he wreck
of our ship may have been left far behind. They're not going to retrace
their tracks just to find it."

"But it's the only way ... the only way! There's nothing else--"

She broke down. If she had possessed eyes, she would have wept--but as
it was, she could weep only internally.

They must have taken him away, for there was no answer to her tearless
sobbing. And after a time, she felt suddenly that there was nothing to
cry about. She felt, in fact, gay and cheerful--and the thought struck
her: _The Doctor's given me another drug. He doesn't want me to cry.
Very well, I won't. I'll think of things to make me happy, I'll bubble
over with good spirits--_

Instead, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * * * *

When she awoke again, she thought of the conversation with Fred, and the
feeling of desperation returned. _I'll have to tell the Doctor all about
it_, she thought. _I'll have to see what he can do. I know it's asking
an awful lot, but without it, all the rest he has done for me won't
count. Better to be dead than be different from what I was._

But it wasn't necessary to tell the Doctor. Fred had spoken to him
first.

_So Fred admits it's important too. He won't be able to deny any longer
that I judged him correctly._

The Doctor said, "What you are asking is impossible."

"Impossible? You won't even try?"

"My dear patient, the wrecked ship is hundreds of millions of miles
behind us. The expedition has its appointed task. It cannot retrace its
steps. It cannot waste time searching the emptiness of space for a
stereo which may not even exist any longer."

"Yes, you're right ... I'm sorry I asked, Doctor."

He read either her mind or the hopelessness in her voice. He said, "Do
not make any rash plans. You cannot carry them out, you know."

"I'll find a way. Sooner or later I'll find a way to do something to
myself."

"You are being very foolish. I cannot cease to marvel at how foolish you
are. Are many human beings like you, psychologically?"

"I don't know, Doctor. I don't care. I know only what's important to
me!"

"But to make such a fuss about the merest trifle! The difference in
appearance between one human being and another of the same sex, so far
as we can see, is insignificant. You must learn to regard it in its true
light."

"You think it's insignificant because you don't know anything about men
and women. To Fred and me, it's the difference betwe