The Lovers   ::   Фармер Филип Хосе

15



After the meal she diluted a pitcher of beetlejuice with water, poured in a purplish liquid which made the drink smell like grapes, and dropped sprigs of an orange plant on the surface. Placed into a glass of ice cubes, it was cool and even tasted like grapes. It did not gag him at all.

'Why did you pick me instead of Pornsen?'

She sat on his lap, one arm around his neck, the other on the table, drink in hand.

'Oh, you were so good – looking, and he was so ugly. Besides, I could feel that you could be trusted. I knew I had to be careful. My father had told me about Earthmen. He said they couldn't be trusted.'

'How true. But you must have an intuition for doing the right thing, Jeannette. If you had antennae, I'd say you could detect nervous emanations. Here, let's see!' He went to run his fingers through her hair, but she ducked her head and laughed.

He laughed with her and dropped his hand to her shoulder, rubbing the smooth skin. 'I was probably the only person on the ship who wouldn't have betrayed you. But I'm in a quandary now – You see, your presence here raises the Backrunner. It puts me in grave danger – but a danger I wouldn't miss for anything else in the world.

'However, what you tell me of the X-ray machines worries me. So far, we've seen none. Are the wogs hiding them? If so, why? We know that they have electricity, and that they're theoretically capable of inventing X-ray machines. Perhaps, they're hiding them only because they're indications of an even more developed technology.

'But that doesn't seem reasonable. And, after all, we don't know too much of Siddo culture. We've not been here long enough; we don't have enough men to do extensive investigation.

'Maybe I'm being too suspicious. That's more than likely. Nevertheless, Macneff should be informed. But I can't tell him how I found out; I wouldn't even dare make up a lie about my source of information.

'I'm on the horns of a dilemma.'

'A dilemma? A beast I never heard of before.'

He hugged her and said, 'I hope you never do.'

'Listen,' she said, looking eagerly at him with her beautiful brown eyes, 'Why bother to tell Macneff? If the Siddo should attack the Haijac – or, as you say their enemies call them so aptly, Highjackers – and conquer them, why not? Couldn't we make our way to my homeland and live there?'

Hal was shocked. 'Those are my people, my countrymen! They – we – are Sigmenites. I couldn't betray them!'

'You are doing just that now by keeping me here,' she said gravely.

'I know that," said Hal slowly.