“What were you people doing out there in the dark?” Richard asked, then burped loudly. “Talking about a funeral? You’re all so gloomy.”

No one responded.

“Lively group,” Richard muttered.

“At least we have table manners,” Donald snapped.

“Screw you,” Richard answered.

“You know, I suddenly find this strangely ironic,” Suzanne said.

“What, Richard’s table manners?” Michael questioned with a loud guffaw.

“No, our response to Interterra,” Suzanne said.

“What do you mean?” Perry asked.

“Think about what we have here,” Suzanne said. “It’s like heaven even though it’s not up in the sky like our traditional image. Nonetheless, it has everything that we consciously and unconsciously yearn for: youth, beauty, immortality, and plenty. It’s a true paradise.”

“We can attest to the beauty, eh, Mikey?” Richard said.

“Why do you find it ironic?” Perry asked, ignoring Richard.

“Because we’re worried about being forced to stay,” Suzanne said. “Everyone else dreams about getting to heaven, and we’re worried we’re not going to be able to leave.”

“What do you mean, forced to stay?” Richard demanded.

“I don’t find it ironic,” Donald said. “If my family were here with me, maybe I would. But not now. Besides, I don’t like to be forced to do anything. It may sound corny, but I value my freedom.”

“We’re getting out of here, aren’t we?” Richard asked insistently.

“Not according to Donald,” Perry said.

“But we have to,” Richard blurted.

“And why is that, sailor?” Donald asked. “What makes you so eager to get out of Suzanne’s heaven?”

“I was speaking in general terms, not personal,” Suzanne interjected. “Frankly, finding out how they manage their immortality made me a little sick today.”

“I don’t know what you people are talking about,” Richard said. “But I want to get out of here ASAP.”

“Me, too,” Michael seconded.

A soft chime sounded that no one had heard before. Everyone looked at each other quizzically, but before anyone could speak, the door opened and in walked Mura, Meeta, Palenque, and Karena. The bevy of beautiful women were in high spirits. Mura went directly to Michael and extended her palm in the usual Interterran greeting. After a quick palm press, she sat down on the edge of Michael’s chair. Meeta, Palenque, and Karena approached Richard, who leaped to his feet.

“Oh, babies, you came back!” Richard cried. He touch palms with all three and then hugged them enthusiastically. They briefly acknowledged Suzanne, Perry, and Donald but lavished their attention on Richard, who swooned with utter delight. As he tried to collapse back onto his chaise, they restrained him. They told him they were eager to get him back to his room to go for a swim.

“Well, yeah, sure,” Richard stammered. He saluted Donald before exiting with his miniharem.

“Come on!” Mura urged Michael. “Let us go as well. I’ve brought you a present.”

“What is it?” Michael asked. He allowed himself to be pulled toward the door.

“A jar of caldorphin!” Mura said. “I heard you liked it.”

“Loved it is more accurate,” Michael cried. With that, the two of them skipped out of the room.

Before the remaining diners could comment, the soft chime sounded again. This time it heralded the arrival of Luna and Garona. The Interterrans seemed to be rounding up their previous evening’s partners.

“Oh, Suzanne!” Garona cooed as he pressed palms with her. “I have been longing for the night so that I could come and once again spend it with you.”

“Perry, my love,” Luna gushed. “It’s been too long a day. I hope it was not too stressful for you.”

Neither Suzanne nor Perry could decide if they were mortified or delighted, especially being greeted with such mushily amorous protestations. Both stammered unintelligible responses while allowing themselves to be lifted to their feet.

“I guess we’re leaving,” Suzanne said to Donald as Garona playfully towed her toward the open end of the room.

“And we must be going to the same place they are,” Perry said to him as Luna dragged him.

Donald gave a halfhearted wave but didn’t say anything. The next instant, he found himself alone with the two mute worker clones.

Michael could not remember ever being so excited. Never had a woman this gorgeous and desirable seemed so interested in him. At her insistence they began to spin around as they cavorted across the dark lawn toward his room. With her long hair floating in the wind, the image was intoxicating for Michael, and he would have gone on for hours had his inner ear not intervened.

Feeling dizzy, Michael stopped revolving but his surroundings didn’t. He staggered to his right, vainly trying to maintain his balance. Unable to keep his legs under him, he collapsed in a heap. Mura collapsed with him. Together they laughed uncontrollably. They got to their feet unsteadily, then ran on to his cottage. Once they got inside, they were both out of breath.

“Well,” Michael said. He took a couple of deep breaths but still felt light-headed. Just looking at Mura in the slinky outfit made him quiver with desire. “What would you like to do first? Take a swim?”

Mura gazed at Michael provocatively. She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to swim now,” she said, her voice husky. “Last night you were too tired for intimacy. You sent me away before I could make you happy.”

“But that’s not true,” Michael protested. “I was happy.”

“You mean, Sart made you happy?”

“Hell, no!” Michael barked, taking immediate offense. “What the hell kind of question is that?”

“Don’t get upset,” Mura said, taken aback by Michael’s response. “I’m not suggesting anything. Besides, it’s perfectly all right to have pleasure from either sex.”

“Hey, it’s not okay with me,” Michael snapped. “No way!”

“Michael, please calm yourself,” Mura pleaded. “What’s making you so agitated?”

“I’m not agitated!” Michael shot back.

“Did Sart do something to make you angry?”

“No, he was fine,” Michael said nervously.

“Something made you angry,” Mura said. “Did Sart stay all night? I didn’t see him all day.”

“No! No!” Michael stammered. “He left right after you did. Richard just apologized for getting mad at him and that was it. He was out of here. Nice kid, though.”

“Why did Richard get mad at him?”

“I don’t know,” Michael said irritably. “Do we have to talk about Sart all night? I thought you came here to see me.”

“I did indeed,” Mura said. She sidled up to Michael and stroked his chest. Beneath her fingers she could feel that his heart was racing. “I think you must have had a difficult day. We should get you to calm down, and I know just the thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You lie down on the bed,” Mura instructed. “I will rub your body and massage your muscles.”

“Now you’re talking.”

“And once you are serene we will press palms with the caldorphin.”

“Sounds great, baby,” Michael said, recovering his composure. “Let’s do it.”

“All right, I’ll be there in a moment,” Mura said. She gave Michael a gentle nudge toward the bed. Dutifully Michael sauntered over and lay down on the soft coverlet.

Mura went to the refrigerator to get something cold to drink. She gave the command directly to the receptor so she could do it as softly as possible so as to avoid disturbing Michael. After his minor outburst, she sensed he was tense and needful of every consideration. She knew from experience how easily agitated secondary humans could become over the strangest things.

Mura was surprised to discover the compartment so full. “My word,” she said. “What all do you have in here?”

In response to Mura’s nagging about Sart, Michael’s ardor had significantly waned. Instead of fantasizing as he lay facedown on the bed waiting for her ministrations, he found himself fretting over the dinner table discussion that their group was stuck in Interterra. Consequently her comment about his refrigerator being full didn’t even penetrate his consciousness until he heard beverage and food containers crash to the floor followed by a gasp. It was only then that he remembered Sart’s body, and by then it was too late…