'Did I hurt you?'

He grimaced. 'That's a highly volatile stick of explosives, nodia nodia. Take care how you handle it. It might go off and spoil all our fun.'

Sybil laughed. 'Will you be serious? I'm working here!'

'I am am serious-and deeply concerned.' serious-and deeply concerned.'

Leaning down, she bit his pec in playful rebuke, then sucked at it. 'You taste good,' she murmured. An image of his c.o.c.k leapt instantly into her mind and she examined the idea with a mixture of uneasiness and excitement. Anka sent her a heated look when she glanced at his face.

'You taste good. Maybe I'll nibble a while?'

'I'm not done yet,' she said decisively. Scooting backwards to sit on the tops of his thighs, she opened his suit fully and studied his c.o.c.k meditatively. It jerked when she stroked a finger along his length and she flicked a quick look at his face.

'Not a good idea-not right now,' he growled warningly.

She sent him a look of innocence. 'What?'

His eyes narrowed. 'Remember what I said,' he reminded her as she grasped his c.o.c.k and leaned down. Ignoring the warning, she opened her mouth over the rounded head and sucked at it experimentally. His hands clamped around her head. She paused, but when he didn't try to push her away, she settled to exploring it more thoroughly.

She hadn't actually caught more than a glimpse of it before. She'd been far more focused on how it felt inside of her-absolutely divine! She decided she liked the way it looked, though, and tasted, and felt in her mouth. It was surprisingly arousing to suck on it, to hear his breath catch in his throat, the way his hips moved when she stroked him with her mouth and hands.

He pulled her away just when she was thoroughly enjoying herself, surging over her and pushing her onto her back. 'My turn,' he growled.

She sent him a saucy look. 'No stamina.'

He tsked. 'You should know better than to throw out that kind of challenge.'

She folded her arms behind her head. 'Do your worst.'

He sent her a look. 'I'll do my best,' he promised, coming up on his knees to unfasten her trousers and tug them from her hips. When he'd pulled them all the way off and tossed them aside, he skimmed a look up her thighs to her hips and belly. Sybil tensed when he paused for a long, long moment. Frowning, he flicked a look at her face that was a mixture of confusion and concern before he returned his attention to her belly. She knew the very instant comprehension hit him. His gaze moved to her face again and this time she saw a flicker of anger in his eyes. He dropped to the bed beside her, heavily, as if the strength had gone out of his legs. His hand was shaking as he lightly stroked her rounded belly.

For many moments he did nothing else and Sybil felt her desire burn itself out. Finally, he rolled toward her. He kissed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and throat. He caressed her, touching her in all the right places, but she had the sense that it was mechanical, that his mind was elsewhere.

She had little moisture to offer him to ease his way when he moved between her thighs at last. It was a struggle for both of them to achieve full penetration but, in spite of everything, heat rose inside of her when she felt him moving along her channel rhythmically. She gasped when she came, clinging tightly to him, but it was more a plea for understanding than from pa.s.sion.

She wasn't even sure he'd managed to come until she felt the stickiness between her thighs when he withdrew. Relieved about that at least she lay with her eyes closed, more to shield herself from his gaze than from the weakness in the aftermath of pleasure. He moved behind her, pulling her back against his chest. To her relief, he stroked his hands over her the way he always had. It soothed her as it always had.

She'd always wondered what was running through his mind when he caressed her like that. This time, she was almost certain she at least knew the questions in his mind. It worried her that he seemed so distant.

He nuzzled her neck after a little bit. 'Our experimental garden is coming along nicely,' he murmured.

Sybil whipped her head around to stare at him, afraid he'd say more.

His lips tightened. The look his eyes was enough to rea.s.sure her that he hadn't slipped and he hadn't forgotten the warning. 'I'd like to take you to look at it tomorrow.'

Dismay flickered through her, but she forced a smile. 'I'd love to see it,' she responded woodenly.

He called for her in a transport. Sybil was almost surprised when she was allowed to leave without question. Despite the *a.s.signment' she'd been given, she would've thought they would be worried about letting her off her leash entirely.

Brant gave her a significant look as she strode past him, but otherwise his only comment was to *take care'.

Anka's lips tightened, but she couldn't decide if it was because he knew it was a subtle warning or if it was jealousy. 'The weather's fine today. If it wasn't so far I would've invited you to walk,' he said as he helped her into the front of the transport. 'You'll get the chance to do plenty of walking once we get there, though.'

Sybil didn't respond. She had the feeling that it wasn't as inconsequential as it seemed, that he was dangling a carrot for Brant, however, and she was afraid to say anything at all.

'I see the construction of the American base goes well,' he commented as he climbed in beside her.

