laxing notes hit us, Erich's face brightened and
he dragged me over. Pleasantly soon I had my feet off the diamond-rough
floor, which we don't carpet because most of the ETs, the dear boys,
like it hard, and I was shouldering back deep into the couch nearest the
piano, with cushions all around me and a fresh drink in my hand, while
my Nazi boy friend was getting ready to discharge his _Weltschmerz_ as
song, which didn't alarm me too much, as his baritone is passable.

Things felt real good, like the Maintainer was just idling to keep the
Place in existence and moored to the cosmos, not exerting itself at all
or at most taking an occasional lazy paddle stroke. At times the Place's
loneliness can be happy and comfortable.

Then Beau raised an eyebrow at Erich, who nodded, and next thing they
were launched into a song we all know, though I've never found out where
it originally came from. This time it made me think of Lili, and I
wondered why--and why it's a tradition at Recuperation Stations to call
the new girl Lili, though in this case it happened to be her real name.

_Standing in the Doorway just outside of space,
Winds of Change blow 'round you but don't touch your face;
You smile as you whisper tenderly,
"Please cross to me, Recuperee;
The operation's over, come in and close the Door."_

CHAPTER 4

De Bailhache, Fresca, Mrs. Cammel, whirled
Beyond the circuit of the shuddering Bear
In fractured atoms.

--Eliot

SOS FROM NOWHERE

I realized the piano had deserted Erich and I cranked my head up and saw
Beau, Maud and Sid streaking for the control divan. The Major Maintainer
was blinking emergency-green and fast, but the code was plain enough for
even me to recognize the Spider distress call and for a second I felt
just sick. Then Erich blew out his reserve breath in the middle of
"Door" and I gave myself another of those helpful mental boots at the
base of the spine and we hurried after them toward the center of the
Place along with Mark.

The blinks faded as we got there and Sid told us not to move because we
were making shadows. He glued an eye to the telltale and we held still
as statues as he caressed the dials like he was making love.

One sensitive hand flicked out past the Introversion switch over to the
Minor Maintainer and right away the Place was dark as your soul and
there was nothing for me but Erich's arm and the k