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awake while I slept with our youngest three。〃
〃Do you actually sleep with them？〃
〃Well… When Elf jumps up and down on my stomach； it makes me restless。 But being peed on doesn'*'~wake me… usually。 Having the cuddle watch isn't bad； *e rotate so 。it's only every ninth night。 Every tenth if you opt in。 But that can change overnight。 Suppose we have a rejuvenation client… One or more clients puts Ishtar； Tamara； Hamadryad； and me out of circulation much of the time。 Add that Lazarus may leave as soon as he decides Laz and Lor are grown up。 Then assume that all our darlings get cracking on making babies。〃
Galahad grinned at me。 〃How long does it take four willing women to make four more babies？ Or six； when the twins join the production schedule as they threaten to at least twice a week。 Justin dear； we want you to stay but it won't all be like last night。 If responsibilities of family life worry you； you'd
be better off in New Rome where you can hire people to do what you don't fancy doing yourself。〃
〃Galahad；〃 I said earnestly； 〃stop stuffing your face a moment； dear。 You can't scare me with baby pee。 I was getting up in the night to soothe crying babies a hundred years before you were born。 I intend to colonize； I intend to marry again； I intend to raise kids。 I had planned to go back to Secundus to clean up loose ends； then e back with the second wave。 But I may say the hell with that and stay 。 as some of the Senior's remarks last night were aimed at me。 At least I took them per~onally…about having the guts 。to abandon everything and go。 Secundus is a smoking volcano； that old vixen could set off a bloodbath。 One that could include me； simply because I'm a major bureaucrat。〃
I took a deep breath and plunged in： 〃What I don't understand 'Es why I seem to be invited to join the Senior's household。 Why？〃
Galah？d answered； 〃It's not your pretty face。〃
〃I know that。 Oh； I hardly ever scare dogs with it； but it's just a face。〃
〃It's not too bad。 A cosmetic surgeon could do wonders。 I'm the second…best cosmetic surgeon on this pla…there being two。 The practice would be good for me and； as you pointed out； you've nothing to lose。〃
〃Damn it； dear； don't farce me。 Answer my question。〃
〃The twins like you。〃
〃So？ I find them delightful。 But the opinion of inexperienced adolescents could not have weighed heavily。〃
〃Justin； don't let their clowning fool you； they are 'adult in everything but height…and they are our Ancestor's identical 'twins。 They have his talent for looking inside a person and spotting a bad one。 Lazarus lets them run loose because he trusts them to shoot to kill 。 。 and not to shoot if they don't intend to kill。〃
I gulped inside。 〃Are you saying that those little guns they carry are not toys？〃
My old friend Obadiah looked as if I had said soniething obscene。 〃Why； Justin！ Lazarus wouldn't let a woman go out of this house unarmed。〃
〃Why？ This colony seems peaceful。 What have I missed？〃
〃Not much； I think。 Lazarus' advance party made sure that this subcontinent was reasonably clear of large predators。 But we brought along the two…legged sort； and despite screening； Lazarus doesn't assume that they are angels。 He wasn't looking
An；
for angels； 'they don't make the' best pioneers。 Uh； yesterday Minerva was wearing a little skirt。 Did' you wonder' about at？ In view of the heat？〃
〃Not especially。〃
〃She wears her gun strapped to her thigh。 Nevertheless； Lazarus won't let her go out alone； the twins are her usual bodyguard。 As a flesh…and…blood she's only three years old；； she doesn't shoot' as well as the twins do； and she's more trusting than they are。 How's your marksmanship？〃
〃Just fair。 I started taking lessons when I made up my mind to migrate。 But I haven't had time to practice。〃
〃Better find time。 Not that Lazarus will ride you about it； he feels responsible for our women；；not for men。 But if you ask for help…I did； and so did Ira…he'll coach you in everything from bare hands to improvised weapons 。 。 with two thousand years of dirty tricks thrown in。 Up to you； old darling… but here's what it did for me。 As you know I used to be a campus narky…a scholar poring over old records…I never carried arms。 Then I took rejuvenation and became a rejuvenator myself and was even less inclined to go armed。 But for fourteen years I've had regular coaching from the all…time champion in how to stay alive。 The result？ I stand straight and proud。 Haven't had to kill anyone yet。〃 Galahad suddenly grinned。 〃But the day is young。〃
I answered soberly； 〃Galahad； that's one reason I agreed to run a silly errand for Madam Arabelle： to find out things like that。 Very well； I take your advice seriously。 But you haven't answered my question。〃
〃Well 。 。 I knew you from long back； and so did Ira。 And so did Minerva； though you have trouble believing it。 Hamadryad had met you but did not get to know you until last night。 Ishtar knew you only from your chart but is one of your strongest supporters。 But the deciding factor is this： Tamara wants you in our family。〃
'Tamara！'
〃You sound' astonished。〃
〃I am。〃
〃I don't see why。 She arranged for someone to relieve her in order to be here last night。 She loves you； Justin； don't you know it？〃
〃Uh…〃 My brain was fdddled。 〃Yes； I know it。 But Tamara loves everyone。'
〃No； just those who need her love； and she always knows who they are。 Incredible empathy； she's going to be a great
rejuvenator。 In this family Tamara can have anything she wants 。 。 and she happens to want you…t髜stay with us； live with us； join us。〃
〃I'll be 。 。 damned。〃 （Tamara？）
〃Unlikely。 If I believed in damnation； I wouldn't believe that anyone picked by Tamara Sperling could be in danger of it。〃 Galahad smiled； a happy expression than was more his charm than was his extraordinary beauty。 I tried to remember if he ha；~d been that beautiful a hundred years back。 I am not indifferent to male beauty； but my sensuality is not perfectly balanced； in the presence of a homely female and a beautiful male； I tena to look at the female。 So I'll never be an esthete； I lack judgment in matters of beauty。 I apologize in advance to 'any female who finds my primitive attitude offensive。
But I'll share bed with Galahad in preference to a selfcentered female beauty； he's warm and gentle and good pany； with a roguish playfulness not unlike that of the twins。 The thought ran through my mind that I would like to meet his sister…or mother or daughter…a female version of him in character and personality； as well as in appearance。
Tamara！ The above was froth at the top of my mind because I was unable to face at once the implications of Galahad's announcement。
He went on： 〃Close your mouth； dear； I was as startled as you are。 But； even if we hadn't been friends years back； on Tamara's motion I would have voted for you sight unseen… so that I could study you。 Tamara never makes a mistake。 But were you so mind…ill that you needed that much from her？ Or so superhuman that she wanted that much from you？ But you are neither； or I failed to see it。 You aren't ill； I think； other than a touch of wild…goose fever。 You may be superman； but none of us found it o~it last night。 If you are a superstud； you restrained yourself。 Hamadryad did say at breakfast that a woman is happy in your arms。 But she did not imply that you are the Galaxy's greatest lover。
〃Being one of Minerva's parents is in your favor； none of them has any serious shortings； Ishtar made sure of that
…Ishtar knows more about you than you do yourself； she can read a gene chart the way other people read print…and Mmerva herself is proof that no mistakes were made。 I mean； look at Minerva： sweet as the morning breeze and as beautiful as Hamadryad in her own fashion； and with an intelligence level so high you wouldn't believe it…yet so modest she's almost humble。
〃But still； it's Tamara。