re beautiful, she was still a woman first, and she knew if the right
man....

* * * * *

"Did you know that radio communication is maintained between Earth and
Mars?" the Alaric Arkalion on Mars asked Temple.

"Why, no. I never thought about it."

"It is, and I am in some difficulty."

"What's the matter?" Temple had grown to like Arkalion, despite the
man's peculiarities. He had given up trying to figure him out,
feeling that the only way he'd get anywhere was with Arkalion's
co-operation.

"It's a long story which I'm afraid you would not altogether
understand. The authorities on Earth don't think I belong here on the
Nowhere Journey."

"Is that so? A mistake, huh? I sure am glad for you, Alaric."

"That's not the difficulty. It seems that there is the matter of
impersonation, of violating some of the clauses in Public Law 1182.
You're glad for me. I'm likely to go to prison."

"If it's that serious, how come they told you?"

"They didn't. But I--managed to find out. I won't go into details,
Kit, but obviously, if I managed to embark for Nowhere when I didn't
have to, then I wanted to go. Right?"

"I--uh, guess so. But why--?"

"That isn't the point. I _still_ want to go. Not to Mars, but to
Nowhere. I still can, despite what has happened, but I need help."

Temple said, "Anything I can do, I'll be glad to," and meant it. For
one thing, he liked Arkalion. For another, Arkalion seemed to know
more, much more than he would ever say--unless Temple could win his
confidence. For a third, Temple was growing sick and tired of Mars
with its drab ochre sameness (when he got to the surface, which was
rarely), with its dank underground city, with its meaningless
attention to meaningless detail. Either way, he figured there was no
returning to Earth. If Nowhere meant adventure, as he suspected it
might, it would be preferable. Mars might have been the other end of
the galaxy for all its nearness to Earth, anyway.

"There is a great deal you can do. But you'll have to come with me."

"Where?" Temple demanded.

"Where you will go eventually. To Nowhere."

"Fine." And Temple smiled. "Why not now as well as later?"

"I'll be frank with you. If you go now, you go untrained. You may need
your training. Undoubtedly, you will."

"You know a lot more than you want to talk about, don't you?"

"Frankly, yes.... I am sorry, Kit."

"That's all right. You have your reasons. I guess if I