The Rowan

"She has verbalized many things to the pukha over the years," Lusena said slowly. She found it very difficult to understand how she could have overlooked the Rowan's subtly reinforced dependence on the pukha. "Most of it perfectly consonant with the doubts and fears of any normal child. But she AND the Purza personality had a long discussion about color and the mechanics of painting: together they looked up and discussed interior decoration. Purza evidently has considerable acumen on which objects d'art and paintings are likely to be valuable, and those were the ones they kept. Purza seems to have discovered the empty warehouse although it was clearly the Rowan who did the shifting. I know she has great telekinetic potential and nothing was very heavy or awkward, but she cleared most of the drek overnight. And repainted the next one - with Purza's encouragement. I'll send you a transcript of the conversation - no, it's not a conversation, that takes two intelligences - the monologue with interesting pauses for the Purza contributions." "Send me the transcript file," Interior said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice, "and I'll set up an in-depth psychiatric study." "Oh, would you?" Lusena was weak with relief. "This is far beyond anything in my training." "Now, don't start feeling inadequate on me, Lusena. You've coped magnificently with the child. She's just… just…" "One step ahead of us?" "That's better," Interior said, approving the wry tone of Lusena's voice.

The conversation between the Rowan and her pukha became fascinating auditing for her guardians and any pediatric psychologist granted the privilege of listening.

"Purza, Siglen's silly. I've done that sort of lifting, placing, and putting since I was a baby!" the Rowan was heard to say after her first day's tutelage. "I can't very well tell her I shifted everything out of this apartment, can I?"

"Well, yes, I know, you helped, and even told me where the space was. You've a very clever pukha, you know. How many would have been able to estimate the volume of that warehouse so precisely? There was just space left for an aisle when you'd finished. Yes, they know. The man is supposed to check that the stuff doesn't leave the premises but how were you to know that he'd object to having an empty place used?"

"Yes, people are funny about such details. She did give them to me so I may dispose of them as I see fit. Oh, you think I should have asked her first?"

"Yes, but asking would have wounded her feelings because she really did think she'd done a marvelous job in the decorating. Only, Purza, how can I do good work when she considers me such a baby?" "Yesterday was bad enough, Purza, a whole day spent making knots of straight lines! But I had to do it all over again today! Yes, actually I thought of doing that, but she was with me every second and when I tried to deviate, she just pulled me back on line and said that I must concentrate harder. Concentrate? Who needs to concentrate on that all baby stuff! Did you hear her?" The Rowan then produced such an accurate imitation of Siglen's fruity tones that the clandestine auditors were astonished. "'We must proceed carefully, step by step, until you become so totally aware of your Talent that its use is instinctive, efficient, and energy-saving."

"Energy-saving? I ask you, Purza, with all the energy available on Altair, we could never use it all up. She what?"

"I know history as well as you do. So what if she did grow up on old Earth when their energy sources were stretched to the limit, but we're here! There's unlimited power in just the winds and the tides, not to mention the fossil fuels Siglen ought to update herself. And if she says "waste not, want not" one more time, I'm going to puke."

"It's near as bad as "Always Be Careful" - the Rowan dropped into the devastatingly accurate Siglen voice for the maninis. "And I am thrifty." Now the Rowan giggled. "I saved all that awful stuff she crammed into my place. Crabs, Purza, I'm so booooooooored!" That complaint became more and more prevalent in the pukha conversations.

Bralla did her best to assist, tactfully mentioning to Siglen that the Rowan showed great application and dexterity with the basic kinetic exercises.

"But then, she has the best of teachers in the entire known galaxy," Bralla had added when she saw Siglen bridle. "Of course she would grasp the basics quickly. You explain things so succinctly even the dullest wit would understand." It took three days for the notion to be absorbed and then suddenly Siglen began the Rowan's lesson with a new exercise, designed to strengthen her "mental muscles".

"It is a nice change," the Rowan confided in Purza that night and then spent time rearranging the furnishings in her apartment with her "mental muscles", "to explain the technique to the pukha." Gerolaman, the Station manager, took his turn in suggesting more challenging tasks for the Rowan.

"I need a bit of help in Stores, Siglen. It'd take this little girl a couple of hours while you're busy with the batch coming in from David. It's more or less what you've been doing with her only more practical because she can't break anything, yet she'll get the practice. Whaddya say?" "It'd be a thrifty use of my time and energy, Siglen," the Rowan added casually, pretending indifference.

"I dislike interrupting the flow of your lessons, Rowan child," Siglen temporized.