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r　vows。　Rick　wondered　if　any　of　that　was　passing　through　Minmei's　beautiful　head　or　if　she　had　dismissed　it　from　her　mind　as　she　seemed　to　dismiss　anything　that　didn't　fit　with　her　desires　and　attitudes　of　the　moment。

He　told　himself　that　he　would　probably　never　get　a　clearer　sign。　It　was　finally　time　to　put　her　out　of　his　thoughts　and　try　to　get　back　to　living　his　life。


In　other　quarters；　the　micronized　Zentraedi　defectors　were　gathered　around　a　screen；　utterly　enthralled　as　they　gazed　at　Minmei。

They　were　dressed　in　ordinary　work　clothes　and　came　in　the　assortment　of　sizes　and　shapes　that　any　random　group　of　human　males　might　include。　Except　for　a　few　skin　tones　that　seemed　a　little　odd…mauve；　albino…white；　a　pale；　pale　green…there　was　nothing　to　mark　them　as　alien。　Since　the　incident　with　Karita　and　the　muggers；　they　all　took　great　pains　to　avoid　trouble。　The　military's　decision　to　keep　them　all　confined　to　their　quarters　chafed　but　was　accepted。

The　SDF…1　authorities　had　provided　them　with　quarters　and　rations　and　so　forth　and　were　spending　long　hours　debriefing　them；　though　as　low…ranking　warriors　there　was　little　of　strategic　value　the　defectors　could　tell。　No　one　had　yet　begun　a　systematic　orientation　program　to　familiarize　them　with　human　life；　since　the　military　believed　there　was　always　the　chance　they　might　return　to　the　Zentraedi　fold；　the　less　they　knew；　for　now　at　least；　the　better。

But　they　could　watch　Minmei　and　listen　to　her　voice…the　voice　that　had　enticed　them　away　from　war　making。

Now；　one　of　them　said；　〃Rico；　what　do　they　mean　by　'marriage'？　Why　do　they　keep　talking　about　it？〃

There　was　some　grumbling；　as　others　were　troubled　by　the　enigma；　too。　Rico　considered　his　answer。　He　understood　only　a　little　more　about　human　existence　than　the　others；　but　they　looked　to　him　for　answers；　and　he　didn't　want　to　seem　at　a　loss。

〃Um；　because　marriage　is　something　important。　When　two　people　get　married；　they　go　off　someplace　private　and　spend　their　time　pressing　their　lips　together。〃

This　business　of　pressing　lips　had　been　mentioned　before　among　the　Zentraedi；　had　been　one　of　the　prime　matters　of　fascination　that　had　led　to　the　defections。　But　still；　the　thought　of　such　unbridled　contact　between　the　sexes　sent　the　erstwhile　warriors　into　a　tizzy。

〃Maybe　they　won't　make　us　do　it？〃　〃My　lips　aren't　ready　for　that　sort　of　thing！〃　〃I　dunno；　something　tells　me　it　might　feel　good。〃　〃Lemma　at　'er！〃

Some　babbled　and　exclaimed　to　one　another；　others　started　shaking　visibly　or　gnawing　their　fingernails。　A　few　tried　rubbing　their　top　and　bottom　lips　together　and　concluded　that　they　were　doing　it　wrong　somehow。　At　least　one　swooned。


At　the　interview；　Kyle　found　another　microphone　shoved　into　his　face。　〃Tell　the　truth：　have　you　proposed　marriage　to　Minmei？〃

He　was　calm；　unflappable；　on　the　outside。　〃No；　I　haven't。〃

He　and　Minmei　were　not　close　by　blood；　although　their　families　had　kept　close　bonds　due　to　friendships　and　shared　business　investments　in　the　White　Dragon　and　Golden　Dragon　restaurants。　He　had　grown　up　with　Minmei　very　much　like　an　adoring　little　sister　to　him。

But　that　had　changed　over　time；　as　much　as　he'd　fought　it。　It　was　the　tremendous　battle　inside　him　pared　to　which　mere　physical　fights　were　children's　antics。　Everyone　thought　the　self…discipline　he　brought　to　the　martial　arts　was　a　reflection　of　his　inner　calm；　in　fact；　it　was　a　reflection　of　the　iron　will　that　barely　kept　him　from　yielding　to　temptation。　He'd　spent　all　his　young　adulthood　locked　in　fierce　battle　against　his　own　impulses。

And　most　difficult　of　all　were　the　movies　they　made　together；　the　shared　work　and　intensity　of　their　scenes；　especially　the　love　scenes。　It　was　so　easy　for　acting　to　slide　over　into　the　real　thing。　The　impulses　were　very　patient　and　unrelenting。　He　drove　them　off　each　day；　only　to　have　them　return　fresher　and　stronger　than　ever　the　next。

But　no　more。　Being　with　Minmei　aboard　the　SDF…1；　seeing　the　others　who　coveted　her；　had　decided　Kyle。　No　one　else　could　have　her。

〃Sounds　like　a　pretty　weak　denial。〃　The　interviewer　grinned　at　him。　〃Maybe　you　just　haven't　had　the　chance；　right？〃

Kyle　said　in　his　calm；　measured　tones；　〃No；　I've　been　thinking　about；　um。。。〃

The　newsman　was　watching　him　like　a　ferret。　〃Yes？〃

〃Thinking　about　how　I'd　actually　say　it　to　her。　Because　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　it's　something　I've　considered。〃

