"Do you ever worry about the people drifting into Galves- ton these days?" her mother said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Laura said.

"I've been reading about this mayor of yours. He's quite a strange character, isn't he? An ex-bartender with a big white beard who wears Hawaiian shirts to the office. He seems to be going out of his way to attract-what's the word?-fringe elements. "

"Well, it's not a real city anymore, is it?" David said.

"No more industry. Cotton's gone, shipping's gone, oil went a long time ago. About all that's left is to sell glass beads to tourists. Right? And a little, uh, social exotica is good for tourism. You expect a tourist burg to run a little fast and loose."

"So you like the mayor? I understand Rizome backed his campaign. Does that mean your company supports his policies?"

"Who's asking?" Laura said, nettled. "Mother, you're on vacation. Let Marubeni Company find their own answers."

The two of them locked eyes for a moment. "Aisumimasen."

her mother said at last. "I'm very sorry if I seemed to pry. I spent too much time in the State Department. I still have the reflexes. Now that I'm in what they laughingly call private enterprise." She set her chopsticks across her plate and reached for her hat. "I've decided to rent a sailboat today. They say there's an offshore station-an OPEC, or something like that."

"OTEC," David corrected absently. "The power station.

Yeah, it's nice out there."

"I'll see you at supper then. Be good, you two."

Four more Canadians came in for breakfast, yawning. Mar- garet Day filtered past them and left the dining room.

"You had to step on her toes," David said quietly. "What's wrong with Marubeni? Some creaky old Nipponese trading company. You think they sent Loretta's grandma here to swipe our microchips or something?"

"She's a guest of Rizome," Laura said. "I don't like her criticizing our people."