ruth!"Lajosbenttocomforther,surprisedbyherreaction.Sheclutchedherdaughtertightlytoher.
"MydearRuth!"opOwensaidgently,"testingandstimuliareforpeoplewhocometousaftertheyhavesubvertedandsuppressedtheirTalents.WeknowwhatDoroteaisalready,averystrongtelepath.Andwe'vebeen'testing'her,asyoucallit,already.
Asforstimuli,Ia.s.sureyou,"andtherewasnothingforcedinopOwen'schuckle,"she'sapplyingtheonlystimuli...tous."
Lajoslaughed,brus.h.i.+nghishairbackfromhisforeheadasherememberedhisfrantichomewardflight.Beneathhisarm,hecouldfeelRuthrelaxing.Aslightsmiletouchedherlips.
"Doroteawillhaveanunusualopportunity,mydear.OnedeniedyouandLajos,andmyself,andsomanyotherpotentialTalents.ShehasthechancetogrowupinherTalent,learningtouseitasnaturallya.s.shelearnstowalkandtalk.Wewillallhelphertounderstandit...asmuchaswedoourselves,"headdedwithawrysmile."Tobecandid,Ruth,weareinmuchthesamepositionasyourdaughter.Wearealllearningtoactinapubliclyacceptablefas.h.i.+onwiththisnewfacetofhumanevolution.PsionicTalentsareintheirinfancy,too,youknow.
"Youmightevenextendthea.n.a.logyalittletoincludetheAndresBill,whichwehopewillaffordallTalentsprofessionalstatusandlegalprotection.We,ineffect,mustprovetothepublic,ourparentbody,ifyouwish,thatwearenot'bad,''naughty'or'capricious'children.Doroteahasalreadycontributedsomethingtothatend,"andopOwencaughthimselfbeforeheexplainedhisownrevelation.
"Doroteaneedsloveandrea.s.surance,disciplineandunderstanding.
She'llpickthatupfromyou,Ruth,withyourwarmthandsweetness.Iwanther,possiblymorethanyoudo,tohaveanormal,happychildhoodsothatshewillbeanormal,happyadult."
Herose,smilingatthebaby'sinfectiousgaiety.
"See,sheknowshowpleasedwearewithherrightnow,thelittlerascal."
OpOwenleft,a.s.suringthemnewquarterswithintheweek.Ruthwa.s.soquietandthoughtfulthatLajosremainedhometherestoftheday.HefoundtherevelationofDorotea'sTalentasmuchashockasRuthapparentlydid.However,bymorning,hewasconsumedwithapaternalprideand,inthesucceedingdays,discoveredanoverweeningtendencytomaunderonabouthisdaughter'sprowess.Bythetimetheymovedtothelarger,s.h.i.+eldedapartment,hewasaccustomedtothenotionand,sinceDoroteamadenomorefranticsummonses,succeededinignoringit.UntilhenoticedthegradualchangeinRuth.Atfirst,itwasnomorethanasuddenfrown,quicklyerased,oranervouslooktowardsthebaby'sroomifshesleptlongertha.n.u.sual.ThenhecaughtRuthlookingatherchildwiththatwaryexpressionhehadonceprivatelycalled'thefreakLook,'whichuntalentedpeopleoccasionallydirectedathimwhentheydiscoveredhisaffiliationwiththeCenter.
"You'vegottostopthat,honey,"heblurtedout."You'vegottokeepthinking...strongly...thatDoroteaisjustlikeotherkids.Oryou'llprejudiceher.Whichistheonethingwehavetoavoid."RuthvehementlydeniedtheaccusationbutsheturnedsowhitearoundthelipsthatLajosgatheredherquicklyintohisarms.
