The Kalash-Quovo spent three days scanning another eighty worlds in the vicinity of Ooafa and Arrurra. The Arrurrans had quickly put together space probes, and the ship dropped one in each promising system. After picking up and delivering a food shipment to Ooafa, they went through the same systems on a second pass, picking up data from the probes as they went.

Four more worlds had oxygen in their atmospheres. None had a spacefaring civilization. Apparently, they had gotten lucky on their first pass.

Nick shared the list with Doctor Vickall, who was curious, but not idle. She spent a fair bit of each day analyzing germs and so on of four species, watching carefully for any new sickness. She seemed to appreciate it when he stopped by, even though she could call the information up on her display just as easily whenever she wanted. He could understand her wanting company, though. He wasn't Goldaskian, but he was a lot closer than the Ooafans and Arrurrans onboard.

"I wonder if any of those worlds have intelligent life that just hasn't got advanced science yet," he commented.

Sana gave a half-shrug. "The probes will tell us eventually. It takes time."

"Well, we might be able to help them advance, if there are."

Sana shook her head. "That rarely goes well."

"Really? You guys have a Prime Directive?" Nick asked.

"That did not translate."

"A rule that says not to talk to aliens if they are not advanced enough."

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"Not a rule. Experience."

"Oh. My people have wondered about alien life for a long time, and tried to come up with reasons why no one had visited or talked to us yet."

"Be happy no one has. You could get conquered, go extinct from a sickness, lose your beep as a people, lots of things can go wrong."

That reminded Nick of something. "Oh, right. I meant to ask you about the books I got from the Arrurrans for my people."

"Yes?"

"Most of it seems safe, but there are books about politics and economics. My people already have big wars about those, without throwing more fuel on the fire."

"Your people have wars with each other?"

"Yes. Do yours?"

Sana waved her head uncertainly. "Yes, but it is like beep." She frowned. "Like...play game?"

"Oh. We kill each other a lot, on Earth. Many of us do not like that. Many of our leaders do it anyway."

"That is common." Sana seemed unaffected. Nick wondered if it was because humans weren't her species, or because it was familiar and accepted as normal by her, or because Goldaskians had a sort of cat-like sociopathy on a lot of topics. They were a warrior culture, after all.

"Can you help me figure out whether I should share the books with my people, or not?"

"Hmm. I will need to know a lot about your culture. The talk will be long. I do not want beep. People stopping us with other things. Maybe you can bring food to my cabin later? We can eat and talk, then."

"Um, sure. I would like that. Thank you. What time are you done with your work here?"

"I am free after 3:24 pm tonight." Ship time wasn't synchronized with Eastern Time on Earth, and round numbers often translated as random-sounding amounts.

"I'll come by around four pm then. Any requests for food?"

"Surprise me. I will take whatever you give me." Sana was smiling as she said it.

Was that innuendo? Nick smiled back. That sounded like a joke.

"I'll hold you to that," he warned, and walked off.

It's not a date. It sure as hell sounds like one, though.

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