He　heard　Minmei's　gasp　next　to　him；　and　the　mass　intake　of　breath　by　the　reporters。　Flashbulbs　began　popping；　and　everyone　began　talking　at　once。

〃Minmei；　what　d'　you　have　to　say？〃　〃Have　you　set　the　date？〃　〃Tell　our　viewers：　Would　you　accept　if　he　proposes？〃　〃Give　us　a　shot　of　you　two　holding　hands！〃　〃Kiss　'er；　Kyle！〃　〃Where　d'　you　two　plan　to　honeymoon？〃

But　they　paid　the　reporters　no　attention。　〃Kyle；　are　you　serious？〃　Her　eyes　looked　enormous。　They　sat　there；　gazing　at　each　other；　while　the　furor　boiled　around　them。


His　screen　switched　off；　Rick　lay　with　head　pillowed　on　elbows；　feeling　utterly　wretched。　I　can't　believe　it。　All　this　time　she's　been　waiting　for　Kyle　to　propose　to　her。

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　Max　showed　up；　dressed　in　civvies：　sports　jacket；　slacks；　sweater；　and　tie。　He　wore　a　cheerful；　eager　look　that　made　him　seem　sixteen　or　so。

〃Sorry　to　bother　you；　boss。　But　I'm　thinking　of　wearing　this　tie　to　meet　Miriya。　And　I　wondered　if　it　made　me　look　too　sophisticated；　you　know？　Or　maybe　I　should　go　the　other　way；　wear　a　gold　chain。。。〃

After　Rick　got　rid　of　Max；　he　decided　to　get　some　fresh　air。　He　wandered　up　to　a　parklike　area　on　one　of　the　observation　decks　and　stared　out　a　viewport　as　high　as　a　billboard　and　longer　than　two。

Earth　swung　by　above　him；　a　crescent　of　swirling　blue　and　white　in　the　darkness。　He　sat　and　tried　to　spot　Alaska。

After　a　while　a　familiar　voice；　holding　a　trace　of　mischief；　said；　〃Well；　if　it　isn't　Lieutenant　Hunter；　as　I　live　and　breathe！〃

He　looked　up　to　see　Claudia　standing　nearby。　〃Oh。　Hi；　how're　you？〃

They　hadn't　seen　each　other　a　great　deal　lately；　partly　because　they　had　been　so　busy　and　partly　because　they　both　still　ached　with　the　grief　of　Roy　Fokker's　death；　and　seeing　each　other　brought　it　up　all　over　again。

But　now　she　came　over　to　sit　next　to　him。　〃Not　bad。　But　what're　you　doing　up　here　at　this　hour？〃

〃Couldn't　stand　my　quarters　anymore。〃

〃Ah。　You　saw　the　press　conference。〃

〃Mm…hm。〃

She　sat　down；　crossing　her　knees；　resting　her　chin　on　her　hand；　helping　him　watch　Earth。　〃You　could　get　along　without　her。　She　isn't　that　terrific。〃

〃She　is　to　me！〃　Rick　wouldn't　have　taken　that　from　anyone　else　now　that　Roy　was　gone。　But　Claudia　had　an　honesty　that　was　hard　not　to　respect　and　give　its　due。　And　she　was　quite　capable　of　getting　mad　right　back　at　you　if　she　felt　it　was　warranted。　Claudia　was　not　someone　you　wanted　to　be　mad　at　you　if　you　could　avoid　it。

〃You're　bright；　you　should　be　with　somebody　else；〃　she　said　after　a　bit。

〃I　don't　know　that　I　want　to　be。　I'm　stuck　on　her。〃

〃Why；　Rick？〃

〃I　don't　know　why！　Maybe　she's　just　my　type。〃

Claudia　put　one　finger　to　her　chin；　eyeing　him　sidelong。　〃I　don't　know。　I　sorta　picture　you　being　with　somebody　more　mature。　You　know：　someone　more　experienced？　Who's　been　through　a　big　romance　and　a　broken　heart？〃

Oh；　great；　just　what　I　need！　Rick　thought。　Some　other　walking　wounded　to　hang　around　with！　But　he　couldn't　help　listening　very　closely。

〃It'd　be　good　for　you　to　be　with　someone　who　can　appreciate　a　relationship。　Those　people're　around；　y'　know。　Sometimes　they　turn　out　to　be　your　next　door　neighbor。　Or　even。。。your　superior　officer。〃

〃Huh？〃

She　rose。　〃Gotta　go。〃

〃Claudia；　you　mean　Lisa；　don't　you？〃

She　glanced　back　over　her　shoulder　at　him。　〃Did　you　hear　me　mention　anybody　by　name？　I　only　said　people　like　that　are　around。　Sometimes　they've　been　known　to　pass　by　so　close；　you　can't　even　see　them。〃

She　started　off　once　more；　throwing　back　over　her　shoulder；　〃Now；　don't　stay　up　too　late。　Things　will　look　a　lot　better　in　the　morning。〃

He　watched　her　go　and　said　very　softly　to　himself；　〃Wow。〃

Rick　sat；　watching　Earth　again。　The　way　he　had　it　figured；　the　SDF…1's　orbit　would　bring