docchi sat beside the pool. it was pleasant enough, a pastoral scene transplanted from earth. a small tree stretched shade overhead. waves lapped and made gurgling sounds against the sides. no plant life of any kind grew and no fish swam in the liquid. it looked like water, but it wasn't. it was acid. in it floated something that monstrously resembled a woman.

"they turned us down, anti," docchi said bitterly.

"didn't you expect it?" the creature in the pool asked.

"i guess i didn't."

"you don't know the medicouncil very well."

"evidently i don't." he stared sullenly at the faintly blue fluid. "why did they turn us down?"

"don't you know?"

"all right, i know," he said. "they're pretty irrational."

"of course, irrational. let them be that way, as long as we don't follow their example."

"i wish i knew what to do," he said. "cameron suggested we wait."

"biocompensation," murmured anti, stirring restlessly. "they've always said that. up to now it's always worked."

"what else can we do?" asked docchi. angrily he kicked at an anemic tuft of grass. "draw up another request?"

"memorandum number ten? let's not be naive about it. things get lost so easily in the medicouncil's filing system."

"or distorted," grunted docchi.

"maybe we should give the medicouncil a rest. they're tired of hearing us anyway."

"i see what you mean," said docchi, rising.

"better talk to jordan about it."

"i intend to. i'll need arms."

"good. i'll see you when you leave for far centauri."

"sooner than that, anti. much sooner."

stars were beginning to wink. twilight brought out shadows and tracery of the structure that supported the transparent dome overhead. soon controlled slow rotation would bring darkness to this side of the asteroid.