The Wings Of Pegasus Part 16

OpOwenwincedatGillings'sphraseology.

"Unfortunatelyonlytimewilltell.WedohaveBillJones,MaggieO'scousin,andhe'llbeafirstrateprecog.SallyIselinattheTestingClinichasupwardsoffiftyapplicantsaday."Hesighed."Mostarewishfulthinkers,I'mafraid,butoccasionallyaliveonedoescomein.

Youcan'tmakepeoplegetTalenttested."

"Whatweneed,"theLEOCommissionersaidinadeadlyvoice,"isenforcedtesting."

"Ofninemillionpeople?"askedPennstrak,goodhumoredlyaghast.

Gillingsgrunted."Themaverickscostusmore'Pennstrakagreedtothat.

"Betterstill,earlytestingwouldbeatremendoushelp,"DaffydopOwensaid."Oursensitivesinthematernitywardsdocatchtheoccasionalstrongoneatbirth.Butwelackadequatefacilitiesandmoreimportant,thepersonnel.IttakesaspecialkindofTalent,initself,tospotembryoTalents.SallyIselinisacutelysensitiveinthisareaandIthankProvidenceforherpresenceintheClinic.She'sneverbeenwronginhera.s.sessments.Butshe'stheonlyoneEasternhasandshe'soverworkedasitis."

Daffydsmiledanddecidedagainstwhathe'dbeenabouttoconfide.ThedourfaceofLesterWelchleeredathim:ForChrist'ssake,Dave,don'ttelleverybodyeverythingyouknow.Theydon'talwayswanttohearit.

Forinstance,DaffyddoubtedthatFrankGillingswouldtakekindlytothenotionthatSallyIselin'schiefa.s.sistantatthemomentwasthetwoyearoldDoroteaHorvath,theextraordinarilyTalenteddaughteroftwoofhispeople.DoroteacameeverymorningandafternoontotheClinic,to"play"intheroomfullofapplicants.She'dinstinctivelyapproachanyonewiththeleastvestigeofTalentsothatSallycouldgivethedeepertesting.Theotherscouldbedismissedaftertheroutineexaminations,nonethewiserforthepreselection.Doroteawasblissfullyunawareofwhatshecoulddoshesimplydidit.

"Talentissometimeslatent,"DaffydtoldGillings,"asitwasinSolangeBoshe,springingintomaturityunderpressure.ButdifferentmindsreacttodifferentstimuliandthepowerfulTalent,sucha.s.solange's,toanothersetentirely.Talentca.n.a.lsobeconsciouslyorsubconsciouslysuppressedsinceanyTalentsinglesoneoutfortheunwelcomeattentionsofthelessgifted.WedotrytoalleviatethatenvywithourpublicinformationbroadcastsonwhatTalentdoestorelieve..."

Gillingscuthimoffwithabrusquewaveofhishand.Asmuch,DaffydopOwenthoughtwryly,becauseGillingswasalatentwhohadnowishtobetrainedorremindedofthisdefection.

"Sorryforthelecture,"opOwensaidwithanapologeticgrin,"butyoumustrealizethatwearelimitedinwhatwecandoevenwithalltheTalentatourdisposal.NorcanweforeseethestraymaturingofTalent.YourLEOoperatives,Frank,havealltheinformationwe'vecollatedonhowtospotthelatentorunconsciousTalent.Whatmorecanwedo?"

"GetyourSenatorfriendtowritearideronthatImmunityLaw,"saidGillingsinagrowl,"that.i.t'sillegaltobeTalentedandconcealit."

DaffydreturnedGillings'shalfguiltyglarewithawideeyedlookofsurprise.Gillings'sperceptionwasnotdull:heknewwhatwasbehindopOwen'sgrinandhescowledfiercelyathim.

"I'llsuggest.i.ttoJoelAndreswhennextwemeet,"opOwensaidpolitely."It'sapointwelltaken."

