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"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.
Thecountdownechoedthroughtheshieldedroomatthecountofeight,thespectatorswerejockeyingforpositionforanunimpededviewthroughthetreatedslitwindows,eagerforignitionandtakeoff.
Fingersweresurrept.i.tiouslycrossed,forthiswasthethirteenthsuccessiveshuttleflight.
"Wehaveignition!"Asoftenasthatphrasewasuttered,itwasalwayssaidwitharingofquiettriumph.
Astheshuttleenginesbegantheirfullthroatedroar,noneofthespectatorswouldbeabletohearanothernoise,thatofpowergeneratorspulsingateverincreasingspeed:asubtlewhinethatbuiltandthenleveledoffjustastheshuttle,oneofthemajesticnewRigelcla.s.s,beganitsfirstimperceptibleupwardthrust.Thefinallinktothelaunchtowerfellaway.Everyoneheldhisorherbreath.
Then,despitethehowlingwindandthelashingrain,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,andshipmentshadfallenweeksbehinddelivery.Thatfirstmorning,Peterhadbeenatrifleanxious,andtheshuttlehadascendedatsuchanastonishingratethatthecontrollershadthoughtthatamisfirehadoccurred,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.Withthecolonelashisrolemodel,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.ntalshield!Shehadnorealclueexceptinblueeyesshewantedtodrownintogoon.Nowondertheuntalentedregularlybungledrelationships.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."
"AllthisgoodwholesomeFloridasunshine,"Petersaid,grinningatDave.HehadfinallygottenoverhisjealousyofthePRman:itwasdifficulttobejealousof.a.guyhelikedsomuch,whocouldthinkupneattreatsandfoundthebestplacestoeat.JohnnyoftenarguedtoRhyssawhenDavewasnotaroundthatthemanhadtohaveTalentb.u.t.that.i.tsimplywasn'tmeasurable.Thenhediscussedthingsliketraumaticbreakthroughsandpsychologicalreluctances,andRhyssarepliedthatsometimesitwasnicetoknowsomeonewhocouldalwayssurpriseyou.
"Ifyouseeanyofthatwholesomesunshine,letmeknow,huh?"Daveremarked,referringtothefactthattherainhadliftedonlybrieflyinthepastthreeweeks."WhenareyouguysgoingtodevelopareliableWeatherTalent?"