thing. Private
spec for everything, and she sure knows how to use it. Take that
little golden job she's wearing tonight. Nothing to it. But with her,
it's terrific."

He was right. Jennette was wearing a slender, soft-looking golden
little body that Mark had never seen before. But it was a real prize.
Being hostess, she could have clothes on, and sported a half dozen
little bracelets and a jet black bandana around her throat. The thing
was draped down over her left breast, and the whole effect was really
quite stunning.

"Oh Mark!" she exclaimed, running up with an odd sort of
breathlessness. "You're late."

"Sorry Jennette," he replied. "Ran into a little trouble and had to go
back for another body."

"You must have missed," she said with amused accusation. "I'm
surprised at you."

"Aw, there were three of them," he protested. "And the last one used a
broad beam."

"Never mind. I forgive you," she told him. "Come along. Let's go look
at my garden."

Mark grinned happily. "Wonderful idea. But what about your guests? Are
you just going to leave them like that?"

"This is my birthday," she said. "They can amuse themselves."

Then she pulled him down and put her lips to his ear. "Besides," she
whispered. "I've got an identical copy with electronic works. No one
will even know I've left, unless they get too friendly with it."

"Pretty clever," Mark admitted thoughtfully. "But I wouldn't always be
so ready to break the law like that."

"Who's to know except you, Mark?" She looked up at him with burning,
gold-flecked eyes. "You wouldn't tell anybody, would you?"

Mark shook his head uncomfortably.

"All right, then."

They entered the elevator that took them down another half mile to the
central living quarters of the ancient shelter. It had been built
early in the flux period and remodelled several times. It was one of
the best equipped on the planet.

"Tell me," Jennette said, gazing appreciatively at the heavy bronze
shoulders, "where on earth did you get that?"

"I--Oh, it was just lying around somewhere," Mark mumbled.

"I bet," she said. "But it's nice. I like it."

Mark just grinned at her, happy for the moment, secure in the
knowledge that it would be impossible for her ever to know that it was
really identical with his protobody. Not that it would matter, just so
long as it was artificial. He listened to the humming of the elevator
for a few minutes. When it stopped the door vanished, and the