."

* * *

They ate those tremendous meals slowly, enjoying every bite and sip; in
an atmosphere of friendliness and good fellowship; chatting on a wide
variety of subjects as they ate. Neither was aware of the fact that this
was the first time they had ever been on _really_ friendly terms. And
finally every dish and container was empty, almost polished clean.

"One hundred percent capacity--can chew but can't swallow," Garlock said
then, lighting two cigarettes and giving Belle one. "How's that for a
masterly job of calibration?"

"Me, too. It'll pass." Belle sighed in repletion. "Your ability to
estimate the exact capacity of containers is exceeded only by your good
looks and by the size of your feet. And now to hit the good old sack for
an indefinite but very long period of time."

"You chirped it, birdie." Still eminently friendly, the two walked
together to their doors. Belle put up a solid block and paused,
irresolute, twisting the toe of one slipper into the carpet.

"Clee, I ... I wonder ... if...." Her voice died away.

"I know what you mean." He put his arms around her gently, tenderly, and
looked deep into her eyes. "I want to tell you something, Belle. You're
a woman, not in seven thousand million women, but in that many planets
full of women. What it takes, you very definitely and very abundantly
have got. And you aren't the only one that's pooped. I don't need
company tonight, either. I'm going to sleep until I wake up, if it takes
all day. Or say, if you wake up first, why not punch me and we'll have
breakfast together?"

"That's a thought. Do the same for me. Good night, Clee."

"Good night, ace." He kissed her, as gently as he had been holding her,
opened her door, closed it after her, and stepped across the corridor
into his own room.

"_What_ a man!" Belle breathed to herself, behind the solid screens of
her room. "He thought I was too tired, not just scared to death too.
What a _man_! Belle Bellamy, you ought to be kicked from here to
Tellus...." Then she threw back her head, drove a hard little fist into
a pillow, and spoke aloud through clenched teeth. "No, damn and blast
it, I _won't_ give in. I _won't_ love him. I'll take the Project away
from him if it's the last thing I ever do in this life!"

* * *

She woke up the next morning--not morning, either, since it was well
after noon--a little before Garlock did, but not much. Whe