The Dark Lady

bowing low. “Leonardo.” Suddenly he straightened up. “Suppose you go around to the east side of the building while we check this out. If either of them vouches for you, I'll send word to pass you through.”
    “I am very anxious to join my associates, good sir,” I said. “Can I not wait right here?”
    He shook his head. “You're causing a traffic problem.”
    I looked behind me. There was no one in sight.
    “A potential traffic problem,” he said when I turned back to him. I realized that I had somehow given offense to him again, and therefore ceased using the Dialect of Supplication.
    “Will this take very long?” I asked.
    “What happened to the ‘good sir'?” he asked, ignoring my question.
    “It was obviously the improper form of address,” I answered. “I am trying to decide which dialect will not offend.”
    “How about silence?” he suggested.
    “I know of no wordless dialect,” I replied truthfully. “Won't you please answer my question?”
    “What question?”
    “How long will I be kept waiting?”
    “How the hell should I know?” he replied irritably. “It all depends on how many Rayburns or Chongs there are inside.” He paused. “Look,” he added, “I'm just doing my job. Now go around to the east side like a nice boy or girl or whatever you are, and someone will let you know when you've been cleared.”
    I turned around and climbed back down the steps. I was still unused to wearing shoes, and the slidewalk was moving so rapidly that I feared it might upset my balance, so I remained on the street, walked around to the east side of the multifaceted titanium and glass building, and found that it was deserted. I slowed my pace momentarily to admire a ceramic mosaic that was set into the metal wall at human eye level. Finally I came to a plain, unmarked door which was set into the building a tenth of a degree off center. It was locked.
    I stood by the door and waited, feeling naked and somehow incomplete, as I always do when I am alone. I tried not to think of the warmth and security of the Family, but when you are the only member of your race on a strange world this is not always an easy thing to do. Five minutes passed, then ten more, and I was certain that with each passing second I was bringing further dishonor upon my Pattern Mother and my House, which made my own disappointment at the possibility of not being able to finally see one of the sculptures by the fabulous Morita seem pale and colorless by comparison.
    Two human females passed by and stared openly at me. As they continued walking up the street, one of them whispered something to the other, and both of them began laughing.
    And then, finally, Tai Chong stepped through the doorway and hurried over to me. “Leonardo,” she said when she had reached my side, “I'm so sorry about this mix-up!”
    “It is all right now that you are here, Great Lady,” I replied, using the Dialect of Affinity, as I always did in her presence.
    “Have you been waiting long?” she asked.
    “No more than twenty minutes,” I said, hiding my hands behind me so that she could not see them until their color returned to normal.
    “This is intolerable!” she said angrily. “I'll have the security guards’ jobs for this!”
    “It was my own fault, Great Lady,” I said. “I offended them through my ignorance of the proper form of address.”
    “Nonsense! They've been sending aliens around to this door all night.”
    The thought came to me that the gallery should have employed less sensitive and more forgiving guards, but I said nothing, and at last Tai Chong reached for my hand to lead me inside.
    “Your color has changed,” she noted as I reluctantly extended my fingers.
    “I find it warm outside, Great Lady,” I lied, for since she had not learned to identify the Hue of Emotional Distress, I had no desire to cause her further consternation.
    “I had no idea that extremes of temperature affected you so greatly,” she said sympathetically. “Would you like me to take you back to your hotel?”
    “Please allow me to stay!” I said urgently, trying to control the panic in my voice.
    “Well, certainly, if that's what you want,” she said, staring at me as my color became brighter still. “I was just concerned about you.”
    “I thank you for your concern, Great Lady, but it is imperative that I proceed with my education and reflect credit upon my House.” I paused. “Also,” I added with a feeling of guilt, since