Pegasus in Flight by Anne McCaffrey

Author:Anne McCaffrey
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Ballantine Books

Carmen Stein laid the lock across her thighs and stroked it flat, using her long fingernails to separate the tangled hairs. For several more minutes she fingered them, softly coaxing a sense of their grower’s whereabouts. Carmen always looked so placid and imperturbable when she was evoking her Talent as finder. Better than most, Sascha knew just how much activity her brain was generating at such moments. She was one of the best searchers he had ever encountered and, because her Talent was intense and exhausting, he protected her as much as he could, limiting her assignments.

“The incident occurred how long ago?” she asked without taking her eyes from the hair.

“Approximately sixty-two minutes.”

“Ah, she is hiding. That accounts for the darkness. I cannot see where. There is no light. A constricted space.”

“A conduit?”

“That’s possible.” Carmen sounded dubious. “I think she sleeps.”

“That’s a cool one.”

“No,” Carmen said, taking him literally. “Not cool. Tired.” She offered him the hair.

“No, keep it, Carmen, for now. We’ll need to know if she moves.”

Calmly Carmen leaned forward, took a clip from the brightly enameled jar on the table, and fastened the tress, the scalp end now coated with a protective film, high on the right side of her head.

Sascha had relayed Carmen’s comments to Boris.

A conduit, huh? There’s so few of those in a Linear. The LEO Commissioner’s mental tone was facetious. We’re flushing kids out of every available space. I hate this, Sascha, I hate it. Sascha sent quick soothing thoughts to ease the turmoil in his brother’s mind, but Boris went on. The miracle of life should be a blessing, not a curse. How can people be so irresponsible as to produce countless unwanted children and waste them?

Even illegal kids have rights, Sascha responded, gently quoting his brother his own words. See that even the least of them get that much.

Illegals go to the space station. Boris sounded defeated.

They don’t go as grunts. They’re trained to do something a lot more constructive than their parents ever did. Leave it, brother.

I scratch your back, Bro, not your nose, Boris said wryly. Now, I’m putting in an appearance to scare some sense out of those flipping focus females!

No one better. By the way, when you have a spare moment, listen to a news update. Then you’ll know why we twisted your arm with a G and H.

I congratulate the triumph I sense in your mind, but I’ll have to wait on a replay of the event, Boris said as he entered the rehearsal hall, thinking what a scarce commodity time was right then.

He crossed the threshold, assuming his most awe-inspiring official manner. Tall, handsome, the strength in his powerful frame shown off even by the bulky action uniform, he succeeded in scaring the gaggle of women silent, a silence that did not last too long, though the renewed bursts of argumentative crosstalk were considerably subdued.

I just got something, Commissioner, Ranjit told him. A flash from the woman fourth on the left, the plump young one with the caste mark.

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