y, Petey...._

Contact thinned as he reached out away from her, toward Nagor, toward
the ship. He fought his way out through the Shielding, away from her
and her thoughts and every detestable thing about her. Break free,
break free....

"What's the matter, Riuku? Why don't you come? Have the police caught
you?"

The others were fleeing, getting farther away even as he listened to
Nagor's call. Contact was hard to maintain now; he could feel
communication fading.

"Riuku, if you don't come now...."

He fought, but Alice's thoughts were still with him; Alice's tears
still kept bringing him back into full awareness of her.

"Riuku!"

"I--I can't!"

The Shielding boost, that had integrated him so completely with Alice
Hendricks, would never let him go.

"Oh, Petey, I've lost you...."

And Nagor's sad farewell slipped completely out of phase, leaving him
alone, with her.

The plant. The Restricted Area. The useless secret of Earth's now
unneeded weapon. Alice Hendricks glancing past it, at the spot welding
machine, at Tommy.

"How's the love life?"

"You really interested in finding out, Alice?"

"Well--maybe--"

And Riuku gibbered unheard in her mind.

* * * * *

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