than he had
ever been with Stephanie. And even if Stephanie appeared impossibly on
the spot and he spent the rest of his life as her husband, still he
would never forget his dream-life with Sophia. In time he could let
himself tell her that. But not now; now the best thing he could do
would be to change the subject.

"I see," Sophia answered him coldly.

"No, you don't. Maybe some day you will."

"There's nothing but what you told me. I see."

"No ... forget it," he told her wearily.

"Of course. It was only a dream anyway. The dream before that I almost
killed you out of hatred anyway. Love and hate, I guess they
neutralize. We're just a couple of people who have to do a job
together, that's all."

"For gosh sakes, Sophia! That isn't true. I loved Stephanie. I still
would, were Stephanie alive. But she's--she's about as accessible as
the Queen of Sheba."

"So? There's an American expression--you're carrying a torch."

Probably, Temple realized, it was true. But what did all of that have
to do with Sophia? If he and Sophia ... if they ... would it be fair
to Sophia? It would be exactly as if a widower remarried, with the
memory of his first wife set aside in his heart ... no, different, for
he had never wed Stephanie, and always in him would be the desire for
what had never been.

"Let's talk about it some other time," Temple almost pleaded, wanting
the respite for himself as much as for Sophia.

"No. We don't have to talk about it ever. I won't be second best, Kit.
Let's forget all about it and do our job. I--I'm sorry I brought the
whole thing up."

Temple felt like an unspeakable heel. And, anyway, the whole thing
wasn't resolved in his mind. But they couldn't just let it go at that,
not in case something happened when the ships came and one or both of
them perished. Awkwardly, for now he felt self-conscious about
everything, he got his arms about Sophia, drew her to him, placed his
lips to hers.

That was as far as he got. She wrenched free, shoved clear of him. "If
you try that again, you will have another dislocated jaw."

Temple shrugged wearily. If anything were to be resolved between them,
it would be later.

When the ships came moments afterwards--seven, not the five Arkalion
predicted--they were completely unprepared.

* * * * *

Temple spotted them first on one of the viewing screens, half way
between the receiver and the space station itself, silhouetted