Free Telepath (Hive Mind Book 1) by Janet Edwards Page A

oppressive defence measures. Trivial breaches of rules
resulted in the offender being classed as a criminal. Children were screened
for factors considered a potential danger to society. Undesirable elements were
controlled, medicated, even genetically restricted.”
    Lucas’s speed speech
wasn’t an issue any longer, but there was still a problem if I didn’t
understand the words in his mind. “What does genetically restricted mean?”
    He rephrased it at my intellectual
level. “People classed as criminals or socially undesirable were not allowed to
have children.”
    I missed the next couple
of sentences while I absorbed that. The implications of it were huge. “Hold on.
Go back to the not allowed to have children bit. I’ve never heard of anything
like that happening.”
    “The policy of genetic
restriction proved to have immensely damaging consequences.” Lucas pulled a
pained face of disapproval. “It resulted in large population drops that seriously
weakened Hives. Many valuable qualities were mistakenly labelled as negative. The
elimination of diverse characteristics harmed the gene pool. Some Hives
suffered horrific epidemics due to their populations having reduced disease
resistance. Hives became isolationist, banning all casual travel between Hives
as a disease containment measure. Changing Hive, either by individual choice or
as part of a Hive personnel trade agreement, became an irrevocable lifetime
commitment.”
    He waved his hands in
despair. “Genetic restriction was abandoned two centuries ago. Hives reabsorbed
their seed Hives, or merged with neighbouring Hives to restore their populations.
New approaches were developed to keep Hives safe. Eighteen-year-olds were
tested to assess their abilities, and allocated to professions that were personally
rewarding and useful to the Hive.”
    He smiled. “Qualities previously
seen as negative were proven to be highly productive when correctly channelled.
The nosy system was instituted to deter criminal activities. Social changes were
made to limit conflict with authority arising during the peak danger years of adolescence.”
    “Social changes,” I
repeated. “That’s why teens all live on Level 50?”
    “Yes.”
    I had a sudden new insight.
“We really are bees. Tame bees.”
    Lucas tipped his head on
one side. “We live in Hives, but …?”
    “My parents work in
genetics. They told me all about bees. Wild bees have stings. The ones in the
parks and hydroponics don’t. They were specially bred from the wild bees, to be
friendly and hardworking.”
    Lucas’s face lit up, and
he clapped his hands. “Yes! Our Hive is full of tame bees. Well fed, comfortably
housed, with different types of workers all happily making their contribution.
Luxury differentials between levels are carefully limited to avoid fuelling
discontent. People are deterred from committing crimes by the nosy patrols, but
…”
    He grimaced. “Various factors
can result in a wild bee appearing. An individual with a potential for harming
others. Most get spotted in annual development checks or in Lottery screening, treated
where necessary, and channelled by Lottery into being productive members of the
Hive. In rare, extreme cases kept securely confined.”
    “Most get spotted,” I
muttered, ahead of him for once.
    “Some are very intelligent
and fake their way through screening. In other cases, behaviour gradually
escalates. They’re surrounded by potential prey. Imagine, for example, if one
of them is a danger to children. In this Hive, children roam freely to the
park, to the nursery, wherever they want to play. Hasties keep them safe from
accidents, but think of the tempting opportunities for a wild bee. Hence.” Lucas
pointed his finger at me. “You!”
    “I catch the wild bees?”
    “Yes. Old style
surveillance could only catch a wild bee after they’ve committed a crime, but a
true telepath can catch them before anyone gets hurt. You have a whole unit to
help you.