Pegasus in Space by Anne McCaffrey Read Free Book Online Page A

We’ll see about an official visit later. Admiral Coetzer knows of your part in the Bangladesh emergency
.
    “There is no way to keep the politicians and the orators away fromsuch a fine opportunity to exercise their own voices,” Dave said quietly, in answer to Peter’s spoken question. “Especially during an election year.”
    “Don’t remind me,” Rhyssa said with a mock groan.
    With no thanks to the President for his presentation, Barchenka began to enumerate the problems that she had had to overcome from day one of her assignment as Manager.
    “She had to overcome?” Peter whispered, disgusted.
    “Well, she did,” Rhyssa said, adding sourly, “even us.”
    Barchenka appeared determined to recite every one of the obstacles in the path of the successful completion of the first World Space Station. She phrased her words as an indictment of those who did not spring willingly to her aid when first approached.
    “ ‘Accosted’ is more like it,” Dave said softly behind his hand. Rhyssa could not help a wry grin.
    She says nothing about
our
help
, Peter ’pathed sullenly to Rhyssa.
    Did you expect her to?
General John Greene asked from his seat among the military, on the far side of the auditorium.
    If it weren’t for us
, Peter said angrily,
she wouldn’t have finished on time, or ever
.
    But she did
, Johnny reminded him.
And I’m not sorry I helped
.
    She still should give us credit
.
    Peter
, Rhyssa replied firmly,
never will she give
us
any credit. No one does, and frankly, I’m all for anonymity. About ninety-nine percent of the indigenous population of Earth is afraid of psionic abilities
.
    Why?
Peter frowned at his friend and mentor.
    Because, lad, the parapsychic are different
, said the distinctive voice of Australian Lance Baden,
and you, in particular, are much safer being anonymous
.
    I
don’t want credit
, Peter protested, turning his head to the left, in Lance’s direction.
But
you
and the other Talents who got stuck up here deserve it
.
    We don’t expect it
, Johnny said in a blithe tone.
Nor do we want it from that source. Ooops, well, she’s taking credit for reducing loss of life on the Station, too. Now to
that
I’ll take exception
.
    Peter was probably the only one who was aware that it was the General who “reached out.” Even Peter didn’t at first realize what John Greene had done with that slight kinetic pulse. Suddenly Barchenka was scowling down at the prompter screen from which she had been reading her speech.She paused, scowled, lifted her hand to adjust dials, at first calmly, but when nothing seemed to improve, she thumped the screen in several places. Then, her expression registering fury, she slewed partway around and imperiously beckoned to someone standing at the back, below the stage.
    “Wait,” she said bluntly to the audience, clearing her throat and stepping aside as the technician hurried to assist her.
    Peter hid the irreverent grin behind his hand.
Will she get it back?
    How would I know?
Laughter rippled in Johnny’s mental voice.
    Peter watched as the technician made several adjustments, turning at last with a nervous smile for Barchenka and indicating he had fixed the problem. When she again took her place and looked down at the screen, she called him back.
    What did you do, Pete?
Rhyssa asked without looking at her prize student.
    Me?
Peter’s expression was so surprised that Rhyssa had to believe him as he lifted his hand toward his chest in an attitude of offended innocence.
    The audience began to get restless, shifting feet, clearing throats, and looking anywhere but at the glowering Barchenka. She was having words with the technician and he was still trying to adjust the screen to solve the problem. Whatever it was.
    A woman, dressed in the Space Station’s new black uniform, rushed out carrying a replacement unit. Music flowed out of the audio system, to bridge the pause in the program. The defective unit was removed quickly and with no