ned right
now." She poured out two stiff drinks.

"You can't just quit, Gloria. The whole nation has been whipped up into
hysteria over this business, both by the politicians in their
anticommunist speeches and by the sponsors on Coloraudio system. I never
dreamed it could put a whole country into orbit ... but it has. We'll
both be ruined if I can't figure a way out that doesn't anger the
public." He drained his glass and began pacing again.

"If I have to go on with it can't you at least do something to prevent
conception?" Gloria asked. "I don't mean vaccination. I want to have
children later. I can stand the ceremony if I know I won't become
pregnant."

"In that case I could give you a shot of antiserum against sperm,"
George said. "That would stop pregnancy all right."

"Would it make me sterile for long?"

"Oh no ... no! I wouldn't use pooled serum from all types anyway. You
see we make some specific serum when we are testing each donor and it
works only against the sperm of that particular man."

"Then we're all right? All I need is a shot?"

George shook his head. "I'm afraid to risk it, Gloria. They'll probably
examine your blood tomorrow. If they found the specific antibody, or
even a general antisperm antibody, that would really get us into trouble
for fraud." He shook his head. "No. I'm afraid that's not the answer. I
don't know what to do." He poured another drink and downed it.

"George," Gloria wailed, her control breaking at last, "I don't want a
test-tube husband, a parent by proxy. I want a man!" She began to cry.

He came over to the couch and dropped down beside her. "Darling, please!
Please don't cry. There must be a way to beat this." He took her in his
arms.

* * * * *

The aircar warning light came on and the buzzer sounded. George unhooked
the automatic pilot and took over. They swung into University City and
across the campus to the Faculty residential area.

"I certainly was lucky to find a job here on retirement from the Space
Force," John Harmon said. "It was good of you to invite me to stay the
week-end. Are you sure Mrs. Turner won't mind?"

"Quite sure." George smiled. "She's been looking forward to meeting
you." He pulled the car into a spacious port and opened the front door
of the house for Harmon. A tall, good-looking brunette moved to meet
them.

"So nice to meet you, Mrs. ..." Harmon began automatically. "Great
mountains of the moon!