*
* * *
*
The Ivroy
smiled. Her teeth were as even as matched pearls, Dan thought, and as white
as--
"I am a
girl, Dan. We are cousins, you and I--separated by the long mystery of
time."
"Blote--and
Dzhackoon and Snithian, too--seemed to think the Ivroy ran the Universe.
But--"
The Ivroy
put her hand on Dan's. It was as soft as a flower petal.
"Don't
trouble yourself over this just now, Dan. Would you like to become my agent? I
need a trustworthy friend to help me in my work here."
"Doing
what?" Dan heard himself say.
"Watching
over the race which will one day become the Ivroy."
"I
don't understand all this--but I'm willing to try."
"There
will be much to learn, Dan. The full use of the mind, control of aging and disease....
Our work will require many centuries."
"Centuries? But--"
"I'll
teach you, Dan."
"It
sounds great," Dan said. "Too good to be true. But how do you know I'm
the man for the job? Don't I have to take some kind of test?"
She looked
up at him, smiling, her lips slightly parted. On impulse, Dan put a hand under
her chin, drew her face close and kissed her on the mouth....
A full
minute later, the Ivroy, nestled in Dan's arms, looked up at him again.
"You
passed the test," she said.
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