"Howinh.e.l.lcouldyouimplementsuchastatuteundertheconditionsyou'vejustcited,Daffyd?"demandedPennstrakwithunderstandabledisgust."Nofacilities,notenoughTalent.Besides,latentswouldn'tknowandthereforewouldn'tregister,andaTalentwhoknewofhisabilitycouldclaimhedidn't."

"Well,it'dbeahelptome,"Gillingssaid,stillinagrowlingmood.

YetheglancedatopOwenwithlesscholer.Obviouslythetelepathhadn'tmentionedGillings'slatentabilitiestotheCityManager.Themanknewwhentokeephismouthshut."Icouldshutupsuspectsandkeepthemfromrunningamoklikethatgypsygirl."

OpOwen'ssmilefaded.

"Youcan'tsuppressorcontainTalent,Frank.That'dputexactlythesortofpressureonthemwe'dwantatallcoststoavoid.There'ssomuchwedon'tknowabouttheparapsychic,somuch."

"Likewhatforinstance?"askedtheLEOCommissioner,steelinghimselfforunwelcomeinformation.

OpOwenspreadhishandswide."Ican'ttellyou.I'mnotaprecog."

Towhichheaddedadevoutandsilent"Amen!"

Gillingsunloosedanothergrunt."Now,onthatscore,haveyourTalentscomeupwithanythingonthisethnicemploymentallocationnonsense?Youguysare,Isincerelytrust,panethnic?"

"Demonstrably."GillingsgavehimalonglookasifhesuspectedopOwenoffacetiousness.JulianPennstrakclearedhisthroathastily.

"That'sonelessheadacheatanyrate,"theLEOmanwenton"butyourprecogshaven'thadanyIncidentsbeyondthisnebulouswarning?"HetappedtheIncidentreadingswhichhadbeensenttohisofficethepreviousday.

Daffydshookhishead."Theprecognitivefacultyisthemosterraticbutgenerallyspeaking,thelargerthenumberofpeopleinvolved,thegreaterthepossibilityofdetailedIncidents.Or,conversely,thesevererthechangetoaprominentpersonoralinkedoremotionala.s.sociation,themorelikelihoodofadefinitiveIncident.

"Theoldtealeafandcardreadersattemptedtotellthefuture,anyone'sfuture:andwhileIsupposetheycouldgeneralizefortheaveragesoulwellenough,thebestofthemwereonlyaccuratewhenpredictingthefutureofliveswhichaffectedalargesectionofgeneralmankind.Someprecogsoperateonlyonadirectconfrontationwithapersonality,whichiswhywekeepkeypersonnelfolderswiththosesensitives.Butyoucan'tactuallyprovokeaprecog.

"IntheinstanceofMaggieO:shewasafluketobeginwith,anisolatedcase,unintegratedinanygrouporwithanyaffiliationthatwouldcauseoneofourprecogsto'read'forher.Thatis,untilcirc.u.mstancesputherinapositiontocrossGilGracie'slifelineThenwehadareadingonhim,butonlybecausetheprecogwastunedtoGil.

"Thereare,asIkeepsayingadnauseamIknow,alotofparapsychicmanifestationsaboutwhichweknownothing.EverytimeIbelieveIunderstandonecombinationorfacet,exceptionstothatcomprehensionappeartoconfoundme.

"HenryDarrowsaidthathavinganyTalentislikeridingawingedhorse,yougetamagnificentviewbutyoucan'talwaysdismountwhenyouwantto."

GillingshadwaitedpatientlythroughopOwen'speroration;nowherattledtheurgentlytaggedtapesonhisdesk.PennstrakregardedtheDirectorwithnewinsight.

"I'dalwaysthoughtthatPegasuswasthesymbolofpoetry...flightsofverbalfantasy.ButImustsay,Ilikeyournotion,Dave.Awingedhorseisanappropriatemountforyoupeople.NotthatI'dhavethecouragetohoponitsback."

"Ifyoutwowoulddeigntoconsiderthemundaneproblemsoftheearthbound,"Gillingssaidinanacidtoneofvoice,"justhowinh.e.l.larewegoingtofindjobsforalltheseeagermudgrubbers?"

