"Joe, listen. A year ago you were an individual, trying to fight your way up to Upper caste. You weren't able to make it as an individual, Joe. But now you're a member of an organization, pledged to a high ideal. Joe, the organization doesn't need martyrs at this stage. It does need good, competent, highly trained members such as Joe Mauser."
He said nothing.
Nadine stepped suddenly closer to him. Her perfume, he noted, vaguely, was new, some sweet scent found here in the Sov world, undoubtedly. It had a heady quality, or was that merely the close presence of Nadine herself?
She put her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to her level. He had never realized that Nadine Haer was this much shorter then he. She pressed the softness of her lips to his.
Then she held back a foot or two, and said into his face, desperately serious, "Does this make any difference, Joe?"
He licked the edges of his lips, carefully, "It makes a great deal of difference." His voice was thick. His arms came up behind her.
"Then you'll be on the plane?"
He shook his head.
She wrenched herself suddenly free and stood back from him, infuriated. He had never seen anyone so infuriated.
He said, "Look, darling. If I had backed out of this, the way you want, you think you'd be happy. But you wouldn't. You want a man, not a coward."