"Ah,sweetie,shehasn'tchangedjustbecausewe'vefoundoutshe'sTalented.Butsheisperceptiveandshecansenseyourfeelingstowardsher.Youstartsuppressingthat'freakfeeling'rightnow.Youthinkpositivelythatshe'sourbeautifulbabygirl,sweetandloving,kindandthoughtful.She'llhavethatopinionofherselfanditwon'tmatterthatshe'sastrongTPaswell.She'llmerelyconsiderthatpartofthewholebit.It'swhenshesensescriticismandrestraintandhypocrisythatwe'llbeintrouble.Ihadtogetusedtoit,too,Ruthie.Say,"andhetiltedherchinupandgrinneddownatherrea.s.suringly,"whydon'twegetalittlehelpfromopOwen?Talkthisoverwithhim.Hecanputablockonifyouneedone."
Theverysuggestionthatshecouldn'tloveandunderstandherownchildmadeRuthindignant.She'dhadyearsofparenttraining.Sheunderstoodeveryphaseofearlychildhooddevelopment.SheadoredDoroteaandshecertainlywouldn'tdoathingthatmightjeopardizeherdaughter'shappiness.Theybothfeltbetteraftersuchacandiddiscussionandtheproblemwa.s.shelved.
"Sir,IthoughtyououghttoseetheHorvathcharts,"LesterWelchtoldopOwen."AvariationkeepsappearinginRuthHorvath's.See?"AndWelchunrolledthepaper,pointinghereandtheretothealmostimperceptiblealterationinRuth'snormalpattern."See,hereandhere,it'sacoupleofmicrosecondslongerandbroader.Itbeginstobroadenminutelyuntilithitsthisframewhichhasremainedconstant.
Now,comparehertimesequencetoLajos's...andrememberwe'repickingupherpatternanywhereinthenewapartmentjustaswepickuphisfromtheoffice."
OpOwensawthecorrelationimmediately.
"He'sfinishednoprecoginsixweeks?"
WelchcontentedhimselfwithanodasopOwenstudiedthegraphs.
"IfIdidn'tthinkitwasimpossible,I'dsayRuthwa.s.suppressinghim.
Buthow?"
"Don'tyoumeanwhy?"
"That,too,ofcourse,but'how'isthebiggerquestion."
"Ifyoumeanthetypeofpattern,Dave,Ican'tgiveyouthat.Thereisn'tenoughtoidentifyitasaknownvariation."
"Thatwasn'texactlywhatImeant,althoughIwouldlikeamagnificationofthistostudy.Canyouputonamoresensitivegauge,orafasterneedle,tolengthenthestroke?"
"Hmmm."Welchconsideredthesuggestion."I'llrigupsomething,Iguess."
OpOwenchuckled."Oneofthecomfortingthingsaboutyou,Les,isyourunfailingrisetothechallenge.Idon'tbelieveyouknowwhatfailureis."
Welchregardedhissuperiorwithsomesurprise."Failureisaninabilitytoconsiderwhatisnotpresentlyknown.LikeRuthHorvath'svariation?"Thenheadded,"OrSenatorZeusman'sstrategy?"
OpOwendismissedthatwithawaveofhishandandcontinuedtoscantheHorvaths'readings."Dorotea'sfirstIncidentrockedhim,didn't.i.t?"
"Yes,itshowsupinhissleeppatternasunusualrestlessnessthefirstnights,butsee,he'scalmingdownbythethird."
"It'sfromthatdatethathisprecogsbegintodwindle."
"ByG.o.d,you'reright.Ithoughthe'dbetoostableforadeviationlikethat."
"Yes,he'sbeentooconsistentaprecog.IthinkI'llcallhiminanddropafewleadingquestionstoseewhatreactionIget."OpOweninitiatedthecallthenandthere.
"There'snothingwrongwithDorotea,isthere,sir?"Lajosaskeda.s.soonasheenteredtheoffice.
"Goodheavens,no,"DaffydopOwensaid,gesturingLajostoachair.
"It'saboutmydropinIncidents,then,isn't.i.t?"
OpOweneyedhisyoungcolleagueforamoment,savoringtheperipheralemotionsthemanwasgenerating.IttooknoTalenttorecognizethedefensivenervousnessinLajos'satt.i.tude.
