y more work out
of her before the deadline, you had better let her rest tonight.
Better let the whole staff rest. I've been handing out tranquilizers
like aspirin all day. They're falling apart."

"The world's falling apart. How is Lea doing?"

"Considering her shape, she's fine. Go in and see for yourself if
you won't take my word for it. I have other patients to look at."

"Are you that worried, Doctor?"

"Of course I am! I'm just as prone to the weakness of the flesh as
the rest of you. We're sitting on a ticking bomb and I don't like
it. I'll do my job as long as it is necessary, but I'll also be
damned glad to see the ships land to pull us out. The only skin that
I really feel emotionally concerned about right now is my own. And
if you want to be let in on a public secret--the rest of your staff
feels the same way. So don't look forward to too much efficiency."

"I never did," Brion said to the retreating back.

Lea's room was dark, illuminated only by the light of Dis's moon
slanting in through the window. Brion let himself in and closed the
door behind him. Walking quietly, he went over to the bed. Lea was
sleeping soundly, her breathing gentle and regular. A night's sleep
now would do as much good as all the medication.

He should have gone then; instead, he sat down in the chair placed
next to the head of the bed. The guards knew where he was--he could
wait here just as well as any place else.

It was a stolen moment of peace on a world at the brink of
destruction. He was grateful for it. Everything looked less harsh
in the moonlight, and he rubbed some of the tension from his eyes.
Lea's face was ironed smooth by the light, beautiful and young, a
direct contrast to everything else on this poisonous world. Her hand
was outside of the covers and he took it in his own, obeying a
sudden impulse. Looking out of the window at the desert in the
distance, he let the peace wash over him, forcing himself to forget
for the moment that in one more day life would be stripped from this
planet.

Later, when he looked back at Lea he saw that her eyes were open,
though she hadn't moved. How long had she been awake? He jerked his
hand away from hers, feeling suddenly guilty.

"Is the boss-man looking after the serfs, to see if they're fit for
the treadmills in the morning?" she asked. It was the kind of remark
she had used with such frequency in the ship, though it didn't sound
quite as harsh now. And she was smili