Maril said wrily:
"I can guess what you mean. I never went into detail about how the blueskin markings disappeared, but a few hints—You've got books for me?"
Calhoun nodded. He brought them to her.
"If we only fell in love with each other, Maril, we'd be a team! Too bad! These are a wedding present you'll do well to hide."
She put her hands in his.
"I like you—almost as much as I like Murgatroyd! Yes! Korvan will never know, and he'll be a great man." Then she added defensively, "And not just from these books! He'll make his own wonderful discoveries."
"Of which," said Calhoun, "the most remarkable is you. Good luck Maril!"
Presently the Med Ship lifted. Calhoun aimed it for the next planet on the list of those he was to visit. After this one more he'd return to sector headquarters with a biting report to make on the way things had been handled before him. He said;
"Overdrive coming, Murgatroyd!"
Then the stars went out and there was silence, and privacy, and a faint, faint, almost unhearable series of background sounds which kept the Med Ship from being totally unendurable.
Long, long days later the ship broke out of overdrive and Calhoun guided it to a round and sunlit world. In due time he thumped the communicator-button.
"Calling ground," he said crisply. "Calling ground! Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty reporting arrival and asking coordinates for landing. Purpose of landing, planetary health inspection. Our mass is fifty standard tons."
There was a pause while the beamed message went many, many thousands of miles. Then the speaker said;
"Aesclipus Twenty, repeat your identification!"
Murgatroyd said;
"Chee-chee? Chee?"
Calhoun sighed.
"That's right, Murgatroyd! Here we go again!"
THE END