and for the Chairman； this is Arabelle Foote…Hedrick； Chairtvoman Pro Tem。~ pore of the Howard Families。'〃
〃Why； that's exactly what she said to me。〃
〃Yup。 Minerva did a good job。 She got just the right pomposity into the' phrasing； as well as getting Arabelle's voice down pat； even to that sniff she uses for punctuation。〃
〃That wasn'r Arabelle？ I had no slightest suspicion。〃
〃Justin； when that message went to you…and one like it to everyone important enough to rate it…Arabelle was in the biggest； fanciest apartment in the Palace…and very annoyed that doors wouldn't open and transport wouldn't e and none of the munication arrangements would work…except when I syanted to talk to her。 Shucks； I didn~t even let her have a cup of coffee until she got her feathers down and conceded that I was Chairman and running things。
〃After that we got along pretty well； even became somewhat chummy。 I did everything for her but turn her loose。 She took over the routine…I didn't want to be bothered… which was safe as Minerva would have chopped her off if she got out of line and she knew it。 She and I even appeared together on a newscast the morning I left； and Arabelle spoke her piece like a lady； and my public thanks to her were just as sincerely insincere。〃
Lazarus Long continued； 〃But now she has the executive puter and if I went back； I'd throw my hat in first。 No； Justin； I was not asking about the Trustees on Secundus with any。 intention of calling a meeting； instead I was thinking that any twenty Trustees can call an emergency meeting and hoping that they would see it as you do…futile……and not try。 She might grab them and ship them to Felicity。 Or； if she has the nerve…I think she has…she might let them hold their meeting； then if it went against her； ship all the Trustees who show up off to Felicity。 But I guarantee she won't quit without a fight。 I caught her with her pants down； she won't be caught twice。〃
〃Then it means a bloodbath。〃
〃That may be the only way out。 But you and I can't help the situation。 In all matters of government the'correct answer is usually： Do nothing。 This is such a time…a time to exercise creative inaction。 Sit tight。 Wait。〃
〃Even when you know things are going wrong？〃
〃Even when you know it； Justin。 The itch to be a world saver should not be scratched； it ra？ely does any good and can drastically shorten your life。 I see three major possibilities： Arabelle may be assassinated。 The Trustees will then elect another Chairman Pro Tern； hopefully one with sense。 Or she
；1~~0
may last till the next ten…year 'meeting； whereupon the Trustees may exercise some sense。 Or she may get smart； not expose herself to assassination while consolidating her power so strongly that it will take a revolution to get rid of her。
〃I regard the last as least likely； assassination as the most likely…and none of it our business here on Tert~us。 There are a billion people on Secundus； let them handle it。 You and I have saved the Archives and that's good； the Families maintain their continuity。
〃In a few years ent for you…or your successor…to set up the sort of puterized deal you have on Secundus。 Athene can keep data in storage until we're set up。 Meanwhile I'll let a message echo around the inhabited plas that the Archives are here； too。 I'll also announce that this is an alternate Families' Seat where the Trustees are we！… e to meet。〃
The puter said； 〃Mr。 Chairman； Mr。 Jones has asked if I know when you will be ready for lunch。〃
〃Please tell him we will be there in a moment。 No hurry' on any of this； Justin； if you're patient； problems tend to solve' themselves…and patient is all one can be when it takes years to pass a message around even among the more thickly settled~ plas。 So wait a hundred years。 One private message for you。 You're one of us now？ A member of this family and a father to our kids？〃
〃Yes。 I want to be。〃
〃You want it formal？ All right； here's a short one； binding~
…and later you can have any ritual you want。 Justin； are you our brother？ Till the stars grow old and our sun grows cold？ Will you fight for us； lie for us； love us…and let us love you？〃
〃I will！''
〃That does it； Athene has it on record…open record； Athene。〃
〃Recorded； Lazarus。 Wele to the family； Justin！〃
〃Thank you； Athene。〃
〃The private message is thus； Justin。 Tamara asked me to tell you…if you married us…that she is going to ask Ishtar to cancel her immunity to impregnation。 She did not say that this was exclusively for you。 On the contrary she told me that she hopes to have children by each of us as quickly as possible； then she would at last feel fully in the family。 Nevertheless I am certain that her decision was triggered by your arrival 。 。 so the rest of us will hang back and cheer while you plant the first one…our Tammy will like that。〃
My eyes suddenly filled with tears； but I kept my voice steady。 〃Lazarus； I don't think that's what Tamara wants I thing she jusS wants to be fully a member of the family…and so do 1！〃
〃Well 。 。 perhaps so。 In any case Ishtar keeps the geic answers to herself。 Maybe we'll line up all the gals and see what a new rooster can do。 End of restricted conference； Teena。〃
〃Sure thing； Buddy Boy。 And a hundred years from now you can line up all the men for me。 Betcha I can whip 'em！〃
〃You probably can； dear。〃
？VARIATIONS ON A THEME
XVI
Eros
'Minerva said； 〃Lazarus； will you walk with me？ Outside？〃
〃I will if you'll smile。〃
She smiled briefly。 〃None of us feels much like smiling today。 But I'll try。〃
〃Confound it； dear； you know I won't be gone any time to speak of； by this framework。 Just like the calibrating hop the twins and I made。〃
〃Yes； dear。 Shall we go？〃
He patted her little skirt。 〃Thought so。 Where's your gun？〃
〃Must I wear it？ When you are with me？ I will wear it with…； out fail 。 。 while you are gone。〃
〃Well… Bad precedent。 All right。〃
They paused in the foyer。 Minerva said； 〃Athene dear； please tell Tamara I'll be back in time to help with dinner。〃
〃Sure thing； Sis。 Hold it… Tammy girl says she doesn't need help； so don't hurry。〃
〃Thanks； Sister。 And thank Tammy for me。〃 They left the house； started up a gentle hill。 Presently she said； 〃Tomorrow。〃
〃'Tomorrow；'〃 Lazarus repeated； 〃but don't make it sound like a dirge。 I've told you all that； while th？s trip will be ten T…years elapsed time for me； it will be at most a few weeks for you at home…and even less for the twins。 What is there to get solemn over？〃
Instead of answering； she said； 〃How long will I live？〃
〃Eb？ Minerva； what sort of question is that？ Not too long if you negl~ct ordinary precautions such as going armed and staying alert。 If you mean your life expectancy…well； if the geicists know what they are talking about； you have exactly the expectancy I was born with and i