The Wings Of Pegasus Part 28

"I'llseeifIcancalmherdown,makeherseereason,"VernonsaidwithagestureforJohnnytoremain."D'Amato,sendmymealandherstotheprivateroom.I'llbethere."

"Doyoubelieve,inyourownheart,PerDuoml,"Rhyssaasked,leaningacrossthetabletotheman,"thatweareevadingourdutytotheworld?"

Heshrugged,hismind,withitsmetals.h.i.+eld,asimpervious,Rhyssathought,as.h.i.+sunwillingnesstounderstandthenatureofTalent."Itistheopinionthatthisreluctanceputsthewholeplatformprojectinjeopardy."

"ItisLudmillaBarchenkawhoputsitinjeopardy,"Rhyssasaidwithmoreheatthanshehadintended.Shesmiledquickly,hopingtorepairthedamageofhercandor.PerDuomlmightnotbeTalented,buthewa.s.scarcelystupid.

"Ah!Myesteemedcolleaguewascorrect,"hesaid.

"Iamnotstandinginherway.Iamprotectingmyprofessionalsevena.s.sheisprotectingherproject."

Well,sheiswhyTalentswon'tworkforher,Johnnysaidinswiftrea.s.surance.Andweallknowit!

Gordie:Yeah,butshestays!Thiswillbeaninterestingpowerstruggle,speakingfromapurelylegalisticviewpoint.

"IadmireBarchenka'sunquestionableabilitiesasaspatialengineer.

Iwouldpreferthatshereturntheprofessionalcompliment,"Rhyssasaidamiably."Thissoupis.e.xcellent,PerDuoml.Letusenjoyit."

Bingo!GordieHaverstoldRhyssathenextday.Therewasabsolutelynojoytohistone.

YoumeanBarchenkacanconscriptTalents?Rhyssafeltacoldparalysisgripher.

You'vegot.i.t!I'vebeenoverthestatuteanditisRussian,fromthepreglasnostdays,andshouldhavebeenrepealedlongagoit'ssoarchaic.InthegoodoldBolshevikdays,itwasillegalgetthat,illegaltobeunemployed.TheStatewastheonlyemployernottheemployeroflastresortb.u.t.theonlyemployer.Ergo,everyoneworked.

Consequently,theonlyemployerinasystemthatmakesitillegaltobeunemployedcancertainlydowhateverisdeemednecessarywithitsworkforce.Legally,itgivesBarchenkatheright,underPadrugoi'sInternationalCharter,todraftanytechnicians,professionals,orworkersrequiredbythes.p.a.ceeffortthes.p.a.ceeffortintermsoftheoriginallawbeingtheRussianone.b.u.t.thestatuteisstillineffect,and,bylegalcrook,shecanapplyittoTalents.Wecanfight.i.t,ofcourse!

And?sheprompted.

WithaglibtonguedattorneylikeLesterFavelly,wemightjustwin.

b.u.t.thetrialwouldtakeyears,andcouldbeconstruedbyBarchenkatoprovehercontentionthattheTalentsareobstructingtheGoodWork.Hepausedsignificantly.Wecouldjustgiveherenoughropetohangherself?

TheTalentswillbemiserable,andtheywon'tperformwell.ThatwaswhatrankledRhyssa'sfinesenseofintegrity.Talentsdidthebesttheycouldnomatterwhatthecirc.u.mstances.Togivetheslightestsuggestionthattheyskimpedwasagainstthemoststringentoftenetsfortheparapsychic.But,ins.p.a.ce,worndownbypunis.h.i.+nghoursandpsychicstatictheycouldnotavoid,inevitablytheirperformanceswouldsuffer.

Exactly,Gordiesaid.Asktheotherdirectors.Youmustappeartobeacceptingtheinevitable.

ThesortofpressthiscouldgiveTalentswouldundotheworkofthelastcentury,Rhyssasaiddespairingly.

Iknow.Althoughtosweetenthisverybitterpill,Rhyssa,MallieVadenseesnothinggoingwrong.

Whosesideissheon?Rhyssacouldnotkeepthebitternessoutofhertone.

Ours,asyouwellknow,wasGordonHavers'scrispreply.Ergo,ithastoworkoutbyourcompliance.ButI'veinitiatedsomeinvestigationsthatmightjustgiveusaleveragainstBarchenka.Meanwhile,consult,Rhyssa.Quickactionmights.h.i.+ftpublicsupporttous.

Chapter5.

SomeofthefourteenotherCenterdirectorswerenotbestpleasedtoberousedbyherurgentrequestforconferenceinthemiddleoftheirnighttimes,andtherewa.s.somegrumbling.ThoughallCentersweretheoreticallyequal,nodirectordecidedissuesthatwouldaffectallTalentswithoutconsultingtheothersfirst,andRhyssainchargeofnegotiationsfortheTalentsbecausePadrugoi'sadministrativeheadquarterswasinJerhattandeemedameetingnecessary.a.s.soonasallwereattending,sheexplainedthesituation.

