Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps by J. Gregory Keyes Page B

your committee control the fates of hundreds of people-and knowing how careful you boys in Geneva are about abusing your power-well, what is sex like with a telepath?”
    “Well,” Lee drawled, “I can’t comment on that personally, but my experts tell me it would be a lot like being interviewed by you.”
    “How’s that, Senator-a sort of cosmic experience?”
    “Not exactly. More like doing all of the work while the other person has twice the fun.”
    “Ho-well, there’s an image!” DiPeso said. “And not a pleasant one for our audience, either. Now, seriously. How is this Metasensory thing going?”
    “Pretty well, now that we can identify telepaths-“
    “Not all of them, though.”
    “No, but up to about seventy percent of them can be identified through a brief medical exam. This is a substantial number-and a high percentage of others come forth voluntarily.”
    DiPeso put on his “serious face.”
    “Well, that’s pretty good, isn’t it? But are you saying that you can’t protect us from that other thirty percent?”
    Lee rubbed his hands together.
    “Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to meet a few of these people I’m `protecting’ you from.”
    DiPeso’s face showed a hint of dismay before he managed to cover it with an “oh, really?” expression.
    “Well, I’m sure that if they’re with you, I’ve nothing to worry about. Bring ‘em out. But folks, repeat after me—’ He then began rubbing his temples and murmuring, “Ibink clean thoughts-think clean thoughts—no thoughts about Anna Keck-“
    The audience was laughing, booing, and ribbing its collective temples as the five telepaths came out. But a hush settled when they saw the first two. DiPeso was the first to recover.
    “Anna, sweetie, you’re jumping the gun a little. Your segment
    “It’s right now, dear,” Anna replied
    In early middle age, Anna Keck still had the same grace and quiet sensuality that had made her, first, the world’s sweetheart, and then, one of its most respected actresses.
    “I’ve been on your shoves-what is it, thirty times now-,end never really had anything important to say. Now I do.”
    For perhaps the first time in front of an audience, DiPeso was clearly flabbergasted. He actually stuttered.
    “Are-are you saying-” Lee stood up and let her have his seat.
    Anna took it, swept back her luxuriant black hair, and gave DiPeso a little kiss on the cheek.
    “Just keep thinking those clean thoughts, dear.”
    “Good Lord o’mighty!” DiPeso said, recovering. “It’s a miracle you haven’t slapped me thirty times by now. You’ve been—this whole time?”
    She shrugged and smiled at the audience.
    “I didn’t know until I took the new screening test. I always knew I was good at understanding people—at knowing how they felt-but I’ve never heard words or anything. Most telepaths can’t, really-it’s a false stereotype. I can’t read your mind, Alex.”
    “Well, thank Buddha for small favors. Whew. ‘Cause I’m sure there must be some sort of law. Well, this is-‘
    ‘This isn’t about me,” Anna interrupted “We still have a segment for that, right? Because I do want to talk about Arkansas Traveler. But first I’d like to let the senator introduce everyone else.”
    “Well, by all means—but I think I know this young man,” he said, gesturing at the twenty-something fellow with the Apollonian profile. “Aren’t you that fireman … T,
    Lee clapped the young man on the shoulder.
    ‘This is Guy Guillory . Most of your viewers will remember him as the young man who saved thirty people in the San Francisco earthquake last year. Guy came to us voluntarily when-well, I’ll get to that in a moment . Guy’s telepathic ability enabled him to find those trapped on the collapsed sixth floor of Trombles. I might add that Guy is just now able to walk again-his body was covered with third-degree burns on his fifth trip in, two trips after the building caught fire.”
    Guy