I USED TO KNOW HIM

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

     In the heavy silence that followed, the two men stared at one another.

Lors regarded his friend with matter-of-fact calmness, but Narvi's mouth

was open in astonishment. The situation wasn't covered in the manual.

"Love," Narvi choked finally. "With an alien? You must be joking."

"I'm serious."

     "That blow on the head must have been solid as a rock."

Thesa just stared, without speaking.

"Margret is a wonderful woman and I'm in love with her. If the blow on the

head did that ... well then, I'm glad the ship cracked up."

     "But, Lors! She's an alien! It's like a farmer, falling in love with his

stock! It's crazy! You couldn't live on this planet the rest of your

life and she couldn't live with you!"

Lors shrugged.

"What about Gerna," Narvi demanded swiftly.

     He didn't answer him. Memories of the blond woman with the trim ankles,

the slim waist and the large breasts floated back to him; memories of

the many evenings they'd shared walking along the sand under the stars.

He sat there fingering the thoughts as they rolled past, without feeling

anything. He was aware, finally, that Narvi was speaking to him.

"... know how you feel, Lors, but forget it. You could never work

anything out. Go on back to Gerna and forget about this alien. It doesn't

matter how wonderful she is; probably nothing short of killing her

husband would gain her for you."

Lors smiled thinly. "We can do that, too." He paused and looked

thoughtful for a moment "What did Imry do with Danson?"

     "Nothing. He lives better than most spacers do. Since we are minus prisons

on star ships, Imry installed him in your quarters, under guard, of

course. Commander Ozark hasn't been able to figure out what to do with

him, yet. That's what he wants to talk to you about."

"Have you a scout ship here?" Lors asked.

"Certainly. We use them to make reports. The Terrans would pick up the

radio waves otherwise."

"How about a uniform?"

      "You can borrow one of Thesa's. You'd never get into one of mine."

"Fine. As soon as I'm properly attired, we'll go see Ozark." Grinning at

Narvi, Lors followed Thesa into the bedroom for the uniform.

* * * * *

       Later, dressed in the uniform of a First spacer, Lors checked himself in

the mirror of the bedroom making certain that he was properly dressed.

Trousers bloused neatly into the black, half boots, the yellow stripes

perfectly aligned, the cuffs of the tunic fastened at his wrists and

throat, the emblems of the 8th. Terran Command on the collar, the patch