now all there is to know. What can quell my loneliness?
Another like me, another _Marl_--whatever a _Marl_ is. I must have, must
find another _Marl_."

I began to search. I darted frantically about space like a frightened
thing, though I could perceive no movement. I knew I passed from one
area of space to another because I could measure slight changes in the
position of the stars about me. I knew the points of light were _stars_.

There was duration. I could not know how much. Eternity? A split second?
But at last I discovered another like me. No, almost like me, but
another _Marl_. The other entity had less of reason, more emotion. It
was frightened and lonely. The _Marl's_ whole existence was that of
sickness--of loneliness, which is fear. The _Marl_ was darting about
madly, seeking, seeking a thing like itself. What was it, like me but
different?

As I came in, I measured our similarity and differences. Rationally we
were identical, or almost so. Emotionally we were different, vastly
different. "_Marls_ appear to exist as rationale and emotion," I
reasoned. "Beyond that I cannot go."

The other _Marl_ perceived me, darted frantically toward me, then
slowed. We came together, touched like--_like two cautious fish meeting
in a dark pool and touching mouths to substantiate identical species_.

The other _Marl_ was satisfied with my identity. It leaped frantically
at me, raced around me, through me, finally stopped, pervading me, while
_vibrating_ in sheer relief and happiness. I felt the great
fear-loneliness in the other _Marl_ begin to recede and in its place
came an almost overpowering euphoria. It was _contentment_, and it
stemmed from the basic emotion _love_. I knew this at once.

I suddenly realized that I too was relieved, that I was no longer sick
with fear-loneliness. It was good, this existing of the other within me
or simultaneously with me. Or was it I within the other? It sated our
fear emotion and made, created a love-euphoria.

"I am happy I found you," I communicated. "I was lonely for another
_Marl_. You are a _Marl_?"

The other hesitated, thinking. "No. I am _Pat_. I am different from you.
But it is chiefly emotional. It is good."

"You are a _Pat_," I returned in disappointment. "I had hoped to find
another _Marl_."

"Don't be disappointed," the _Pat_ soothed. "We are alike, really.
Almost so. Like--like flame and gas are both substance yet different. We
are two types of the same thing.