Services
Inertial placement
An inertial is a person whose own field cancels the field of a telepath or a precognitive within a certain radius. Within that radius, nobody can read you or see ahead of you. The firm has 212 of them.
What an inertial does
Very little, to look at. An inertial is placed in or near the room to be protected and stays there for as long as protection is needed: in the outer office, at the end of the boardroom table, in the kitchen of a family home. They do not need to do anything. Their field does the work, and it works whether they are awake or not.
Within the radius of an inertial’s field, a telepath outside it cannot read the people inside, and a precognitive cannot see their decisions. The effect is measured, not assumed: every placement follows a field survey, and every placement is checked by another one.
Classes of field
| Class | Radius | Suitable for | On the roster |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Under 1 m | One person: a desk, a car, a telephone call | 71 |
| II | 1 to 3 m | A small room or a negotiating table | 84 |
| III | 3 to 6 m | A boardroom, a floor of a small office, a house | 48 |
| IV | Over 6 m | A large floor, a courtroom, an event | 9 |
Classes introduced by Mrs. Ella Runciter in 1972. Figures as at 30 September 2026.
Terms of placement
Placements are made for a minimum of one working week, or for a single event. Standing placements are reviewed every quarter. The firm provides relief cover for illness and holidays, so a client never finds an empty chair.
Our inertials are discreet, punctual and dressed for the room. They do not take notes, do not use telephones in meetings and do not discuss one client with another. They are paid by the firm and never by the client directly.
Limitations
- An inertial protects the room they are in. They do not protect a telephone call made from another room, a letter left on a train, or a device in the wall.
- The fields of two inertials placed close together do not add up. A larger room needs a larger field, not more people.
- Inertials make talents uncomfortable, and talents sometimes make inertials tired. Clients who employ a licensed talent of their own should tell us, so that we can place our staff where they will not interfere with lawful work.
- Precognitives working at long range can be harder to stop than telepaths nearby. We will tell you if we think a placement will not be enough.
The roster
The roster is managed by Leonard Teague, Director of Inertial Placement, who decides every placement. New inertials are found by G. G. Ashwood, the firm’s talent scout.