The Lovers   ::   Фармер Филип Хосе

'I would have been here two days ago, butI had to wait until all the gigs that were on automatic were in use. Then, I pretended that I was in a hurry, that I had forgotten some notes, and that I had to go back to my apartment to pick them up. So, I borrowed one of the manually controlled gigs used for exploration outside the city. I never could have gotten permission from the O.D. for that if he had not been overwhelmed by this.'

Hal touched a large golden badge on his left chest. It bore a Hebrew L.

'That means I'm one of the Chosen. I've passed the 'Meter.'

Jeannette, who had seemingly forgotten her terror, had been looking at Hal's face in the glow from the panel light.

She gave a little cry. 'Hal Yarrow! What have they done to you?' Her fingers touched his face.

A deep purple ringed his eyes; his cheeks were sunken, and in one a muscle twitched; a rash spread, over his for-head; the seven whipmarks stood out against a pale skin.

'Anybody would say I was crazy to do it,' he said. 'I stuck my head in the lion's mouth. And he didn't bite my head off. Instead, I bit his tongue.'

'What do you mean?'

'Listen. Didn't you think it was strange that Pornsen wasn't with me tonight, breathing his sanctimonious breath down my neck? No? Well, you don't know us. There was only one way I could get permission to move out of my quarters in the ship and get an apartment in Siddo. That is, without having a gapt living with me to watch my every move. And without having to leave you out here in the forest. And I couldn't do that.'

She ran her finger down the line from his nose to the corner of his lip. Ordinarily he would have shrunk from the touch because he hated close contact with anybody. Now, he didn't move back.

'Hal,' she said softly. 'Maw sheh.'

He felt a glow. My dear. Well, why not?

To stave off the headiness her touch gave, he said, 'There was only one thing to do. Volunteer for the 'Meter.'

"Wuh Met? 'Es'ase'asah?'

'It's the only thing that can free you from the constant shadow of a gapt . Once you've passed it, you're pure, above suspicion-theoretically, at least.

'My petition caught the hierarchy off guard. They never expected any of the scientists – let alone me – to volunteer. Urielites and Uzzites have to take it if they hope to advance to the hierarchy–'

'Urielites? Uzzites?'

'To put it in ancient terminology, priests and cops. The Forerunner adopted those terms – the names of angels – for religious-governmental use – from the Talmud. See?'

'No.