Deety said, "How about twenty-four hours?"

Ishtar was pleased at this, agreed that she understood that the substitute must be dressed in the patient's (client's) clothing, agreed that the space we were in would be kept clear-and asked, "What's that pounding noise?"

Elizabeth explained that it was Lazarus. "He is in a magic space warp about where we were standing. He knows that he is supposed to remain there, but he changed his mind-and has just discovered that he is locked in."

Ishtar's smile suddenly became a grin, as quickly left. "A magic space warp? Lib, I want to hear about that."

"You will."

We climbed back inside, Deety told Gay "Twenty-four hours"-and we stepped out again. Ishtar was lying on a pad, taking the sun... this time as bare as we were-and I was still more impressed.

"Right on time," she said, standing (taller than I am) and, as always, smiling. "The substitute is waiting, and I have had time to examine and talk with the client. She is in good shape for her age, understands in part at least what has happened, and is undismayed by it. Please tell Lazarus that, if he returns to Tertius soon, he will not be admitted to this building for seventeen months. The client is most firm: she will not see Lazarus until I have completed rejuvenating her."

"Lib," said my daughter Deety, "seventeen what sort of months? I want to set an exact rendezvous-and Gay's time calibration is not Tertian but EarthPrime and Earth-zero. Old Home Terra." With Elizabeth as interface the three agreed on an exact time. Then Elizabeth again discussed something in that language.

Ishtar nodded. "No problem, I have seen that picture. And a hooded cape is even less trouble."

So we left.

Dropping that pseudo corpse was routine but I was glad to be quit of it (I had swapped seats with my daughter). Then we were back on Tertius.

"Always prompt," said Ishtar-and I was astounded to see that she was

quite pregnant, close to birthing... when I had seen her, slender for her height, two minutes earlier. "And we are on time, too. Maureen, my friends and yours." She named us.

Maureen Johnson spoke to us first in Galacta, shifted to English when she realized that we did not know the common tongue. Yes, she does look like Laz and Lor-but prettier. A woman of beauty and great charm. I find that I am growing accustomed to perfect ladies who embrace, bare body to bare body, on meeting a fully-vouched-for stranger. She thanked each of us and made us believe it.

"Still pounding?" Ishtar inquired.

"It has been less than five minutes for him, Ish," Elizabeth explained. "But you know his temper; perhaps we had better leave. Home soon, I think."

So we left again, with Maureen squeezed between me and my wife, with a package and a cloak in her lap. We were back inside Dora at once. Elapsed time: zero seconds. We still had an hour and twenty minutes to prepare for dinner. I found that I was hungry, even though breakfast was three hours ago, biological time-almost all of it spent in Beulahland, programming for the caper, as all three phases took only a few durational minutes, mostly on a rooftop in Boondock.

Maureen put on the cloak, a hooded cape, and carried the little package. "Silly but fun," she said. "Where do we go now?"

"Come with me," Hilda told her. "Beloved, you can let Woodie out as soon as Dora tells Gay that I have reached flag cabin. When he yelps, tell him that we were too busy to play games with him....nd the next time he wants a favor from me he can crawl on his knees. Pounding indeed! Tell him that I am extremely tired and am going to nap until just before dinner and he is not to call me or to come to the flag cabin between now and dinner without suffering my extreme displeasure and a punch in the nose from you. All of you come up to flag cabin as soon as you wish but try not to be seen by Woodie. You'll probably find Maureen and me in the lounging pool."

"I'm gifted with second sight."

Deety:

When the Hillbilly stages a production, she doesn't stint. By protocol decreed by Lazarus Long, dinner in Dora is formal, but with wide latitude in "formal"- casual dress being the only thing utterly verboten. Dinner is preceded by a happy hour where one can sip Coca-Cola or get roaring drunk.

Aunt Hilda changed all that for this night. No happy hour but be on time- two minutes before twenty o'clock, ship's time. No one permitted to eat in her! his quarters-a command performance.

No options in dress- Commodore Auntie decided what each would wear, where each would sit. I said, "Commodore Hilda honey, aren't you kind o' throwing your weight around? What there is of it?"

She answered, "Yes, I am, Deetikins, for this occasion. But before you criticize, ask your husband whether or not I ever permitted one of my parties to flop."

"Don't need to ask him. Why, at your last one, our old Buick blew up. Never a dull moment."

"I didn't plan that. But we got husbands out of it; let's not complain. Before you deliver my message to the twins, tell me this. Is it safe to let them in on our secret?"

"Hillbilly, I tell Zebadiah anything even though someone-you, for example-has asked me not to."

"Deety, I thought we had a 'You'll-keep-my-secrets-and-I'll-keep-your-secrets' agreement?"

"We do. But telling Zebadiah gives you two covering for you instead of one. About Laz-Lor-remember that they are his wives as well as his clones."

"Hon, you were always a wise one. All right, we keep it secret. Tell them what to wear-and please understand that I'm hiding behind you to avoid argument; it's a favor I appreciate. Sending up sword and saber is a favor to your husband and to your father but I thank you on their behalf if they forget. Send the blades to your suite; they've decided they can dress more easily without women underfoot."

"A canard," Pop said, just back of my neck. "The women don't want us underfoot."

"I knew it was one or the other, Jacob," Aunt Hilda agreed. "But Dora has already taken your uniforms to our suite and your swords will-"

"-be there, too, and I can recognize a fact when I fall over it and have never been happier, my love, than I have been since you took charge of my life and started telling me what to decide."

"Jacob, you're making me teary."

"Jake! Can you hear me?"-Lazarus' voice and Aunt Hilda used family sign language; Pop nodded and answered promptly:

"Certainly, Lazarus-what's on your mind?"

"I'm faced with the impossible and need help. I received an order-you, too, I think-to dress in military uniform at dinner. The only uniform I have aboard is in the flag cabin and-say, are you in the flag cabin?"

Aunt Hilda shook her head. Pop answered, "I'm in our suite, dressing for dinner. Hilda needed a nap. I told you."

"You certainly did, sir. I'm allergic to being punched in the snoot. But- Well, if you would use your influence-"

"If any."

"If any, to get me that uniform twenty minutes before dinner"-Aunt Hilda nodded-"or even ten, you would save me the horrible dilemma of deciding which order to break."

"Don't decide to break the one telling you not to disturb Hilda."

"I didn't even consider breaking that one! And it's not your fist in my snoot. Jake... she terrifies me. I don't understand it. I'm twice her mass and all muscle; she couldn't possibly hurt me."

"Don't be certain. She has a poisoned fang. But calm yourself, comrade. I guarantee delivery by nineteen minutes before the bell at latest."

"Jake, I knew I could depend on you. Let me know when you want a bank robbed."