Leoh was grinning broadly and the girl smiled back at him. “Perhaps I wm,” she said.
“Ask for me when you get to the university. I’m Dr. Leob. I’ll see to it that you’re introduced to some of the students.”
“Why … thank you. Doctor. I’ll do it this weekend.”
“Good. Now then, any messages for me? Anyone aboard the station looking for me?”
The girl turned and tapped a few keys on the computer’s control desk. A row of lights flicked briefly across the console’s face. She turned back to Leoh:
“No, sir, I’m sorry. Nothing.”
“Hmp. That’s strange. Well, thank you. . . . And I’ll expect to see you this weekend.”
The girl smiled a farewell. Leoh started to walk away from the booth, back toward the slideway. The young man took a step toward him, stumbled on his own travel kit, and staggered across the floor for a half-dozen steps before regaining his balance. Leoh turned and saw that the youth’s face bore a somewhat ridiculous expression of mixed indecision and curiosity.
“Can I help you?” Leoh asked, stopping at the edge of the slideway.
“How … how did you do that, sir?”
“Do what?”
“Get that girl to agree to visit the university. I’ve been, well, sort of talking to her for half an hour and she … uh, she wouldn’t even look straight at me.”
Leoh broke into a chuckle. “Well, young man, to begin with, you were much too flustered. It made you appear overanxious. On the other hand, I’m at an age where I can be fatherly. She was on guard against you, but not against me.”
“I see … I think.”
“Yes.” Leoh gestured toward the slideway. “I suppose this is where we go our separate ways.”