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〃Well 。 。 when you put it that way； so do I。 But I can't help wondering what grim secrets and unspeakable crimes are locked in my theta…niy…seven…B…dexter…aleph…prime？ Will the stars tremble in their courses？ But Uncle Cuddly did work hard a couple of days； Justin…probably the only honest work he has ever；done。〃
〃I disdain to ment； Teena。 Justin； my assignment was examining physician； for ost new diploma。 So Ishtar and Harnadryad are unpacking migrants and giving them their antidotes and I'm checking them to make sure they've made the trip safely…rushing it as I haven't yet snatched another medical doctor from that~ parade of flesh。
〃I glance up from my machine just long enough to note that the next victim is female and call out over my shoulder； 'Strip down； please；' and change the setting。 Then I look twice…and say； 'Hello； Mama； how did you get here？'。
〃This caused her to give me a second look。 Then she smiled her big； happy smile and said； 'I flew in on a broom； Obadiah。 Give me a kiss and tell me where to put my clothes。 Is the doctor around？'
〃Justin； I let the queue pile up while I gave Maggie a thorough examination…proper； as she was pregnant and I made certain that her unborn baby had e through all right…but also to gossip and get caught up。 Married again； four children by today； a farm wife with a sunburned nose； and happy as can be。
〃Got married quite romantically。 Mama heard the advertising about opening a virgin pla； went to the recruiting office Ira had in the Harriman Trust building to find out about it…that astonished me the most； Mama is the last person I would have suspected of yearnings to pioneer。〃
〃Well 。 。 I agree； Galahad。 But I don't suppose anyone would pick me as a likely pioneer； either。〃
〃Perhaps not。 Nor me。 But Maggie puts in her application at once； and runs into one of her wealthy regulars doing the same。 They go somewhere for a bite and discuss it 。 。 and leave the restaurant and register an open…end contract； and go back to
the recruiting office and withdraw their solo applications and submit a joint one as a married couple。 I won't say that got them accepted； but armost； no singles werc accepted for first wave。'！ '
〃Did they know that？〃'
〃Oh； certainly！ The recruiting clerk warned them before accepting their solo fees。 That's what they left to discuss They already knew they suited each other in bed； but Maggie wanted to find out if he intended to farm…believe it or not； that's what she wanted…and he wanted to know if she could cook and was she willing to have kids。 And it was： 'Fine； we agree； let's get on with it！' Maggie had her fertility restored； and they planted their first baby without waiting to see if they were accepted。〃
I said； 〃That；p？obably clinched it。〃
〃You think so？ Why？〃
〃If they changed their application to show that Magdalene had caught。 If Lazarus passed on the applications。 Galahad； our Ancestor favors people who take big bites。〃
〃Mmm； yes。 Justin； why are you hanging back？〃
〃I'm not。 I had to be certain that the invitation was serious。 I still don't know why。 But I'm no fool； I'm staying。〃
〃Wonderful！〃 Galahad jumped up； came around the table； kissed me again； roughed my hair； and hugged me。 〃I'm happy for all of us； darling； and we'll try to make you happy。〃 He grinned…and I suddenly saw his mother in him。 Hard to imagine the glamorous Magdalene with kids and calluses； a frontier farm wife…but I recalled the old proverb about best wives。 Galahad went on： 〃The twins weren't sure I could be trusted with' so delicate a mission； they were afraid I would muff it。〃
〃Galahad； there was never a chance I would refuse； 'I just had to be sure I was wele。 I still don't know why。〃
〃Oh。 We were speaking of Tamara and got sidetracked。 Justin； it's not public knowledge how difficult it was to rejuvenate our Ancestor this time； although。 the recordings you have been editing may hint at it…〃
〃More than a hint。〃
〃But not all of it。 He was almost dead； and simply keeping him alive while we rebuilt him was hard enough。 But we managed that； you won't find another technician of Ishtar's skill。 But when we had him in good shape； bio…age almost as young as he is now； he took a turn for the worse。 What do you do when a client turns his face away； is reluctant； to
talk； doesn't want to eat…yet has nothing wrong with him physically？ Bad。 Stays awake all night rather than risk going to sleep？ Ver~y bad。
〃When he… Never mind； Ishtar knew what to do。 She went up into the mountains and fetched back Tamara。 She wasn't rejuvenated then…〃
〃That wouldn't matter。〃
〃It did matter； Justin。 You would have handicapped Tamara in coping with Lazarus。 Oh； Tamara would have overe the handicap； I have confidence in hcr。 But her bio…age and； appearance were around eighty on the Hardy scale； this made it easier； as Lazarus； despite his renewed body； was feeling the weight of his years。 But Tamara looked old 。 。 and every white hair was an asset。 Lines in her face； little round potbelly； breasts pendulous； varicosities…she looked the way he felt 。 。 so he didn't mind having her around during a crisis in which he…well； I skansed that he couldn't stand the sight of us who looked youthful。 That's all it took； she healed him…〃
〃Yes； she's a Healer。〃 （How well I knew！）
〃She's a great Healer。 That's what she's doing now； healing a young couple who lost their first baby…nursing the mother who had a rough time physically； sleeping with both of them。 We all sleep with her； she always knows when we need her。 Lazarus needed her then； she felt it； and stayed with him until he was well。 Uh； after last night this may be difficult to believe； but both of them had quit sex。 Years and years…Lazarus more than half a century； and Tamara had not coupled with anyone since she retired。〃