AndfromwhatequallycriticalpositionsdoesthisRussianthinkwecandrafttheseessentialkinetics?LanceBaden,theAustraliandirector,demanded.RhyssaalwaysfounditoddthathismentalvoicewasdevoidoftheAussieaccent.Wesenteveryonewecouldbribeorblackmailupthere.Sheerb.l.o.o.d.ymindednesskeepssomeof'eminplace,butmystaff'sdowntonubbinsorfeathermovers.

IhavetoldLudmillaIvanova,saidVsevolodGebrowskioftheLeningradbureauathismostapologetic,timeandagain,thattherearefewkineticsnotalreadydoingdouble,tripleworkinordertosupplyessentialservicesinRussia.Believeme,Ihavetriedtoeducatehertothepracticalities.

Wedobelieveyou,Geb,wedo,wasthema.s.sthoughtthatrea.s.suredhim.

What'sthelevy,Rhyssa?MiklosHorvath,theWestCoastdirector,asked.

She'sdemandingonehundredfortyfourkinetics!Rhyssasaidgrimly,andthrewupabufferagainstthecriesofoutrage.ThenumberofregisteredTalentsineveryCenterwasopenknowledgetoeverydirector,astransfersconstantlys.h.i.+ftedkeyTalentsatneedfromoneCentertoanother.

Wedon'thappentohaveabandygrossofkinetics,theBrazildirectorsaidangrily.AndIspentsixmonthsupthere,inthemostG.o.dforsakenbarrioI'veeverseen.Constantnoise!Dreadfulfoodnutritiousfoodcouldatleasthaveadistinctiveflavor.Howshecanexpectustofunction...

Ifweusethediscretionaryclause,wecanremovetherequirednumberfromcommerceandindustry,MaxPerigeauxofthelargeEuropeanbureaubeganinhisslow,thoughtfulway.

Ignoringthehowls...

Underthecirc.u.mstances,atleastwe'renotliabletopenalties..

That'sarealcomforttothoseforceduptoPadrugoi...

Well,CommerceandIndustrywantthisstationthey'llhavetosucklemonsalongwiththerestofus...

Maxwenton,hismessageweavinginexorablyamongtheasides:...putthetraineeswhereatleasttheycanbeoverseen,wecouldjustaboutmanageit.Butbowcanweexpectourpeopletoenduretheconditionsupattheplatformandstillperformcreditably?Todolessthanourbestreducesourreputations,buthowcananyoneoperateathisbestinthatmilieu!Andthenoise!Thetallaestheticmanimagedashudderofrevulsion.

Butsomethingmustbedonetogivethosewh.o.a.reconscriptedsomerelief!

Barchenkabelieveswesetuptheconditionsofs.h.i.+eldedquartersandshorthourstobeobstructive!Rhyssasaid.Iwasinformedthatthereisnonoiseinthevacuumofs.p.a.ce,and,becausethereisalsonogravity,thereislessphysicalstressandlongerhourscanbeworked,notfewer.

Thewomanisutterlywithoutashredofunderstandingorempathy,thedirectorofAfricaNorthsaid.

Hasanyonetriedtoadjustherthinking?HongkongJimmyasked.

You'venevermetBarchenka,haveyou?s.h.i.+eldstighter'nachast.i.tybelt!Badensaidinanacidtone.

What'sachast.i.tybelt?HongkongJimmyflickedbackingenuineinnocence.

Imagesfromninehelpfultelepathsenlightenedhisignorance.Rhyssawasgratefultohimforeasingthegrowingtensioninthelinkagewiththatbyplay.

Wearecompelledtocomply,arewenot!Perigeauxsaid,athismostmournful.Andwithoutdelay,sothatwecanbargainonthebestpossibleconditionsforthosewhomustsacrificethemselves.Arotationscheme,perhaps..

Ifshe'safterthegross,thatmakesrotationimpossible!

Icantrytoinsistonsomesortofshorttermstretches,Rhyssasaid.

Letusalsoissuesomepublicity,MiklosHorvathsuggested,aboutconditionsupthere.

Ofdubiousvaluewhensheneedstorecruitsomanygrunts.Youknowshehastogototh.e.s.h.eltersforanyonebelowCivilService8.

b.u.t.thepublicmustseethatTalent'sobjectionstoworkingins.p.a.cearevalid!

ThemostvalidbeingBarchenkaherself...

Cannooneleanonher?

It'sbeentried...

Who'sthebestwe'vegot?

Whatabouthera.s.sociate,PerDuoml?Anyc.h.i.n.ksinhim?

Itisn'tthatwedon'twanttohelpwiththeproject,butsheisherownworstenemy.

Didshespecifykineticsonly?

Noone'stoldherthatsomekineticsarealsotelepaths!

Don'tanyonementionthat!LanceBadensaidwithunusualvehemence.

Wouldn'tdreamofit!

Youmean,shedoesn'tknow?

LudmillaIvanovaknowswhatshewantstoknow,Vsevolodsaidwearily.

Sheonlyhearstheexplanationsshewishestohear.

