Within a few seconds Doug forgot how enticing Bonai looked and fell deeply into a discussion with her about the politics of Masterson Corporation, the United Nations, and world public opinion.

"Faure has not said a peep about Moonbase for more than a week now," she reported. "He's trying to ride out the waves your broadcasts have created."

Doug replied, "He's planning another attack on us. I'm certain of it."

Once she heard him, Bonai shrugged her bare shoulders. "Could be, I suppose."

"Can you try to get closer to Rashid, Tamara? I need to know what he's thinking, what he's planning to do."

When her reply came to him, it was, "Are you asking me to use my feminine wiles on him?"

"No, I-"

But Bonai hadn't waited for his response. She continued, "He has some reputation, you know. There are rumors he keeps a harem over in North Africa somewhere."

"I didn't mean-"

She kept on, "It might be fun to see what he's really like. Maybe I'll invite him here for a private get-together."

"Tamara, I didn't mean you should try to seduce him," Doug said.

She laughed. "Don't be so uptight! He won't be able to turn down a chance to win me over to his side."

"But-"

"It's nothing I won't do for you when you come here for your fishing trip," she added, mischievously.

Feeling perplexed, Doug didn't know what to say.

Still smiling, Bonai said, "Don't worry, Doug. I know what I'm doing. And I have plenty of big, strong bodyguards here to protect me—if I ask them to."

She clicked off the connection before Doug could reply.

Frowning at the empty wall screen, Doug got to his feet. Edith was standing by the partition, wrapped in a towel, eying him.

"Should I be jealous?" she asked.

"No!" Doug blurted. "Of course not."

"She's awful purty.' Edith used her Texas accent.

"She's the CEO of Kiribati Corporation," Doug said. "She's the person who got your first news report on the air Earthside."

"She's still awful purty," said Edith, reaching for him.

Doug thought he should feel annoyed. Instead, he felt almost pleased with himself.

As Doug rode on the tractor across Alphonsus's cracked and pockmarked floor, he realized that this was the first time he'd been outside in weeks.

He took a deep breath of canned suit air and felt his spirits rise. Strange, he thought, even sealed inside a spacesuit I feel free out here, happy. He looked up at the worn old mountains of the ringwall marching off across the horizon and recognized each rounded hump as an old friend from his childhood.

It was my childhood when I climbed those mountains and rode around the whole ringwall, he realized. I don't have time for that anymore. I've got an adult's responsibilities now.

Still, he relaxed and enjoyed the passing scenery: stark, barren, full of promise.