Pegasus in Flight by Anne McCaffrey Read Free Book Online Page B

stunning if the amorous Phanibal had come, too?
Johnny’s green-flecked amber eyes twinkled with devilment.
    Rhyssa:
Why doesn’t that odious man go back to the Pacific island that spawned him and attend to the family’s plantations?
    Johnny:
All you need is a strong handsome man who’ll scare him off. Right now you’ve got this lot embarrassed by your appearance, and yet they haven’t said a thing out of line,
he added, all in the split seconds of the greeting.
    Rhyssa gave Altenbach a genuinely glad smile, then nodded politely to the fiercely scowling Barchenka and the bland-faced Per Duoml. “Just the people I hoped to see. When I saw you were to be in Washington, Madame Barchenka, I realized that I should put in an appearance before matters get out of hand.”
    “Now, Rhyssa,” Altenbach said, signaling a waiter to bring a chair and set up another place for his unexpected guest, “you can’t disrupt the established procedure of lobbying. That’s not the way to play the game.”
    “Nor is going behind my back,” Rhyssa said, smiling to take the sting out of her criticism. She turned to Barchenka. “You have a schedule to keep. What you will not appreciate is that one cannot schedule Talent or lobby it. The kinetics you so desperately need cannot materialize to help you meet your schedule. That many kinetics don’t exist. Talent is a random and highly individual trait, not an imposed one. No one can dictate to a Talent and expect the person to perform to the best of her or his ability. That dictation inhibits the Talent as surely as seasickness inhibits appetite. There is no legislation in the world that may chain the mind.”
    “There is legislation that will recruit those needed to do the job that the entire world has decided must be done.” Barchenka’s stolid words complimented her uncompromising expression. “The platform
will
be finished as scheduled. The kinetics
will
participate.”
    Rhyssa caught another strong emanation, this time from Per Duoml, who nodded solemnly to support Barchenka’s statement.
    “There are ways,” Barchenka added, her cold eyes scanning Rhyssa’s whole appearance from the elegantly coiffed hair and subtle makeup to the couture outfit.
    “Legal?” Rhyssa asked with a slight smile.
    The secretary cleared his throat and handed Rhyssa a menu. “I’m still of the opinion that this—impasse—can be negotiated to the satisfaction of all concerned.”
    Barchenka made a monosyllabic noise of disbelief and resumed her perusal of the menu. After only seconds, she tossed it negligently to the table. “I would prefer nutritious food to this . . .”
    Johnny Greene beckoned to the maitre d’, who was famous for his poise under the most trying situations that Washington could produce. “D’Amato, Manager Barchenka requires the
other
menu.”
    At a snap of D’Amato’s fingers, an underling appeared and handed him a slim folder, which he presented to Barchenka with a flourish. She gave him, then Johnny, a sardonic look that turned to agreeable surprise as she scanned a menu composed of the foodstuffs available on the platform.
    “Five, twelve, and twenty, taken with tea,” she said in a voice that still vibrated with controlled anger.
    Watch it, Rhyssa!
Johnny cautioned.
Did you catch that flash? She’s poison-sure she’s got us where she wants us.
    Simultaneously three other minders, dining with their charges in the same room, sent Rhyssa similar warnings. She was particularly glad to feel the mental touch of Gordon Havers, the youngest Supreme Court justice ever appointed, whose expertise might be extremely useful.
    Fine! Now discover what?
Rhyssa said mentally as vocally she chose her luncheon of cold fruit, soup, and salad.
Gordie, are you available for some quick scans of obsolete statutes that could cover such a contingency?
    Been driving myself and my clerks all hours trying to find one, Rhyssa,
replied Gordon Havers.
There’s nothing in
our
constitution,