haps I
will," she said.

"Ask for me when you get to the University. I'm Dr. Leoh. I'll see to
it that you're introduced to some of the girls and gentlemen of your
own age."

"Why ... thank you, doctor. I'll do it this week end."

"Good. Now then, any messages for me? Anyone aboard the station
looking for me?"

The girl turned and tapped a few keys on the computer's console. A row
of lights flicked briefly across the console's face. She turned back
to Leoh:

"No, sir, I'm sorry. No message and no one has asked for you."

"Hm-m-m. That's strange. Well, thank you ... and I'll expect to see
you at the end of this week."

The girl smiled a farewell. Leoh started to walk away from the booth,
back toward the slideway. The young man took a step toward him,
stumbled on his own traveling kit, and staggered across the floor for
a half-dozen steps before regaining his balance. Leoh turned and saw
that the youth's face bore a somewhat ridiculous expression of mixed
indecision and curiosity.

"Can I help you?" Leoh asked, stopping at the edge of the moving
slideway.

"How ... how did you do that, sir?"

"Do what?"

"Get that girl to agree to visit the university. I've been talking to
her for half an hour, and, well, she wouldn't even look straight at
me."

Leoh broke into a chuckle. "Well, young man, to begin with, you were
much too flustered. It made you appear overanxious. On the other hand,
I am at an age where I can be strictly platonic. She was on guard
against you, but she knows she has very little to fear from me."

"I see ... I think."

"Well," Leoh said, gesturing toward the slideway, "I suppose this is
where we go our separate ways."

"Oh, no, sir. I'm going with you. That is, I mean, you _are_ Dr. Leoh,
aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. And you must be--" Leoh hesitated. _Can this be a Star
Watch officer?_ he wondered.

The youth stiffened to attention and for an absurd flash of a second,
Leoh thought he was going to salute. "I am Junior Lieutenant Hector,
sir; on special detached duty from the cruiser SW4-J188, home base
Perseus Alpha VI."

"I see," Leoh replied. "Um-m-m ... is Hector your first name or your
last?"

"Both, sir."

_I should have guessed_, Leoh told himself. Aloud, he said, "Well,
lieutenant, we'd better get to the shuttle before it leaves without
us."

* * * * *

They took to the slideway. Half a second later, Hector jumped off and
dashed back to t