Yet the fact of her absence had a subtly disquieting effect. It shook his perfect self-confidence just a fraction. He asked himself if he'd been wise in summoning the rocket physicists without consulting Tregarron. But this mood, too, he conquered quickly. Tregarron wasn't his boss, but just the Thinker's most clever salesman, an expert in the mumbo-jumbo so necessary for social control in this chaotic era. He himself, Jorj Helmuth, was the real leader in theoretics and all-over strategy, the mind behind the mind behind Maizie. He stretched himself on the bed, almost instantly achieved maximum relaxation, turned on the somno-learner, and began the two hour rest he knew would be desirable before the big conference. * * * * * Jan Tregarron had supplemented his shorts with pink coveralls, but he was still drinking beer. He emptied his glass and lifted it a lazy inch. The beautiful girl beside him refilled it without a word and went on stroking his forehead. "Caddy," he said reflectively, without looking at her, "there's a little job I want you to do. You're the only one with the proper background. The point is: it will take you away from Jorj for some time." "I'd welcome it," she said with decision. "I'm getting pretty sick of watching his push-ups and all his other mind and muscle stunts. And that damn somno-learner of his keeps me awake." Tregarron smiled. "I'm afraid Thinkers make pretty sad sweethearts." "Not all of them," she told him, returning his smile tenderly. He chuckled. "It's about one of those rocket physicists in the list you brought me. A fellow named Willard Farquar." Caddy didn't say anything, but she stopped stroking his forehead. "What's the matter?" he asked. "You knew him once, didn't you?" "Yes," she replied and then added, with surprising feeling, "The big, ugly ape!" "Well, he's an ape whose services we happen to need. I want you to be our contact girl with him." She took her hands away from his forehead. "Look, Jan," she said, "I wouldn't like this job." "I thought he was very sweet on you once." "Yes, as he never grew tired of trying to demonstrate to me. The clumsy, overgrown, bumbling baby! The man's disgusting, Jan. His approach to a woman is a child wanting candy and enraged because Mama won't produce it on the instant. I don't mind Jorj--he's just a pipsqueak and it amuses me to see how he frustrates himself. But Willard is...." "... a bit frightening?" Tregarron finished for her. "No!" "Of course you're not afraid," Tregarron purred. "You're our beautiful, clever Caddy, who can do anything she wants with any man, and without whose...." "Look, Jan, this is different--" she began agitatedly.