'Oh,' said Keith, understanding dawning. 'You mean you've accrued sufficient glory to win Pelsh.'
'Exactly. The discoveries I have been a part of involving the darmats will make me the most celebrated scientist on Rehbollo.' A pause. 'Pelsh will make her decision soon. I can tarry here no longer.'
Keith thought for a moment. 'No female Waldahud has ever worked aboard Starplex. When my term of office ends, it will be an Ib's turn to be director; I suspect Wineglass will get the job. But after the Ib, the position will then fall to a Waldahud — and I know the Waldahudin will demand a female leader. What if — what if you and Pelsh came to Starplex together? From what I've heard, she'd be a natural for the director's job.'
Jag's fur rippled in surprise. 'We can't do that. We will both still be part of a larger grouping. She will retain her entourage until she dies.'
Keith's eyes widened a bit. 'You mean the males that don't succeed with her don't get to try their luck elsewhere?'
'Of course not. We will remain a family. We have all been pledged to Pelsh since childhood.'
'Perhaps you could all come to serve aboard Starplex-all six of you.'
Jag moved his lower shoulders. 'Starplex is for the best and brightest. I would never speak to a Waldahud in disparaging terms about other members of my lady's entourage, but I will tell you the truth. It was never a contest between me and four others. Never. It was between me and one individual. That was clear from the beginning. The others… lack distinction.'
'But I thought Pelsh was related to the royal family. Forgive me, but why would she have less than the most qualified suitors?'
'An entourage must continue to function even after a mate is chosen. A skillfully selected entourage will contain several members who will be content with lesser stations.
Indeed, an entourage composed entirely of what you humans call alpha males would be doomed.'
Keith thought about this. 'Well, if the only way we can get you is to take your whole family, then I will see to it that we do so.'
'I — I do not think you will follow through on that.'
Keith blinked. 'I'm a man of my word.'
'The real contest for Pelsh was between me and one other. That other, of course, has a name.' Jag's four eyes locked on Keith's two. 'That name is Gawst Dalayo em-Pelsh.'
'Gawst!' said Keith. 'Who led the attack on Starplex?'
'Yes. He escaped the darmats and is now back on Rehbollo.'
Keith was still for ten seconds, then began to nod. 'You had to help him, didn't you?'
'I have admitted nothing,' said Jag.
'If you didn't help him, all the glory in bringing Starplex home to Rehbollo would have been his; he would have been chosen by Pelsh. By assisting him, you assured that the glory would be shared.'
'There are two hundred and sixty Waldahudin aboard Starplex,' said Jag.
The sentence floated between them for several moments.
Keith nodded, understanding. 'So if you hadn't helped him, doubtless he would have found someone else who would have,' said Keith…
'Again,' said Jag, 'I admit nothing.' He was quiet for a time. 'Of course, Queen Trath's government may bring criminal charges against Gawst. He soon may not have his liberty — or even his life.'
'My offer still stands,' said Keith.
Jag bowed his head. 'I — we — shall consider it.' And then Jag did something Keith had never seen any Waldahud do before. He added the words, 'Thank you.'
It was evening; the corridor lighting was dimmed. As he always did just prior to dinner, Keith dropped by the bridge, and had a word with the gamma-shift director, a Waldahud named Stelt. Everything was running smoothly, Stelt said.
Not a surprise; Keith would have been called at once had something been amiss. Keith wished everyone a pleasant night and left the bridge, heading toward the central shaft.
Lianne Karendaughter was there, sitting on a bench in the widened part of the corridor just before the elevators. She looked lithe and sexy in a skintight black jumpsuit.
Surely a coincidence, thought Keith. Surely she didn't know his routine — know that he passed this way every evening at this time. She must be waifng for somebody else. Lianne had her hair down; Keith had never realized that it went halfway down her back. 'Hello, Keith,' she said, smiling warmly.
'Hello, Lianne. Did — did you have a good day?'
'Oh, yes. I mean, you saw alpha shift today — a breeze. And I got to do some swimming and fencing during beta shift. How about you?'
'Fine. Just fine.'
'That's good,' said Lianne. She paused for a moment, and looked down at the rubberized flooring. When she lifted her head again, she didn't quite meet Keith's eyes. 'I, ah, understand Rissa is away today.'
'That's right. She's taken a pod back to Grand Central. I think she's trying to find a way not to have to accept a medal, or have a parade in her honor.'
Lianne nodded. 'So I was thinking,' she said, after a moment, 'that perhaps you'd be all alone for dinner.'
Keith felt his pulse quickening. 'I — I suppose I am,' he said.
Lianne smiled at him. She had perfect white teeth, perfect alabaster skin, and the most beautiful dark, haunting, almond-shaped eyes. 'I wondered if you'd like to join me. I've got a wok in my apartment; I could make that stir-fry I promised you.'
Keith looked at… at the girl, he thought. Twenty-seven.
Two decades younger than himself. He felt a slight shifting in his shorts. It was probably just an innocent invitation. She felt sorry for the old guy, or maybe was trying to ingratiate herself with the boss. Just some stir-fry, mayhe some wine, maybe…
'You know, Lianne,' said Keith, 'you are a very beautiful woman. He held up a hand. 'I know, I'm not supposed to say things like that, but we're both off duty. You're a very beautiful woman.' She lowered her eyes: He paused and chewed on his bottom lip. And a thought welled up in his brain.
Don't hurt Rissa.
You'll only hurt yourself.
'But,' he said at last, 'I think it's better if I just admire you from afar.'
She met his eyes for a moment, then dropped hers again.
'Rissa is a very lucky woman,' Lianne said.
'No,' said Keith, 'I'm a very lucky man. See you tomorrow, Lianne.'
She nodded. 'Good night, Keith.'
He went home, made himself a sandwich, read a few chapters in an old Robertson Davies novel, then went to bed early.
And slept like a log, absolutely at peace with himself.
Alpha shift the next day started uneventfully. Rhombus had arrived precisely on time, of course; Thor came in, put his feet up on the helm console, and started dictating instructions into the navigational computer; Lianne was hard at work briefing little holographic heads of her engineers on the day's proposed work. In the back row, Keith was talking quietly to Rissa, who had just returned from Grand Central.
But then the starscape split, and Jag came in, moving with more of a run than a waddle.
'I've got it!' he said — although from the excited waving of his fur, perhaps 'Eureka!' would have been a more appropriate translation.
Keith and Rissa turned to look at Jag. He didn't go to his workstation; instead, he moved to the front of the room, standing about two meters ahead of Thor's console.
'What have you got?' asked Keith, resisting the potential straight line.
'The answer!' barked Jag excitedly. 'The answer!' He caught his breath. 'Bear with me for a moment; this will take some explaining. But I'll tell you one thing up front — we do matter! We do make a difference. Gods of the mountains, rivers, valleys, and plains — we make all the difference!' His eyes diverged, one falling on Lianne, a
