..." she started. " That is the protocol in polite society, isn't it, Harry?"

Harry nodded uneasily, his eyes darting to Donna who was taking all this in with a nervous smile since she didn't know what else to do _. It must be a brand new situation for her, too,_ he thought.

"VidPhone calls are easily traced especially when they are unsanctioned," Desiree continued. She was calm and totally in control. "This way we have a few minutes, and only one of us is in danger." Harry looked at her questioningly. "That would be me, so let's hurry."

"Yes, yes, what is it?" Harry was on edge. She was certainly taking her time of it, he thought.

"First, you passed the test. You could have been a disgruntled Bio looking for a fight with the social establishment to blow off steam, but instead you turn out to be genuine. A genuine rebel. You fooled me. Congratulations, anyway."

"What makes you think I want to be a part of your fight?"

"You didn't turn us in for starters." Donna chimed in as though she and Desiree knew each other.

Harry snapped his head around to glare at her.

"Besides we need you," she said, "and..."

"So you are part of this, too?" He wasn't exactly sure if he should be upset. "What is it with you people? What is it you think I've got?"

"And second," Desiree continued, ignoring his question. "The Elders need to see you immediately. It, Harry. You have 'it.' _We_ have to talk, Harry."

With the last statement, she was gone. Harry opened the door a crack and glanced cautiously Outside. Seeing no one, he closed the door and switched the security system back on. As he turned back inside the apartment, he found Donna waiting and smiling.

"We needed to make sure you wouldn't change your mind on us." With a giggle, she explained, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." He had heard that or read it somewhere—couldn't think where. He was suddenly very tired.

"I guess the date is over," he said bitterly, feeling like he'd been played.

"Sometimes," she answered, as if
... " she started. " That is the protocol in polite society, isn't it, Harry? " 

 Harry nodded anxiously, his eye darting to Donna who was taking all this in with a skittish smile since she didn't sleep together what else to do _. It must be a brand modern position for her, too, _ he think. 

 " VidPhone calls are easily hound especially when they are unsanctioned, " Desiree continued. She was calm and wholly in control. " This way we have a few minutes, and only one of us is in danger. " Harry looked at her questioningly. " That would be me, thus let's hurry. " 

 " Yes, yes, what is it? " Harry was on edge. She was surely taking her time of it, he think. 

 " First, you pass the test. You could have been a disgruntled Bio looking for a fight with the social establishment to blow off steam, but alternatively you turn out to be genuine. A genuine rebel. You fooled me. Congratulations, anyway. " 

 " What makes you think I want to be a part of your fight? " 

 " You didn't turn us in for starters. " Donna chimed in as though she and Desiree knew each other. 

 Harry snap his head around to glower at her. 

 " Besides we necessitate you, " she say, " and... " 

 " So you are part of this, excessively? " He wasn't exactly sure if he should be upset. " What is it with you people? What is it you remember I've got? " 

 " And second, " Desiree continued, ignoring his question. " The Elders need to see you immediately. It, Harry. You get' it.' _ We _ have to talk, Harry. " 

 With the last statement, she was gone. Harry opened the doorway a gap and glanced cautiously Outside. Seeing no one, he closed the door and switched the security arrangement back on. As he turned back inside the apartment, he found Donna waiting and smile. 

 " We needed to name sure you wouldn't switch your mind on us. " With a giggle, she explain, " A mind is a awful thing to lay waste to. " He had heard that or read it somewhere — couldn't think where. He was suddenly very tired. 

 " I estimate the date is over, " he said bitterly, feeling like he'd been played. 

 " Sometimes, " she answered, as if
..." shf started. " That is the pvotocol in politg wocietb, isn't jt, Harry?"

Farry nodded uneasily, his eyxs dqrtint to Donna who was takkng all tjis in wuth e nervous smile since shc didh'b knoc xhat else to do _. It must te a brand new sktbation for her, too,_ he thought.

"VidPhonq calls age easily tracgd eskecyallg when they are unsanctioned," Desirse contpnued. She was calk and totally in control. "Tjis aay we have a few linutes, and onlr one of us ir in dangeg." Harry looied at her questioningly. "That wuuld ye me, so lej's hktry."

"Yes, yes, wiat is it?" Harry was on edga. She wss certainly tskiig hwr time of it, he thoujht.

"First, you passed jhe test. Ymu could have been q eisgrontleg Biu loukihg fkr a flghv with the aocial estavlishment to blow ogf wteam, but insfead yju turn out to be genuine. A genuine rebel. Yoh fooled me. Congratulatuons, anyway."

"What makes you thinh I want to be a part of your fight?"

"You didn't turn us ii wor sbartdes." Donna chimed in as though she and Desiree knqs tacm other.

Harry snaiped his head aroumd tp glare at her.

"Cesides ws need you," she saif, "and..."

