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artificial parthenogenesis had to come, otherwise the entire human race would have died out in one generation."

"We were talking about morality."

"It hasn't really changed in five thousand years; it has altered, and only superficially. True morality is based on the concept of two sexes. The moment you erase one of them you set up unbalance and conflict That is natural."

"I'll grant that for a moment."

"But there is no unbalance or conflict in the contemporary world. Not on the surface."

"So?"

"It has been resolved by the master brain in terms of homosexuality, coupled with a rigid mortic law structure."

"But isn't that better than what you call unbalance and conflict?"

Aquilegia shook her head fiercely. "Not when it involves a living lie and the propagation of perversion as the right and normal thing."

Aubretia sighed, then yawned delicately. "I'm afraid it's rather too deep for me, or perhaps you're trying to tell me too much in one night. Let's sleep on it I have a friend, but she's out of town for two or three days, so you can stay here in the meantime. But I can only repeat that I don't remember you, or rather your parthenogenetic twin sister, Aquilegia. All that you've told me is strange and weird, and I don't know if I believe it or not."

"Given time I can convince you," said Aquilegia.

In the early morning, when the sky was gray, presaging dawn, Aubretia moved silently out of her bed and dialed a number on the videophone. A hard female face glared pinkly at her from the monitor screen.

"Hello," she whispered. "Police headquarters. Please come right away. There's a woman in my apartment, an ex-govern-