self in his work. But I, Jason--I had always been
the watcher behind, the person Jay Allison dared not be? Why was he past
thirty--and I just 22?

A ringing shattered the silence; I had to hunt for the intercom on the
bedroom wall. I said, "Who is it?" and an unfamiliar voice demanded,
"Dr. Allison?"

I said automatically, "Nobody here by that name," and started to put
back the mouthpiece. Then I stopped and gulped and asked, "Is that you,
Dr. Forth?"

It was, and I breathed again. I didn't even want to think about what I'd
say if somebody else had demanded to know why in the devil I was
answering Dr. Allison's private telephone. When Forth had finished, I
went to the mirror, and stared, trying to see behind my face the sharp
features of that stranger, _Doctor_ Jason Allison. I delayed, even while
I was wondering what few things I should pack for a trip into the
mountains and the habit of hunting parties was making mental lists about
heat-socks and windbreakers. The face that looked at me was a young
face, unlined and faintly freckled, the same face as always except that
I'd lost my suntan; Jay Allison had kept me indoors too long. Suddenly I
struck the mirror lightly with my fist.

"The hell with you, Dr. Allison," I said, and went to see if he had kept
any clothes fit to pack.

* * * * *

Dr. Forth was waiting for me in the small skyport on the roof, and so
was a small 'copter, one of the fairly old ones assigned to Medical
Service when they were too beat-up for services with higher priority.
Forth took one startled stare at my crimson shirt, but all he said was,
"Hello, Jason. Here's something we've got to decide right away; do we
tell the crew who you really are?"

I shook my head emphatically. "I'm not Jay Allison; I don't want his
name or his reputation. Unless there are men on the crew who know
Allison by sight--"

"Some of them do, but I don't think they'd recognize you."

"Tell them I'm his twin brother," I said humorlessly.

"That wouldn't be necessary. There's not enough resemblance." Forth
raised his head and beckoned to a man who was doing something near the
'copter. He said under his breath, "You'll see what I mean," as the man
approached.

He wore the uniform of Spaceforce--black leather with a little rainbow
of stars on his sleeve meaning he'd seen service on a dozen different
planets, a different colored star for each one. He wasn't a young man,
but on the w