Orchid

'She told me about it. The experience was not, I gather, a pleasant one for her.'

'No.' Edward sighed. 'I can't understand what went wrong. ParaSyn is a first-class research center. Over the years the labs there have produced not only some groundbreaking research in the para-bio fields, they have also come up with some extremely profitable technical breakthroughs. I, myself, own stock in ParaSyn.'

'So do I.' A lot of it, Rafe added silently, thinking of the holdings in the Synergy Fund.

'Dr. Gilbert Bracewell, who is head of the research labs there, has done an outstanding job for nearly twenty years.'

'I know.'

'Orchid never fully explained why she and the other two research subjects quit the ice-prism project before it was completed. Nevertheless, a great deal was learned.' Edward narrowed his eyes. 'Some of that knowledge was used to help modify the Multipsychic Paranormal Personality Inventory and other syn-psych tools that are used by matchmaking agencies.'

Rafe realized the very civil skirmish between himself and Edward was taking a dangerous twist. He marshaled his arguments carefully.

'That doesn't make up for the fact that there are very few ice-prisms around,' Rafe said. 'The agencies haven't had much opportunity to see how the new versions of the MPPI and the other para-profiling techniques actually work long term.'

'Still, an agency match is always preferable to a non-agency match.'

'This is an unusual situation.' Rafe paused deliberately. 'An agency marriage might carry as much risk for Orchid as an unmatched marriage.'

'There is some risk in any marriage, of course. But logic and common sense indicate that an agency marriage stands a better chance of success than one contracted for, shall we say, old-fashioned reasons?'

'Is old-fashioned a polite meta-zen-syn term for primitive?' Rafe asked in his most polite voice.

'A student of meta-zen-syn comprehends that nature and human beings cannot be understood in terms of primitive versus sophisticated. Indeed, there is no such distinction to be made. What matters is the degree of balance and control individuals achieve over the synergistic forces that operate on both the physical and metaphysical plane.'

'The struggle for balance and harmony governs all natural processes,' Rafe quoted softly.

'Precisely. Perfect balance is never achieved. It is only a goal toward which the thoughtful person must continually struggle. Each individual must deal with a different set of synergistic forces within himself. Therefore the struggle takes different forms for all of us.'

'I'm a businessman, not a philosopher. You're losing me here, Professor.'

'On the contrary, I think you understand me very well.' Edward's silver brows rose. 'Orchid tells me that you are a very powerful strat-talent, but even if she had said nothing about your paranormal abilities, I would have known soon after meeting you that the synergistic forces of your nature are extremely strong. Yet you have achieved a very high degree of control over those forces.'

'I like to think so. But just to be on the safe side, I try not to go out on nights when both moons are full.'

To Rafe's surprise, Edward chuckled. Then his eyes grew solemn once more.

'I will be frank,' he said. 'It took my wife and myself considerable argument and, some might say, outright pressure, to persuade Orchid to register with a matchmaking agency last year. For her sake, we would very much prefer to give the agency process a chance to work.'

'I understand there was already one screw-up.'

Edward winced. 'You know about Preston Luce?'

'Yes.'

'That was—' Edward's gaze drifted across the crowd to where Preston Luce stood talking to another guest— 'regrettable. I'm afraid it put Orchid off the matchmaking process entirely. She wasn't keen on it to begin with. I don't think it suits her romantic inclinations.'

'How much longer do you think she ought to wait for Mr. Right to come through an agency?' Rafe asked softly.

'Another few months, at least.'

Rafe's jaw tightened. 'I see.'

'You want her badly, don't you?'

In spite of his growing respect for Edward's savvy insight, Rafe was startled by the unexpectedly blunt question. 'Is it your experience as a practitioner of meta-zen-syn that tells you I want her or are you just naturally intuitive?'

'It's my years of experience as a man and as a father that enables me to spot that particular expression in another man's eye,' Edward retorted. 'Trust me, if you ever have daughters of your own, you will develop the same kind of instincts.'

Rafe grinned in spite of himself. 'Sounds primitive.'

'Oh, it is. Very.'

There was a short silence. Rafe broke it first. 'Will you change your attitude on this particular subject if a few more months go by without Orchid getting an agency date?'

'I may have no choice,' Edward admitted. 'But in the end, the choice must be Orchid's.'

'On that point, we agree.'

Edward examined the scene spread out below the garden for a long time. 'You mentioned that you and my daughter had a lot in common.'

'You mean besides our mutual inability to get an agency date?'

Edward did not smile at that. 'Yes. What are those things, in your opinion?'

'Well, I've got to be honest and tell you that we don't share the same taste in poetry. But on the positive side, we both admire Later Expansion period architecture.'

Edward groaned. 'So terribly overwrought. Everything about it was designed to stimulate the emotions and arouse a sense of dark romanticism.'

Rafe quirked a brow. 'Your daughter does write romantic psychic vampire novels.'

'True. And with some success.' Edward's smile was rueful. 'All I can tell you is that it doesn't come from my side of the family.'

'She probably gets it from my side,' Anna Adams said from behind Rafe. 'I shouldn't admit it, but there is a wildly romantic streak in my branch of the family tree. It pops up from time to time no matter how hard we try to conceal it.'

Rafe inclined his head. 'Hello, Dr. Adams.'

Orchid's mother was a few years younger than her husband but she, too, was older than Rafe had expected. Her once-dark hair was streaked with silver. She had the trim, lithe frame that characterized many of the other local meta-zen-syn practitioners.

'Is Edward grilling you, Rafe?' She smiled at nun as she came to a halt near her husband. 'How very rude.'

'It's all right, Dr. Adams. I understand. In his shoes, I'd do the same.'

'Please, call me Anna.' Her eyes gleamed with the same mischievous light that appeared in Orchid's gaze when she was amused. 'Two professors in one family can be a bit confusing.'

Rafe shrugged. 'I'm used to it. Both of my parents are on the faculty of New Seattle University.'

Edward shot him a quick, searching look. 'Is that so?'

'Yes. Department of synergistic theory.'

A thoughtful expression appeared in Edward's eyes. 'Indeed?'

Instinct made Rafe suddenly search for Orchid again in the crowd. He saw that she was no longer talking to Veronica. Preston Luce had gotten her off by herself near a large reflecting pool at the far end of the garden.

'Mr. Stonebraker was just telling me about the things he believes that he and Orchid have in common,' Edward said to Anna. 'Thus far it seems to be limited to a taste for Later Expansion period architecture.'

'I'm sure that's not all they have in common, dear.' Anna gave Rafe a speculative look. 'Isn't that so?'

'What?' Rafe concentrated on the tableau near the reflecting pool. 'Oh, yeah. Right. A lot more in common. We both like to eat leftovers at three in the morning.'