“Nonsense!” Cohaagen said, interrupting him. “Has anybody ever seen this Kuato person? Can anybody show me a photograph? Hunh?” He waited, but for once the reporters were silent. “I don’t think there is any Mr. Kuato!” His face hardened. “Let me make this clear, gentlemen; Mars was colonized by the Northern Bloc at enormous expense. The entire war effort depends on our turbinium mines. We do not intend to give it away just because a handful of lazy mutants think they own the planet.”

Suddenly the windows were back on Environmental. Lori had taken the control and switched again. “He’s right about that,” she said. “Except that lunatics are crazed by the moon, not Mars. Everything about Mars is crazy!”

Irritated, Quaid tried to grab the control, but she jumped behind the table, laughing.

“Lori, come on!” he snapped. “This is important.”

She paused, then pursed her lips. “Kiss!”

Ordinarily he liked her games, which usually involved close contact with her luscious body, and he didn’t want to alienate her. He accepted her terms, got up, moved forward, and put his arms around her.

She nestled nicely. “Sweetheart—” She paused for a threatened kiss. “I know it’s hard being in a new town. But let’s at least give it a chance.” Another pause. “Okay?”

Quaid forced a smile. His last raise had enabled them to move twenty floors up the tower block, which meant moving up the social scale as well. Lori loved it, but Quaid had to admit that, with his working class background, he was having a bit of trouble adjusting to the “new town.” At the moment, though, he was annoyed with Lori for distracting him yet again. He really was interested in the news from Mars.

She finally kissed him. She was facing away from the video wall. His hands found hers, behind her back, holding the remote control. While he continued to kiss her, he switched back to the news, and watched it over her shoulder.