BOOK 1: SERENDIPITY / CH. 9:EMPLOYMENT
MONDAY MORNING, 19TH JUNE
Kate entered the office just after John had put the report on her desk.
“Hi John, how was your weekend?”
“We saw quite a lot of each other. Urm... quick summary is we're not engaged quite yet, Sarah can hear my unvocalised thoughts, and either I can read hers or she can send to me. If we're close.”
“Well, urm, that's not the reply I expected. And it's not a very funny joke about the mind-reading. So, what really happened?”
“We had a voiceless conversation yesterday, does that count?”
Kate sat down. “So.... you were serious about the relationship too? Congratulations on that front at least!”
“Thanks. We're giving you ten out of ten for your matchmaking.”
"And... you don't mind proving your claim? About the mental powers thing?"
"Not at all."
"And it's reliable?" Kate asked.
"It has been so far."
“Where's Sarah now? Do you know?”
“What's the time? Hmm, I guess she's getting ready to go to a job interview. She's only just graduated and she needs something better than the part-time job she's got now.”
“Can you call her for me, get her to cancel? We'll beat their best offer if you're right. Ha! She can pretty much name her salary.”
“What? Just like that?”
“I must have told you to read the institute's founding documents. Didn't you ever read them?”
“I skimmed them, I'm sure.”
“Paragraph one: ‘To investigate all aspects of the human mind, to explore its potentials, to discover all its powers, and document them for posterity.'”
“Yes, I remember that.”
“But you didn't read the bit that says that if we find someone who has an as yet undocumented mental ability, we must employ them in whatever capacity they are fit for, encourage them to develop their power for constructive purposes and seek to understand it.”
“I guess I'd forgotten. Is there money in the budget for that? I've heard you bemoaning the balance sheet before now.”
“That's the crazy thing, John. That clause has never been invoked, but the founders stipulated that five percent of all income be put into a special account to fund such research. And they put a fairly big amount in to start it off. If you can convince me that researching Sarah's abilities needs a trip to the moon I could write the cheque without blinking too much.”
“Wow. I presume I get into trouble for saying that if you want to turn her into a lab rat, even a pampered lab-rat, then I'm not going to ring her at all.”
“Not a lab-rat John, just a very valued staff member. So what job do I offer her?”
“Well, she managed to coax the computer into collating the data for that report there in something like twenty minutes flat. The discussion of what we were looking at and its implications took longer of course.”
“Ooh, computer systems specialist. I like it, often thought we needed one. Call her, please. Tell her you've impressed me with her skills, and we need her.”
“OK, you're the boss.”
“Ooh, I can't wait to tell our bank-manager, I expect they get half their income from using the money in that account.”
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“Hi Sarah, Kate is really really keen that you cancel the interview and come and tame our computers here instead.”
"It took me weeks to get this interview, John, I can't drop them for a part time position at the Institute.”
“Not part time, full time, permanent contract, probationary term, since there has to be one, is probably about 6 minutes. She said the institute would beat whatever they were offering.”
“But that's crazy, John. She can't do that just because of us or because she knows me, that’s illegal. There must be competition for jobs.”
“Sarah, there is more to the position, but your existing clearance level and expertise make you the only one qualified. The job is yours for the taking, I'm sure Kate will explain.”
“What's the catch?”
“It's not a secure line, Sarah.”
“OK. I'll come. I'll strangle you and Kate both if it falls apart.”
“Not me, please, I'm just the messenger.”
“OK, I’ll just cancel a few dates then.”
“No, not that! Strangle me instead!”
“Silly man. So what do I tell the interviewer? I've only just confirmed that I'm going.”
“Tell them you've just had a better offer.”
“And if they offer me more?”
“Put them through to Kate and she'll beat their new offer.”
“This is crazy, but OK, I’ll come in. Straight away? ”
“Call the pool, love, get a transport. Kate wants you here yesterday, but I think she'll settle for as soon as humanly possible.”
“OK, I'm coming.”
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“So, Kate, tell me, what is this burning issue that means I needed to cancel my job interview?”