OnamorningsometwomonthslaterwhenDaffydopOwenreachedhisoffice,therewasamessageonhisdesktocallSallyIselina.s.soonashehadamoment.Toasemanticallysensitivepersonality,thephrasingwasprovocative,addedtothefactthatSallyIselinwasinchargeofrecruittesting.Daffydpunchedhercallnumbersa.s.soonashereadthenote,disregardingotherredandwhiteflaggedtapesandmessages.Ifonlyonepsilatentwasuncoveredinamonthofpublicinformationbroadcasts,theprogramwouldbeworthitscost.

"Daffydhere,Sally.Yourangme?"

"Oh,Daffyd!"Shesoundedsurprisedandatingeembarra.s.sed."I'mnotreallycertainifIshouldbotheryou..."

'Mygreatgrandmotherusedtosay,'Ifit's...o...b..ful,it'sdirty."

""I'mnottalkingaboutashirt,Daffyd,"andSally'susuallevitywasmissing."I'mtalkingaboutpeople."

"Whichpeople?"Itwaslikepullingscrewsfromwood:intriguinglyunSallyish.

"Well,Daffyd,I'dhatetoprejudiceyou.But...well,wouldyoutakemeouttonight?There'saplaceIwantyoutofeel.Ican'tfigureoutwhat.i.tismyselfandIknowsomethinghappened."

"Curiouserandcuriouser.You'vehookedme..."

"Oh,d.a.m.n.Idon'twanttohookyou.I'vegoneanddonewhatIshouldn'ttaoughta."

Daffydlaughed."Sally,allyou'vedoneisarousemyveryconsiderable,insatiablecuriosity."

"Allright,elephant'schild.Pickmeupatnine;you'llneedthecopterandmoney."Hervoicedarkenedwithbalefulimplicationsofwildspendinganddebauchery,b.u.t.therewasaripplingundercurrentoflaughterwhichtoldDaffydthatSallywasherself.a.gain.

"WithasmanybundlesasLesterwillallowme.Atnine!"

Hedepressedthecomsetb.u.t.tonjustasthedooropenedtoadmitLesterWelch.

"What'sonIselin'sallegedmind?"

"Ican't'pathoveraphone,"Daffydreplied,deliberatelymisinterpretingLester.

Themansworeandglaredsourlyathisboss."Allright,soyouwon'ttalkeither.MaybeI'venoTalentbutIdon'tneedittoknowsomething'sgotSallyexcited.She'ssocarefultosoundcalm."

Daffydshruggedhisshouldersandreachedfortheintapes."SoonasIknow,youwill.Anythingelsebotheringyouthisfinemorning?AndSallysaysIneedbundlestonight."

Lestereyedhiminsurpriseforamomentandthensnorted.HepointedtothefinancecodedbluetapeamongtheurgentflagsDaffydwasfingering.

"SomelocalyokelfromEast.w.a.terlessFordupstatewantstotaxtheCenter'sresidentialaccommodations,sameasanyotherapartmentblock.

Claimstherevenueonsuch'highincomeresidents'wouldreducethestate'sdeficitby9%."

Daffydwhistledappreciatively."He'sprobablyrightbutforthefactthatthisisaregisteredrestrictedcommuneandthosehigh-incomeresidentsturneverycreditoftheirsalariesovertotheCenter."

"Listen,Dave,he'sbuildingaprettygoodcase."

OpOwensighed.TherewasalwayssomethingorsomeoneorsomecommitteepickingawayattheCenter,tryingtodisrupt,destroyordiscredit.i.tdespiteallthecarefulpublicity.

"TheydidthesamethinginNewJersey,youknow,whenthePrincetonUniversityComplexputupthoseacademicianvillagestocounteractthehighpriceofrealestateandtaxes,"Lesterremindedhimsourly.

"I'lllisten,I'lllisten.Now,goaway,Les."DaffydinsertedWelch'stapeintheconsole.

