"I wonder—" Ellen looked away, then back to him, and her eyes were wide and puzzled. "I wonder if I want you to, Anse."
His heart seemed to jump up into his throat, but he let her go and said wryly: "I'm afraid I have to right now. But wait till later."
Up and up—Later! Will there ever be a later?
And if there is, what then? I'm still more than half a Khazaki. Can we live together in the great civilization I hardly comprehend?
It was simpler when Janazik and I were warring over the planet ... Janazik! I wonder if two beings of the same race could ever know as close a friendship as that between us two aliens. We've fought and laughed and sung together, we've saved each other's lives, sweated and suffered and been afraid, together. We know each other as we will never know any other being.
Well, it passes. We'll always remain close friends, I suppose. But the old comradeship—I'll have to give that up.
But Ellen—
Up and up—
Janazik whistled, long and loud, and called: "Hail Volakech! Friends!"
He could dimly see the looming bulk of the blaster cannon, crouched behind its iron shield. Above it the walls of the castle were high and dark and—empty.