The process was rapid. Soon, with a tray in each hand, he used a knee to knock at Alene's door.

He had expected more of a mess from the laser in- stallation. There was only a hole in the bullside paneling, and a line of bracket mountings hanging from the ceiling.

"I'd like to join you for dinner," he said, "but I'll leave, if you'd rather,"

Pause- Then, "Oh, come on in-I don't mean to be a surly hermit. And thanks again, for stirring me up to

eat."

Alene was another silent eater, this time at least. With

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i side glances he appraised her appearance, trying to guess 1. her state of mind-it could be important- A If she had been crying, it didn't show. The black, t' crinkly hair told him nothing-it was bushed out no 1 more thaa usual, and no less. Funny, he thought, how it felt so much softer than it looked.

He eked out his last bites of food so that they finished the meal in a dead heat. Then they looked at each other.

"Coffee or anything?" he said. "I'll get it."

"If you'll settle for beer, it's in the box. I could use one."

Barton did the honors and sat again. "Welcome to the strike force, Alene. If you really mean it, that you want to go. For my part, I couldn't ask for anyone better."

She shook her head and did not speak.

"You don't want to, after all?"

"Oh, that-sure I do. I wanted to, before, but I couldn't-because of. Tarleton having to be with the -i-- main fleet. And now-well, now I can. It's just that. . . ."

,1 "Alene-what in hell happened? I think you have to "' tell it, and if you're riding with me, I have to know your t mind."

f "Yes, Barton-all right. The plain fact is that Helaise . needs him more than I do. I love him-have loved him ^ -but I can control my needs. Helaise can't-in some I ways she was a fitting match for Terike.

"Tarleton went this mormng, to see what was troubling ^ her. When he came back. Barton, he looked--old. And he said he would have to take her to him, instead of me.

That he would have to."

Barton growled in his throat. "The trouble with Tarleton is, he's never learned that sometimes somebody Just needs a good swift kick in the ass."

She laughed. "I like you. Barton-I really like you.

You expressed my own thought, exactly. But as you say, Tarleton couldn't do the kicking."

"It does take a certain amount of training."

"Yes. But you know what really hurts?" He shook his head. "It's that I could have shared, and so could Tarleton. But she wouldn't-so we all have to do what the little cripple wants, so as not to hurt her little feel- ings. Barton, I could kill heri"

"So be my guest." Alene, he thought, was getting healthier by the minute.

"Oh, stop iti I couldn't, really-I don't want her dead.

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I just want to stomp her silly little pointed blonde head into the dirt." She drew a deep breath. "Figuratively, of course-or maybe a little more than that. Barton, I'm talking gibberish-stop me."

"You're doing fine, for now. What else, about Helaise?"

"She's so aggressively a one-man woman." Seeing Barton's raised eyebrows, she tried again. "Correction, She insists on having a one-woman man. Better?" ^

"Not that, either." Remembering what Helaise had said the previous day, he shook his head. "Since- Hishtoo-her attitudes have been swinging like a pen- dulum gone crazy. But in this case, I think, it's not the man she can't share-it's the status. And maybe more than that, really. Her pride has taken a lot of lumps on this ship, you know.

"But let's forget the sociology-how do you feel? Are you prepared for the strike-force situation, just three ships all on our own-and you, all on your own? Are you, Alene?"

Long, she looked at him. "I was that bad, with^ou? I hadn't thought so. Well, then-damn you to hell, Bar- ton! Alene Grover can make it on her own-any time, any place, and in any companyl Satisfied?"

"Very much so." He reached for her hand; she pulled it away. "One thing, though-I wasn't rejecting you-I value you very much. My point is that when the ship- or you-needs to act decisively, I might not be around. I could get clobbered, you know, just like anybody. So, what's important is, can you cut it on your own?" Silence.

"Well, can you?"

And now her tears flowed. Through them, blinking, she tried to look Barton eye-to-eye. "I can! You know something? You're as hard-shelled as Hishtool** She wiped at her eyes. "Now will you get your ass out of here, so a lady can do a little genteel crying?"

Barton left. Sometimes, he thought, a guy can make a guess and come up lucky.

In the galley he found Tarleton with Myra Hake.

"Barton," the man said, "Helaise said she's told you about.. . the changes. I-"

"She told me. And I spoke with Alene. I don't need to talk about it any more, unless you do. I think Alene will do fine on the strike team. Glad to have her."

"Yes. Well, that's good." Tarleton frowned. "You're

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right-no point in talking. Maybe I just wanted you to tell me I'm doing the right thing."

"Maybe."

"I see. All right-our strike meeting is due in a couple of hours. Here, I guess-more room for everybody.

"Oh-Limila's back. Came aboard a few minutes ago.

I didn't know where you were. She said to tell you she'd be in Two-and hungry."

"Thanks." Barton punched the intercom for Two.

Lirnila, it turned out, would settle for thaw-and-heat food.

He set about preparing it. Tarleton rose and left the galley.

"You can be pretty hard on people, can't you?" said Myra.

Barton turned to her. "What the hell was I supposed to say-that I think he's done ginger-peachy fine? I don't. And Tarleton's a big boy now-he has a right to his own mistakes. But I don't have to pat him on the back tor them." He looked closely at her. "Did you?"

"A little, I guess. I couldn't exactly put my heart in it."

"Then why bother? You think he can't tell the dif- ference?"

"I don't know. Probably. Your food's ready, Barton."

"Thanks." Leaving with it, he said, "Cheer up, Myra.

Tarleton'll be okay. Especially after tomorrow, when we're gone from here."

She only nodded.