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The hatch in the floor came open, the ladder slid down. It was already dark outside, and only the intermittent flares of launching ships lit up the figures below.

They stepped onto the platform all at the same time. The ladder started its ascent, drawing them inside.

Two young girls, probably Kim’s age, stood at the front. They were pretty, dark-skinned, and smiling, completely identical twins. Each held a little suitcase.

Behind them towered a tall man. So tall, in fact, that Alex’s own height of over six feet seemed hardly worth mentioning. The man was a Europeoid, his light hair cut very close, and his piercing eyes were a cold, icy blue. His clothes looked civilian but fit like a uniform. His voice was very low and heavy:

“Alex Romanov, captain of the spaceship Mirror.”

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

“Yes.” There was no need to repeat what the man had already said.

“Very well.” The man extracted from his pocket a carefully folded sheet of paper. “I am Danila C-the-Third Shustov. You are now at my service.”

Alex took the documents out of his hand without looking at them. Who would have thought! A clone! He glanced sidelong at Janet.

Something was happening to her. Her face was absolutely still, frozen. Dead.

“Let me introduce my wards and fellow travelers,” C-the-Third Shustov continued. “Zei-So and Sey-Zo, our distinguished guests from the Zzygou Swarm.”

Alex unintentionally held his breath for a second, though that was not necessary. These Zzygou did not stink. Had no odor at all. They were just like humans.

“Greetings!” sang out the Zzygou in unison. “Best of luck and health to you, servants!”

Janet stood as still as a statue.

“Show us to our quarters,” said the clone.

Alex turned to Janet, using all his willpower to overcome his own stupor. His heart was pounding.

If the woman from Eben lost it, she would kill both of the Zzygou with her bare hands. And that thuggish bodyguard, as well. At the very least, she’d try.

“Doctor-spesh!”

Janet slowly transferred her gaze onto Alex.

“May I ask you… I order you to start preparing the sick bay for launch, immediately.”

“Sick bay is ready,” said Janet in an even, empty tone of voice.

“Conduct a thorough test of all systems.”

She stood absolutely still for a few more seconds, then nodded and walked out of the cargo bay. One could only rejoice that it was impossible to slam an automatic door.

“There are sick people aboard?” inquired the clone.

Alex heaved a deep breath. Exhaled.

“No, but better safe than sorry. I will show you to your quarters myself.”

“We thank you, servant,” tunefully sang out the Zzygou.

Operon II,

Exogenous.

The Others.

Chapter 1

The passenger quarters were located on the lower deck. The only way to get to them was through the central hall, passing by the recreation lounge.

Alex led the way, clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles whitened. Behind him came the laughing and bowing Zzygou. And finally, C-the-Third, a clone of the person named Danila Shustov. The recreation lounge was dead quiet—Janet had probably had a chance to mention something on her way to the sick bay.

They went down a narrow, winding staircase to the small circular hallway with six cabin doors facing it. The passenger quarters were double-occupancy cabins.

“We thank you, servant,” chirped the Zzygou.

For some reason, Alex was sure they’d take the same cabin, but they let go of each other’s hands and, with the same astonishing simultaneity of movement, went into two neighboring doors.

“Mr. C-the-Third Shustov…” said Alex.

“I’m listening, Captain.”

“Could you tell me what the Sky Company does, and what the purpose of our trip is?”

The clone showed absolutely no sign of surprise.

“The Sky Company specializes in galactic tourism. We organize cruises within the human space sectors for visitors of the other races, as well as”—for some reason, the clone’s voice quivered—“for human visitors to planets of other civilizations.”

“Our work will consist of transporting the Others?”

“Yes.”

Alex was silent a second before answering.

“Mr. C-the-Third Shustov, in that case, the crew must include a linguist, an exopsychologist, and a doctor specializing in the Others.”

“I am an expert in all these areas,” answered the imperturbable clone. “Captain, please tell me frankly—are you a xenophobe?”

“No.” Alex firmly shook his head. “I’ve even had a few acquaintances among the Others.”

“Then what is the problem? By the way, the term ‘Others’ is offensive. May I ask you to try to call our galactic neighbors ‘persons of another race’ or ‘persons of nonhuman descent’? Or, at the very least, the ‘other race,’ but never just ‘the Others’!”

It would probably have been best to tell him right then and there exactly what the situation was. Tell him about Janet, who was from Eben and whose specialization was executioner-spesh.

Except that the result would be the woman’s immediate dismissal.

“All right, I’ll use the term ‘the other race.’”

The clone fixed a probing stare on him. “Captain, this ship is made especially for cruises with life forms from other planets. Have you looked at the passenger quarters?”

“Not closely. Personal control of the cabins is not my responsibility.”

“If you had bothered to look, you wouldn’t be so surprised now. The passenger quarters are designed to accommodate any life form. Adjustable atmosphere and gravity, a wide range of temperature, programmable food synthesizers…”

“My mistake,” admitted Alex. “But… I’ve never heard of such cruise vessels before.”

“Well, now you have,” shrugged the clone. “How soon will you be ready for launch?”

“Any time.”

“I’m glad to hear that. We’d prefer to start in an hour, an hour and a half.”

Alex nodded.

“And the route?”

“The documents I gave you contain all the necessary information. The honorable Zzygou wish to see the famous waterfalls of Edem. We could, I suppose, make a stop or two on the way, say, at Zodiac. Have you ever seen the drift of the giant lotuses?”

“I haven’t…”

“Neither have I.” The clone smiled. “But it’s rumored to be a marvelous sight. Right now, it’s the beginning of the dry season on Zodiac. Has it occurred to you that working for this company gives you great advantages, Captain? You can travel to some of the most beautiful planets of the human sector, free of charge. Even get paid for it.”

“Yes, of course…” Alex licked his lips, suddenly remembering Generalov’s recent efforts to plot a course from Quicksilver Pit through Zodiac and Lard Crest to Edem.

“Would you mind just one more question, Mr. C-the-Third Shustov?”

“Please just call me C-the-Third.” The clone obviously had no inhibitions about his own origins. “Not at all, go ahead!”

“Why is there no odor?” Alex nodded towards the cabins taken up by the Zzygou.

“The Zzygou are a race of highly advanced biotechnology. They’ve found a way to block the release of merkaptane. It causes them some discomfort, but the Zzygou are willing to endure it for the sake of human comfort.”

“I see. In that case, perhaps you could also ask them not to call us ‘servants’? For the sake of the comfort of the crew.”

“All of us are masters and servants at different times in our lives,” remarked C-the-Third with a melancholy air. “Maybe when I take a cruise through their sector of space, I’ll get to call the Zzygou ‘servants’ as well. But of course, I’ll try to explain the situation to them.”