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The Hero threw his head back and laughed。 〃You know； she's got a better sense of humor than the whole lot of you。''
Mars wrinkled his brow in annoyance。 ''What did the dolphin say？〃
〃Her name's Arbat；〃 the Hero admonished。 〃And she doesn't like you one bit。〃
Mars bit his lip； said as calmly as he could manage； 〃And did she say why？〃
〃First； you don't use her name。 Second； she says you're not to be trusted。〃
Mars made a sound of disgust。 It was intolerable that he should be forced into having a conversation…if that was what you could call this farce！…with a dolphin。 But he knew that in order to engage the Hero； he had to make the effort。 He said； 〃How would Arbat know whether or not I can be trusted？ She won't even take the food I offer her。〃
A flood of clicking was followed by the Него saying； ''If you give the fish to Lara； Arbat will take it from her。〃
〃I'm disappointed；〃 Mars said； but he dutifully plopped the fish into Lara's palm。 Immediately the dolphin dipped her head； scooped the fish up； swallowed it。
〃Viktor；〃 Mars said。 〃We must talk。〃
〃All right。〃 The Hero stared up at Mars。 〃But why must you insist on calling me Viktor？ I told you not to use any of those names。〃
It was clear that he had once been exceedingly handsome。 But something inexplicable had happened to him up there in the heavens。 Mars had seen photos of the Hero before he had been fitted into the Odin…Galaktika II spacecraft and was launched into space。 This was not the same man。 Oh； surely； the configuration of skull and skeleton were the same； although he was far thinner now； and walked…when he could walk at all； rather than being confined to his special motorized wheelchair…with the lack of assurance and the brittleness of a man of ninety。 In fact； that is what Mars would have suspected happened to him up there…the answer to the mystery： an unnaturally rapid aging…had it not been for the fact that the Hero's mind had not deteriorated one iota。 It merely had been altered。 And so the enigma continued to unfold like a plex origami in front of Mars。
〃I call you Viktor；〃 Mars said； 〃because I must。 I have orders to do so。〃 He shifted to keep the floating man in sight。 〃If it helps； I don't think of you as Viktor； but as the Hero； with a capital H。〃
〃A generic；〃 the Hero said。 〃Like a military rank。〃
〃I don't see it that way。 I don't think of you as the Cosmonaut。〃
〃What can I do for you today； Volkov？〃 The Hero seemed to have had enough of light banter； and his change in tone put the dolphin on guard。 She was； so Mars had been informed； extremely reactive to changes in the Hero's mental and emotional states。 Arbat swam away from Lara and her fish； popped up beside the Hero。 She started her incessant clicking。
Mars had to keep a rein on his temper。 Basic interrogation techniques called for a rhythm to be established。 Once you got the subject used to answering questions…no matter how innocuous…it was a much smaller step to get him to give you the answers you sought。
It was one thing to be interrupted by a colleague； but to deal with the interference of an animal was too much。 He was about to shout when； looking into the Hero's bland upturned face； he began to suspect that this kind of disturbance was just what the Hero had in mind。 The Hero was not unaware of the principles of interrogation； and it would be in character for him to use every method at his disposal to deflect his questions。
〃Actually；〃 Mars said； 〃I came here today to tell you that I'm tired of this little play we've been in。 It's like being consigned to act in No Exit for eternity。 Some kind of bizarre purgatory。 I'm willing to call a beet a beet。 You've been put here more or less against your will； but so have I。I didn't ask for this assignment； and I haven't been happy with it。 As lousy as you feel day to day； I feel almost as bad watching you suffer。〃
〃Do you actually expect me to believe that shit？ 〃
〃I'd be naive if I did。〃 Mars rose and； walking about the room； methodically disabled every listening； watching； and monitoring device。 Lara stared at him with a kind of terror； but the Hero's face was as bland as ever。
Within thirty seconds they heard shoes pounding on the stairs； and a clutch of the building personnel…two of them armed guards…burst into the room。
〃It's nothing；〃 Mars said。 〃I turned everything off。 Go back to your posts。〃
〃But with the machines down；〃 one of the scientists plained； 〃we have nothing to do。〃
〃Go have lunch；〃 Mars said。 〃Take a walk。 Do what you've never done before； enjoy the sunshine and the spring day with nothing on your minds。''
〃I hope you have clearance for this；〃 another scientist said。 〃What you've done has serious implications。〃
〃Get the hell out of my sight！〃 Mars bellowed in an uncharacteristic display of temper； and the clot of men disappeared。
In the silence that followed； the Hero said； 〃I want Lara to stay。〃
〃As you wish。〃
〃And I want to e out of the water。〃
Lara moved toward him； but Mars motioned her back。 He bent down； gripped the Hero under his arms； brought him up over the coping of the pool。 Lara went to get the wheelchair while Mars propped the Hero up； began to pat him dry with one of a pile of enormous towels。
The Hero wore no bathing suit when he was in the water； and Mars looked interestedly at his body。 His hairlessness was somehow fascinating； and though he had to be pulled like a rag doll out of the damaged spacecraft upon landing； his subsequent muscular rehabilitation had been remarkable。 （It was his bones that had been irreparably damaged。） And the color of his sleek skin； which could only be described as a kind of pale silver； like a star； glowed in the indirect lights。 For the first time Mars could sense why； bent back or no bent back； Lara and Tatiana found the Hero sexually attractive。
Together Mars and Lara maneuvered the Hero into the wheel…chair。 Lara draped a fresh towel over his loins。 The Hero disliked clothes； perhaps； Mars surmised； because they had bee so damned inconvenient to get in and out of。 And they； more than anything else in his daily life； reminded him of his disabilities。
〃What name would you like me to use？〃 Mars asked； beginning the interrogation rhythm all over again。
〃I don't know。 But not Viktor。 I'm not Viktor。〃
〃Of course you're not。〃
''How about Odysseus？〃 That blank face。 ''I promise I won't call you Polyphemus。〃
Mars waited a moment； unsure whether this was a concession or another joke at his expense。 〃All right。 How are you sleeping； Odysseus？〃
〃I don't sleep；〃 the Hero said at once。 This was a subject he liked。 〃I dream。 It's not the same thing。 When you dream continuously； you're not sleeping； you're living； but in an entirely different way。 You're in another state of consciousness。〃
Mars had bee used to this kind of talk。 〃And your dreams？〃
〃Are filled with the wonder of space；〃 the Hero said； 〃and of the stars。 I dream of the color I saw out there； the color between the stars。〃
〃What color？ Red； green； blue？〃
〃I can't tell you；〃 the Hero said； 〃because it's impossible to find words to describe it。 It's not even as ephemeral a color as you know it。〃
〃What do you mean