"Looking for weak links?"
"You're lousy with them. How do you stand it?"
"They're harder to strengthen than you might think. Any advice?"
"Get the beer."
They talked until the sky paled in the east, and Martin foundhimself taking surreptitious notes. His admiration for the unicorn'sanalytical abilities increased as the evening advanced.
When they finally rose, Tlingel staggered.
"You all right?"
"Forgot to detox, that's all. Just a second. Then I'll befading."
"Wait!"
"Whazzat?"
"I could use one too."
"Sure. Grab hold, then."
Tlingel's head descended and Martin took the tip of the hornbetween his fingertips. Immediately, a delicious, warm sensationflowed through him. He closed his eyes to enjoy it. His headcleared. An ache which had been growing within his frontal sinusvanished. The tiredness went out of his muscles. He opened his eyesagain.
"Thank—"
Tlingel had vanished. He held but a handful of air.
"—you."
"Rael here is my friend. He's a griffin."
"I'd noticed."
Martin nodded at the beaked, golden-winged creature.
"Pleased to meet you, Rael."
"The same," cried the other in a high-pitched voice. "Have yougot the beer?"
"Why—uh—yes."
"I've been telling him about beer," Grend whispered. "But he'sgood company. I'd appreciate your humoring him."
Martin opened the first six-pack and passed the griffin and thesasquatch a beer apiece. Rael immediately punctured the can with hisbeak, chugged it, belched and held out his claw.
"Beer!" he shrieked. "More beer!"
Martin handed him another.
"Say, you're still into that first game, aren't you?" Grendobserved, studying the board. "Now, _that_ is an interestingposition."
Grend drank and studied the board.