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tion. Scrap recognizes his mother.
Unlocking her fingers, she leaned back in the chair. Detected
her presence all the way from the lab. I m afraid he startled more
than one of my coworkers during his search for her. He wouldn t re-
spond to my verbal commands or my thoughts. I couldn t imagine
what was going on. Gazing across the table at him, she shook her
head slowly. I m not sure I can yet. What are you doing here,
Flinx? What do you want?
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7 1
ALAN DEAN FOSTER
He looked out the window, eyeing the spectacular blooms that
seemed to flourish like weeds everywhere on Nur. I told you: I said
one day I would come back.
She shook her head more sharply this time. I know you well
enough to know there has to be more to it than that, Philip Lynx.
Deity knows I wish it were otherwise, but that s not the reality. You
just said hello. You didn t take me in your arms, you didn t hug me,
you haven t kissed me.
He started to lean across the table and she flinched. Oh, no it
doesn t work that way, Flinx. Not after six years.
His confusion communicated itself to Pip, who raised her head
to peer in his direction. Scrap was content to doze on.
I m sorry, he told her. I meant to, really, but when I finally
saw you, after so long, I I think I was afraid.
She cocked her head slightly. Afraid? Philip Lynx, afraid of a
little kiss? You forget who you re talking to. I spent a lot of time
with you. I ve seen what you can do.
It s the truth, he declared defensively.
So the man who s not scared of guns, Qwarm, AAnn, or the entire
enforcement arm of the Commonwealth is still afraid of personal inti-
macy. She sighed. I suppose I shouldn t be surprised. Disappointed,
yes, but not surprised. I think I know what that makes you.
You do? What?
A man. Turning toward the food dispensers, she fumbled for
her credcard. I need something to drink. You?
He let her buy him some local fruit juice mixture. It was tart,
cold, and delicious. A container of salty snacks was sufficient to oc-
cupy the two minidrags.
Are you still in love with me? he asked.
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7 2
FLINX S FOLLY
She paused with her drink container halfway to her mouth.
O Morion, you re still as direct as you always were, anyway. Flinx,
it s been six years. I was confused even when I was in love with
you. What do you expect after six years? Are you in love with me, or
is everything in your life still subordinate to your endless searching?
That s two different questions, he shot back.
Not for me it isn t. Nor for any woman I know. Well?
I don t know. He dropped his gaze, brooding. Emotion washed
through him, further alarming Pip. He calmed her somewhat with a
familiar hand gesture. This wasn t going the way he had planned. But
then, he reminded himself, things rarely did. Could he afford what he
was feeling? Did he have time for it? Remember why you re really
here, he told himself. Focus on that.
I needed someone to talk to, he finally replied.
She sat back and her tone changed and not for the better.
That s it? Six years you re out of my life and when you finally
show up again it s because you need someone to talk to?
I didn t mean it like that, he replied hastily. Not just some-
one. I need someone who knows how to listen and who understands
me, who knows me.
She softened slightly. You told me more than once that nobody
understands or knows you, yourself included.
I m still working on that, he admitted. You were the only
person I felt I could trust. He waved at the sky outside. In the
whole Commonwealth, you were the only one.
Well, at least I m the only one for something. Her voice fell to
a mildly incredulous whisper. Six years. She sighed, and when she
spoke again her tone had returned to normal. What did you want to
talk about?
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7 3
ALAN DEAN FOSTER
Many things. Some involving me, a few concerning other mat-
ters. He rubbed at his forehead, and she was suddenly concerned.
Your headaches? You still have them?
Worse than ever. Deeper and more frequent.
Have you seen a doctor?
The twisted smile he felt was not visible on his face. Yeah, I ve
seen a doctor. Two of them. Just recently. Wanted to run some tests
on me, they did. So I had to run again. The difference this time, he
reflected, was that for the first time in a long, long while, he had run
not to someplace but to somebody.
They still can t do anything for me. He touched one temple.
Anything that would fix me to the point of eliminating my head-
aches would probably eliminate me as well. At least, I wouldn t be
the same person. There would be collateral damage.
If I can help with that other things aside you know that I ll
try and do so. If it s just conversation you want
Something else right now, he interrupted her gently. Some-
thing less weighty. His smile returned open, reassuring, encourag-
ing. Let s talk about you for a while. Are you happy here? How s
your life? You re not married? He already knew she wasn t because
he had accessed her confidential files, but he could hardly tell her that.
No, she told him. But I have been seeing someone regularly
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