Part 57 (2/2)

-;_ as because I think it is wrong.” He sighed, heavily, and < patted=”” her=”” arm=”” as=”” a=”” grandfather=”” might=”” pat=”” a=”” child.=”” ”and=”” ^=”” i=”” don't=”” like=”” being=”” that=”” way.=”” i=”” don't=”” like=”” thinking=”” that=”” *'=””>

”I'm sorry,” said Lunzie. It was all she could think of.

* She had trusted Zebara; he had been a good man. If something had changed him, it must have been a powerful force. She let herself think it might have convinced her if she'd been exposed to it.

”No, I'm sorry,” said Zebara, smiling directly at her Again. ”I often wished to talk with you, share my feelings. You would have understood and helped me stay .true to my ideals. So here I've poisoned our meeting, a *,;*.; meeting I dreamed of, with my doubts and senile fears, Mid you're sitting there vibrating like a harpstring, afraid ^ of me. And no wonder. I always knew you were a brave woman, but to come to Diplo when you'd had such III vicious treatment from heavyworlders? That's incredi-fe, Lunzie.”

84.

”You taught me that all heavyworlders were not alike,” said Lunzie, managing a smile in return.

He mimed a flinch and grinned. ”A palpable hit! My dear, if trusting me let you be hurt by others, I'm sorry indeed. But if you mean that it helped you gather courage to come here and help our people, after what you'd been through, I'm flattered.” His face sobered. ”But seriously, I need your help on something, and it may be dangerous.”

”You need my help?”

”Yes, and that . . .”He suddenly lunged toward her, and flattened her to the couch.

”What!” His face smothered her. She beat a tattoo on his back. Behind her, she heard a chuckle.

”Good start, Zebara!” said someone she could not see. ”But don't be too long. You'll miss the Governor's speech.”

”Go away, Follard!” Zebara said, past her ear. ”I'm busy and I don't care about the Governor's speech.”

A snort of laughter. ”Bedrooms upstairs, unless you're also working on blackmail.”

Zebara looked up. Lunzie couldn't decide whether to scream or pretend acquiescence. ”When I need advice, Follard, I'll ask for it.”

”All right, all right; I'm going.”

Lunzie heard the thump of the door closing and counted a careful five while Zebara sat back up.

”I'm glad you warned me! Or I'd be wondering why you wanted my help.”

”I do.” Zebara was tense, obviously worried. ”Lunzie, we can't talk here, but we must talk. I do need your help and I need you to pretend your old affection for me.

”Here? For Follard's benefit?”

”Not his! This is important, for you and the Federation as well as for me. So, please, just act as if you ...” A loud clanging interrupted him. He muttered a curseword Lunzie had not heard in years, and stood up. ”That does it. Someone's. .h.i.t the proximity alarm in the Governor's office and this place'll be swarming with police and internal security guards. Lunzie, you've got

85.

to trust me, at least for this. As we leave, lean on me. Act a little befuddled.”

”I am.”

”And then meet me tomorrow, when you're off work. Tell your colleagues it's for dinner with an old friend. Will you?”

”It won't be a lie,” she replied with a wry smile.

Then he was pulling her up, his arms still stronger than hers. He put one around her shoulders, his fingers in her hair. She leaned back against him, trying to conquer a renaissant fear. At that moment the door opened, letting in a clamor from the alarm and two uniformed police. Lunzie hoped her expression was that of a woman surprised in a compromising position. She dared not look at Zebara.

But whatever he was, whoever he was in his own world, his name carried weight with the police, who merely checked his ID off on a handcomp and went on their way. Then Zebara led her back to the main hall where most of the guests were clumped at one end, with the lightweights in a smaller clump to one side. The other members of the medical team, Lunzie noticed, were first relieved to see her, then shocked. She was trying to look like someone struggling against infatuation, and she must be succeeding.

Zebara brought her up to that group, gave her a final hug, and murmured, ”Tomorrow. Don't forget!” before giving her a nudge that sent her toward them.

”Well!” That almost simultaneous huff by two of the team members at once made Lunzie laugh. She couldn't help it.

”What's the alarm about?” she asked, fighting the laugh back down to her diaphragm where it belonged.

”Supposedly someone tried to break into the Governor's working office.” Bias's voice was still primly disapproving. ”Since you didn't show up at once, we were afraid you were involved.” A pause, during which Lunzie almost asked why she would want to break into the Governor's office, then Bias continued. ”I see you were involved, so to speak.”

”Meow,” said Lunzie. ”I've told you about Zebara 86.

before. He saved my life, years ago, and even though it's been longer for him, I was glad to see him ...”

”We could tell.” Lunzie had never suspected Bias of prudery, but the tone was still icily contemptuous. ”I might remind you, Doctor, that we are here on a mission of medical research, not to reunite old lovers. Especially those who should have the common sense to realize how unsuited they are.” The word unsuited caught Lunzie's funny bone and she almost laughed again. That showed in her face, for Bias glowered. ”You might try to be professional!” he said, and turned away.

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