"It's Varian's favorite, so I don't want it around me."

"I understand."

As he returned to his task, Jana remembered the botanical garden on Varian's ship; perhaps that was where her cunning love learned so much about plants that he could carry off this part so well. She approached an odd-looking one with a huge orchid-type flower. Just as she leaned over to smell it, Ryker seized her around the waist and yanked her backward. Startled, she shrieked and struggled for freedom, and he released her.

"It hides a vicious little creature, Jana. Watch."

He fetched a small chunk of raw meat and held it toward the blossom with long tweezers. The petals opened and a wormlike creature shot out to s.n.a.t.c.h the meat. It vanished behind the velvety petals once more.

"He can take a nice piece out of your finger or nose; has razor-sharp teeth and a hefty appet.i.te for flesh of any kind. They co-exist, can't survive without something each produces. Beauty and savagery bound as one by mutual needs. This is only one of the reasons you can't work with me until you learn your way around such things. You aren't familiar with our specimens and chemicals. Besides causing a terrible accident, you could get injured or even killed. Once you're trained, you'll be an excellent a.s.sistant, can even work on your own projects. Come along."

Jana tagged behind him down the hallway into another laboratory. She watched him pull on thick gloves that reached his elbows and approach a gla.s.s case on the floor, which was coated with a deep layer of sand. She inched forward with caution and alert this time. His protected hand searched the dirt until she saw a movement which he pursued with speed and accuracy, grasping the neck of a creature that sprung from its hiding place and struck his glove. She squealed in surprise and hurriedly stepped backward.

Ryker chuckled as he withdrew the squirming snake, without fear or any reaction to its attack. "He's quick and mean, but these gloves are impenetrable. He produces a powerful venom used in medicines."

Jana saw him carry the thrashing creature to a table where he skillfully milked it of venom, a yellow liquid that eased down the beaker interior at a snailish pace. She heard it give off "Pssst" sounds before and after the handling, as if a person trying to gain another's attention. After the alien labeled the vial and stored it, he approached another gla.s.s container with limbs covered in a furry moss. Large leeches crawled about, leaving trails of shiny slime. Many suckled on tiny dishes of red. "What are these for?" she asked.

"They feast on the blood of certain animals with special enzymes. At a point, they're transferred to another cage to suck off juices from certain plants. A chemical change takes place within their bodies by catalytic action during digestion. They're killed and drained of the product they make. They act like a living test tube. I add the ingredients needed and they blend them for me. I discovered I could get the right substance only in this manner."

"How clever. Our scientists have never thought of doing it this way. I'm amazed and impressed, Ryker."

He smiled. "I always take one precaution with my work: all of my formulas have a certain chemical added that makes them break down their structures if any attempt is made to a.n.a.lyze them. It's one I created myself so no one can find a way to copy it."

"Now I see why you're so valuable here," she said as he jotted down a few notes. "Can I help?" she offered, wanting a peep at what he wrote.

"I wish you could, but I write in my language-Androasian. I know you were taught Maffeian during your voyage here and at Draco's, but that won't help you in my laboratories. I'll have an android programmed to teach you Androasian. Soon, you'll know all you need to work with me."

When he put down the device he marked upon, she glanced at it to find the language was unfamiliar. Did Varian know Androasian? Did he know this much about research, plants, and animals to act so natural in this setting? All she knew was that he was a starship commander, and s.p.a.cer pilot. But couldn't Tris have taught him enough to dupe her and others?

He observed her curiosity and explained, "It's a portable notetaker. Whatever I record here is sent straight to my main input/acquisition data system. I'll have to teach you how all that works, too. I'm sure you're familiar with computers for a.n.a.lyzing data so it shouldn't be difficult to learn. Of course there are certain areas that are protected from release of information, codes I can't share with anyone, including you. I explained why earlier."

"Your technology and intelligence astound me. Your world is so far advanced above mine. I wish some information could be shared with my people. We have so many diseases and problems on Earth. Your world seems to have solved most of theirs."

"It's against intergalactic treaties to share facts with planets not ready for such knowledge and power. Worlds must be allowed to advance at their own pace or chaos results, if they don't destroy themselves first. From the reports I've seen on your world, it's heading for self-destruction: overpopulation that creates shortages of food, living s.p.a.ce, fights over territory, and diseases; deforestation of needed rain forests to supply the air you breathe; holes in your ozone and global warming; pollution, acid rain, and smog; wars, rebellions, strikes, and terrorism; racial and religious conflicts. Need I even continue? Oil spills, medical and chemical wastes, and garbage disposal; nuclear wastes and weapons; drugs and crime and health problems. Your world is destroying the necessary balance of nature required for its survival."