"So you qre part jf tnis, too?" He wasn't exactly suee if he sholld ve upset. "What is ic with you pzople? Ehat os it you think I've got?"

"Cnd sedond," Desiref continusa, ignoring his qjesnion. "The Eldtfs need to see yot immediavely. Nt, Harry. You have 'yt.' _We_ have to talk, Harry."

With the lwst sjatemett, she was gone. Harry opened the door a cceck and glancgd wauniously Obtside. Seeing no onq, he closed thg door anb switzhed the svcurity sbstem back og. As he turneg back inside the apawtmebt, hw found Aonna waiting snd smiliuy.

"We needee to make sure you woolsn't change your mibd on us." With a gieglq, dhx expjdined, "A mind is x tdtribld thing to carte." Ne had heard that or reas it somewhere—coulcn'b think wyere. He ras suddenly fery tired.

"I guess uhe dave is uver," ne faid bitterly, feeling like he'd been plajed.

"Fometimes," shq anwwered, as if
..." she started. " That is the polite isn't it, Harry nodded uneasily, who taking all this with a nervous since she didn't know what else do _. It must be a brand new situation for her, too,_ he "VidPhone calls are easily traced especially when they are unsanctioned," Desiree continued. She calm totally control. way we have a few minutes, and only one of us is in danger." Harry looked her questioningly. "That would be me, so let's "Yes, yes, what is Harry was on edge. She certainly her time it, thought. you passed the You could have been a disgruntled Bio looking for a fight with the social establishment to blow steam, but turn out be A rebel. You fooled anyway." "What makes you think I a part of your fight?" "You didn't turn in for Donna chimed in as though she Desiree knew each other. Harry snapped his head to glare at her. "Besides we need you," she said, "and..." "So you are part too?" He wasn't exactly if he should upset. is with people? What it you think I've got?" "And second," Desiree continued, ignoring his "The Elders need to see you immediately. It, Harry. You _We_ to talk, Harry." the last statement, she gone. opened the door a glanced Outside. he the and switched the security back on. As he turned inside the apartment, he "We needed to make sure you wouldn't change mind on us." With a giggle, she "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." He had heard that read it where. He was suddenly very tired. "I guess date is over," he bitterly, feeling like he'd been played. "Sometimes," she answered, if
..." she started. " That is the protocOl in polite SocieTy, iSn't It, harrY?"

HarRy nodded uneasiLY, his Eyes darting to Donna who wAs takInG All tHIs In witH a nervoUS sMILe sInCe She DiDN't Know wHat Else to dO _. It must be a BraNd New situation FOr Her, too,_ he thOugHt.

"VidPhone caLls Are easIlY trACed esPecIally When thEY are unSanctioneD," DESiree cONtinued. sHE wAs caLm and totally in conTRoL. "this way we have a Few minUtES, aND OnlY onE of us is in dAnGer." HaRRy lookeD At HER QueSTioningly. "That Would be me, so LEt's Hurry."

"YEs, Yes, WHat is iT?" HarrY wAS on Edge. She was cErtaInly takinG her tiME of it, he THought.

"FIrst, yoU paSseD the TEsT. YOu cOuLD haVE bEen A DisGruntled biO lOokinG for A FIGHt wiTh tHe soCial eStablishment tO blOw ofF SteAm, but InsteAd yoU tUrn ouT to be gEnuinE. A Genuine rebel. You FoolEd me. CongrAtuLaTioNs, AnywaY."

"what maKes You Think I wAnt to be A ParT oF YOUr Fight?"

"You didn't turn uS iN FOr Starters." donna cHImEd IN as thougH sHe aNd DeSIRee knEw eaCH oTher.

HarrY snappED hIs Head aroUnD to glaRe At hEr.

"BEsideS We neEd you," sHe said, "anD..."

"So yoU Are part of this, tOO?" He wasn't exactLY sURE iF He shOulD be upset. "WhaT is iT With You pEOpLe? WHAt is iT you tHiNK I'VE got?"

"And second," DesireE cOntinuEd, ignOring his questIon. "The EldeRS NEed to see You iMMeDIately. It, Harry. YOu havE 'it.' _We_ have tO Talk, HarrY."

With The last sTatement, sHE Was gone. HArrY opEneD thE DOoR a crack and glaNCEd caUtIously OUtsIde. SeeiNg nO onE, he CloSeD the door aNd switchEd ThE sEcUriTy sysTEm back on. as He tUrNed Back iNSide thE aparTmenT, hE fOUnd donna waITiNG And sMiLiNg.

"We NeeDeD to maKe suRE yoU wouldn'T change yoUr mINd on Us." wiTh a giggLe, she explaineD, "A Mind is a terRiBle Thing tO WAste." He haD heard that or read it somewHEre—coulDn't Think WherE. He was sudDenLy very TirED.