Lestergrowledsomethingunderhisbreathasheleft.AndDaffydopOwenlistened.Hedidn'tlikewhatheheardb.u.t.theStateSenatorhadcertainlydonesomeofhishomework.RevenuesfromtheCenter'sresidentialbuildingswouldindeedbeatidypileintheState'schronicallyanemicTreasury.OnlytheCenterwasinJerhattanproperbyamileandahalf,andthereforeitsrevenuesweretheCity's,ifanyone's.

"GetmeJulianPennstrak,please,"Daffydaskedhissecretary.

TheCityManagermightbeofsomea.s.sistancehere.Certainlyhe'dbeinterestedinwhatthisupstatecharacter,AaronGreenfield(amIalwaystobe"fielded,"Daffydwonderedwryly,rememberinghisbattlewiththeUSSenatorMansfieldZeusman)isproposing.IfJuliandidn'talreadyknow.NotmuchslippedpastPennstrak'saffableeagleeye.

Pennstrakwasn'tavailablebuthissecretarytactfullyputDaffydthroughtoPatTawfik,Pennstrak'sspeechwriterwhowas,inactualfact,hisTalentguard.

"Yes,Dave,Julian'sbeenkeepinganeyeonGreenfield'sproposal,"Pattoldhim."Infact,Julianhadhiminhereforalongcozychatwhenwefirstgotwindofthescheme.Greenfield'slikeZeusman:suspiciousandscaredofussupermen."

"Juliantoldhimthattheresidentialbuildingsarecommunal...?"

"YesandJulianshowedhimthefigurestheCenterfileseveryyear,pl.u.s.theauditors'reports.Cutnoice!Infact,ifanything,"andPatgrimaced,"itonlyconfirmedGreenfield'snotionthattheCenterisarichsourceofadditionalincome."

"TheCenterisalsoinJerhattanproper."

"JulianmadethatpointbutGreenfield'soneofthoseallocationgoons:allforoneandoneforall...allmoniesbeinginonekittyhis.

He'sStateBudgetChairman,yousee."

Daffydnodded.

"Ididn'twanttoworryyouunnecessarily,Daffyd,"Patwentonapologetically.

Daffydsuppressedatartrejoinderandsighedinstead.

"Pat,it'seasiertopullaweedifit'ssmall."

"Aweed?That'sagoodone.Greenfield'saweedallright."Patsoundedunusuallyacerbic."I'lltellJulianyoucalledandthatyou'reworried."

"No.I'mnotworried,Pat.Notyet."

"IwouldbeifIwereyou,"shesaid,allgloom.

"Isthereaprecog?"

"Nospecificones.Butfrankly,Dave,I'mfarmoreworriedaboutthecity'sclimatethananythingoldAaronLeftfieldperpetrates.AndsoisJulian.He'sstreetwalkingtoday."Shegavearea.s.suringwaveofherhand."Oh,IsentoneoftheLEOsensitiveswithhim.Ican'tmovesofastthesedays."Sheglanceddownathergravidabdomen.

"You'veseenmyreport?"

"Yousentonein?"Daffydbeganrifflingthroughthetapes.

"Itshouldbeonyourdesk.It'dbetterbeonyourdesk."

DaffydfoundthepurplebackedCityAdmintapeandwaveditather.

"Itis.LesterWelchhadfirstcrackatme."

"Andhedidn'tmentionourtape?"Shemadeanexasperatednoise.

"Look,Dave,listentoitnowbecause,believeme,it'smoreimportantthanGreenfieldevenifLesterdoesn'tthinkso."

"Isthataprecog,Pat?"

"Youtellmeit'smycondition,"shesaid,suddenlyangry,"thewayJuliandoesoravitamindeficiencylikemyOBandI'llresign."Theangera.s.suddenlydrainedfromherface."G.o.d,don'tIjustwishIcould!"

"Pat,d'youwantafewweeksrelief?"

DaffydopOwencaughttheshiftingemotionsonherface:sullenresentmentgivingwaytohope,instantlyreplacedbyresignation.

"Don't,Dave."

