uld figure to make contact with your conscious
mind--and you desired that I communicate."

"I suppose you're right. But while it is nice to know that I really have
a guardian angel, I'd have felt better about it if you had white robes
and wings and were hovering over my shoulder."

"I don't understand," the Zark said.

"I was trying to be funny. You know," Albert continued after a moment,
"I never thought of trying to perceive myself. I wonder why. I guess
because none of the medical examinations showed anything different from
normal."

"I was always afraid that you might suspect before I could tell you,"
the Zark replied. "It was an obvious line of reasoning, and you _are_ an
intelligent entity--the most intelligent I have ever inhabited. It is
too bad that I shall have to leave. I have enjoyed being with you."

"Who said anything about leaving?" Albert asked.

"You did. I could feel your revulsion when you became aware of me. It
wasn't nice, but I suppose you can't help it. Yours is an independent
race, one that doesn't willingly support--" the voice hesitated as
though searching for the proper word--"fellow travelers," it finished.

Albert grinned. "There are historical precedents for that statement, but
your interpretation isn't quite right. I was surprised. You startled
me."

He fell silent, and the Zark, respecting the activity of his mind,
forbore to interrupt.

* * * * *

Albert was doing some heavy thinking about the Zark. Certainly it had
protected him on Antar, and with equal certainty it must have been
responsible for the psi owners he possessed. He owed it a lot, for
without its help he wouldn't have survived.

There was only one thing wrong.

Sexless though it was, the Zark must possess the characteristics of
life, since it was obviously alive. And those characteristics were
unchanging throughout the known universe. The four vital criteria
defined centuries ago were still as good today as they were
then--growth, metabolism, irritability--and _reproduction_. Despite its
lack of sex, the Zark must be capable of producing others of its kind,
and while he didn't mind supporting one fellow traveler, he was damned
if he'd support a whole family of them.

"That need never bother you," the Zark interrupted. "As an individual, I
am very long-lived and seldom reproduce. I can, of course, but the
process is quite involved--actually it involves making a twin out of
mysel