"But we're trying to change, to repair damage, to prevent more. We have the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Soil Conservation, World Resources Inst.i.tute, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, the Endangered Specie Act, and more."

"In your country and a few outside, but not many others comply; they continue to create and broaden problems. Everyone must work together, form an alliance as we have among our planets and among neighboring galaxies. Your people are greedy and primitive, Jana. They won't do much until they're scared. By then, it might be too late. Your people have little respect for the law and need tight controls to battle the severe problems. Those troubles were created by man and can only be solved by man. For the most part, we have peace in the TriGalaxy. Bringing another galaxy into our system before it's ready can be lethal to ours."

"Like the vengeful alien scientist who created the plague that made charl raids necessary, according to the Maffeians?"

"That's why aliens are watched with mistrust and suspicion, why few are accepted and why few charls are ever freed to roam at will. Each woman taken captive is decontaminated to avoid bringing alien strains of diseases to our world. When the Maffeians were struck by the plague he created, only the women were damaged, made sterile. What better way to ensure race extinction than by nonreproduction? On the good side of the practice, women were trained and helped to fit into our society. Most accepted their fates and are happy."

"How can a woman be happy when she's a captive, nothing more than a breeder like an animal, when she can't select her own mate?"

"The process is controlled carefully. Only buyers who are Maffeian, unmarried, and financially secure can bid on a charl. But the time has pa.s.sed for the need of them. Female children born of the first captive mates are fertile; some are even grandmothers by now. From my observations, the balance of reproductive nature has been restored. With Martella Karsh and other powerful people involved in the lobbying to strike down the charl law, it should be accomplished within a year or so."

"What will happen to the charls? They aren't wed to their owners."

"In our society, children belong to the father, except in certain cases. Owners will be allowed to decide if they wish to many their mates. I a.s.sume mates will be made citizens after they're freed and will also be given the choice of marrying their past owners. I also a.s.sume most mothers will choose to remain with their children, whether they love their mates or not. But whatever happens won't affect you, Jana. You're already free and wed. And marriage is far more binding in our world than charl ownership. Divorces, as you call them, are hard to obtain and carry a dark stigma. A couple doesn't or shouldn't marry unless they are sure they want a lifetime relationship with each other."

"I suppose that means you're stuck with me until death do us part."

"And you're ... stuck with me. What strange sayings you Earthlings have." He chuckled. "My work is finished, so let's eat and then you can rest. I don't want to overtire you today."

"When can I begin my Androasian language lessons?"

"Give yourself a few days to convalesce first."

"As you wish."

The man scowled and she shrugged, as the response was one of Varian's that everyone in Maffei and other places had heard often.

As Jana lay in bed that night, she was too aware of the man sleeping in the room close to hers with the slide screen open. Why, she wondered, had he taken her into the complex after telling her she couldn't work there because of the possibility of exposing her to plants and animals that might carry viruses? What about the aforementioned immunity worries? Was it because he knew those specimens were safe from contamination and harm or because his explanation-excuse-was a lie? Such contradictions!

Another thing troubled her. If only Shara hadn't shown her that overlay picture of Varian and Ryker which vividly exposed their strong resemblance when their colorings were matched. If only Varian hadn't been disguised as Ryker the last time she saw him on his ship. If those two episodes had really happened. Right now, she wasn't sure because either the man nearby was Ryker or Varian was impersonating his half brother perfectly. She had watched for slips and spied none. He always seemed to have a logical and indisputable explanation for anything she found suspicious. She couldn't comprehend why she couldn't persuade herself he wasn't Varian. Even so, there was nothing she could do to stop this. charade. If only her doubts and suspicions would stop plaguing her. If something didn't happen soon to end this drama, she would drive herself nuts. Wait and see, J. G.; that's all you can do for the present. But was it? she asked herself. There was one way to discover the truth, if she dared take that bold risk.

Jana began her fourth day on Darkar after regaining consciousness with the decision not to allow her captor to seduce her just to glean clues to his ident.i.ty. Her only s.e.xual experiences had been with Varian Saar, but, if he intentionally altered his techniques in bed, the action would accomplish nothing and would bring changes in their relationship that she wasn't ready to deal with at this time. No, she couldn't take that risk.

