"That would be fine," Threlkeld replied. "Just toss Twitty in the drink and bring Cadogan. He looks like good stock." Twitty was suddenly stricken with fright. If he never believed before, he believed now. "No. Cadogan has a wife and children. Don't take him--take me, I'm unmarried." "Well," Threlkeld said, "now it's all solved. Get on board, Gelerie." "No, father. If I do that, I still become less than Twitty. Homekind does not respect love affairs between separate types." "Nor does it allow its missionaries to remain in the arena after the battle is won. Gelerie, face it if you stay here you'll revert to type the instant I leave." Gelerie turned Twitty loose. She bent low and looked through the opening of the vehicle at her father. "Do you think Homekind would do that other thing?" She said it so Twitty would not guess right off. "Nonsense. It would defeat the whole purpose of the mission," Threlkeld said. "They want a human specimen. Taking him home and turning him into one of us would not give them any new thing to study. You'll have to do better than that." "I meant here. Make him one of our kind and let him stay here." Threlkeld said, "Only if you can produce some human to take his place." Gelerie thought a moment. "What is the time limit on this mission?" "A year, Earth time. Two years at the outside." "And the period of human gestation?" "Nine months, ten days and--what gives?" "I shall marry Twitty, give Homekind a human specimen--my own--in nine months and ten days. You tell Homekind of my plan. Let them hear the recording. Then return and be with me. I shall, one hour very soon, invite Twitty to sojourn with me on the completion of this mission, father. I guarantee you, Homekind be with me, he will not want to see me go the rest of the way alone." Threlkeld said, "My daughter's mind is full of strange logic, but it makes good sense. But be extremely careful my dear. The human is a deceitful thing. He will kiss your lips while stabbing your back." Gelerie turned to Twitty and said, "How would you like to have six legs and swing from the tree by your tail?" She turned and spoke, "See, father? He faints so readily. He will be quite easily handled." But her human eyes had not adjusted perfectly to Earth's thick atmosphere. She suddenly did not see the vehicle containing her father. Then, far beyond the clouds of sunset, she detected a small dot sailing off into the deep blue, its side reflecting gold. "Farewell for now, my father," she whispered. * * * * * Turning to the helicopter, she carried three subdued men and placed them aboard. Then she lifted Twitty softly to her shoulders and muttered. "Homekind, fly me to their quarters. I am weary for the moment and do not feel like operating the controls." The copter lifted silently, swinging out over the East River. Though cramped, Gelerie found a place beside her for Twitty.