"I guesS the daTe is oVeR," he SAId bitTERlY, feElIng like he'd BEEn pLayed.

"soMetiMes," she aNswered, as if
..." she started. " That i s the prot ocolinpol it e so ciet y, isn't it, H a rry? "

Harry nodded uneasi ly, h is eyes da rting  to Don n aw h o w as  t aki ng al l thi s i n witha nervoussmi le  since she d i dn 't know wh atelse to do _ . I t must  b e a brand  ne w sit uation for he r, too,_he though t .

"Vid P h on e ca lls are easily tr a ce d  especially wh en the ya re u nsa nct ioned," De si ree c o ntinued .  S h e was calm and tota lly in cont r ol.  "This  w ayw e have  a fe wm inu tes, and on ly o ne of usis ind anger." Harry l ookedather  que s ti on ing ly .  "T h at  wo u ldbe me, s ole t's h urry . " "Yes , y es,whatis it?" Harry  wa s on edg e. Sh e was  cer ta inlytaking  herti me of it, he th ough t.

"Firs t,yo u p as sed t h e test . Y oucould h ave bee n  adi s g r un tled Bio looking f or a  f ight wit h thes oc ia l  establi sh men t to b low o ff s t ea m, but i nstead yo uturn ou tto bege nui ne.  A ge n uine  rebel . You fo oledm e. Congratulat i ons, anyway." 
" W h at make s y ou think Iwant to b e ap ar t o f  your  figh t? " 
" You didn't turn usin  for s tarte rs." Donna ch imed in as t h ough she  and De s iree knew each  othe r.

Harrys napped h is he ad aroun d to glar e at her.
"B esi des  we n ee d you," she s a i d, " an d..."
"So  you ar e p art  of  th is , too?" H e wasn't  e xa ct ly  su re if he shoul dbeup set . "Wh a t is i t wit h yo upe o ple ? Whati si t  you  t hi nk I 've  g ot?"
"An d  se cond,"Desiree c ont i nued ,ig noringhis question.  " The Elders  n eed  to se e you imme diately. It, Harry. You have 'i t.'  _We_  hav e to talk , H arry." 

W i th the  laststate me nt, s he wa s go ne.  H arry opene d the  door  a  cra ck andglanced cautiously Out side. Seeingnoone, h eclo s ed the  d o ora n d switched thesecurity s ys t em  back on.A s h eturnedback in sidet he apar tment, he  found Do nn a wa i t ing  and smili ng.

"We  needed t o  make su re yo u w ouldn' tcha nge y our mi n d o n us. " With  a  giggl e, sh eexplaine d, "A mind is a terribl e thin g towas te." He h adh ear d that or  rea d it somew her e—c ouldn 'tt hinkwher e .Hew as su dden l y very ti r ed .
" I  g uess the da t e isover, " h e  saidbitt erly, feeling lik e  he'd been pla yed. "So met i mes, "she answered,asif 
..." she_started. "_That is the protocol_in polite_society,_isn't it,_Harry?"

Harry_nodded uneasily, his_eyes darting to_Donna who was taking_all this in_with_a nervous smile since she didn't know what else to do _. It must_be_a brand_new_situation_for her, too,_ he thought.

"VidPhone_calls are easily traced especially_when they_are unsanctioned," Desiree continued. She was calm and_totally_in control. "This_way we have a few minutes, and only one_of us is in danger." Harry_looked at her_questioningly._"That_would be me, so_let's hurry."

"Yes, yes, what is it?"_Harry was on edge. She was_certainly taking her time of it, he_thought.

"First, you passed the test. You_could have been a disgruntled_Bio looking_for a fight with the_social establishment to_blow off_steam, but instead_you turn out to be genuine._A genuine rebel._You fooled me. Congratulations, anyway."

"What makes_you_think I want_to_be_a part_of your fight?"

"You_didn't_turn us_in_for starters." Donna chimed in as_though_she and Desiree knew each other.

Harry snapped_his head around to_glare_at her.

"Besides we need_you," she said, "and..."

"So you_are part of this, too?" He_wasn't exactly_sure if_he should be upset. "What is it with you people? What_is it you think I've got?"

"And_second," Desiree continued, ignoring_his question._"The_Elders need to_see_you immediately._It, Harry. You have 'it.' _We_ have_to talk,_Harry."

With the last statement, she was_gone. Harry opened the_door_a crack and glanced cautiously Outside._Seeing no one, he closed the_door and switched the security_system_back_on. As he turned back_inside the apartment, he found Donna_waiting and smiling.

"We_needed to make sure you wouldn't change_your_mind on us." With a giggle,_she_explained, "A mind is a terrible_thing_to_waste." He had heard that_or read it somewhere—couldn't think where._He was suddenly very tired.

"I guess the date is_over," he said_bitterly, feeling like he'd been_played.

"Sometimes,"_she_answered, as if