. In fact, they are having difficulty restraining the
Disans led by Ulv, who are happily killing any magter they see as
being pure _umedvirk_."

"What will they do when they have all those frothing magter madmen?"

"They don't know yet," he said. "They won't really know until they
see what an adult magter is like with his brain-parasite dead and
gone. They're having better luck with the children. If they catch
them early enough, the parasite can be destroyed before it has done
too much damage."

Lea shuddered delicately and let herself lean against him. "I'm not
that sturdy yet; let's sit down while we talk." There was a couch
opposite the viewport where they could sit and still see Dis.

"I hate to think of a magter deprived of his symbiote," she said.
"If his system can stand the shock, I imagine there will be nothing
left except a brainless hulk. This is one series of experiments
I don't care to witness. I rest secure in the knowledge that
the Nyjorders will find the most humane solution."

"I'm sure they will," Brion said.

"Now what about us?" she said disconcertingly, leaning back in his
arms. "I must say you have the highest body temperature of any one
I have ever touched. It's positively exciting."

This jarred Brion even more. He didn't have her ability to put past
horrors out of the mind by substituting present pleasures. "Well,
just what about us?" he said with masterful inappropriateness.

She smiled as she leaned against him. "You weren't as vague as that,
the night in the hospital room. I seem to remember a few other
things you said. And did. You can't claim you're completely
indifferent to me, Brion Brandd. So I'm only asking you what any
outspoken Anvharian girl would. Where do we go from here? Get
married?"

There was a definite pleasure in holding her slight body in his arms
and feeling her hair against his cheek. They both sensed it, and
this awareness made his words sound that much more ugly.

"Lea--darling! You know how important you are to me--but you
certainly realize that we could never get married."

Her body stiffened and she tore herself away from him.

"Why, you great, fat, egotistical slab of meat! What do you mean by
that? I like you, Lea, we have plenty of fun and games together, but
surely you realize that you aren't the kind of girl one takes home
to mother!"

"Lea, hold on," he said. "You know better than to say a thing like
that. What I said has nothing to do with how