Pegasus In Space
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Серия: Talents #3
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Pegasus In Space». Краткое содержание книги:
For an overpopulated Earth whose resources are strained to the breaking point, there is only one place to look for relief: straight up. With the successful completion of the Padrugoi Space Station, humanity has at last achieved its first large-scale permanent presence in space. But there are those who, for motives of their own, want Padrugoi to fail. Standing in their way are the Talented, men and women gifted with extraordinary mental powers that have made them as feared as they are respected--and utterly indispensable to the colonization effort. Now, as sabotage and attempted murder strike the Station, it's up to the Talented to save the day. Only who is going to save the Talented?
Pegasus in Space is the tale of Peter Reidinger, first Tower Prime!
"No, closer."
Then Father Salih intruded on this quiet exchange, tapping the documents he was still holding. "Ah yes, now we know her surname. You must sign here, Sister Kathleen," he said, handing her the papers and his pen. Then he turned around so she could use his back as a writing surface and she signed in her distinctive scrawl. Father Salih filled the space for witness with his precise tight handwriting.
"I think she's glad to be going," Sister Epiphania murmured to Kathleen, sounding upset.
"If she goes to where she will have a garden that will not be uprooted," Kathleen began, "she will not fret." She paused, controlling her private regret at losing the girl. "She is sure to be happy among those who are now her guardians." Kathleen turned back again to Lance, touched his arm. "Is she psychic?"
"Possibly. That is why Carmen was able to locate her. She is young yet. Who knows where her Talent will lie?"
"In gardening, of course," Sister 'Phania said, as close to being indignant as her gentle soul could get.
"Yes, gardening," Lance replied. "Exactly so."
The other girls had turned silent, their wide brown eyes watching. Lila had thrown the end of her sari over her face and she was visibly fuming that so much attention was being paid Amariyah. She glowered as Tirla, holding Amariyah's hand, walked with the boy Peter and Ms. Stein to where the other visitors were standing.
"She wants to come with us," Tirla announced to all as if there had been any doubt. "She's to have a garden." Tirla stopped and uncannily turned to stare at Lila, who gave another shriek and buried her face in her hands. "We will see that no one disturbs it."
With that, Tirla led Amariyah, who did not so much as look in Lila's direction, toward the gate. As if in a daze, Amariyah turned back and, folding her hands in front of her chest, gave the two Sisters a deep bow.
"I thank you for your help and kindness," she said in a formal tone. "I leave in sadness."
Only Carmen and Tirla knew that there was no sadness at all in her mind as she proceeded to the ground vehicle.
"Go with God, child," Kathleen said, making a quick sign of the cross at the departing orphan.
"Oh, dear, dear, dear," Sister Epiphania said, wringing her hands until Kathleen patted them reassuringly.
"You will forgive our haste, Sister Kathleen, Sister Epiphania," Kayankira was saying with much saluting and bowing. "We have come far today, we must return. We will send you a picture of Amariyah in her new home. She will be encouraged to write you. You will be happy for her. We are happy to have found her."
Father Salih was again folding himself near in half, agreeing with everything the Delhi Bureau Chief was saying, which Lance Baden reaffirmed as they reached the ground vehicle and began climbing into it, Tirla ushering Amariyah in front of her, then sitting protectively beside her. The boy seemed to slide upward and took the jump seat while Lance settled in the driver's seat with Kayankira beside him. Sisters Kathleen and Epiphania waved, Father Salih kept bowing, and then all the remaining girls-except Lila-rushed to the fence to wave and shriek farewell, good luck, and be healthy. The nuns made the sign of the cross and bowed their heads in prayer.
It took all Sister Kathleen's store of reserve to continue with the evening. First she had to reassure Father Salih, who was having second thoughts-even though the bishop had authorized the transfer-about the sudden departure of the little one. Then she had to comfort Sister Epiphania and see the girls into their dormitories and settled for the night. Lila had been reduced to total silence by the inequity of Amariyah's leaving when she was still in the orphanage and unmarried.
Her duties ended, Sister Kathleen climbed into the scant privacy offered by mosquito netting in the tiny room she shared with Epiphania. As she said her rosary, calmness seeped through her, and her aching, empty heart. She fell asleep and dreamed of Amariyah in a garden of unusual blooms and plants, all thriving because of Amariyah's loving care.
Amariyah herself was asleep at this point, held on Carmen Stein's lap as Peter Reidinger took them back to Jerhattan, their mission accomplished.
4
"She's got a psionic mental signature," Dorotea told Rhyssa when they had put the sleeping child to bed in the room Tirla had once occupied in Dorotea's neat little house on the Henner estate. Despite her eighty-odd years, Dorotea sat bolt upright on the edge of her chair. Perhaps the glass of brandy was out of character for what she called her "sweet harmless old lady" look, but she needed the drink. The pregnant Rhyssa was sipping cranberry juice.
"You can't guess what? Telepath, telekinetic, telempathy?" Rhyssa asked. Dorotea was their preeminent assessor of psychic abilities.
Dorotea shook her head, sighed in a heavy gust, and took another sip of her drink.
"Much too young to assess but it is there. She had quite a traumatic day." Dorotea held up her hand as Rhyssa started to protest. No, not the kinetic jump. She was fast asleep in Carmen's lap. Lance Baden knew better than to give her more to deal with. "No, Igot the awful distress of that little witch uprooting her plants just to be malicious. That garden meant more to Amariyah than anything else. Food or drink or shelter. She doesn't like water." Dorotea grinned. A bath had definitely been in order for the dusty, disheveled child before settling her between clean sheets. Tirla had solved the little contretemps over getting into a bathtub by flinging off her own clothes and climbing in first. "Except to use on plants, of course."
"It'd be normal for her to have a trauma about water, nearly drowning in the flood," Rhyssa said.
"Hmmm, yes," Dorotea murmured through the glass at her lips. She took a good swig. "However, she's unlikely to have that particular problem here in Jerhattan unless she falls in the fish pond. Since she also has no living relatives, and she does exhibit Talent, we'll just have her made a ward of the Center. We've done that before to rescue children from far worse circumstances. Besides which, I can use help in the garden now it's springtime. Or supposed to be."
"Are you willing to mind her?" Rhyssa was surprised. She had half planned to take the child into her home. Install her with two parental figures. That is, until Dorotea caught sight of the little waif.
"Well, you've moved Tirla out on me," and Dorotea gave a disapproving sniff, "though she enjoys the life with Lessud and Shria in their Linear." Dorotea gave another sniff, for she certainly wouldn't have fancied such a lifestyle. "You have enough on your plate with the Center and being pregnant. And you certainly don't need another child in the house when your son arrives."
Involuntarily Rhyssa's hand went to her abdomen. "Well, I have no objections to accommodating her."
"I do," said Dorotea. "I think I'm the right person for her. We can review this in a few weeks' time." She shook a finger at Rhyssa. "No one wants you overburdened, my dear. There! That's settled. You'd better get back to your house. Dave'll be in soon and he'll want to hear all about this."
He will? Rhyssa said with great amusement.
"I think he will," Dorotea said firmly, and finished off her drink. "Now," and she settled in her chair, the control panel of her household unit appearing in front of her, "I'll just order in some necessities."
"What? And usurp Tirla's prerogative?" Rhyssa said with a laugh as she rose from the chair. "I wouldn't dare."
"Tirla said she'd come back in the morning to assist me. Meanwhile the child must have something clean to wear tomorrow morning." Dorotea gestured to the unit. "As she's come from the sunbaked plains of Bangladesh, I'd say that shopping in a Mall tomorrow might cause severe culture shock. We'll introduce her gradually to such pleasures."