"Can we drop this subject? Maybe… there was something you were going to tell me, I think, before the call came in?" As usual, Joe-bless him-didn't try to keep on the topic and press for a solution like ninety percent of the men she knew would have. He simply leaned back and smiled, almost naturally, as though nothing had happened. "Well, yeah, there was. You've been working so hard on the Mars Base-setting up stuff for the U.N. to take possession-and then running over here and helping A.J., me, Glenn, Reynolds, and the rest put up our own colony, that I think I've gotten a piece of political news ahead of you, while you were out there working." Thatwould be something of a little coup for Joe, given that Maddie usually paid far more attention to the news than he did. "Okay, give." "They've announced the director of the Interplanetary Research Institute." Maddie sat up. "You win, Joe. How'd you hear this before I did?" "Because I got it from Helen just a little bit before you came in, who got it in a private message from A.J., who I guess was at the U.N. for some reason." She laughed.

"Four degrees of separation? All right, tell me, who is it? Pelletier?

Markovny? Shah?" "Nope. Nope. Nope." Madeline raised an eyebrow. Those had been the three leading contenders. The remainder was a morass of a dozen names, none of them thought to be likely choices. "Okay, give."

"A very good friend of ours." She felt the grin start automatically.

"Not-" "Dr. Nicholas F. Glendale, yes-and from what A.J. said, Nick was as floored as the rest of us. He was sure he was way back in the pack of also-rans. And they'll be sending him out here as soon asNike can restock. He'll be here in, say, four months-and A.J. probably will be, too." Joe looked momentarily depressed. "Though it's anyone's guess as to how much longer we can stay here after that." Maddie knew exactly how difficult things were going to get for Ares.