Read Online Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps by J. Gregory Keyes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. Gregory Keyes
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end, I would like to announce that the president has given me the go-ahead to form a new government organization, made up of telepaths like Anna, Guy, Stephen, Clara, and Constance . We’re all agreed that this is the best, most sensitive way to handle both the needs of telepaths and of the world at large. What people are really afraid of is not telepaths, I’m convinced, but the fear of not knowing who is a telepath. Most of us don’t mind being naked, so to speak, but we don’t want just anyone seeing us naked without our consent. The MRA-Metasensory Regulation Authority-will prevent that. We can identify seventy percent of all telepaths medically, but I think most people who know that they are telepaths will come to the MRA of their own free will, where they can be useful without fear of persecution.”
“But what about those who don’t want to join?”
“Well, naturally there will be some who want to continue with their normal lives. I’m happy to announce that Halotech has developed a new drug that shows great promise in inhibiting psionic abilities. It’s still in the testing stage, but it looks good and, once approved, will be offered as an option for telepaths who want to preserve a normal lifestyle. Beyond that well, there are criminals in every demographic. Just as in any group of people you choose to look at, there will be some minor fraction who simply have no social conscience, who will always take the easy way out. This is not a trait of telepaths, my friends-it is a trait common to humanity.
However, as you might imagine, telepaths present special problems in incarceration. Because of this, we’ve proposed a set of separate rehabilitation facilities specially designed for the needs of telepaths, which will be overseen by MRA-which will, of course, all be overseen in turn by the Earth Alliance Senate . In short, it’s high time that people step back and see what’s being done.
The Earth Alliance is the first true world government, and in just over thirty years look what we’ve accomplished. We have thriving colonies on the Moon, plans to move on to Mars, and we’ve detected what might be the first real murmurings of an alien civilization. All it took for those things was a little faith, a lot of ingenuity, and sweat.
It’s the same with the so-called telepath problem. In a hundred years, people will look back at this as the beginning of something wonderful.” He spread his hands. “Of course, this is all pending Senate approval, so if you like what you hear today, I urge you to message your senator.”
DiPeso nodded as if in agreement and then did his famous double take.
“Well, that’s about as serious as my contract allows this show to get. I’d like to thank you, Senator, as I’m now marked for death by all of the news shows. I don’t suppose you could spare a few of your, er, `regulators’-to keep me safe?”
Lee shook his head dolefully.
“I don’t know-the Senate would likely deem that a misallocation of personnel-but I promise to look into it if you’ll promise to invite me back sometime.”
“Senator-that’s an abacus. You can count on it.”
“You have nice hands,” he told Alice that evening in the Delacorte lounge. Onstage, the band was playing some oh-twenties revival piece, haunting and brisk all at once. Servers drifted by, ghostly in the pale veils and long dresses so popular along the Pacific Rim. She dimpled, but skeptically.
“You make weak spots in me where I had none,” she said. “Hmm. Tell me where they are so I can poke at ‘em.”
“You do a good enough job of that already. I sometimes wonder if you aren’t a telepath.”
“Not me, darlin’. You saw me get tested.”
“Uh-huh. You did a good job on the DiPeso show, too. The man’s never shown an honest feeling aside from disdain in twenty years, and you made him weep. That’s bound to go down in the history books.” She laid her hand on top of the one caressing hers.
“Why did you
“But what about those who don’t want to join?”
“Well, naturally there will be some who want to continue with their normal lives. I’m happy to announce that Halotech has developed a new drug that shows great promise in inhibiting psionic abilities. It’s still in the testing stage, but it looks good and, once approved, will be offered as an option for telepaths who want to preserve a normal lifestyle. Beyond that well, there are criminals in every demographic. Just as in any group of people you choose to look at, there will be some minor fraction who simply have no social conscience, who will always take the easy way out. This is not a trait of telepaths, my friends-it is a trait common to humanity.
However, as you might imagine, telepaths present special problems in incarceration. Because of this, we’ve proposed a set of separate rehabilitation facilities specially designed for the needs of telepaths, which will be overseen by MRA-which will, of course, all be overseen in turn by the Earth Alliance Senate . In short, it’s high time that people step back and see what’s being done.
The Earth Alliance is the first true world government, and in just over thirty years look what we’ve accomplished. We have thriving colonies on the Moon, plans to move on to Mars, and we’ve detected what might be the first real murmurings of an alien civilization. All it took for those things was a little faith, a lot of ingenuity, and sweat.
It’s the same with the so-called telepath problem. In a hundred years, people will look back at this as the beginning of something wonderful.” He spread his hands. “Of course, this is all pending Senate approval, so if you like what you hear today, I urge you to message your senator.”
DiPeso nodded as if in agreement and then did his famous double take.
“Well, that’s about as serious as my contract allows this show to get. I’d like to thank you, Senator, as I’m now marked for death by all of the news shows. I don’t suppose you could spare a few of your, er, `regulators’-to keep me safe?”
Lee shook his head dolefully.
“I don’t know-the Senate would likely deem that a misallocation of personnel-but I promise to look into it if you’ll promise to invite me back sometime.”
“Senator-that’s an abacus. You can count on it.”
“You have nice hands,” he told Alice that evening in the Delacorte lounge. Onstage, the band was playing some oh-twenties revival piece, haunting and brisk all at once. Servers drifted by, ghostly in the pale veils and long dresses so popular along the Pacific Rim. She dimpled, but skeptically.
“You make weak spots in me where I had none,” she said. “Hmm. Tell me where they are so I can poke at ‘em.”
“You do a good enough job of that already. I sometimes wonder if you aren’t a telepath.”
“Not me, darlin’. You saw me get tested.”
“Uh-huh. You did a good job on the DiPeso show, too. The man’s never shown an honest feeling aside from disdain in twenty years, and you made him weep. That’s bound to go down in the history books.” She laid her hand on top of the one caressing hers.
“Why did you
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