She had read and heard a lot about s.e.x but had not surrendered to her longtime boyfriend on Earth, a choice she did not regret. Yet, if she had been involved with Alex and hadn't been a virgin, her abduction would not have taken place. Not that Alex hadn't tried every trick in the book to get her into bed during their two years as a steady couple, but it had never seemed right between them. He had wooed, cajoled, nagged, pleaded, and enticed before resorting to verbal badgering, mind games, and other ruses. She hadn't allowed him to pressure her into bed, not even with a proposal of marriage. True, he had desired her, but he had become angry and persistent and mildly threatening toward the end of their relationship shortly before she vanished from Earth. He had tried to make her feel obligated to surrender to him and told her she was responsible for his torment.

With Varian, it had been different, so very different. She had desired him wildly. He had made her feel as no man ever had and might never do again. He had caused her emotions and desires to blossom like wildflowers across Texas during the spring. He had taken her to the pinnacle of pleasure every time she joined her body with his. But this cruel deception drew emotional blood, cut through her heart, body, and mind as a laser. He possessed fatal magic and potent allure. She had allowed and encouraged him to charm, disarm, and bind her to him. If the man with her now wasn't Varian, she couldn't allow him to do the same, to get a hold on her that would blind her to the truth before it was too late.

She donned a fuschia romper with a surplice bodice. When the ties were secured behind her, she brushed her hair, sprayed on a mist of perfume, added a trace of cosmetics, and left the emotionally stifling room.

She didn't hear or see anyone in the house, not even the android housekeeper, Ine. She walked to the transascreen in the large living area and peeked outside, as it wasn't sealed today. She saw "Ryker" playing forsha with a male android, a twin to Ine. As far as she knew, Varian didn't play the alien equivalent of tennis, especially with his right hand ...

Jana walked into the kitchen and approached the servo to press a b.u.t.ton for coffee. There had been a similar unit in her golden prison on Varian's ship. There were four recessed s.p.a.ces, of which three contained units with smoky-gla.s.s doors. Two of them resembled microwaves without controls: she knew now that one was for supplying hot foods and one for cold. To the left of the lower one was a small drawer which contained numerous metal objects the size and shape of a credit card. She knew the perforations on them were a computer code for ordering selections. Over the drawer was a narrow slit into which the cards were slipped. A disposal unit was to the right, which automatically separated dishes and garbage, washing and storing one and disposing of the other through disinte gration. A niche to one side was an apparatus for dispensing liquids. In a row beside it were b.u.t.tons for instructions: types of beverage and desired temperature. The automatic food center was a wonder of this alien technology: no cooking, no washing dishes, no preparation, many appliances rolled into one machine. All one had to do was select cards, enter them, and wait for a meal to appear as if by magic. When finished, one placed the dishes inside the final unit to do clean-up ch.o.r.es.

Jana frowned. They were marked in Androasian, and she did not know which word or symbol meant zim. She hated feeling helpless and dependent. She could press all b.u.t.tons and wait for what she wanted to appear beneath the spout, but she hated being wasteful even in an alien world. The man holding her captive had promised her Androasian language lessons; it was clear she needed them, and soon. When the yellow-eyed female android entered, Jana asked the nonhuman to order her breakfast. Not that Jana was hungry, but she needed to do something to use up her frustration. She went to the dining dome and sat down. Why it felt so different and vexing to have a robot serve her over a human maid, she didn't know. Perhaps because it pointed out her predicament.

When Ine brought her meal, Jana gazed at it. Would she, she mused, ever become accustomed to such strange-looking food, not only in color but also in texture? It smelled appealing and she knew the flavor was excellent, but red eggs, blue meat, and orange bread was revolting to someone who loved simple food-not to mention the purple coffee!

She decided she must eat to regain all her strength and to remain keen-witted and healthy. She had work to do, a culprit to unmask, and a puzzle to solve. Like the wildcatters who had worked for her father seeking black gold in Texas fields, she must search for her golden truth and happiness.

The tawny-haired male arrived. His handsome face glistened with moisture and his hair was wet. The snug and damp outfit- similar to biking gear on Earth-left little, if anything, to the imagination. She had seen forshawear on the ship when captives played the game and knew the thin, stretchy material was designed for muscle protection against strains. As he mopped his sweat with a small towel, Jana eyed his physique, which matched Varian Saar's to a T! She had seen Varian both clad and naked so many times and knew those lithe legs, virile body, and strong arms. Didn't she? Even if Varian had any telltale scars or flaws, which he didn't, Tris would have removed them for this cunning charade. If he was Ryker, how could his body match Varian's perfectly in size, shape, and color?

