The Rowan
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Серия: Tower and the Hive #1
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «The Rowan». Краткое содержание книги:
The kinetically gifted, trained in mind/machine gestalt, are the most valued citizens of the Nine Star League. Using mental powers alone, these few Prime Talents transport ships, cargo and people between Earth's Moon, Mars' Demos and Jupiter's Callisto.
An orphaned young girl, simply called The Rowan, is discovered to have superior telepathic potential and is trained to become Prime Talent on Callisto. After years of self-sacrificing dedication to her position, The Rowan intercepts an urgent mental call from Jeff Raven, a young Prime Talent on distant Deneb. She convinces the other Primes to merge their powers with hers to help fight off an attack by invading aliens. Her growing relationship with Jeff gives her the courage to break her status-imposed isolation, and choose the more rewarding world of love and family.
"I'd like to freshen up before…" the Rowan said in a meek tone after looking about her with suitable awe.
Gren pointed to the green carpeted hall directly to their right.
"I'll wait for you," he said and walked jauntily to the front desk to speak to the man. The Rowan heard him greet them by name as she moved out of sight. In the toilet she did give her silver hair a brush and washed her hands. The T-3 had kept a loose touch on her as she made these ablutions. He broke that light contact with propriety as she entered one of the stalls.
Then, grinning at such a splendid opportunity, the Rowan teleported herself down three stories and into the southwest corner of the great cube, right into the center of the spacious suite that was the operational "tower" of Peter Reidinger IV. She blanked herself out totally as she emerged so that not even Earth's Prime would know she was there, since he didn't waste his energies on personal safety.
His contour chair was similar to her own, but larger, to accommodate his heavier, taller body. In front of him was a console, far more extensive than hers on Callisto. Like a shadow she glided to a point where she could see his face in profile. His hair was black, with just a touch of white at the temple. She had thought he'd be younger for his mental tone was so forceful, reeking of authority and vitality. His beard must be a recent affectation, for he had been clean shaven in the halos she had of him. But the beard was cut close to his jaw and, oddly enough, was dark red as was the carefully trimmed mustache on his upper lip. Standing he would not be as tall as Jeff Raven, but he was more powerfully built. He wore an ordinary worksuit just as she did. He was frowning in concentration and the dials reflecting generator power were jumping toward the right-hand sides as he exercised considerable gestalt. Since he was obviously in mental contact, she would not commit the worst solecism of her kind.
Suddenly a long, red panel flashed wildly across the top of his console and a weird hooter broke the silence.
"Heat readings detect an intruder, Prime," said an agitated male voice.
"Well, I am glad that people can't just sneak up on you," the Rowan said with a laugh, opening her mind enough for him to recognize her, as he swung his chair about, glaring savagely.
His eyes quite literally bulged as he recognized her. She continued to laugh at the conflicting expressions mirrored on his face and did not intend to establish a mental contact until he had calmed down.
"Prime? Answer! Are you all right?" "Abort measures." Reidinger continued to stare at her.
"But there are two heat sources…" "Identify the second as Prime Rowan of Callisto and leave us alone." There was an audible click as the comunit went silent.
"So true love really works," he said. "Which is serendipitous and saves that wretched Denebian for other duties. Since you have mastered the inhibition, you will in fact do far better than Raven." There was a smug look on Reidinger's heavy-featured face. He steepled his fingers and actually smiled at her. She did not like that smile.
"Yes, by far the better since you're familiar with the Altairian Tower."
She caught his news then, and realized she had not only misinterpreted Siglen's lack of greeting but Gollee Gren's remark about recent developments.
"Siglen?" "She's had a massive coronary and it would be kinder if she didn't survive." To do him credit, Reidinger deeply regretted her illness. "I didn't fancy putting Raven in charge of a Tower."
"He's more than capable of it," the Rowan interrupted, with fierce pride.
"Have the courtesy to be silent!" His vocal bark was quite as severe as his mental chastisements. "Capable, yes, but unfamiliar with procedures and rather rough and ready in deliveries. As I recall it!" He cocked a heavy eyebrow at her.
"I think he's done exceedingly well considering the fact he's only just emerged." "How is his convalescence progressing?" The Rowan suppressed the biting answer that was her reaction to his acid tone and shrugged noncommittally.
How could she have been naive enough to believe she could best Reidinger. Except… and her swift mind caught a wisp. So! Prime Reidinger could be read. He wasn't used to the shielding needed in the presence of another mind as strong as his own. To distract him she brought over the most comfortable of the few chairs in the big room and arranged herself languidly on it. A Prime need not stand about shifting from foot to foot like a lackey.
"His injuries are healing well but he doesn't have much stamina yet, no matter what he thinks! I set up a fairly decent Tower facility, and he did a rather nice job of fine tuning the components. Deneb's effectively back in full contact." Reidinger waggled a finger at her. "Deneb's also broke and Central Worlds has no intention of planting a Prime Station there no matter how many Talents you discovered out there in the boonies." "They concur completely, Peter," and she smiled when her use of his first name caught him off guard.
"Is everyone and his brother awed by Earth Prime Reidinger? Surely your wife…"
"If you don't get personal, neither will I, you white-haired scut…" He scowled, his eyes glittering.
She laughed. "In fact, it was all I could do to muster the Talent I needed," she added which was true enough, "to repair the Tower for my uses."
"Speaking of use, you've exhausted all your private funds. "And borrowed as much as I could," she added, airily.
"In an excellent cause. You may not have bothered to find out," and then she realized that Reidinger had been well briefed, "that that aborted invasion cost Deneb three-fifths of its population and every single installation." Reidinger shrugged. "Colonists know the risks. They get what they can pay for. And you…" he shook his finger in her face again.
"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do," Reidinger, she darted at him before he continued. "Nor would I humiliate such valiant people with spurious assistance. They'll do fine on their own…"
"Great! Because you'll be too busy at Altair Station from now on, and that man of yours is going to learn about contractual obligations." "He'll honor them," the Rowan began, incensed by the slur implied.
Now Reidinger laughed. "And he'll learn how to function as a Prime." "He already does!" "No Station discipline. You," and Reidinger picked up a jade statuette and began toying with it, "will go to Altair and he will work Callisto, right where I can keep track of him." The Rowan deflected the quick lance of Reidinger's querying shaft so that he wouldn't see her delight. She couldn't have wished for a better situation. Reidinger would soon learn more about Jeff Raven than he wished.
"Callisto?" She kept her voice neutral, with just a tinge of surprise and consternation in her mind. "How are you going to get those naval units back from Deneb then? He's good but even I can't reach that far from Callisto. Nor you!" "Torshan and Saggoner managed quite well at Callisto in your unavoidable absence." Reidinger made no attempt to disguise how much that absence had rankled. "You say you made a working facility there? That'll be sufficient for the naval displacement. Then Deneb will just have to rely on its natural resources." And he dismissed that battered planet from further FT amp;T considerations.
Very privately the Rowan thought that Torshan and Saggoner would do very nicely to carry on the training she had started. Or was Reidinger better briefed about Denebian Talent potential than she could discern?