Intwelveminutesofrapidfireexchanges,theTalentsarrivedatagrimbutworkablecourseofaction.Max,Baden,andJimmywoulddotheactualselectionofsuitablekinetics.SomeTalentscouldbeexcusedongroundsofinfirmity,pregnancy,orunsuitableskillsthoughtwoofBaden's"featherdusters"werewellabletohandlethefinetunings.

Rhyssa,Miklos,andDoloresoftheBrazilianCenterwouldattempttoachieves.h.i.+eldedquartersandworks.h.i.+ftsofsixhoursmaximum,fourfortheless.e.xperiencedkinetics.Barchenkamightberunningheroperationtwentyfourhoursaday,buteighthoursoftelekinesiswereimpossiblydraining,evenins.p.a.ceandin0.5gravconditions.

Whatwemustalsoorganize,forourselves,KayankiraoftheDelhiCentersaidasthemainissueshadbeenresolved,isanemergencysysteminadisastersituation.Inhermindchurnedimagesofthepreviousyear'scatastrophicfloodsinthenortheasternsectionsoftheIndiansubcontinent,mitigatedonlybytherapidmobilizationofhundredsofkineticswhentheprecoghadcomein.

Kayan,you'vebadfarmoreexperiencewiththatsortofthingthananyoneneeds,Badensaidwithunexpectedhumility.Adviseusandwewillcomply.

Youalwaysdo!We'llhavetostripallnonessentialindustrialfarmsandreducePortAuthoritystafftoadangerousminimum.ButweshallbeveryshortofthosewemostneedWeatherpermitting!wasHongkongJimmy'sdrollremark.Whenarewegoingtofndaweatherman?

Ifweweatherthisone,Miklossaid,weca.n.a.llapply!

Themindlinkwasdissolved,anddespitethema.s.sivetaskahead,theCenterdirectorsweremuchheartenedbythecontact.WhenRhyssainformedGordieHaversoftheresults,hegavealoudmentalcheerforsolidarity.

There'regoingtobesomemightyunhappykinetics!shetoldhim.

EveryCenterisgoingtobestripped,andI'msteelingmyselftoenduretheslingsandarrowsofoutragedbusinesses.

MacHinerypredatedkinetics,andmenusedtheirmusclesbeforethat.

Let'emgobacktotraditionalways.It'llmake'emappreciateusmorethanever.Gordieimagedanarchaicblockandtackletomovematerielusuallyhoistedbyakinetic.Who'shandlingthepublicity?

We'regoingtohavetobecarefulaboutthatdon'twantBarchenkatosaywe'reinterferingwithherongoingemploymentdrive.

ThemanIhaveinmindisnotavalidTalent,b#tbe'sabrilliantpublicist,Rhyssa.LetmegetDaveLehardttowavetheflagforus.

DaveLehardt?

HeputourhonoredpresidentintheWhiteHouse.

Andhe'snotTalented?That'sunfair!Thatcampaignwa.s.sheergenius!

WehavetoallowtheMutesafewprerogatives,youknow.ShallIapproachhimonthisdelicatematter?

Pleasedo.I'llgivehimallthehelpIcan.

Bytheby,didyourealizethatmostofwhatyoudoistotallyillegalinScotland,whichstillhasanti-witchcraftlawsonthebooks?

Spareme!

Ihad,andlookwhat.i.tgotus.I'dbeenworkinguptotheRusskisbywayoftheBritis.h.i.+slesandScandinavia.Sorryaboutthat!Youneverknowwheretostartinnullifyingageoldbigotry,doyou!

WhenGordiehadbrokentheirmentallink,RhyssaspoketoSascha.

Yougottouchedagain?hedemanded.

Inthehead,butnotbymypeeper.Sheputinhismindallthathadhappenedinthepasthalfhour.

Hewhistledinadescendingscale.We'regoingtogetalotofflakfromCommerceandIndustry!

Theycan'thaveitbothways.They'rethegroupthatgaveBarchenkasuchpunitive.finesifshedoesn'tdeliverontime.Thatclauseisjustcominghometoroostwheretheydidn'texpect.i.t.They'llhavetodustofftheirmachineryandtoughenuptheirmuscles.We'vemadeitfartooeasyforthem.

Whatiftheyliketheoldfas.h.i.+onedwaysanddon'twanttorehireourpeople?

Rhyssasnortedderisively.Justconsiderhowmuchmoneykineticssaveindustryeveryyearinequipmentandmaintenancecoststheargumentsweusedtogetthemtotakekineticsinthe.firstplace!

Yeah,buthowdoweexplainittoourkinetics?

Rhyssaprojectedanimageofheronherknees,tearingherhairout,pleadingtoamorphousfaces,offeringjewelsandingotsofgold.

Enlistmenthasalwaysbeenpreferabletoconscription.Andthenwecaninsistons.h.i.+eldingandshorts.h.i.+fts.Wecan'tifsheimplementsthatbluelaw.We'reoverabarrel,andeveryTalentwillrealizethat!

Vsevolodcanthelpusthere?Saschaasked.

Hewasappalled,apologetic,andall,butapoplecticthatoneofhisnationalswasdoingthistous.

Nothingmentionedaboutgettingthelawwipedoffthehooks?