mid incredible confusion, Julia
stood over Walt and dabbed antiseptic on his cut, swollen lip.

Throughout the room there were shouts and laughter and cries of victory.
One of the technicians--one who had worked hardest over it--was joyfully
smashing the second signal generator.

In the center of the frenzy, Dr. Norvel sat slumped across the desk. She
was sound asleep.

Weary and proud, Julia straightened up from Walt.

"I've--we've both--got to get some rest," she said. "There'll be the
press, the TV, the radio.... I can't face them. I'm too tired.... I must
look like something the cat dragged in...."

Walt, heavy lidded and exhausted, looked up at her. He smiled leadenly.
"Look fine, Julia." His voice was thick and indistinct because of the
swelling of his tongue.

She sure ran me around, he thought. But she can't now. She's not
superior to me any more. I'll be able to hold my own. She's, she's so
helpless, so pliant. That's the way I like her. Poor tired girl!

We'll travel, he thought. I want to see all of the planet. All the
sights, all the cities. I want to live in the bustle of its life, in the
hurry of its crowds. I want to travel and learn all the different smells
and experience all the different places, and I want to celebrate its
richness and its newness; I want to devour it; I want to--

She'll be there; I want to feel her by my side: sweet Julia, so
compliant, waiting my decisions and anticipating my wishes. I want to
see her laugh. And I want ... I want....

I'll have to ask her about things like that.

... I'm no longer so innocent, but I'm not yet so wise. I have grown
and matured marvelously, and I will further: I know what I want. And
she'll be there to, to help me see and do and....

He felt a great warm glow of bursting and bubbling emotions.

"I'm going to sleep twenty-four hours," Julia said. "Just as soon as I
can get in bed."

"Better leave before the fourth estate gets here," the general said.
"I'll have the staff car drive you back to the hotel."

"Don't tell anybody we're there."

The general nodded. He took Julia's arm. "I'll walk you outside." He
sent an orderly for the car.

"When you're rested--" he let Walt and Julia go through the door in
front of him--"when you're rested, we'll want to see both of you again.
You said something, Julia, about making us all like you were: with all
those unusual abilities?"

"Later. Please, later. I'm just too tired to think." She held