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!
"You'll be sure that he'll be drilled exhaustively?"
Johnny smiled, his mind exuding his relief at her surrender and his unreserved approval. "I'll be as close to him as the skin of his extra-vehicular mobility unit. We'll have Madlyn on his case throughout and you know she'll tell you all!"
Rhyssa gave a nervous little laugh. "Even when I don't ask."
"Know what you mean," Johnny said, exuberant. "Look, there's some groundwork I want to lay before you tell Pete. Sirikit says he's manning Lance's position as Adelaide Center's kinetic right now. I'll just drop in."
Rhyssa eyed the general suspiciously. "What do you have in mind?"
"Nothing that puts our golden goose at risk. Just a sort…" and he grinned, "a caper, if you will. I also have to give Dirk the good news."
"He's the one who put you up to this?"
"Of course. Ever since Pete screwed Barchenka's password out of her mind, he's had September eighth red-circled on his notepad."
"Really? I know Peter was very pleased to get a card from the admiral."
"He'd've had a contract if we'd thought you'd be the least bit willing. So, get it done now. Of course," and Johnny scratched his head, "we still have to convince Space Authority to let an eighteen-year-old play with their precious cargoes."
"Johnny Greene!" Rhyssa exploded with indignation at that admission. The man's gall was inexhaustible.
"Well, I didn't want to get their hopes up."
She swooped up a fistful of pencil files, threatening to shower him with them but he 'ported himself neatly out of her office, his laughter echoing in her mind.
On sober reflection and without his insidious presence, Rhyssa admitted to herself that, presuming the boy didn't have an unsuspected agoraphobia, his destiny-such a pompous word-was in space.
However, Rhyssa did check with Amalda Vaden to see if there was any hint of a disaster affecting Peter.
"Nope. Can't find one," Mallie reported. "You expecting any?"
"Just checking," Rhyssa replied. "But keep your precognitive eye on him over the next few weeks, will you?"
"Sure," and there was a smile in her voice. "Pete's a good kid. He'll do well on Padrugoi."
"How did you know what he's going to do?"
"I'm the precog, you know," was Mallie's parting shot.
Johnny Greene had set up his "test" with Lance before the kinetic had gone on his latest construction contract with First Base. Johnny's telepathic range fell well short of Oceanus Procellarum so the two men made advance plans… in case. They were both certain of two things: first, they needed incontrovertible proof for the Space Authority and second, Peter needed a real challenge. So Johnny "flew" himself to Adelaide at the time Peter would be finishing his breakfast and before the rest of the Talents would arrive for work. Peter was surprised and very pleased to see him stroll into the guest quarters of the Adelaide Parapsychic Center just as Peter was 'porting his breakfast dishes into the kitchenette sink.
Nothing's wrong, is there? Peter asked, gliding swiftly to the general's side as he stood looking about the foyer.
Johnny shook his head, shielding any wisp of thought the young man might catch. The general was still elated by his most satisfactory interview with Rhyssa.
"No one's here yet?" Johnny asked with innocent surprise as he walked on into the Main Incident room. Peter followed him. Since Peter was in residence, and certainly able to handle any parapsychic emergencies, the other telepaths and kinetics went home after their duty hours.
"Not yet. Harry's usually first in. He bikes here, to keep fit," and Peter sounded a bit wistful. He might be able to 'port himself anywhere on Earth but a simple pastime like riding a bicycle was not an option. "He swears he'll teach me how."
"Harry might at that," Johnny agreed affably as he swung the small bag he carried up onto the worktop. "Start up the generators, will you, Pete? Got a small job for you. Lance needs this."
"Lance? But he's on First Base," Peter replied, startled.
"This isn't heavy," Johnny said blithely, demonstrating by 'porting the bag from the surface without a gestalt and suspending it for a few moments. "Three kilos."
"But the Moon?" Peter repeated, stunned.
"Look, Pete, you've managed to push forty tons four hundred and forty klicks without breaking into a sweat. Pushing three kilos four hundred thousand is not that much more effort, now is it?" Johnny gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'll be ready to boost though, frankly, I think you can do it on your own. Either way, Lance says the engineers need these sensors like yesterday. Everything's held up waiting for them. I don't see why we can't try it. Window to the Moon is open," and he pointed out the east-facing window where the lunar ghost was visible in the morning sky, "and it's at perigee. Timing's right. If we're going to give it a go." Johnny's tone was subtly challenging. "Don't think it'll strain you, skeleteam." A nice touch, that, reminding Pete of other triumphs. "Lance wouldn't suggest it if he thought you and I couldn't cut the mustard."
"Well…" Peter looked around the empty office. "But I'd need to 'see' where I… we were sending it."
"Sure." Johnny whipped some glossies from the outside pocket of the small bag. He dropped the first one on the desk: the lunar coordinates of First Base, conveniently close to the equator in Oceanus Procellarum. "Sort of in the backyard of First Base, you see," and he pointed to the shining dome in the background, moving his finger to a red and white striped bollard that was the selected target.
"What's that for?" Peter asked.
"Actually," and Johnny frowned down at the bollard as if trying to remember, "I believe it's a marker for the lunar vehicle parking area. See that shadow?" This was barely visible but Peter nodded as one will when one wishes to show that one has been closely observing details. "It's one of the four-man articulated crawlers." He deposited a second image from those in his hand and chuckled as he displayed it to the kinetic. "Even got a lunar license plate: FB 3, no less. Detailed enough for you?"
Peter gave a dubious sniff, screwing his face up into a grimace.
"Ah, let's give it a try," Johnny said nonchalantly. He had been intently listening for the generators to reach full power. Now he shot as strong a mental reassurance to his young colleague as he dared. He couldn't be too obvious about such a 'pathing but he counted on having confused Peter with fast talk. "Sit!" He pointed imperiously to the chair that was used for telekinetic sessions. "I'll hook you up," he said, putting a hand on Peter's chest to push him back into the padded seat. "Have official readings on your performance."
"Only three kilos?" Peter asked, eyeing the bag dubiously as Johnny bent to fit the sensitive pads of the recorder to his body.
"That's all, bag included. Ready?" Johnny didn't want to give Pete any time to think beyond the essential errand. He opened his mind, letting Peter feel his readiness. "Set? GO!"
The generators whined at such a high pitch that, for a nanosecond, Johnny Greene wondered if the powerful drain might not overload them.
"Hey, I don't think you needed that much moxie on the 'port," he exclaimed in feigned surprise. "Ease up, will ya? It's not like you were trying for the moons of Jupiter."