"Do all females of your race look nice like you?"
She nodded cautiously and said, "More or less."
"Very curious."
A sly expression came to her eyes then and she smiled radiantly. "Look," she said, "would you do me a favor?"
"Of course," Tensor murmured with unaccustomed eagerness. This was a very interesting experience, even though he was constantly having to reinforce and add to the chemical shift in his body in order to hold down the possibility of fatigue. He could not recall ever before permitting such an unusual somatic state.
She gestured guilelessly toward the panel. "Would you help me repair my radio?"
"Radio?" Tensor echoed vacantly, gazing at the place indicated.
"Yes. I—er, have to report to my superiors that I may not be able to return, even tonight." Again she smiled dazzlingly and with devastating effect on Tensor.
"I'd be glad to," he said agreeably. "But I don't know anything about mechanical things. Couldn't you just tell me where your superiors are and let me teleport there? I'd let them know and come right back."
"Oh no," she replied quickly. She frowned a little wistfully. "No," she repeated, "they wouldn't like that. They never like anything easy. And besides—" again the smile "—I might not be here when you return, you know!"