The voice cut off as Dane wrenched the hairless head back and jammed a hand down the yawning throat. Jessup, arms flailing. Jessup, eyes bulging. Jessup, face purpling. A final jerk, with every ounce of strength left in Dane's sagging muscles. The _crack_ of bone snapping. Jessup limp. Jessup dead. Dane knelt beside Nelva. Hands shaking, he felt for her pulse. Her eyes opened; grew tender. Slowly, she smiled. Her slim hand clasped his big one. A shudder ran through him. Face averted, he pulled his hand from hers and drew back. "Clark--!" She caught at his elbow. "Dane, it's all right. I'm not hurt, not badly...." Wordless, again he tried to pull away. Nelva came close now; clung to him. "Clark, what is it? What's wrong? What have I done?" Dane choked. "It's not you. It's me; what I am." "What you are--?" She tugged him around and stared at him, grey eyes ever so wide. "What are you, Clark?" "You heard Jessup say it: I'm ... not human." Miserably, Dane forced himself to meet her gaze. "Don't you understand, Nelva? I don't even dare to think about--you and me. I'm--different. Like no one, not even Jessup's Zombie guards." A moment of silence. A long, echoing moment, while the girl sat with eyes downcast. Then, slowly, she looked up at Dane once more. "I know, Clark. Better than you. Because I've had longer to be lonely." "To be lonely--?" "Yes, Clark." Nelva's grey eyes suddenly were tear-filled, her voice a whisper. "You see, I was the first--the very first the lab made with a real mind, and free will. That was why I had to find you, even though I didn't dare tell you anything for fear I'd distort your reaction pattern, put you in danger." A smile, slow and shy, tremulous through the tears. "That's over now, Clark. We ... don't have to be lonely any more...." The pickup ship came much too soon.