``Oh, dear! Mike & & & do you ever get homesick? For Mars?''

``At first I was homesick,'' he answered. ``I was lonely always.'' He rolled toward her and took her in his arms. ``But now I am not lonely. I grok I shall never be lonely again.''

``Mike darling'' -- They kissed, and went on kissing.

Presently his water brother said breathlessly. ``Oh, my! That was almost worse than the first time.''

``You are all right, my brother?''

``Yes. Yes indeed. Kiss me again.''

A long time later, by cosmic clock, she said, ``Mike? Is that -- I mean,' Do you know''' --

``I know. It is for growing closer. Now we grow closer.''

``Well & & & I've been ready a long time -- goodness, we all have, but & & & never mind, dear; turn just a little. I'll help.''

As they merged, grokking together, Mike said softly and triumphantly: ``Thou art God.''

Her answer was not in words. Then, as their grokking made them ever closer and Mike felt himself almost ready to discorporate her voice called him back: ``Oh! Oh! Thou art God!''

``We grok God.''

On Mars humans were building pressure domes for the male and female party that would arrive by next ship. This went faster than scheduled as the Martians were helpful. Part of the time saved was spent on a preliminary estimate for a long-distance plan to free bound oxygen in the sands of Mars to make the planet more friendly to future human generations.