“It's very easy, Sarah. John forgot that this place was founded to research unusual mental abilities. (He's a dear boy, but has a mind like a sieve sometimes). John is certain that you've got something in that area, and so if I can't persuade you to take some sort of job here, then I'm out of my job. We don't want you as some kind of guinea pig, but would hope you'd want to carry on finding out about your gifts. Other than that, John said he thought you'd want to use your computer skills, and I know they'd be useful, but basically you can pick anything from cleaning lady to assistant director, and the job is yours. The position's been vacant for over two hundred years, so we're keen to have you fill it.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“I don't get it. Why is it so important that I have a job here? I could tell you about what I've found out without that.”
“Oh, it's all down to the Institute's founding fathers. I think they were reformed idealist capitalist hippies or something equally popular among the rich back then. I'm pretty sure they were convinced that the world was full of people with mental gifts who were hiding or needed a safe place to develop them. They wanted this place to be a sort of well paid commune where happy intelligent people all worked towards finding out more about how minds work. On the other hand they knew that people don't make good experimental subjects normally, or not for long. So, their idea was to give you a job you'd be a fool to leave, where your skills are put to good use and you feel happy and valued for your mundane abilities and who you are, and thus let you join in the happy research community. Then you can find out about your abilities and develop them as you like as an interesting and exciting add on to your job. The normal way people find out about the mind is mostly by psychology, analysis, that sort of thing, mixed with brain scanners, and so on, so those are the sorts of skills and tools that pay our bills. But the idea that one day we might meet someone like you, Sarah, well, that's the reason this Institute was founded. I'm glad you've come and really hope you stay.”
“And you'll create a post for me out of thin air?”
“Did I say that? No, we'll find a niche in the organization that suits you, where your skills are wanted. John tells me you can drive our computer well. Now that's an area that we've often thought it would be good to employ someone, but we could never quite make the numbers add up. It would save time for us if you could help us analyse data like you helped John, but the time saved would probably end up in not-very-well-paying academic research. Interesting, valuable, but not quite worth a systems expert's salary on the balance sheet.”
“But with me possibly having some kind of mind power...”
“Then purely financial questions are nowhere near as important. I don't want to put you on trial, John's report is enough, you've got evidence enough to satisfy the board here already. But for my curiosity, would you mind seeing if you can demonstrate to me something with John? He said you had a non-verbal chat yesterday.”
“No, that's fine, we can try. Yesterday was a shock, so I've no idea if we can repeat it. Hmm, just to stretch beyond what we were playing with yesterday, shall I try to call him in here. No promise it'll work.”
“Oh, yes, that'd be great.”
[John, can you come here, love? Kate wants a demonstration.] There was no sign of him hearing anything.
“We've found the content makes a difference. So if he doesn't come, I'll call again.”
“The content?”
“Yes, urm emotions don't travel far, normal words are better, intentions are stronger still, and urm,” she blushed, “the message that got the furthest was when I demanded a kiss.”
“Oh, demand away, girl, I've been in love before.”
[John, I need a kiss NOW!]
John knocked on the door and came in, worry on his face. “Is everything all right, Sarah? I'm sorry, Kate, I just heard Sarah...”
“Go on, John, prove to a sceptic. What did she tell you?”
“That she needed a kiss. I thought she was upset.”
“Well, give her one, you silly man, and let's see what she can tell you while you do.”
John lent over and kissed Sarah's forehead. [It was a test, John, I told her that demanding a kiss yesterday worked best. She said, ‘Oh, demand away, girl, I've been in love before.” I love you, but maybe we should stop now.]
[Oh, all right. {love}]
“Well, Kate, it was a test, and she told you that demanding a kiss worked well yesterday, and you said, ‘Oh, demand away, girl, I've been in love before.’”
“That was quite an information filled kiss there, young man. Oh, the joys of youth. I don't suppose if I wanted a kiss I'd get one?”
“That would be an interesting test. Is it only that somehow John and I are on the same frequency or something? I've got an idea, Kate, you hold John's hand and think this to him, a bit like a silent prayer, but not to God, of course. And she jotted down on her wrist unit, ‘I want some tea!'
Kate laughed, “OK Sarah, you're on. John, give me your hand.” [I want some coffee.]
“Hmm, I had an impression that you wanted something, I'm not sure what. It might have been coffee, but you don't like coffee, so I don't know!”
“Amazing! Sorry Sarah, I thought it would be a better test than to follow your instructions exactly. How about we try you, Sarah?”
“Fine by me.”
[I want to understand this!]
“So do I, Kate, I want to understand this too.”
