I try to pry her arms from around her legs gently, but she resists. I must use force. Diane does not mind when I do; because she knows I love her.
I pull her arms away, and slip my arms under hers, kissing her on the lips for a long time. Struggling to free herself, laughing again, she pokes me sharply with her elbow and escapes my arms. I am surprised. She quickly puts her arms around my neck, pulls herself to my back and links her slim legs around my middle. She is pretending that I am a porpoise. I laugh. She pinches me to go ahead. I swim upward, but her thoughts tell me she wants to go to the Cave.
I understand. I carry her through the water very slowly, feeling the warmth and nipples of her breasts pressed against my back as she rests her head on my shoulder and smiles.
The Faces continue to stare. Many times I have searched for a word to show my hatred for them. I shall find it somehow, though. Sooner or later.
"What count of planets had the Terrans infested?" The furry humanoid leaned over the desk and stared, unblinking, at the lesser humanoid in the only other chair in the room. His gaze was dropped as he scratched informally at the heavy fur at his wrist. He raised his gaze again.
"Forty-three is the count, beush," replied the other.
"And the count of planets destroyed?"
"Forty-three planetoid missiles were sent and detonated simultaneously without resistance or losses on our part, beush," the assistant beush answered indirectly.
The room was hot, so the beush lazily passed his hand over a faintly glowing panel.