It stopped in its tracks. The charge completed, 8M turned. "This is Company property," he said. "I advise you leave immediately." "This is anybody's property," the thought came, "and it will remain anybody's property until such time as a practical base is established. At the moment, you're a long ways from establishing anything of the kind." And then, unexpectedly, "What were the two of you doing a minute ago?" "Working," 8M said. "What did you think we were doing?" For a while the Boa 9 didn't say anything, and 8M got the impression that it--or, more accurately, the orbiting controller--was deep in thought. When it finally did speak, it addressed EV. "How beautiful are thy feet with treads, O prince's daughter!" it said, and turned and rolled away. 8M stared after it till it faded from his transperipheral vision. "What did it mean?" he asked. "I'm--I'm not sure," EV said. And then. "Had--hadn't we better get back to work?" They resumed operations, and got out two more heats prior to night fall. As before, he charged her before they went to sleep so that a heat would be ready first thing in the morning. She moved in very close to him, and the awareness of her was almost more than he could bear. * * * * * The next morning he reported their progress to the orbiting _Raphael_. "The Company will be pleased," the _Raphael_ said. He also reported their meeting with the Boa 9. "G.O.D.'s wrath will descend upon the wretched creature within the hour!" roared the _Raphael_. "We are homing in on the control ship now, and we will blast it from the heavens!" The Boa 9, however, was still "alive and kicking" that afternoon. Again, 8M picked it up on his transperipheral beam while he was charging EV. She picked it up too, and so distrait did she become for a moment that if he hadn't known better he would have sworn that the two of them were in some kind of rapport. This time, the big yellow machine kept its distance, and presently it rolled out of sight. "I wish I knew what it was up to," 8M said. "If it's going to sabotage the base, it's going about it in a roundabout way." "If you hurry, you can charge me once more before we quit for the day," EV said. In the morning, when he turned on his eyes, he found her gone. However, the alarm that clamored through him was as brief as it was abrupt, for he had no sooner emerged from the valley than he saw her rolling toward him over the hills. He was put out. "Where have you been?" he demanded. "You've no right to go off like that without a word!" It was some time before she spoke, and he could feel the gentle pulsing of her thoughts. At length, "Please don't be angry with me, 8M," she said, "but yesterday afternoon the Boa 9 and I arranged a rendezvous, and early this morning I went out to meet him. He--he told me many things about the Company that I didn't know, and he told me how you and I could--could--" Abruptly she broke off. Then, "8M, do you love me?" she asked.