"Kathy Tyers - Firebird 2 - Fusion Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tyers Kathy)

Firebird glanced at the diskfiles behind Spieth. тАЬItтАЩs not that.тАЭ No, that was a mistake. She must be as
honest with Spieth as possible. A Sentinel could always sense deception. тАЬMaybe it is. But, you seeтАжтАЭ
She trailed off.

тАЬKaffa?тАЭ Master Spieth reached for the thermal carafe on the end of her desk.

Firebird nodded and allowed the ritual of hospitality to make the office less foreign, more homelike. After
a long sip, she began. тАЬMaster, exactly how can you people evaluate something so nebulous as a human
beingтАЩs mental abilities?тАЭ

тАЬAh.тАЭ Aldana Spieth set down her cup. тАЬI hear a very curious mind, Firebird, and questions deeper than
the one you have spoken.тАЭ

Firebird met the silver-haired womanтАЩs steady stare. тАЬIs it permitted, then, to discuss the question?тАЭ Ellet
Kinsman, she recalled, had consistently sidestepped questions of this nature during her brief guardianship.
Firebird had to leave Spieth an тАЬout.тАЭ She had learned that much Sentinel etiquette.

тАЬIn normal cases, no. As you have noticed, we tell outsiders as little as practical about the phenomena
that set us apart. But yours is no normal case. As an outsider bonded to Master Brennen, I believe you
have a right to be trusted with some facts. What has he told you about the testing?тАЭ

тАЬVery little, very vague. I ask you rather than pressing him.тАЭ

Aldana Spieth reached down to her desktop terminal, speaking while she touched keys. тАЬThoughtful. I
can tell you these things, Firebird. When a child is screened for epsilon strength, he has invariably caught
the attention of those sensitive to the phenomenon. The epsilon wave functions as a carrier, by which
other impulses are transmitted. You are familiar with radio theory?тАЭ

тАЬYes. Brennen and I have discussed the phenomenon that far.тАЭ

тАЬThen you know the human mind operates in a fashion similar to that carrier-wave phenomenon. A child
with a strong epsilon function, broadcasting indiscriminately, is easy to detect.

тАЬThe screening test utilizes resonal scanning circuits, lest a human tester show prejudice regarding a
candidate. If the scan indicates high potential, he is then allowed to appear before a testing committee.тАЭ
Spieth pressed another key. тАЬThe numerical score finally assigned combines these findings on the Aurian
Scale of a hundred. Your Brennen tested exceptionally high in all areas of practical application, as you
know, but since we speak in the confidence of this office, let us understand that I have known others who
seemed to possess more native strengthтАФbut only in background potential, which is impossible to
quantify. We can calibrate only strengths for which we have developed a use and a test.тАЭ

тАЬOh,тАЭ Firebird answered quietly, filing more information than she had seriously hoped to be given. Why
was Spieth telling her so much?

Spieth touched the panel again, then sat back, her expression professionally sympathetic, revealing none
of her thoughts. тАЬAnd you have been told, Mistress Caldwell, that you descend from the Aurians as well,
and that you show surprising mental strength, and you cannot go on without asking if you too could be
tested.тАЭ