"Notexactly.Therearealwaysperiodsofrestforprecogs,causedbyanynumberofvalidreasons,includingtheabsenceoffires.However,yourgraphsshowanonsetofIncidents,brokenoffjustastheybegin."
"Onceortwiceintheoffice,I'vefeltasifsomethingwaspreventingme..."
"Preventingyou...?"OpOwenpromptedLajosgentlyashehadbrokenoff,startledbyhisownphrasing.
"Yes,sir,"Lajoswentonslowly,"it'sasifsomething'spreventingmefrompreviewing.Sortoflike...glancingintoastrangeroomandhavingthedoorslammedinyourface."
"Aptlyput.Couldyousuggestwhy...orperhapswhat...ispreventingyou?"
"Youthinkit'sapsychologicalsuppression,don'tyou?"
"That'smyfirstthought."
IndignationanddisbeliefwereLajos'sinstantreactions.
"WhywouldIwanttosuppresssuddenly?"
"Somethingyouyourselfdon'twanttosee.PrecogisnottheeasiestofTalents,Lajos,"opOwenreplied."Oftentheprecogimposes.h.i.+sownblock,asarelieffromthepsychologicalpressures."
"Ifyouthinkthere'sachancethatI'mdevelopingtheCa.s.sandracomplex..."Lajoswasheatedlyprovokednow.
"No,thatfollowsanentirelydifferentpattern."
"Dorotea'spreventingme?"
"Ifthisoccurredonlyinyourhomeenvironment,we'dhavetoseriouslyconsiderthepossibility.But.i.t'simprobableforavarietyofreasons:theprimeonebeingthatherroomiss.h.i.+eldedtoprotectherfromovertonesofyourprecogsasmuchastoprotectusfromherblatantcalls."
"Ruth?"Lajos'shushedquestionhadthepowerofashout."SheisTalentedafterall.Butwhysuppressme?Shelovesme.Iknowshedoes.She'salwayshelpedwithIncidents.Itmadeherfeelapart..."LajosstaredatopOwen.Thenshookhishead,violentlydisagreeingwiththenaturalconclusion."No!Idon'tseewhysuppressingmewould...doheranygood."
"Ha.s.somethingelseupsether?ThesuppressionstartsnotlongafterDorotea'sfirstIncident."
Lajoscoveredhiseyes,groaningdeeply.Hecollectedhimselfalmostimmediatelyand,lookingupatopOwen,recountedRuth'scuriousuncertaintyaboutDorotea.
"Yes,Iseenowwhathaspossiblyhappened.She'smadeyouherwhippingboy."
"Nowwaitaminute,sir.Ruth'snotpettyorvindictive."
"I'mnotforamomentimplyingthatsheis,Lajos.Letusbothtrytoseeherconflicts.She'shadtomakesomanyadjustments.Shehadsuchhopeswhensheenteredthetrainingprogram.rememberhercheerfulnessandvivacitysowell.Itwasdifficulttohavetodisillusionher.Youtwomarriedandshehas.e.xhibitedskillina.s.sistingyou.Buteventhemostgeneroussoulexperiencestwingesofenvy.Shelookedforwardtomaternityasanoutletforhernaturalinclinationandthea.s.suagementofherfailures.
SuddenlyshefindsherselfwiththeextraordinarydaughterwhomakeseventheDirectoroftheCenterjumpatherwhim."LajosweaklyreturnedopOwen'ssmile."Ithoughtatthetimeshewasverymuchdistressedatthethoughtofrelinquis.h.i.+nganyofDorotea'scaretoourimpersonaltoils.Idon'tbelieveweentirelyrelievedherfearthattheCenterwillusurpherroleinherdaughter'supbringing.Canyouseewhyshemaybeindirectlypunis.h.i.+ngyouforcirc.u.mstancesthatthreatenherhappiness?"
"Yes,Ican."Lajos'sadmissionwasdejected.