Galahad smiled。 〃Here is a case of the patient healing the physician； in bringing Lazarus around to the point where he invited her to share his bed； Tamara herself found new interest in living。 She lived with Lazarus long enough to heal his spirit； then announced that she was leaving。 To apply for rejuvenation。〃
I said； 〃Lazarus asked her to marry him。〃
〃I don't think so； Justin； and neither Tamara nor Lazarus hinted at such。 Tamara put it another way； entirely。 We were all having a late breakfast； in the garden of the Palace penthouse； when Tamara asked Ira if she could join his migration…it was solely Ira's migration then； Lazartis had said repeatedly that he would not 'join it。 I think he abeady had in mind attempting to time…trip。 Ira told Tamara to consider it settled and not to worry about restrictions that would be
published when he announced it。 Justin； Ira would have given her the Palace as readily； she had saved Lazarus； and we all knew it。
〃But 'you know Tamara。 She than？ed him but said she intended to qualify fully； starting with rejuvenation； then she would see what she could learn to be useful in a colony； just as Hamadryad planned to…and； Hamadryad； swill you sleep with Lazarus tonight？…and Justin； you should have heard the motion that started！〃
〃Why a motion？〃 I asked。 〃From what you said earlier Lazarus had reacquired his interest in the friendly sport。' Did Hamadryad have some reason not to want to substitute for Tamara？〃
〃Hamadryad was willing； although upset by the way Tamara dumped the matter on her…〃
〃Doesn't sound like Tamara。 If Hamadryad hadn't wanted to do it； Tamara would 'have known it without asking。〃
〃Justin； when it es to people's emotions； Tamara always knows what she is doing。 It was Lazarus she was trapping； not Hamadryad。 Our Ancestor has oddshynesses； or did have then。 He had been sleeping with Tamara for a month…and pretending that he was not。； As futile as a cat covering up on a tile floor。 But Tamara's blandly blunt request that Hamadryad relieve her as his concubine forced it into the open and produced a head…on clash of wills； Lazarus and Tamara。 Justin； you know them both： Who won？〃
The ancient pseudoparadox… That Tamara could be immovable I knew。 〃I won't guess； Galahad。〃
〃Neither just then； because once Lazarus stopped sputter。 ing about how both he and Hamadryad were being needlessly embarrassed； Tamara gently withdrew her suggestion； then shut up。 Shut up on that； shut up about rejuvenation； shut up about migrating； left the next move up to Lazarus and won the argument by not arguing。 'Justin； it is difficult to kick Tamara out of one's bed…〃
〃I would find it impossible。〃
〃I think Lazarus found it so。 What discussions they had in the middle of the night I could not say 。 。 but Lazarus learned
that she would not leave for rejuvenation until he promised never to sleep alone while she was gone。 But she promised in exchange to return to his bed as sOon as she pleted antigeria。 '
〃So one morning Lazarus announced the d閠ente…red…faced
and almost stuttering。 Justin； our Ancestor's' true age shows snore in some of his ancient attitudes about sex than in any other way。〃
〃I didn't notice it last night； Qalahad…and I expected to； having studied his memoirs so closely。〃
〃Yes but you saw him last night some fourteen years after we set up our family…as it was that morning that did it。 Although we did not formalize it until after the twins were born； whereas at this time they were slight bulges at most。 Believe me； Lazarus found it hard to capitulate…and tried for an escape hole even then。 He announced； rather aggressively； that he had promised Tamara not to sleep alone while she was undergoing antigeria； then said； more or less in these words： 'Ira； you told me that professional ladies were to be found in the city。 How do I go about finding one who will accept a contract for that length of time？' I have to quote him in English as he was using euphemisms he ordinarily disdains。
〃What Lazarus didn't know was that Ishtar had programmed us like actors hypnotized into roles。 Perhaps you've noticed that he is responsive to female tears？〃
〃Isn't everyone？ I've noticed。〃
〃Ira； pretended not to know what profession Lazarus meant 。 。 which gave Hamadryad time to burst into tears and flee 。 。 whereupon Ishtar stood up and said； 'Grandfather 。 。 how could you？…and she was dripping tears； too 。 。 and chased after Hamadryad。 Then it was Tamara's turn to switch on the the raindrops and follow the other two。 Which left us three men together。
〃Ira became very formal and said； 'If you will excuse me； Sire； I will attempt to find and consol~ my daughter'… bowed； turned abruptly； and left。 Which left it up to me。 Justin； I didn't know what to do。 I knew that Ishtar expected difficulty because Tamara had warned her。 But I did not expect to be left to juggle it alone。
〃Lazarus said； 'Great balls of fire！ Son； what did I do now？' Well； I could answer that。 I said； 'Grandfather； you've hurt Hamadryad's feelings。'
〃Then I was carefully unhelpful…refused to speculate why her feelings were hurt； could not guess where she might' have gone…unless she had gone home； which I understood was somewhere in the suburbs…declined to act as his intermediary…ail to Ishtar's instructions to play dumb； stupid； and useless； and let the women handle it。 '
〃So Lazarus had to track Hamadryad down himself；； which he did with Athene's…I mean 'Minerva's'…help。〃
Athene said； 〃This is all news to me； Uncle Cuddly。〃
〃If it is； dear； please forget it。〃
〃Oh； I shall！〃 the puter answered。 〃Except that I'm going to save it up and use it about a hundred years from now。 Justin； if I burst into tears…after I'm a flesh…andblood…will you track me down and console me？〃
〃Probably。 Almost certainly。〃
〃I'll remember that； Lover Boy。 You're cute。〃 …
I pretended not to hear； but Galahad said； 〃'Lover Boy'？〃
〃That's what I said； dear。 Sorry； Uncle Cuddly； but you're obsolete。 If y