"Iwouldn'tandyouknowit.Icansendoutamayday..."

"AndoverworksomeotherpoorTalent?"Pat'schinlifted."I'llbeallright,Dave.Honest!It'sjustthat...well,h.e.l.l,listentothereport.Andremember,it'sapanethnicproblemthisyear."

"Thisyear?"Anotherloadedphrase.DaffydopOweninsertedtheCityAdmintapeandhisconcernovertheGreenfieldproposalfadedtoinsignificanceasherecognizedthemoreimminentdangerofadisturbedCity.HebegantowonderwhoelsehadthoughttosavetheirdearDirectortroublebynotreportingthegrimfactshenowheard.BecauseiftheCorrelationStaffhadslippeduponreadingprecogs,he'ddowngradethelot.

Brief,violentinterethnicquarrelsovercontractemploymentduringthewinterhadbeenmediatedbut,withintheCity'sethnicsectors,thetrucehadbeenuneasy:eachsegmentcertainthatanotherhadreceivedwhatplums.e.xisted.(Mostofthespotemploymentduringthewinterhadbeenmakework,paidforbyfundsparedfromotherpressingneedstogivetheproudtheirsop.)MostoftheagitationcouldbetracedtoayoungPanSlavicleader,VsevolodRoznine.ThereportnotedthatRozninewasmorefearedthanpopularwithhisconst.i.tuentsand,althoughseveralattemptshadbeenmadetocoolorplacatetheagitator,hehadneatlyavoidedthetraps.ThereportclosedwiththenotethatRozninemighthavelatentTalent.However,theonlymentalcontactmadehadbeensodistastefultotheTalentthathehadbrokenitoffbeforehecouldimplantanysuggestiontogototheCenterfortesting.

"Theman'spublicmindisasewer,"wasthefinalcomment.

DaffydopOwenmadeasteepleofhisfingersand,twirlinghisswivelchair,gazedouthiswindowtotheorderlygroundsbelow.HefeltunaccountablydepressedyethecouldbejustifiablyproudofwhatTalentingeneralandEasternAmericanCenterinparticularhadbeenabletoaccomplishinthepastdecades.OpOwencouldappreciate,anditwasnoprecog,howmuchmorehadtobedoneonnumerouslevels:public,private,civic,clinical,military,spatial,andmostimportant,inner.NomatterwhatthedominantTalent,precog,telepath,teleport,kinetic,empathic,theTalentedwerestillveryhumanpeople,aboveandbeyondtheirspecialgiftswhichsooftencomplicatedadjustmenttherapy.

Theyhadprofessionalimmunityatlonglast,forallregisteredTalents.Anothergiantstepforward.TheyhadhadacceptanceonacommerciallevelformanyyearswhereTalentcouldsteadilyshowprofittomanagement.SincethefirstbodyTalentshadbeenabletopointouta.s.sa.s.sinsincrowds(evenbeforeprecogswereacceptedandactedonbykeypersonnel),they'dbeenacceptedbyintelligentpeople.b.u.t.thesuspiciouswerethemajorityandtheystillhadtobeconvincedthattheTalentedwerenotdangerouslydifferent.

He'druminatedonthismanytimesanditwasn'tsolvingtheotherpressingproblemsbeforehim.Acitytornbytheveryethnicstrifethathadoncebeenhailedasabondingcompromisetothelatetwentiethcentury'slackofbasiclifestylevalues:summerwasacomingand,despiteadvancesinweathercontrols,ahotdryspellwhichcouldcutthepoweravailableforcityairconditioningwouldonlyproduceriotbreedingconditions.

Sofar,nomajorprecogsofdisastershadbeenrecordedandforsuchalargeunitasJerhattan,atroubleprecogwa.s.statisticallymoreprobablethanonedealingwithasmallnumberofpeopleorasinglecitizen.Scantrea.s.surance,however.

AndthankG.o.d,Talentwaspanethnic,thoughtDaffyd.Hedidn'thavetoworryaboutthatuglyheadrisingagainsttheCenter.