The Wings Of Pegasus Part 47

"Look,wejustgotoneminormiracleupandrunning,"Rhyssareplied.

"Giveusatleastthreedays!"

"G.o.donlyrestedoneday,"Davesaid,deepeninghisvoicetoaba.s.sregisterandlookingpious.

"Threeweeks,threemonths,threeyears,threedecades,"Johnnyrepliedinasepulchraltone."Can'tevenfigureol'Peteyboyout,andI'vebeenbustingmybunsforweeksnow."

"Pete,"Davebegan,"howdoyouseewhatyoudo?Mightaswellaskthesourcerightoutstraight,"headdedinabroadasidetoRhyssa.

Peterlaughedandpretendedtoconsiderthequestion,knotting:hisbrowsandrubbinghischinthewayJohnnysometimesdid."It'slikeIthinkthat'swhatIwanttodomovetheshuttleupandIsortofleanintothegenerators,revvingthemup,andthenIsortof"heshruggedhisthinshoulders"letgo."

"Likeastonefromaslingshot?"Daveasked.

"Yeah,sortoflikethat."

"Youdon'tsoundsure."

"I'mnot.Itneedsdoing.Idoit."

Rhyssa,sensingPeter'sdistressaboutbeingunabletoexplainadequately,putawarninghandonDave'sknee.Hishandimmediatelycoveredhers,keepingherarminaslightlyawkwardposition.OverPeter'sp.r.o.nebody,Johnnygrinnedather.

"Therearemanyoperations,"Rhyssawentonquickly,"thatoneaccomplishesstrictlyonaninvoluntarybasis.Likebreathing.Youdon'tconsciouslygothroughthestepsofdrawingbreathinandexhalingit.i.t'saninvoluntaryprocedure.Ortakereachingforagla.s.s.Youdon'tconsciouslytellyourhandtoextendtherequireddistance,tellyourfingerstoencircleitandyourarmtoliftthelightweight.Thetaskisaccomplishedwithoutmuchconsciouseffort.

Peterisworkingonsuchadeeplyinvoluntarybasisthathecannotyeta.n.a.lyzetherequisitesteps.OnceLanceBadenisreleasedfromdurancevileonthestation,Ithinkwe'llseeprogressinunderstandingwhatSkeleteamdoesaseasilyashebreathes."

"It'snotquitethateasy,"Petersaid.

"Don'thurtSkeleteam'sfeelings,"Johnnysaidinmockaffront."He'llstrike!"

"Notwithhiscontract,hewon't,"Rhyssasaidfeelingly.

"Youknow,Pete,"Johnnybeganinathoughtfultone,"whatyousaidaboutsomethingneedingtobedoneanddoingit.Youreallydon'tstoptothinkhow?Youjustdoit?"

"Asyouyourself,ifImayremindyou,landedabadlydamagedshuttleonyourtwentyfirstmission,"Daveputin."Expertsstillhaven'tfiguredouthowyoudidthat!"

JohnGreenegrinnedathim."NeitherhaveI.Sorry,Pete."

"Youwereusingkinesis?"Peterasked.

"Nothingelsewouldhavegottenusdownthatdaywithonewingcrumpledandthetaila.s.semblyblownoff.TechnicallyIhadwhattheycallatraumaticexplosionofTalentnecessitatedbyanintenseurgetosurvive."

"Whathityou?"Peteraskedthen.Hehadalwayswantedtoask,but.i.thadneverbeenquitetherightmomentandhewasnotsureifthecolonellikedtoberemindedofhowhehadlostanarmandaleg.

"Somed.a.m.nedfoolhalftrainedclowns,doingaerobaticsthroughtheflightpath,"Johnnytoldhim,cursingfluentlyandinventivelyonbothaudibleandtelepathiclevels.Peter'seyesroundedwithaweattheflavorfullanguage."Fortunatelytheydidn'tsurvivetoanswertome,orthelaw,fortheirantics."

"Oh!"wasPeter'sreactiontoJohn'suncharacteristicbitterness.

"You'renotgoingtowastethepool,areyou,Dave?"Rhyssaasked,tochangethesubject,andinthehopeofregainingcontrolofherhandbeforeherarmfellasleep.