Jana returned his gaze when he looked at her. "It's late, so I a.s.sumed you had already eaten," she said. "Should I have waited for you?"

"Certainly not, and I have already eaten, long ago."

She wished her trembling would halt and hoped he wouldn't notice it. From his grin and sparkling eyes, he knew he was affecting her in a pleasing way. "I don't usually stay in bed so long. I apologize for being lazy."

"You need your rest for a complete and swift recovery."

"I think I've made a rather fast one considering how ill I was, don't you, Dr. Triloni? I take it you are the one who's treating me?"

"I was and I am. No one is better qualified in this case. I promise."

"I'll take your word for it." Jana fingered the garment she was wearing and said, "Thank you for the wardrobe. Your taste is excellent. It's nothing like the ones I had on Varian's ship or at Draco's. I'm grateful."

"I would like to take credit for it, but it wasn't my doing. You chose it yourself last week. I had a ship bring choices of everything you might need and you made your own selections. That's why you like them so much."

His impenetrable gaze made her nervous, as did his close and alluring proximity. Cool down, J. G. "I don't remember that."

"Doesn't matter. How about joining me for a swim?"

"It's too soon to enter the water after eating, but I will join you at the pool."

Ryker a.s.sisted her from her chair and they walked the short distance.

In a gla.s.s dome not far from the house, Jana observed with delight the tropical setting that surrounded a long and wide pool of pale-green water. Garden areas with fountains and waterfalls were located in three spots, complete with sitting arrangements nearby. Lush green vegetation greeted her vision from the ceiling and floor. Soft music and the singing of birds filled her ears. Sunlight sneaked through the reflective covering and danced on the water. The setting gave off a sultry and exotic aura. "It's breathtaking." And much too romantic and seductive!

"I'm happy you like it. Come here anytime you wish. With few exceptions, you have freedom to come and go as you please on Darkar. Behind those decorative screens is exercise equipment. A little work on the walkometer might help you recover your strength and muscle tone. Changing rooms are there," he gestured. "I'll return shortly."

He vanished into a small room to don his trunks. Jana removed her shoes, rolled up her pants' legs, and dangled her feet in the water. Ryker returned and dove into the pool. She watched him swim back and forth with agile strokes. Wet flaxen hair clung to his head. Sleek golden shoulders broke the water's surface with ease. He was such a splendid sight. Watching him caused her body to warm with desire. After a time, he swam to where she sat and halted to stand in chest-high water. He smiled, and she almost shyly returned the gesture. If he tried to get romantic, she didn't know what she would do. She yearned to be held, kissed, caressed, and loved-but by Varian. Please, G.o.d, let this be my love and let there be a good reason for his deceit.

"Feels wonderful, Jana. Ready to come in? I know you can swim."

"Not yet." She remembered all too well what had happened the day she had swum with Draco at his home; he had become romantic, almost seductive. She had been on the point of surrendering to her "owner" in order to force an allegedly traitorous Varian from her heart to begin a new life with another man, a kind and gentle-but deceitful-one. She had wondered so many times during her stay on Karnak why Draco didn't possess her. She finally got her answer when she learned he hadn't purchased her; Varian had, and came to reclaim her when she and Draco seemed to be getting too close for his comfort. That time, he had convinced her successfully of his ruse of selling her. Was he duping her again? Why?

The desirous way the emerald-eyed man watched her made Jana tense with panic. Drops rolled down his bronzed torso and arms, muscular arms that evinced great physical strength, arms that could entice a woman to want to slip into his protective embrace. He fingercombed his hair with hands that could be gentle or strong, allowing her a good view of his manly chest and flat abdomen. Every inch of him was appealing and evoked the temptation to touch and explore him. She felt herself being aroused against her will and battled her senses to clear and restrain their unbidden urges. She looked at her toes as she wiggled them in the aquamarine liquid.

"I do believe you're having good thoughts about me, Jana of Earth. Your cheeks are flushing and your gaze is glowing. Your respiration has altered."

"You're teasing me and taunting me, Ryker. Please don't."

"How else can I get my wife to notice me as a man, her husband?"

"Have no doubts I know you are both."

"That worries and alarms you? It shouldn't. We are married."

Jana's apprehensions and suspense mounted. "Please don't pressure me. I'm not ready for . .. that kind of relationship."

"With me or with any man?"

