'I guess it is." Steve threw his hands in the air, gave the vents another cautious glance then said: 'You can do that - to machines?"

'I'm learning."

'I was right. You are trying to get us killed."

Clearwater squeezed his hand rea.s.suringly. 'No. I have done this twice before. They think it is their devices which are at fault. They blame and curse them, not me."

'How long have we got?" laughed Steve.

'About fifteen flicks." 'Flicks... ?"

Clearwater indicated the wall-mounted digital clock.

'The numbers. The last two change - flick, flick, flick."

Steve laughed again. 'Those are minutes! Sixty minutes in one hour, twenty-four hours in one day. You know what a day is, don't you?"

Clearwater withdrew her hand from his. 'Why do you mock me? I have heard them talk of hours and minutes but it means nothing. Life in the sand-burrowers' world has a strange rhythm I cannot understand. Your time is not the same as ours."

'Maybe - but don't let's waste any of it." Steve stroked her hair, brushing it back away from her face. The Red River medics had cropped it short, shaving it down to the skull where a couple of bullets had furrowed her scalp. In the last six weeks, the spiky crew-cut had grown out into a soft, wavy bob just like Fran's.

He leant forward and kissed her on the lips. Nothing heavy, but the tingle which had first set fire to his loins was still there. He sat back to catch his breath.

Clearwater ran her hand along the sleeve of his silver-grey jump-suit, with its two broad dark blue captain's stripes, that marked him out as a member of the First Family, and looked deep into his eyes. 'You don't have to hide it from me."

'Hide what?"

'The other woman in your life. Fran."

Steve died a little. 'How do you know her name?"

'She came to see me."

Steve eyed the vase on the bedside cabinet. 'And brought you flowers .... ' He paused, not wishing to know more but the urge was too strong.

'What did she want?"

'To see me. To know me - and perhaps know more about you."

Again, reluctantly, Steve asked: 'And...?"

'She's very sure of herself."

'She has every reason to be. She's Family."

'She is also very..."

'I hope you're not gonna say "beautiful"."

'She's not ugly- at least, not on the outside. I was going to say, hard, calculating-but then that element of danger appeals to you. 'Be careful."

'I will be."

'Is she very. physical?"

The directness of the question caught Steve off guard.

He felt the colour rise to his cheeks. d.a.m.n.... 'It's not what you think. It's a relationship that was forced on me." Steve found the vengeful barb he'd been looking for. 'Like you and the Consul-General."

If the shot went home it didn't show, and he felt demeaned for having said it.

'I see. Does that mean I can take my revenge - as you did?"

'Watching him die made me feel better, but I didn't kill him because of what happened between you. I was following orders."

.Clearwater took hold of his hands again. 'You don't have to justify yourself."

'I'm not trying to. I want you to understand. What happened then is exactly what's happening now. You weren't the victim, he was. You manipulated him. And that's what I'm trying to do now."

'With this woman..." 'Yes! Fran is our ticket to ride. She has the contacts we need and she can make things happen - just like your friend the Consul-General and the guy I took advantage of, the Herald HaseGawa."

Clearwater nodded. 'When the time comes, let me know if she needs persuading."

'I will. Trust me."

'Always." She pulled him towards her and offered up her mouth to his.

Why, Steve asked himself, should one simple word like that make me feel so lousy? 'Listen ' The door opened and two servicemen came in. Each of them was toting a four-inch thick suitcase full of tools and test equipment, and they'd been running. Many more breakdowns like this, thought Steve, and there'll be guys camping out in the sitting room.

"Fraid we're gonna have to ask you to cut short your visit, Captain.

We seem to have a problem with the air-conditioning."

'Sure, these things happen." Steve exchanged an amused glance with Clearwater which they didn't see.

'Thought it was getting a little stuffy in here."

Three of the nursing staff came in, took hold of Clearwater's bed and bedside cabinet and began to manoeuvre them out through the door.

'We're just going to move you to another room for an hour or so,'

explained the senior orderly.

Steve accompanied the procession down the corridor.

'You're free to stay if you wish, sir."

'That's okay,' said Steve. He gripped Clearwater's hand and felt her fingers tighten round his. 'I think we've said all there is to say for the moment." When they reached the chosen door he gave her a comradely pat on the shoulder and stepped aside as they wheeled her in. 'I'll stop by when I come off duty tomorrow."

'Please do,' she said. As they wheeled her in she looked back over her shoulder, a knowing, conspiratorial gleam in her eyes.