"You'restuckwithmeforafewdaysatanyrate,"Davereplied.

"WithoutbenefitoftheSkeleteam,theairport'ssockedinsolid."Heroseand,whistlingajauntytune,begantopickhiswaythroughthepuddlesinthedirectionofthechangingroom.

Johnnyheavedasighandresettledhimselfonthesunbed,handscus.h.i.+oninghishead.Thenuskinsheathinghisartificialarmlookedrealenoughexcept,Rhyssanoticed,that.i.tdidnottakeatan.Peter,however,wasbecomingarichbrownthatmadehimappearlikeanyotherhealthy,ifscrawny,boyhisage.Hewasalsofallingasleep,considerablymoretiredbythemorning'sactivitiesthanhewouldeveradmit.Smilingtenderlydownattheboy,RhyssaeasedherselfoffthesunbedandontotheloungerthatDavehadjustvacated.Shecheckedthetimer:Peterhadtenminutestogo.Sherelaxedonthesoftmattress.

"JesusChrist!"

Dave'ssuddenexpletiverousedher,andshewatchedhelplesslyas,inmidair,heflailedwitharmsandlegsfromaslipinapuddlehislongbodypoisedtocomedownrightacrossthecornerofthetiledpoolinwhatwouldbeaseriousfall.Thesunbedlightswentoff,andthenextinstanthisabruptdescentwashaltedandhecametorestgentlyonthepoolside,unharmed,unbruised,butconsiderablyshaken.

"Howtheh.e.l.l..."

"MyG.o.d!"JohnnyGreeneexclaimed."Didyoudothat,Pete?"heasked.Theveryslightestofsnoresansweredhim."MyG.o.d!Ididit!

Ididit!Ididit!"HisvoiceroseinacrescendoashestaredatRhyssainastateofshockeddelightandsurprise.

Rhyssabegantoshakeherhead,grinningsohardatthebreakthroughthatshethoughtherfacewouldsplit.

"Thatwasallyou,"shea.s.suredhim."OnceagainJohnnyonthespot!"

ThemomentDaveLehardtenteredthekitchenthateveningasRhyssawasclearingupthedebrisoftheircelebratorymeal,sheknew"amoment"hadcome.Overthelastfewmonthsoftheirclosea.s.sociation,shehadlearnedtopickupthesubtlehintsofhisbodylanguageandherownresponsestohim.Shefeltherheartbeatbegintospeedup,andshetriednottocrashdishesaboutordropthings.Worse,shecouldextractnohelpfulcluesfromthisman'smind.PerhapsthatwaswhyDaveappearedtobesomuchmoreromanticthananyofherTalenteda.s.sociations.

Hecamerightuptohersothatshehadtolookabout,toacknowledgehisproximity.

"ThehardestthingindealingwithyouTalentsistocatchyouwhennooneelseislistening,"hebegan.Hisblueeyesheldaveryintenselook.Hetookthesaucepanawayfromherandreturnedittothesoapywater,thenputbothhandsonherarmsandturnedherslightlybutdecisivelytowardhim."PeteandJohnnyaresoinvolvedinarehashofmypratfall,theycouldn'tbepayingattentiontoanythingelse."Withalittlepressureofhishand,hepulledheragainsthim.

Johnny:Don'tyoudarebecoy!

Rhyssa:Getoutofmyhead,JohnnyGreene.

Peter:Ah,justwhenit'sgettinginteresting.How'llIeverlearnhowit'sdone!

Rhyssa:Breakoff!Bothofyou!IfIfeelsomuchasatendrilofthought...

Johnny:Ithinkshemeansit!

Peter:Iknowshedoes!

Hermindwasfilledwithadeafeningsilence.

"They'renot"Rhyssaa.s.suredhim.

"I'vebeento;dandwarned,obliquelyandrighttomyface,thatI'venorighttoaskawomanofyourobviousTalent,andtalents,tomarryamanwithoutanounceoftherightstuffinhim."

Rhyssafeltasurgeofangerflaredeepinside.Shewonderedwhohadbeeninhibitingthiswonderful,caringmanespeciallyconsideringallhehaddonetoaidTalents.Thenshewilledhimnottostoptalkingsuchmarvelouslyromanticstuffandtiltedherheadupencouragingly.Shes.h.i.+veredwithantic.i.p.ation.

