CARMEN was on the phone when Sam returned from duty at the assembly chamber. The small screen did nothing to detract from her beauty and he noticed, with satisfaction, that she had apparently recovered from her grief. She smiled at him, her teeth very white against the redness of her lips.
“Can you help a girl in need of help, Sam?”
“Name it.”
“I’m stuck with a survey job, just a check, but I could do it a lot faster if I could use your monitoring room. May I?”
“Where are you now?”
“Downstairs in the vestibule.” Her smile grew wider. “I tried to move through the usual channels but got bogged down in red tape. Then I thought of you.” She became serious. “If I’m out of line, Sam, just say so.”
“Technically you’re out of line,” said Sam, then winked at her image. “Meet me in the self-se
