(eng) Mack Reynolds - United Planets 02 by Dawnman Planet

Author:Dawnman Planet [Planet, Dawnman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

IX

Rita took him up, by way of the private elevator, to the ground floor and through the pseudo-Minoan Palace to a hovercar ramp. As they progressed, silently, passers-by came to a quick halt. Civilians pressed their hands over their hearts in the same salute Count Fitzjames had given the Baron, soldiers came to stiff attention.

She looked at him from the side of her eyes, a mocking quality still there.

Ronny said dryly, "Like magic, isn't it? On Mother Earth, a lowly Interplanetary News reporter, sneaking into places she's not wanted. Being grabbed, manhandled, mauled, battered around, and then memorywashed. But now a veritable princess, the niece of the Supreme Commandant."

"What! Manhandled, mauled, battered around! Who dared?"

He looked at her as though in surprise. "Oh. That's right, you wouldn't remember."

She had stopped. Now she stood there, fists on boyishly slim hips, glaring at him. "You… you…" Then she caught his grin.

"Ha!" she snapped. "The last time you told me I had a bottle of guzzle, was drenched, and in trouble with a traffic coordinator."

He continued to grin, the mockery was in his face now.

She spun and marched on. "Someday, I'm going to find out what happened to me during that twenty-four hours," she snarled. "And when I do…"

They reached a wide entryway which led off toward the gates down the ramp. Rita snapped something to one of the guards, who then spoke into a screen set in the wall. In moments, a low slung auto-car approached them. It was a two seater, and Rita slid under the controls. She dropped the manual lever and took the stick, waiting for him.

Ronny got in beside her and they started down the ramp. He said, "I've got an official car waiting for me at the main gate."

"Let them follow. I want to talk to you."

"All right. My suite's at the United Planets Building."

When they passed the UP limousine with the marines, he gestured to them to follow.

Rita said, "What did you think of Uncle Max?"

"Uncle Max? Oh, the Baron."

"Maximilian, and a whole lot of other names and titles."

Ronny said warily, looking out over the countryside, "He surprised me." This whole area had been landscaped, all the way to the city. Phrygia evidently spared no expense in aggrandizing her Supreme Commandant.

She said, conversationally, "Have you ever noticed the extent to which man can delude himself when considering persons of whom he doesn't approve?"

"Such as strongmen?" he said dryly.

"Exactly. Evidently, few consider that men such as Alexander didn't stand alone. Actually, he was the leader of a team. A team of military and political geniuses so capable that they were able to pull down the world's greatest empire. Men like Parmenion, Ptolemy, Antipater, Antigonus, Seleucus and all the Companions. Can you see the charm he must have radiated, the strength, the ability to draw men of great capability into his service? He must have indeed been like a god. Or Napoleon. Can you imagine the personality that man must have had, the charm, to draw together his team? Men like Ney, Marat, Bernadotte, Lannes, Soult and Massé na.

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