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er face away； but not before Mars caught a glimpse of her laughing。
〃He's in the shower；〃 she said when she had recovered。 She brought him a towel。 Mars glowered； making quite sure her face was solemn。
〃What the hell does he need to shower for？〃 Mars said tightly。 〃He's in the goddamned pool all the time； anyway。〃
〃He never goes in the pool without showering first；〃 Tatiana said。
A buzzer sounded； and she went across the room。 She opened a translucent glass door； and Mars could hear the shower cut off。 Then she reappeared； carrying the Hero in her arms。
Odysseus said nothing until Tatiana had deposited him into the pool。 He slid from her arms as if he were a slippery eel。 His sleek； hairless body； so pale and unearthly in color； was sheened as if with oil as well as water。 Arbat immediately began a series of clicks； to which the Него responded briefly。
He turned to Mars。 〃You're early。〃
〃Good morning to you； too；〃 Mars said sourly。
The Hero bobbed in the water； eyed him。 〃Did you fall into a puddle？ I don't believe it's raining。''
〃The dolphin…〃 Out of the corner of his eye； Mars saw Tatiana stifle a laugh。 〃It was your bloody dolphin's idea of a joke。〃
〃Oh； not a joke；〃 Odysseus said when Arbat's clicks had ceased。 〃It was her way of saying 'Hello； rade！' 〃
〃Don't be idiotic。 You're trying my patience。〃
〃And you；〃 Odysseus said； 〃have been trying mine。〃 He smiled。 〃That makes us even； though not in any way you'd understand。 But maybe you still feel at a disadvantage。 You're wondering； I'm willing to bet； what it is that Odysseus sees in being in the pool all day。 Am I right？〃 Before Mars had a chance to answer； the Hero had pressed on。 〃So here's your big opportunity； rade Volkov。 Take off your clothes and join us。 See firsthand what it's all about。〃
When Mars hesitated； the Hero said； 〃Still undecided？ Let's give you a hand in making up your mind。 Arbat？〃 The dolphin leaped up and at the top of her arc； spat a long stream of water into Mars's face。 When she landed； she did so broadside； sending a wave over the side of the pool； inundating Mars。
〃Guess you don't have much of a choice now； rade；〃 Odysseus said； clearly delighted。
。Mars； in an inner rage； resolved to do nothing outwardly to show the Hero he had won this round。 But simple human dignity dictated that he say； ''I have no bathing attire。''
〃That's a quaint thought；〃 the Hero said。 〃I don't need 'bathing attire；' why should you？〃
Mars could think of no appropriate answer； so instead he stalked across the room to the shower area and disrobed。 He wrapped a towel around his middle； reemerged。
〃Wele； Volkov；〃 Odysseus said； 〃to the isle of Polyphemus； the Cyclops。〃
Grim…faced； Mars approached the pool and； deliberately ignoring Tatiana； who was already bobbing alongside the Hero； dropped the towel and slid into the water。
Arbat made quite a fuss； clicking and diving。 For a moment Mars was uneasy。 It suddenly dawned on him that he was in the creature's domain。 What would the dolphin choose to do to him？ Nothing； it seemed； but click and dive。 Arbat never approached him。
〃It's easier here in the water；〃 the Hero said in the silence after the dolphin's last outburst。
''What is？〃 Mars found himself asking。
''Life；'' Odysseus said； staring up at the arched ceiling； alight with reflections from the water。 ''I thought that would be self…evident once you were in here。〃 His gaze lowered。 His eyes； Mars saw； were the color of gun metal today； and seemingly just as hard。 〃But perhaps I have overestimated you。〃
〃I hope not； 〃 Mars said。
〃We'll see。〃
Mars said； 〃I'd like to return to something you spoke about last time。 The unspeakable color you saw in 。。。 Menelaus's eyes after he died。〃 Mars had almost forgotten the name the Hero wanted him to use。 Menelaus； another of the Greek chieftains who took part in the sack of Troy； and； so Homer would have us believe； Odysseus's alter ego。 〃The color of God； so you said。 I'm interested to learn why you used just that term。 Surely there are others that would do as well。''
〃Are there？〃 Odysseus said。 〃If so； it's clear you wouldn't know them。 You're in the dark here； all of you。 I'm the only lamp to guide you。〃
〃That's true；〃 Mars conceded。 〃But God？〃
〃We're back to Him； I'm afraid；〃 Odysseus said。 〃And you said you no longer wanted to talk about God。〃
〃I've changed my mind。〃
〃Really？ Well； that's mighty adaptable of you。 I'm impressed。〃 The Hero closed his eyes for a moment。 〃All right： God。 Do you know that dolphins believe in God？ Arbat has quite a cogent concept of Him； much more sensible than the clumsy versions humans have been able to e up with。'' There it was again； not 〃we〃 but 〃humans；〃 as if he was no longer human。
〃I chose that phrase 'the color of God' because it was the only one that is appropriate；〃 the Hero said。 〃We return to Albat； to dolphins in general。 Their minds don't work like humans' ； Volkov。 Arbat's mind works in a kind of wave pattern and； beyond that； spirals。 Linear thinking is unknown to her。 Interesting； no？〃 his eyes popped open。 〃So。 God to her is Time。 Not day and night； dolphins don't conceive of such categorized sections。 Time as in movement…the movement that has extended before life； that extends through life； and will extend after life has been terminated。〃
Mars tried to absorb this circumlocution。 〃And what has this to do with the color in Menelaus's dead eyes？〃
〃They weren't dead；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Oh； yes； Menelaus himself was an empty husk； embalmed by the winds of space。 But his eyes had bee a conduit。〃
〃What precisely did you see in them？〃
〃That；〃 the Hero said； 〃is the fundamental mistake you've all made。 I didn't see something in them； I saw through them。 It was as if they had bee a telescope of fantastic power。 I saw Elsewhere。 I saw Elsewhen。〃
Mars closed his eyes； pressed his fingers against the lids。 He was getting a headache。 The essential problem was that he couldn't tell whether this discussion was too profound or too laughable for him。 Was he confronting a madman or。。。 what？ What had happened to the two men of Odin…Galaktika II during the event； when all telemetry and monitoring went down？ That was what Mars had been ordered to find out。
Had the Hero in some way been transformed； or was he merely pulling everyone's leg； amusing himself at the state's expense as some kind of sick reparation for his disabilities？
The truly frightening thing。 Mars thought now； was that there was at least the possibility that the Hero had been transformed by the event。 In that case； what had he bee？
〃Can you give me even a hint；〃 Mars said at last； 〃of what 'Elsewhere' and 'Elsewhen' mean？〃
Odysseus held out his arm。 〃Tatiana；〃 he said； 〃would you e here？〃
Tatiana obediently swam in his direction so that she was in front of him。 Then the two of them swam forward until Tatiana's body was pressed so firmly against Mars's that he could feel her hard breasts； the slight swell of her stomach； the press of her pubic mound。 〃What…〃
''Bear with me； rade；'' Odysseus said firmly。 〃And don't back up； this is all in the name of so…called science。'' He peered into Mars's face。 〃I want you to