James Follett Earthsearch 01 Mindwarp

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quiet was disturbed by the muffled sound of plasma discharge cannons from
Tarlan's room.
"Bel?"
"Yes?"
"I want you to stay the night and make love to me."
Bel swallowed. He was slow at making love. But tonight it would be easy.
The mindwarp system did not work only for the benefit of society as a
whole; it could also work for the good of individuals.
Sometimes.
6.
Technician-Father Regen Dadley was an old man who had seen many
generations of youngsters pass through the GoD Centre. In deference to his
years, he no longer taught, and had been made senior housefather to new
arrivals. He was stooped, with a kindly, encouraging smile permanently
wreathing his moon- like face. He had boundless patience, and a genuine love
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of all his charges. Today's intake was six children. Two were gifted
seven-year-olds who had been selected that day. All six were suitably awed and
tired after their preliminary orientation tour of the Centre.
He touched a wall pad and a door slid open. "And this is where you'll be
sleeping for your first year."
The six children entered the small, windowless dormitory and looked about
them. There were ten ordinary beds in two rows, each one provided with a
generous bedside chest and a study desk, complete with data screen. Folded
neatly on each pillow was a unisex single-size nightgown. There was the usual
picture of the emperor on the wall - smilingly benignly instead of the normal
hard gaze, and set into the ceiling was the ubiquitous black hemisphere of a
GoD receptor. It was a necessary precaution for newcomers only. After their
first year at the Centre, when they had been suitably conditioned, there would
be no more GoD receptors.
"Showers and toilets through that door at the end," said Father Dadley,
beaming at his charges.
"Can we have any bed, father?" asked Jenine shyly.
Father Dadley looked down at the girl. What a pretty child. An angelic,
heart-shaped face, and such green eyes. One of the exceptionally gifted
children. He noticed that she was clinging to Ewen's hand, the other EG rated
child. Well, that wouldn't do any harm. It was natural - they were two years
younger than their four companions. His smile broadened. His knees creaked
painfully as he crouched, but he knew he was that much less intimidating if he
made the effort to get down to the children's height. These two had been
through a lot today; taken away from their parents, and not even given the
chance to say proper goodbyes. The terrible day seventy-years ago when Father
Dadley had been taken from his mother was still etched with painful clarity
among his fading memories.
"You can have any bed you like, Jenine." He looked around at the circle
of small, anxious faces. "That goes for all of you." He wagged a bony
forefinger. "But no changing your minds after tonight."
"Like this room," said Jenine suddenly.
"And why do you like it, Jenine?"
The lovely green eyes were large and serious. "It's big. Lot's of room.
Bigger than my room at home."
"You like space, do you. Jenine?"
The little girl nodded empathically. Father Dadley smiled and tousled her
curls. He straightened, clapped his arthritic hands together, and pointed to
the GoD symbol that was glowing bright blue on the wall. "Right. Everyone
washed and showered and in bed by the time the Guardian of Destiny is burning
green!"
"What happens tomorrow, Father Dadley?"
It was Ewen who had asked the question. The boy had been the most
forthcoming of this group. The gaunt face looking up at Father Dadley made him
feel uncomfortable. Where had he seen that face before?
"Tomorrow is Tenth Day. After church there will be a more detailed tour
of the Centre, young man. It's a big place. Fifty domes. It'll be a long time
before you'll be able to find your way around."
"Why not give us guardian angels?"
Father Dadley chuckled. "Technicians don't have guardian angels, young
man."
"Will we be allowed to play on the glass pyramid?" Jenine demanded,
voicing a question that had been uppermost in her mind since she had marvelled
at the sight of students, with motorized auto suckers strapped to their elbows
and knees scaling, or attempting to scale, a four-storey-high shining prism
outside one of the Senate Houses. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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