They had been married for twenty years, and every move was familiar and comfortable. He was considerate of her needs. She accepted his attentions as her due, as something felicitous and pleasurable but not necessarily vital to her continued existence. She knew that he liked for her to make sounds of approval. Her little cry at the end was not faked, but had it not been for his need to know that she enjoyed it she would, by preference, have been silent. Then it was his turn and she did her duty with a glow of fondness and satisfaction. He was her husband, her man, the only man she'd ever known sexually. When, as he reached his completion and she felt his throbbings inside her she suddenly saw her brother David's face and felt, for one split second, a forbidden, sordid excitement, she made a face of total disgust, wiped the image from her mind, and held her husband close as he kissed her lightly on the neck and face.

As she freshened herself in the bathroom she wondered a bit about her mother and father. She didn't stay in touch with her siblings as closely as she should. When she'd last heard from Josh, there'd been no news of theelder Websters and Josh had said that David would be going out to look for them. Well, she thought, everything would turn out right in the end.

Bad things didn't happen to Sarah Webster de Conde. Sarah Webster de Conde had a wonderful husband, a splendid home, and fine children. Her life was so full of a number of things that she had no time for negative events. Mom and Pop would turn up with some amusing tale of being lost in the stars.

Pete was still awake when she got into bed beside him. He pulled her to his side and caressed her. "You're pretty sexy for an old married woman," he said.

"You're not bad for a staid old businessman," she told him.

"Speaking of business—"

He often talked about his financial affairs with her. She put her head on his shoulder and waited.

"I bought planetwide distribution rights for your sister's new holofilm today."

She was surprised. He'd never been involved in the entertainment field.

"Really? That's not exactly your field, is it?"

"It should be a sure thing, and very profitable," he said. "I don't know if you know just how big your little sister is in the holofilm industry."

"Well, I guess she's a good actress."

"And almost as sexy as you."

For a moment Sarah could see her sister, golden, glowing, the end result of a million years of human development. "Hah," she said.

"Not hah," he said. "I mean it. The Queen's a pretty little piece, but to me you're the most beautiful woman in the world."

She laughed. "Well, whatever it is you want, it's yours."

She was thinking about her schedule for the rest of the week when, once again, David Webster's face was in her mind's eye. Something was nagging at her. She shrugged mentally and got back to priorities. Sheneeded to begin a round-robin series of visits to parents' organizations at all city schools to get her campaign for the Board underway. Petey had his groundball practice on Thursday and Cyd had an appointment at the dentist's office on Friday. In a few months, Frenc would be getting her provisional license and, although she would be unable to carry passengers, she could provide her own transportation. Pete had already selected a sporty little aircar for her. In the meantime, because of her increasingly heavy commitments, she might have to think about giving up being a leader for Cyd's Young Explorer Troop. As for those silly worries about family, she didn't have time. Nothing bad ever happened to Sarah Webster de Conde.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Vinn Stern was supervising the loading of delicate equipment aboard a chubby freighter when the Erin Kenner fluxed down with a flair of rather ostentatious ship handling. The sleek, new vessel came plummeting down, mushed to a stop a hundred feet above the raw earth of the field, and settled softly into the dust. Vinn allowed work to come to a halt while the stevedores admired the design of the new type of cruiser-explorer.

"Whoever's aboard her had one helluva ride," said a worker.

"The skipper was playing amusement park kiss-me-quick," Vinn said.

A lock opened and several people emerged from the Erin Kenner.

"Okay, fellows, let's get it done," Vinn said, turning away. The men went back to work.

In the artificial pleele forest the film company was shooting stock scenes of the background. The basic exposures would be combined with the work of special effects techs on Delos, home of United Holofilms, to show the ifflings, the first stage of the Artunee life-form, crawling among the pleele trees in search of succulent fruit.

Sheba was in her dressing room, makeup in place, ready to finish off one small scene when the call came. She was eager to leave the wildernessplanet. She glanced at the clock, sighed. She had always enjoyed her work, and that had been true of the Miaree project until recent weeks when a restlessness had begun to grow in her. It wasn't so much that she wanted to get back to her home on Delos, although she thought often of the great house with its extensive grounds winding among small, crystal clear lakes.

She simply wanted, needed, to be on the move. There was an urge in her to go. She dreamed of traveling lonely star lanes to places she'd never seen.

Quite often her parents were in her dreams, and Josh and David and Ruth.

One of the director's assistants put her head in the door and said,

"We'll be ready for you in five minutes, Miss Webster."

They were reshooting the scene where Miaree first stood face-to-face with the alien. He waited for her at the top of a flight of steps. After special effects finished, he would be standing among smooth-skinned, graceful changelings. In the initial shooting he was alone. Sheba walked up the steps, slim and regal. Her soft lips were fixed in a formal smile. The alien extended both hands in a gesture of friendship. He said, "You are indescribably beautiful."

"Cut," the director yelled. "And wrap."

A cheer went up. The location shooting was finished. Soon the ships would lift off for the civilized portions of the galaxy. The actor who was playing Rei, the Delanian alien, kissed Sheba on her furry cheek.

"It's been a fine vacation, Sheba," he said, "but I'm ready to have a decent meal and sleep in my own bed."

The director, differences forgotten for the moment, hugged Sheba and complimented her on her professionalism.

When Sheba walked off the sound stage, she saw Josh Webster standing with his hands behind his back, tall and striking in his Service blues, a very attractive female officer at his side.

"Hi, Queenie," Josh said.

"Josh! My God," Sheba cried, running to throw herself into his arms.

"Careful of the wings, darling," the director said. "We might have to usethem again."

"This rather odd creature," Josh said to Angela, "is my sister. Sheba, say hello to my wife, Angela."

Sheba took both of Angela's hands in hers. "Wonderful," she said. "I know you're a super person to be able to convince this old reprobate to give up his bachelorhood." She turned to Josh. "What a perfectly lovely surprise."

"I heard that they were trying to turn my baby sister into a butterfly,"

Josh said.

"This butterfly is going to flutter off and change," she said. "Angela, if you want to come with me, you can freshen up while I get out of this fur.

Old Josh, you may come, too, if you like."

"I'll wander around and take a look at the sets," Josh said.

"Give us half an hour," Sheba said.

In the dressing room, Angela helped Sheba skin out of the skintight Artunee fur. She was slightly uneasy as Sheba was revealed dressed only in briefs and a filmy bra, but Sheba seemed quite at ease. She pointed Angela toward the facilities and went to work removing the makeup from her eyes. Her face was clean and smooth when Angela came out.