Brain Trust (Wild Cards)
Encyclopedia
Brain Trust was a fictional character from the first book in the Wild Cards
anthology series and a member of The Four Aces
, appearing in the stories "Witness" by Walter Jon Williams
and "Degradation Rites" by Melinda M. Snodgrass
(who created the character).
Overwhelmed to the point of withdrawal, she was found and brought to Dr. Tachyon
, in hopes that he could help her. He used his telepathy
to help stabilize her mind, and the two soon began an affair. She was afraid to go back to Henry, and instead joined the organization that would become known as the Four Aces. Unlike Golden Boy
and Black Eagle
, Blythe, codenamed "Brain Trust", was a behind the scenes member at first. She was sent around the country to copy the minds of some of the world's greatest scientist
s, such as Albert Einstein
, Jonas Salk
, J. Robert Oppenheimer and Wernher von Braun
, so that there would be "back-up" copies of all their knowledge. This made it even more difficult for her to maintain her mental balance, so Tachyon began tutoring her in Takisian methods of mental control, when he wasn't romancing her.
Unfortunately, the climate of the United States was growing harsher, and the Four Aces were called before the HUAC Committee, who demanded to know the names of any Aces they had dealt with. When Golden Boy
let slip that Brain Trust had also absorbed a copy of Tachyon's memories, which meant she knew all the Wild Carders Tachyon had treated, the Committee eagerly called her to the stand and began to browbeat and interrogate her. The fragile union of minds inside her made it difficult to resist, and she began to break down and name names. Tachyon, aghast, tried to telepathically force her silence, but only succeeded in shattering her remaining mental defenses, causing a complete mental breakdown into a gibbering wreck. Tachyon was deported, and Blythe was placed in a mental institution, where she eventually died of neglect.
in honor of Brain Trust. More commonly known as the Jokertown Clinic, it has treated and cared for (if not necessarily cured) thousands of victims of the wild card virus. Fleur van Renssaeler, Blythe's daughter with her estranged husband, grew up to hate both the wild card virus and its creator, Dr. Tachyon. A supporter of anti-wild card preacher Leo Barnett's bid for presidency, Fleur once tried to seduce Tachyon in order to get information from him. During the brief encounter Tachyon imagined himself with Blythe, while Fleur overcame her hatred of Tachyon by fantasizing about Leo Barnett. Blythe's granddaughter Dr. Clara van Renssaeler now works at the clinic.
Wild Cards
Wild Cards is a science fiction and superhero anthology series set in a shared universe. The series was created by a group of New Mexico science fiction authors, but it is mostly pulled together and edited by best-selling author George R. R. Martin with assistance by Melinda Snodgrass, also a...
anthology series and a member of The Four Aces
Four Aces (Wild Cards)
The Four Aces are a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in the Wild Cards anthology series, first appearing in the story "Witness" by Walter Jon Williams in the first book of the series, Wild Cards.-Overview:...
, appearing in the stories "Witness" by Walter Jon Williams
Walter Jon Williams
Walter Jon Williams is an American writer, primarily of science fiction.Several of Williams' novels have a distinct cyberpunk feel to them, notably Hardwired , Voice of the Whirlwind and Angel Stationn...
and "Degradation Rites" by Melinda M. Snodgrass
Melinda M. Snodgrass
Melinda M. Snodgrass is a professional writer best known for her work in science fiction for print and television media....
(who created the character).
Biography
Blythe was the wife of domineering New York Congressman Henry Van Renssaeler. When the Wild Card virus infected her, she gained the power to absorb an exact duplicate of another's mind, to know everything they knew; and the first time she used this power was when she involuntarily absorbed her husband's mind. Suddenly she knew it all; his dirty politics and criminal activities, his affairs, and what he really thought about his wife.Overwhelmed to the point of withdrawal, she was found and brought to Dr. Tachyon
Dr. Tachyon
Dr. Tachyon is a character from the Wild Cards series of books. He was created for the books by Melinda M. Snodgrass. Tachyon is a geneticist from the planet Takis, whose people naturally developed various telepathic powers...
, in hopes that he could help her. He used his telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
to help stabilize her mind, and the two soon began an affair. She was afraid to go back to Henry, and instead joined the organization that would become known as the Four Aces. Unlike Golden Boy
Golden Boy (Wild Cards)
Golden Boy is a character from the Wild Cards series of books and a member of The Four Aces.-Powers:He is regarded, in the series, as possibly the strongest man in the world. His force field, which has a golden glow when active, grants him immunity from virtually anything. He is especially...
and Black Eagle
Black Eagle (Wild Cards)
Black Eagle is a fictional character from the Wild Cards anthology series and a member of The Four Aces. He was created by Walter Jon Williams, and first appeared in the story "Witness" in the first book of the series, Wild Cards....
, Blythe, codenamed "Brain Trust", was a behind the scenes member at first. She was sent around the country to copy the minds of some of the world's greatest scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s, such as Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...
, J. Robert Oppenheimer and Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
, so that there would be "back-up" copies of all their knowledge. This made it even more difficult for her to maintain her mental balance, so Tachyon began tutoring her in Takisian methods of mental control, when he wasn't romancing her.
Unfortunately, the climate of the United States was growing harsher, and the Four Aces were called before the HUAC Committee, who demanded to know the names of any Aces they had dealt with. When Golden Boy
Golden Boy (Wild Cards)
Golden Boy is a character from the Wild Cards series of books and a member of The Four Aces.-Powers:He is regarded, in the series, as possibly the strongest man in the world. His force field, which has a golden glow when active, grants him immunity from virtually anything. He is especially...
let slip that Brain Trust had also absorbed a copy of Tachyon's memories, which meant she knew all the Wild Carders Tachyon had treated, the Committee eagerly called her to the stand and began to browbeat and interrogate her. The fragile union of minds inside her made it difficult to resist, and she began to break down and name names. Tachyon, aghast, tried to telepathically force her silence, but only succeeded in shattering her remaining mental defenses, causing a complete mental breakdown into a gibbering wreck. Tachyon was deported, and Blythe was placed in a mental institution, where she eventually died of neglect.
Legacy
After his pardon and return to America in the 1960s, Tachyon founded the Blythe van Renssaeler Memorial Hospital in the heart of New York's JokertownJokertown
Jokertown is a fictional neighborhood in the Wild Cards anthology series.In the Wild Cards universe, it is an area of Manhattan. After the Wild Card virus was released over New York in 1946, many Jokers, those deformed by the virus, began to filter into this largely abandoned area, which was nearly...
in honor of Brain Trust. More commonly known as the Jokertown Clinic, it has treated and cared for (if not necessarily cured) thousands of victims of the wild card virus. Fleur van Renssaeler, Blythe's daughter with her estranged husband, grew up to hate both the wild card virus and its creator, Dr. Tachyon. A supporter of anti-wild card preacher Leo Barnett's bid for presidency, Fleur once tried to seduce Tachyon in order to get information from him. During the brief encounter Tachyon imagined himself with Blythe, while Fleur overcame her hatred of Tachyon by fantasizing about Leo Barnett. Blythe's granddaughter Dr. Clara van Renssaeler now works at the clinic.