she's mighty pleased with the results of her work out here. Certain
people in the State Department may consider her a bit of a meddlesome
pest, but make no mistake about it, every politician in the universe
trembles in his boots at the very mention of the D.T.'s. And she likes
you, Johnny."

"Thanks, Hap," he said as we came to a stop before the doorway of the
hotel. "I'll see you before your ship takes off. Oh--ah--you won't
tell her she covered up the wrong--well what she would think was the
wrong part?"

"I could have told her that last night," I said.

He walked away with that startled, incredulous look he'd worn ever
since our arrival.

* * * * *

On Earth Aunt Mattie had to rush off to a convention of D.T.'s, where
I had no doubt her latest exploit in combating ignorance and sin would
be the main topic of conversation and add to the triumph of her
lionization. To give her credit, I think this lionization bothered
her, embarrassed her a little, and she probably wondered at times if
it were all sincere. But I also think she would have been lonely and
disappointed without it. When one is doing all he can to make the
universe we have inherited a better place for our posterity to inherit
one likes it to be appreciated.

For two or three weeks after she came back home, she was immersed in
administrative duties for the D.T., setting wheels in motion to carry
out all the promises she'd made at the convention.

I spent the time in my own suite in the south wing of our house.
Mostly, I just sat. No one bothered me except the servants necessary
to eating, dressing, sleeping, and they were all but mute about it. My
psychiatrist called once, but I sent word that I didn't need any
today. I called none of my regular friends and did not answer their
messages.

I did send to the Library of Science in Washington for the original
science survey report on Capella IV. It told me little, but allowed me
to surmise some things. Apparently the original scientists were
singularly uncurious about the octopoids, perhaps because they didn't
have five years to hang around and wait for one to blink an eye, as
Johnny had. As always, they were overworked and understaffed, they did
their quick survey and rushed on to some new planet job. If one hoped
that someday somebody might go back and take another look at the
octopoids I found no burning yearning for it in the dry reports.

As far as they went, the