He faced her. “Inea, if anyone discovers what’s in that bottle and that you’re feeding it to Mirelle, they’ll find out why she needs it, which will expose Abbot’s use of her. Abbot’s right. Now that humans know about H’lim’s physiology, the smallest clue will reveal our existence.”

“Then why’s he still using her like that?”

“He has no other choice. He’s probably able to fake her tests so they can’t trace his Influence, but he couldn’t fake them for his whole string, so he’s leaning on her too hard. He probably thinks he can complete his mission before he’s discovered and before Mirelle collapses.”

She shook the bottle. “This would give him more time. It would help him. Titus, I don’t want to help him.”

The accusation that he did was etched in the air between hem. The microwave finally bleeped. Titus ignored it. “I don’t know whether I do or not.”

You’re copping out. You’re leaving it up to me.“

That stung. But it was true.

“Your mind isn’t working because you’ve been starving yourself, living on half rations to feed H’lim.” She shook the bottle. “If this would work for Mirelle, it would work for me, too. With some real blood in you, you could figure out which way was up. After all, you’re a brilliant astrophysicist. This isn’t such a difficult problem.”

“I’d rather write a whole new cosmogony. It’d be simpler to decide that stars are born under cabbage plants.”

She burst out laughing, a free, musical sound that delighted the ears. Titus hadn’t meant it as a joke, but all at once it seemed very funny.

Their voices harmonized, and he reveled in the purely physical sensation until silence wrapped them together. After a moment, Inea took the pitcher from the table and came to refill his glass. “I meant it. You’ll never beat Abbot when he’s fed and you’re half starved. Until Andre comes across with that orl blood, take some of mine. I haven’t given to the blood bank in weeks. I can afford it.”

“I can’t. It’s addictive.”

“You broke it when you left Abbot. You can do it again. Right now, you and I have to best Abbot or die trying. That’s what I know and that’s all I know.”

“It’s not enough. You heard H’lim. He intends to go home, no matter what. And I think he knows what damage he’ll be doing to us. He doesn’t care, though. That makes him not a whole lot better than Abbot. Which means that besting Abbot won’t help unless we also best World Sovereignties. Should we join the secessionists?”

“Titus! That’s treason! And we’re at war.”

He held the glass up between them. “Treason? What’s drinking human blood, then? Loyalty? Respect?”

“Do you hate yourself?”

“Sometimes. When I’m tempted.” He drained the glass.

Very quietly, she said, “You know, it really isn’t up to us alone to make a judgment like this. Who are we to decide the fates of species and worlds?”

“Who is anybody to make decisions that affect others?”

She frowned. “Are you drunk? Maudlin drunk?”

“Maybe a little.” He stared at the glass. A victim’s blood alcohol had never made him drunk. Now, the bitter dregs of Inea’s tears were affecting him. Like alcohol on an empty stomach. He set the glass aside. “The moment I suspected what Abbot would try next, I ran to stop him. And I don’t know why. If I was merely following orders, then I’m no better than the worst humanity has ever produced. I don’t feel good about myself for following orders blindly. I don’t feel good about myself for opposing my father and my son. What luren could? Inea, let me feel good at least for helping Mirelle in what way I can, and for trusting at least one person, loving one person. I think I need that more than blood. It may be a pathetic gesture in the face of the real problems, but it’s all I’ve got in me at the moment.”

She studied his face. “It’s physical, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“This business of opposing your father. There’s some kind of a real physical link between you that makes it impossible for you to fight him. It’s not just law or custom or emotion-it’s a profound physiological response.”

“I think I explained that long ago.”

“I didn’t understand you meant it literally. You’re like this now because a couple hours ago you threw yourself against him, and now you’re somehow depleted inside. Your central nervous system’s in shock and you can’t think. Your self-esteem and sense of identity have been almost extinguished. Abbot did that to you, didn’t he?”

“Don’t judge him too harshly. He could have killed me. Quite legally, too. Maybe exposure to H’lim is showing him that the Tourists’ attitudes aren’t so honorable after all. Inea, just a few weeks ago, Abbot would have killed me instantly for such defiance. All through this, he’s helped me out of tight spots. Maybe he’s changing.”

“Maybe it just wasn’t politically expedient to kill you in front H’lim-who, after all, ended up defending you as well as defying you. If it comes to a choice between Abbot or H’lim, I’ll Pick H’lim. He’s a better man than Abbot, even though he may not have a human cell in his body. So just because you have luren in you, that doesn’t mean you’re worthless as a person.” “And what if everything H’lim has told us is a lie?”

“In his place, would you tell the truth and die for it?”

“More likely I’d edit heavily and grit my teeth.”

“H’lim, unlike Abbot, has a conscience, and his teeth are gritted to nubbins. If I have to choose, I pick H’lim.”

“So you’ll let Colby send H’lim’s message.” “

“Yes, but not Abbot. You were right. He’d cheat.” “And what of Mirelle?”

“I’ll slip her as many of these as I can-tell her they’re for headaches. She’s always cadging headache pills.”

“One at a time. Don’t let her take any home.”

“Why would it bother Abbot? We’re helping him!”

“Technically, it’s an infraction. She wears his Mark. I should give him the pills.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“He’d never remember to give them to her, even if he thought it was a good idea. It’s not a Tourist habit to care for stringers any more than you’d try to refill a pen. They’re disposable.”

“Ugh!”

“Besides, though he might not object to the pills making Mirelle last longer, he’d be furious at the risk of leaving them around where the human medics might find them. He’d class that as endangering Earth’s luren-which would be true. So be careful with them.”

She shook the vial. “I’m holding your life in my hand.”

“You have for weeks and weeks now. Nothing’s changed.”

“I love you, Darrell. I always have and always will.” He bent to kiss her, but she recoiled. “Brush your teeth first.”

He laid his cheek against hers and drank the sweetness into his soul. “And I want you to eat first.”

The next morning, Titus collected all the reports from his department, hastily assimilated the mountain of material and rearranged his list of possible target stars, stared at the data, then called H’lim. “Is your home star a binary?”

“Of course not! Binaries don’t have inhabited planets!”

“I thought you didn’t know anything about astronomy.”

“I don’t. Everyone knows that, though.”

Titus would have given his right arm and two gallons of blood for what “everyone knew” out there. “Are there two gas giants in the home system?”

“No, only one. I’ve told you what I know.”

“Yeah.” He’d told them of the space stations and domed colonies, of tourist attractions and discount fare structures, but little that was of real use from here. “See you at the meeting.”

He rearranged his list again, combed his hair, polished his shoes and went to the conference room.

Colby was late. They had the war news up on the big screen, bits and pieces compiled at Luna Station. As developments in different regions were covered, people in the room took sides, defending their homelands or attacking the enemies of their regions.

The moment Colby entered, though, silence fell. She looked as if she hadn’t slept, but she was impeccably groomed. In dark tones, she announced that World Sovereignties official policy was now to run supplies through the blockade, with the first shipment due in a few days. It would be mostly parts for the probe, which was to be finished and launched in stripped form. Earth’s and H’lim’s message were to go as planned.