Stranger in a Strange Land

a shambles."
                "Well, I'll try. But don't expect miracles, Doctor."
                "Not I, sir. My client. He has the Martian viewpoint ... and he does expect miracles. So let's pray for one."
                "You'll hear from me. That's all I can say."
                Harshaw bowed without getting up. "Your servant, sir."
                As the Secretary General's image cleared from the screen Jubal sighed and stood up, and at once found Gillian's arms around his neck. "Oh, Jubal, you were wonderful!"
                "We aren't out of the woods yet, child."
                "I know. But if anything can save Ben, you've just done it." She kissed him.
                "Hey, none of that stuff'! I swore off smooching before you were born. So kindly show respect for my years." He kissed her carefully and thoroughly. "That's just to take the taste of Douglas out of my mouth- between kicking him and kissing him I was getting nauseated. Now go smooch Mike instead. He deserves it-for holding still to my damned lies."
                "Oh, I shall!" Jill let go of Harshaw, put her arms around the Man from Mars. "Such wonderful lies, Jubal!" She kissed Mike.
                Jubal watched with deep interest as Mike initiated a second section of the kiss himself, performing it very solemnly but not quite as a novice- clumsy, Harshaw decided, but he did not bump noses nor hang back. Harshaw awarded him a B-minus, with an A for effort.
                "Son," he said, "you continue to amaze me. I would have expected that to cause you to curl up in one of your faints."
                "I so did," Mike answered seriously, without letting go of Jill, "on the first kissing time."
                "Well! Congratulations, Jill. A.C., or D.C.?"
                She looked at Harshaw. "Jubal, you're a tease but I love you anyhow and refuse to let you get my goat. Mike got a little upset once-but no longer, as you can see."
                "Yes," Mike agreed, "it is a goodness. For water brothers it is a growing-closer. I will show you. Yes?" He let go of Jill.
                Jubal hastily put up a palm. "No."
                "No?"
                "Don't be hurt. But you would be disappointed, son. It's a growingcloser for water brothers only if they are young girls and pretty-such as Jill."
                "My brother Jubal, you speak rightly?"
                "I speak very rightly. Kiss girls all you want to-it beats the hell Out of card games."
                "Beg pardon?"
                "It's a fine way to grow closer ... but just with girls. Hmmm . . Jubal looked around the room. "I wonder if that first-time phenomenon would repeat? Dorcas, I want your help in a scientific experiment."
                "Boss, I am not a guinea pig! You go to hell."
                "In due course, I shall. Don't be difficult, girl; Mike has no communicable diseases, or I wouldn't let him use the pool-which reminds me: Miriam, when Larry gets back, tell him I want the pool drained and refilled tonight-we're through with murkiness, Well, Dorcas?"
                "How do you know it would be our first time?" "Mmm, there's that. Mike, have you ever kissed Dorcas?"
                "No, Jubal. Only today did I learn that Dorcas is my water brother."
                "She is?"
                "Yes. Dorcas and Anne and Miriam and Larry. They are your water brothers, my brother Jubal."
                "Mmm, yes. Correct in essence."
                "Yes. It is essence, the grokking-not sharing of water. I speak rightly?"
                "Very rightly, Mike."
                "They are your water brothers." Mike paused to think words. "In catenative assemblage, they are my brothers." Mike looked at Dorcas. "For brothers, growing-closer is good. But I did not know."
                Jubal said, "Well, Dorcas?"
                "Huh? Oh, Heavens! Boss, you're the world's worst tease. But Mike isn't teasing. He's sweet." She walked up to him, stood on tiptoes, and held up her arms. "Kiss me, Mike."
                Mike did. For some seconds they "grew closer."
                Dorcas fainted.
                Jubal spotted it and kept her from falling, Mike being far