The Singer Enigma by Elizabeth Lowell as Ann Maxwell

Author:Elizabeth Lowell as Ann Maxwell [Maxwell, Elizabeth Lowell as Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, SciFi/Fantasy
ISBN: 9780445003880
Google: W-PEGAAACAAJ
Amazon: 044500388X
Goodreads: 6070772
Publisher: Ppular Library
Published: 1976-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

SINGER

“Tarhn, you’ve come a long way from the jumpy, near-savage svarl hunter of a few years ago,” said Jerlis with obvious satisfaction.

Her finger pressed a button and Tarhn’s personal file appeared on the wallscreen. At the same time the light dimmed to a deep rose until the outlines of the comfortable room were barely visible. Tarhn’s eyes quickly adjusted to the new light.

“As the final act of this stage of your training, you are allowed, required, to review your file. If you have questions, I’ll answer them if I can. Your own comments will be recorded and added to the file if you wish.”

The lines of symbols rose quickly to the top of the screen and disappeared. The rapidity of turnover caused Tarhn no difficulty. He had proven that he could scan and assimilate data at a phenomenal rate.

The first few minutes of the file dealt in minute detail with his general physiology, health, and attainments.

“Any comments?” said Jerlis.

“None.”

“Sure?” said Jerlis as she sensed the stifled laughter in his voice.

Tarhn laughed openly. “With the exercise, food, and healing talent, I’d be shocked if I were anything but an ‘exemplary specimen.’”

“Not shocked. Just out in the field working your nonexistent tail off.”

Next on the screen came the section which Tarhn dreaded—psychic profile. The symbols were complex, finally giving way to charts, diagrams, statistics, formulae, and verbal summation. Tarhn read the words with apparent dispassion.

“Initially, subject displayed symptoms of psychic distress, manifested in physiology as high blood pressure, pH imbalance, acute muscular tension—”

The list continued, even down to a hologram depicting the reduced oxygen flow to the brain due to vascular constriction. The conclusion however, held Tarhn’s attention.

“These symptoms no longer persist, though whether this is due to resolution of psychic conflict or to conscious manipulation of physiology cannot be determined. It should be noted that if the latter is correct, the drain on mental and physical prowess would be considerable. Subject’s profile shows no small amount of prowess, but this cannot be taken as unobjectionable proof of psychic integration, as the subject’s mental potential was measured only after psychic distress was ascertained. We therefore have no true measure of subject’s undistressed potential. Nonetheless, we recommend that subject be admitted into the Carifil.”

Tarhn sighed quietly. He’d made it.

“Any comments?”

“Just a question. Does it make any real difference why my symptoms disappeared?”

“Of course. Part of your training is to integrate all levels of mind. When this is accomplished, a person with, say, apparently ‘normal’ potential can raise himself several mental levels to his true or integrated potential. Also, the unintegrated personality, no matter how brilliant, is psychically inflexible and therefore vulnerable. In our type of life, that can be fatal. But don’t worry; the odds are with you—you’d be our first unintegrated seven.”

Tarhn smiled but said nothing.

“And if you’re worried about your—overall stress rating, don’t. Every living mind is ‘distressed’ by certain circumstances. What matters is degree and ability to cope. You’re doing well on both counts. If you weren’t, it would have shown up during the flexibility simulations we put you through.

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