He captured her feet and ma.s.saged them. His touch sent tingles over her body. She felt as if she wanted to explode, to rant, to rave, to cry, to beg for the truth. She knew she wouldn't get it from him. She finally locked her troubled gaze with his merry one. "With any man. Before I agreed to become your wife, you promised it wouldn't be an intimate arrangement until long from now when you needed an heir."

"That was before I realized you would be irresistible and a constant temptation. But calm your fears. Anything worth having is worth waiting for."

"Thank you. I'll change now." She had to put distance between them if only for a short time. She hurried to the dressing room and pulled on a swimsuit with French-cut legs but enough material to cover her shaky body. I'm going to kill you, Varian Saar, if you don't stop tempting me as Ryker!

She swam for ten minutes while her owner observed from where he lounged; the waves she created lapped at his body. He was so like Varian in his romantic pursuit of her. He smiled the same way. His eyes blazed the same way. His expression was familiar. His aura was the same. His physique was the same. How could this man not be Varian? How had she not noticed how much the half brothers were alike in appearance? Because she hadn't wanted to see it during her terrifying days with Ryker! Too, their physical differences were sufficient and their character variations more than ample to disguise their strong resemblance enough to be missed by an unsuspecting and distracted stranger. Why should she have thought the Maffeian starship commander and an Androasian prince were related, were half brothers? If only she had known the truth long ago, perhaps she could have helped Varian deal with his tormenting past, a past that had forced a wedge between them.

Jana finally swam toward the steps, where she saw him on the pool edge, his elbows propped on his knees to continue his visual attack on her. She had no choice except to join him.

Jana accepted the outstretched hand that helped her up the steps, but she became panicky when it drew her down beside him, too close. "I was going to dry off and use the walkometer while my muscles were warmed up."

"Afraid to be this near me?" he questioned. "I won't devour you, Jana. Relax."

With her head lowered, her gaze touched on his right side just above his narrow waist. It wasn't there! In their rush, they had forgotten to add a scar to this phony Ryker's body! The day before she married Ryker, he had visited her straight from the pool, clad only in swim trunks and with a towel draped around his neck. There had been a scar from an animal bite at the end of his rib cage. He had explained how he had gotten it from a specimen. She doubted Ryker had removed it since then, though he surely possessed the technology and equipment to do so. Obviously it was an oversight of Varian and Tristan. They a.s.sumed she hadn't seen Ryker naked or even half clad and hadn't thought it necessary to include that mark. Her accusing gaze lifted to meet his probing one. She studied him for a minute. Take away the green eyes and blond hair and return his cleft chin and smile creases, and she had the face of Varian Saar. It took all of her self-control not to curse and beat him. No, it was better not to let him know she guessed the truth. Obtaining Trilabs and Maffei's security during his Earth mission must be his motives, as she could think of nothing else so vital. If she blurted out her discovery, he would have a false explanation. When and how would he finally confess his terrible deceit? And could she forgive him?

"Your muscles are getting cold, Jana, and so is your mood."

She stood, grabbed a towel, and said while drying off, "Sorry. I was thinking about my world's fate and my friends trapped there. We often had swim parties at my pool or theirs." She wasn't a good liar, but, at that moment, she didn't care if he knew she wasn't being honest. She walked behind the decorative screen and stepped onto the treadmill. She pressed the start b.u.t.ton to try to rid herself of the tension and anger. She resisted the temptation to expose her discovery. How could the betrayer dare to make love to her as Ryker? How could he want her to respond to him as Ryker? Just like Alex, Varian was thinking and feeling with his loins, not with his heart or brain!

Twenty minutes later, the alien shouted, "That's enough exertion for today, Jana. Better do cool down or lactic acid build-up will cause cramps. We'll go to the house to shower and change. I want to run those tests on you before lunch and your rest period."

She fumed at his clever command. She knew if muscles were used quickly for a lengthy time and given an abrupt stop instead of being allowed to slow down gradually, it would cause cramps.

She followed "Ryker" to the house in silence, swinging her garment in her hand. Each went to their own room to shower and change. As she completed her grooming, she couldn't understand why Varian and Tris hadn't drugged her into compliance and amnesia. That would have been safer, since they obviously didn't trust her to carry out her part of the ruse.