“Wow. So, is this contagious, or how did John end up able to hear my thoughts, however imperfectly?”
“I guess that's my fault. I was worried that if I could hear John, but he didn't hear me, then it might destroy what was growing between us. And I prayed that either God would take it from me or give it to John.”
“Well, since I don't believe in your God, I either need to put that down as contagious or unexplained. And I wonder how John feels about crowds now.”
“That's a thought I hadn’t had! But no, at church you were fine, weren't you, John?”
“Yes, no problems at all. I think it's pretty clear that Sarah's better at all this than I am, Kate.”
“I agree. So Sarah, are you going to join our merry crew? Or do I need to make do with Mr. Inferior here?”
“I'll join up. If you want to pay me pots of money so I can hold John's hand, then I'd be a bit silly not to, wouldn't I?”
“Sign on the line then, my girl, sign on the line “, pushing over a data-tablet with the contract on it. John saw the figure as Sarah read it. “Oh well, there goes my anticipated role as main bread winner.”
“I told you we'd beat their best offer, John, and I've done some checking, and this is a reasonable salary for a systems expert.”
“But I'm not an expert, Kate, I just took a few courses!”
“Then think of it as an encouragement to become one, and stay to be one of our happy family. Just ah, don't tell the others how much is on that, OK? It'll only cause unhappiness. Sign it, girl, and I'll call a staff meeting to introduce you.”
“If you're sure the budget can stand it, Kate, I'll sign.”
“Oh, have no fear, Sarah, that's coming out of a special project account that has been collecting for generations.”
“Oh, so I should ask for more?”
“Sarah love, don't get greedy!”
“Sorry, just joking.”
As before, Sarah used her ID-crystal ring to sign the contract, and Kate withdrew the corporate seal from the safe. It was an actual physical stamp, onto which a data crystal had been carefully embedded. John wondered when it had last impressed a piece of paper.
Kate asked her, “Where did you get that ring from, Sarah? It's a marvellous piece of work. I'm always afraid that someone will steal my purse and I'll have to go to the trouble of getting a new ID. No one would steal a fashion piece. I presume that's glass on top of the actual crystal? It's very cleverly done.”
“My Dad made it for me. He was a jeweller primarily, but he'd done some electronics too. I guess that's why I ended up taking sciences. He made me all sorts of pretty things when I was little, and then gave me this for my tenth birthday.”
“Well, welcome to the institute, Sarah. I'm sure John'll be happy to have you here, especially as, since you work here now, your previous contract with us becomes void.”
“Eh?” said John. “Why would that make me happy?”
“I told you he was a scatterbrain, didn't I, Sarah? He's forgotten that employees don't get charged for any psychological help they need.”
“And therefore he gets all his salary again, but my knight Sir Titanium is too noble to think of such concerns when he gets me into such a well paid job.”
“Hey, can we leave off the whole knight thing, please?”
“Sorry, John. It's just that I was thinking that when daddy gave me this ring he said it was a ring for his princess and I shouldn't ever take it off, just like my princess... Oh no.” And she burst into tears.
John tried to comfort her. [What is it love? What's wrong?]
“I did take it off. My princess tiara. I took it off so Sue could put it on, she begged and begged and begged and I took it off. And then her foster father came in and... you know. Him. And I wasn't allowed to see Sue again, and she had my tiara. And she sent it in the post and it came all smashed up.” And then she plunged back into uncontrollable tears. “John, can you help me understand this?” Kate whispered.
“Sue's step father must be the abuser in my report,” he said, “And Sarah denounced him to the authorities, and told them where he'd hidden evidence of his crimes. Event one in my report, we thought it was the trigger for her headaches.”
“But it was all on the day she took off her father's gift,” Kate said, understanding.
“Are we right, love? Could this tiara have been some kind of shield or dampener?”
“I don't know, but it fits, doesn't it? It all fits.”
“What happened to the tiara?”
“I put it in a box at home. My childhood memories. It should still be there. It wasn't really a tiara though. It was sort of like a hair comb that went close to my skull. It kept my fringe out of my eyes, so school let me wear it.”
“Now Sarah, I don't think you're up to meeting the staff right now. Could John take you home to get it? I think we'd all be interested to see what your genius of a father made for his princess.”
“Yes, I want to look at it now too. I haven't thought of it for years.”