"But.i.thinksuchadecisionisuptoyouandme,"hewenton."AndI'msototallybesottedwithyouthatIcan'tthinkstraightwhenyou'reinthesameroomwithme,andIdon'tthinkofmuchelsebutyouwhenwe'reapart.RhyssaOwen,wouldyouevenconsidermarryingme?"

"Whattookyousomanyeonstoask?"shereplied,foldingherarmsabouthisneckandgrinningupathim.

Withagladnessthatseemedtoemanatefromeveryporeofhim,heclaspedherfirmlyinhisarmsandkissedherwithagreatdealofentirelysatisfactoryexpertise,justasifhehadreadhermind.

Chapter15.

Sascha!

HecouldnotignoreDorotea'scall,but.i.twascomingatanawkwardmoment.HeliftedhishandtosignaltoBudworthandSirikitforaslightbreakintheirdiscussion.

Dorotea'smentaltonewascoloredbyvexation.Asyoushowedherhowtouseherwristbandtopurchased.a.m.nednearanythinganywhere,youmaynowteachherthriftandbudgeting.Andsomesenseoforderinherownroom!There'snotaninchofs.p.a.cethatisn'tstackedceilinghighwith"bargains."Sascha:Whereisshe?

Dorotea,attheendofherpatience:Tryingonclotheswhileviewingtoday'slessons!

"Look,Bud,runthoseethnicgroupingsagain,"Saschaordered."We'veatleastgotastatisticalforecastofhowmanypsionicTalentseachgenerationhasproducedsinceDarrowandopOwen'stime.Nowlet'sbreakitdownintoindividualTalentmanifestations:precogs,finders,affinities,kinetics,telepaths,telempaths."

Budworthshruggedequablyandbegantoformulatetheprogram.

"Istilldon'tknowhow,"Sirikitsaidinhersoft,liltingtones"that'sgoingtohelpusdiscoverTalentintheLinears."

"Wherethere'ssmoke,there'sgottabeafireortwo,"Saschacommentedcrypticallyasheexited.ButhismindwasalreadyononeparticularTalentwhohadcomesofarfromherearlyyearsintheLinears.

Sincethatfatefulshoppingtripthreeweeksbefore,Tirlahaddiscoveredanewpastimethatalmostrivaledherhungerforlearning.

Atfirst,Doroteahadbeenamused."It'shungerofanothersort:acquisition.It'llpa.s.s."

Ca.s.shadaccompaniedherontwomoreexpeditions,showingherhowtousethesubwaytransport,andthought.i.twasfuntowatchTirlaslipintothemostexclusiveshopsandboutiques.Thenshehadstartedshoppingonherown,andscoffedwhenDoroteaworriedthatchildstealerswoulds.n.a.t.c.hher.

"s.n.a.t.c.hme?Notlikely,"Tirlarepliedscathingly."Icansmelltheirsortcomingonthestreets.I'msafeinthemalls."

b.u.t.themallswerenotfreefromallperil,forshewasdetainedtwicebyoverzealousofficialsand,tohercredit,hadwaitedpatientlyuntilsomeoneusuallySaschaarrivedfromtheCentertoverifyherrighttoweartheIDbraceletandmakechargesagainsttheCenter'saccount.

Shewasmoreamusedbythedetentionstha.n.a.larmed,anddeterminedtoenjoyhernewpastime.Certainlyshewasnotdeterredfromherexpeditions,andsinceSaschabackedCa.s.s'sopinionthatTirlawascapableofhandlingherself,Dorotea'sapprehensionwaned.Invariably,TirlaendedherafternoonsattheOldFas.h.i.+onedParlor.WhenTirlaannouncedthatshewasgoingtoworkherwayrightthroughthefivepagesofconfectioneryselections,Doroteahadlaughed.

"Itmightputalittleweightonthosebirdbonesofhers,andshealwayseatsherdinner,"shesaid."Iwishshewouldputonweight.

Whatmustthoseshopattendantsthinkwhenthatchildlookshalf-starvedallthetime?"