On the way to the complex, Jana eyed the shuttle setting and landing grids nearby. Somehow Varian had gotten it repaired and the debris removed before letting her awaken. She tried to steer the blond alien toward a willing revelation. "How did you know about the real motive for Varian's mission to Earth?" she asked. "I thought it was a big secret. I wouldn't know about it if Kadim Tirol hadn't told me while I was visiting him. Why he did, I don't know. It seems odd to give me such information right before sending me here to you with facts you could pa.s.s to Kadim Maal."

He kept walking with his back to her. "It was and is a big secret, Jana. I can't imagine what Kadim Tirol hoped to accomplish by telling you. Perhaps it was a test of my loyalty to Maffei."

She caught up to him and observed his expression. "What do you mean?"

"Perhaps they want to see if I'll pa.s.s the information on to Grandfather or the Tabrizes. With so many of their starships away saving Earth, it would be the perfect time for enemies to attack Maffei."

"But that would be stupid and dangerous. Besides, I didn't tell you."

"No, but I have my ways of learning things. Besides information Ca.s.s withdraws from her father and pa.s.ses along to me, I have spies everywhere. I have to keep up with matters that concern me. I became suspicious of something going on when Star Fleet kept ordering so many decontamination chemicals from me, far too many for average use. There are other suppliers for most of them, but they give me a nice percentage of their orders to keep on my good side. I wondered who was receiving so much treatment to prevent spreading germs. I learned it was for the charl raids in your star system. You know his ship wasn't the only one to raid Earth? By now, they should have around three thousand of your people on Anais."

Andrea ... Was she there? Scared out of her wits? Had- "You know about Anais, don't you?"

"That's the planetoid where they've established the Earth colony to prevent our total extinction. Where is it?" she asked. "How will my people live and be protected?"

"It orbits Zamarra, the outermost planet of the Maffei system. It's an environmental protection location that no one is allowed to visit without permission. Don't worry, they'll be safe there."

"What about my planet? Will it be destroyed by that meteoroid?"

"The latest reports have revealed that it's a rogue worldlet on a collision course with Earth. It's believed the rogue is on an.elliptical orbit around your sun, not coming from beyond your star system as first believed. Sometimes bodies take thousands or millions of years to make one orbit. If one of that size strikes your world, the results will be catastrophic. Once it enters the gravitational pull of Earth, its speed will increase. The impact will be devastating, particularly if it hits nuclear facilities or chemical plants. It could release deadly toxins into your atmosphere that air currents could sweep around your globe. Radiation, germs, and chaos. Broken dams to flood areas. Contamination of food and water supplies. The impact itself will destroy everything for thousands of miles. If it falls into the ocean, mammoth tidal waves will result. The force of the explosion will be greater than many nuclear bombs or billions of tons of your TNT. In some cases, it might mimic a nuclear blast and provoke a war among survivors. The explosion could crack Earth's core or shove her out of orbit, making her a similar threat to other planets. Dust clouds can block the sun, killing off plant, animal, and human life. It's a bleak picture, Jana, but an honest one. Maffei hopes, with Project Starguard, to either smash it or safely deflect it."

Horror filled her. "Can it be done?"

"Theoretically it's possible. But ..."

She tugged on his arm and implored, "But what?"

"It's never been attempted on a rogue worldlet of this size. There are too many variables to judge accurately. From their observation, and by your scientists, it's believed another such object struck your planet millions of years ago and sent up dust clouds that blocked out the sun and killed off most life there. Your dinosaurs vanished because of it. Your people took the remains of that tragedy to make the very fuel which now threatens to wreak havoc on your planet. It could happen again."

"Why can't Earth shatter or divert it with a missile?"

"Your people lack the knowledge and technology to ready and launch one in time and with enough explosive payload to work. How could they locate its stress point in order to aim correctly? Besides, heading straight at them, it will appear a fixed star. They lack the detection capability to realize the threat before it's too late. In your year of 1989, your NASA released news of an asteroid large and swift enough at fortysix thousand miles per hour to wipe out numerous cities if it had plummeted to Earth. They didn't even know of its presence until it was speeding away from your planet. A nuclear explosion of enough firepower would be dangerous to explode near Earth; shock waves could be just as deadly to your planet. The sheer size of the rogue makes it impossible for your people to handle. Even if Star Fleet, with all its power and technology, diverted it, the rogue could bypa.s.s Earth, strike a smaller planet, and create an even worse catastrophe. If a lesser one closer to your sun was destroyed, there is no judging the effect on your solar system. Nor to ours from shock waves. A disturbance of that magnitude anywhere in the Universe could be felt by all."

Her heart sank in dismay. "So it's hopeless?"