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〃Sure； ***（Irainp。***〃
COUNTERPOINT IV
On the level in the Executive Palace of Mr。 Weatheral's private apartments Hamadryad waited with Galahad while Ishtar left orders for the rejuvenation technicians on watch there。 Then the three took transport down and across； still inside the Palace； to an apartment Ira had placed at Ishtar's disposal…a dwelling larger and more lavish than her quarters in the Rejuvenation Clinic and much more luxurious than the penthouse cottage save that it had no garde？； it was intended for a Trustee or other V。I。P。 guest…not that its luxury mattered much； as Ishtar and Galahad spent most of their time and took most of their meals with Lazarus； and used it mainly for sleeping。
Minerva had placed a dozen…odd lesser acmodations with Ishtar for her watch list； one of them for Galahad。 He did not need it and Ishtar had Minerva reassign it to Hamadryad when she had bee an unofficial part of the team caring for the Senior。 Hamadryad sometimes slept in it rather than go to her country home…without telling her father； as the Chairman Pro Tern did not encourage members of his family to use Palace quarters unnecessarily。 Or she sometimes stayed with Ishtar and Galahad。
This time all three went to Ishtar's apartment； they had matters to discuss。 On arrival there Ishtar checked：
〃Minerva？〃
〃Listening； Ishtar。〃
〃Anything？〃
〃Lazarus and Ira are talking。 Private conversation。〃
〃Keep me advised； dear。〃
〃Certainly； dear。〃
Ishtar turned back to the others。 〃Who wants a drink or something？ Too early for dinner。 Or is it？ Ham？〃
Galahad answered； 〃A bath for me； then a drink。 I was all set for a dip…hot and sweaty…when Lazarus kicked us out。〃
〃And stinky；〃 Ishtar agreed。 〃I noticed it in the transport。〃
〃A bath wouldn't hurt you； big arse； you were exercising as hard as I was。〃
〃Regrettably true； my gallant knight； I was careful to sit downwind from our elders after that last match。 Ham； get us all something tall and cold while Stinky and I get clean。〃
〃Will you two settle for Idleberry Jolts or whatever is handy？ While we all bathe？ I don't have the excuse of heavy exercise； but I broke out with fear stink when I put the proposal to Gramp。 And muffed it！ After all your coaching； Ish。 I'm sorry！〃 She started to sniffle。
Ishtar put her arms around the younger woman。； 〃There； there； dear…stop it。 I don't think you muffed it。〃
〃He refused me。〃
〃You laid a good foundation…and shook him up； which he needed。 You startled me with your timing but it will work out all right。〃
〃He probably won't even let me e back！〃
〃Yes； he will。 Stop shaking。 e； dear； Galahad and I will give you a long； relaxing back rub。 Stinky； fetch the fizz and join us in the shower room。〃
第19节
〃With two women around I have to work。 Okay。〃
When Galahad arrived with cold drinks； Ishtar had Hamadryad stretched out facedown on the massage table。 Ishtar looked up and said； 〃Dear； before you get wet； see if there are three towel robes in the rack； I didn't check。〃
〃Yes； ma'am； no； ma'am； right away； ma'am； will that be all； ma'am？…plenty of robes；！ dialed for more this morning。 Don't bruise her； you don't know your own strength。 I'm going to need her； later。〃
〃And I'm going to swap you for a dog； sweetheart； and sell the dog。 Pass around those drinks； then e help； or you won't get either of us later。 If ever。 We're busy agreeing that all males are beasts。〃 She continued to massage； gently； firmly； with professional skill； down Hamadryad's back while the massage table matched her appropriately down the subject's front。 She let Galahad hang a drink around her neck and place its nipple in her mouth without slowing her careful fingers。
He snapped Hamadryad's； drink to the table； placed nipple in her mouth； patted her cheek； then took the other side and started to help； following Ishtar's lead。 The table changed action to match four hands。
Some minutes later he let the nipple for his drink retract； and spoke。 〃Ish； any chance that Gramp twigged？ About you two broads？〃
〃We're not all that broad。 At least； Ham is not。〃
〃'Broad' is a usual English idiom for a female； and you said we should talk and think in English as long as we are on this mitment。〃
〃I simply said that Hamadryad is not very broad。 Even though she's had more children than I have…and I haven't had any since rejuvenation。 But it's a colorful idiom； I like it。 I don't see how Lazarus could guess that we are pregnant。 Not that it would matter if he did； in my case…except just how I am pregnant； and he can't know that as I fudged the record on the source of the cloned cell。 Ham； you haven't hinted anything to Lazarus…have you？〃
Hamadryad surrendered her drink。 〃Of course not！〃
〃Minerva knows；〃 Galahad said。
〃Of course she does； I discussed it with her。 But… Now you've got me wondering。 Minerva？〃
〃Listening； Ishtar。〃 The puter added； 〃Ira is leaving； Lazarus has e inside。 No problems。〃
〃Thank you； dear。 Minerva； is there any possible way that Lazarus could know about Hamadryad and me？ That we are pregnant； I mean； and why and how？'
〃He has not said so； nor has anyone； mentioned it in his presence。 Evaluation of pertinent data available to me makes it probable by less than one part in one thousand。〃
〃How about Ira？〃
〃Less than one part in ten thousand。 Ishtar； when Ira told me to supply you with service and to assign to you a restricted memory； he programmed me so that any later program will simply wipe your assigned box。 Truly； there is no way for him to retrieve from your private memory file； nor can I self…program to get around it。〃
〃Yes； so you assured me。 But I don't know much about puters； Minerva~〃
Minerva chuckled。 〃Whereas I do。 You could say that I have made a career of puters。 Don't worry； dear； your secrets are safe with me。 Lazarus has just told me to order a light supper for him； then he is going to bed。〃
〃Good。 Let me know what he eats and how much and when he goes to bed…then call me if he wakes。 Awake and alone at night； a man is at his lowest ebb； I must be ready to move quickly。 But you know that。〃
〃I shall watch his wave patterns； Ishtar。 You will have twc to five minutes' warning…unless El Diablo jumps on his stomach。〃
〃That damned cat。 But being wakened that way doesn't depress him； it's his suicidal nightmares that worry me。 1 have about used up diversionary emergencies； I can't set tire to the penthouse a second time。〃
〃Lazarus has not had one of his typical depression nightmares this month； Ishtar； and I know how to spot the wave sequences now； I'll be very careful。〃
〃I know you will； dear。 I wish we knew the incidents in his past from which each is derived； we might be able to wipe them。〃
〃Ish；〃 Galahad put in； 〃you go tinkering with his memory and you might lose everything