Doroteawa.s.standinginthelivingroomwhenSaschaarrivedinanswertohersummons,andshepointedsternlytowardTirla'sroom.Saschatappedonthedoor,andTirla'scheerfulhumbrokeoff.

"Whoisit?"Therewasalwaysthatnoteofapprehensionwhenthegirlwascaughtunawares.OnceshecouldbreakintothetelepathicmodethatSaschawascertainshepossessed,shewouldrarelybecaughtoffguardagain.

"Sascha!"

"Justaminute."

Forjustamoment,Saschathoughthecaughtastraycoythought,andthenthedooropened,instages,becauseTirlahadtorearrangethingstoget.i.twideenoughforhimtoenter.Saschalookedinandgroaned.

"Tirla,whathappenedtothekidwhohadtobecoaxedintobuyingmorethanoneoutfit?"Itwasthefirstthingthatcameintohishead,anditwasprobablynotatallthewaytohandlethesituation.

Dorotea,indisgust:Hamhandedtwit!

TirlablinkedatSascha."ButyoutoldmeIcouldshopwheneverIwantedto.JustlookwhatIfoundtoday!"Andsheheldupapairofstilettoheeledsandalswithjeweledstraps."Andtheyfit.Theydidn'tcostmuch,becausetheshopkeeperhadhadthemaroundfordecadesandpracticallygavethemtome.Aren'ttheylovely?D'youwanttoseethemon?Theymakememuchtaller."

"I'msuretheydo,Tirla,b.u.t.tobecandid,they'renotthesortofthingagirlyourageshouldwear."

"Theyfit!"sherepeatedasifthatwerethemostimportantaspect.

"Tirla!IstherenoplaceIcansitdowninhere?Andthat'swhathasDoroteasoupset.Youknowhowneatshekeepseverythinginthehouse."

Dorotea:That'sright.Blameme.

"WhileTalentsmayhavewhattheyneed,andalsowhattheywant,withinreason,"hewenton,"that'stheoperativephrase.This"Hegesturedbroadly,hookingahangeranditslayersofclothingoffthedoor.Thepiletumbledtoenlargeama.s.sofcolorfulblouseslyingbesidethedoor."Thisisnolongerreasonable!"

Tirlamerelylookedupathim,herfaceexpressionless,buthesensedsodeepahurtanddisappointmentthatherelentedinstantly."Idon'tthinkIcansenditallback,"shesaid."I'vetriedeverythingon."

"Look,chip,"hesaid,usingCa.s.s'saffectionatenicknameforher"sendingitallbackisnottheanswer."

It'sastart!Doroteaputin.

"Learningtobuywiselyis.Someofthisstuff"Saschapointedtoitemsofintimateapparelinlaceandgauzethatwerefartoosophisticatedforevenatwentyyearold."canbepackedupandstored.

Dorotea,acidly:Where?

"Inthevaults."Hebeganpickingupotherinappropriategarments.

"Andwe'llgettheclutterdowntomanageableproportions."Indoingsoheexposedasmallhillofshoes,ofallcolorsandinavarietyofstylesthatastonishedhimandallofthemsmallenoughtofitTirla'sdaintyfeet.

Dorotea:Cinderellacomplex?

Sascha:Pairs,everysingleoneofthem,hesaidwryly.

Dorotea:Thenhowcantheybepairs?

"Fivepairsofshoes,nomore,Tirla."Hesawhersulkyexpression.

"Fivepairsatonetime.Andtendifferentoutfitsinthecloset.

Noneofthis..."Heheldupanemeraldgreenballgownwithexquisitelydetailedbeadworkinsilverandleafgreen.Itwas.e.xceedinglystylish,andthecolorwasperfectforTirlabutnotuntilshereachedtwenty.Eighteen,atleast."I'llhavesometrunkssentoversoyoucanputeverythingaway.Thenwe'regoingtositdownandworkoutabudget."

"Budget?Liketheydoforcitiesandprojects?"Surprised,Tirlacameoutofhersulk.

"Yes.TheCenterhasabudget,Ihaveabudget,Peterhasabudget..."

Dorotea:AllG.o.d'schillungotbudgets!