'I haven't actually been out a lot. I've heard the equipment, but I wasn't certain if it was alright to gawk. Anyway, heavy equipment is dangerous.'

He fell silent as he started the transport. To Sybil's surprise, it was some sort of hovercraft, although it didn't seem to be like anything on Earth that fit that description. This one almost seemed to defy gravity rather than running on a cushion of air.

She glanced at Anka uneasily several times as they crossed the plain, moving closer and closer to the area under construction by the Sumpturians, but he neither said anything or even acknowledged that he'd noticed her looking at him. She frowned, wondering if he was concerned they could still be monitored or if he was preoccupied. Since she knew it was completely possible that they were still being monitored, however, and she couldn't think of anything to contribute as small talk, she focused on studying the landscape.

The surface still looked more like a barren desert than a living world, but she spotted tiny patches of what looked like moss-possibly. She supposed it might not be anything but grayish-green colored rock, though.

When they reached the area under construction by the Sumpturians, she saw that they'd made headway in carving what looked to be footers for buildings in the hard soil. Anka settled the transport to the ground and switched the engines off. He threw her into confusion when he got out and walked around to help her out.

Settling a hand along her waist, he guided her toward a structure that looked very similar to a greenhouse-any greenhouse that might've been erected on Earth. She saw once they'd entered that that was exactly what it was, sucking in her breath in wonder at the green that filled her vision. 'Anka! It's beautiful!'

When he didn't answer, she turned to look at him questioningly. His expression was guarded, but there was a hard look in his eyes that told her he was angry. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

The urge to pretend she didn't know what he was talking about a.s.sailed her. She discarded it, feeling defensiveness surge through her. 'That isn't fair! When was I supposed to have told you?'

'When you arrived?' he asked tightly.

She gaped at him in outrage. 'Well pardon me all to h.e.l.l! What was I supposed to do? Waltz up to you while you were wrapped around that d.a.m.ned female female and announce it?' and announce it?'

He flushed. 'Maybe when I took you to my quarters?'

'You didn't look like you were in the mood to talk!' she snapped.

He gave her a look. 'We spent the entire night together. You could've found some time, surely, to say something.'

She looked away. 'I hadn't seen you in two months! I didn't think I'd ever see you again.' She looked at him earnestly. 'I didn't want to risk that you'd be angry with me.'

'I am angry now now!' he growled.

She swallowed with an effort. 'I see that.'

His gaze flickered to her belly. 'Is it mine?'

If he'd hit her she didn't think it would've stunned her more. She stared at him, feeling hurt, betrayed, and angry. She thought for several moments that she would burst into tears, but she was too angry to keep it inside. 'I don't deserve that,' she said hoa.r.s.ely, struggling to keep her chin from wobbling. 'What have I ever done, besides being born human, to deserve your contempt? I've never once betrayed you or even thought about it!'

He caught her when she turned away blindly to stalk off and leave him, tightening his grip when she struggled to break free. 'I know that, nodia nodia. I'm not sure I deserve it, but there is no doubt in my mind that you have always been faithful to me. That wasn't an accusation,' he said, forcing her to turn and look at him. 'I wanted you to say it. I wanted you to tell me you were carrying my baby.'

'Of course it's your baby!' she sobbed. 'I wouldn't be be here if it wasn't yours! I had to protect it. I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to come begging for help when you'd left me there-without a word! Without once telling me whether you'd come back or not, or asking me to go with you, but I didn't have a choice! They were going to charge me with treason, put me in prison, and take the baby. I couldn't take a chance. I had to come!' here if it wasn't yours! I had to protect it. I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to come begging for help when you'd left me there-without a word! Without once telling me whether you'd come back or not, or asking me to go with you, but I didn't have a choice! They were going to charge me with treason, put me in prison, and take the baby. I couldn't take a chance. I had to come!'

He held her tightly while she cried all over his chest. 'I know, nodia nodia. I just didn't understand why you'd let them manipulate you into coming. You didn't betray anyone-not me and not your people. I wouldn't have put you in that position even if I'd thought I could.'

Sybil mulled that over and finally pulled away to look at him as a terrible thought dawned on her. 'You know? How How do you know?' do you know?'

His lips tightened. 'Do you think your people are the only ones capable of surveillance?' he asked dryly.

Sybil pushed away from him. 'You were watching me, too?'

'We weren't watching you!' he growled angrily. 'We were watching the politicians and their dogs! We had Meachum under surveillance!' He sighed at the look on her face. 'I wouldn't allow surveillance on you.'

'Why not?'

'Because I didn't want to know if you betrayed me!' he said angrily.

'Which means you thought I might.'

He seemed to wrestle with it. 'Yes. I thought you might.'

Sybil sniffed, wiping her face with her hands. 'I guess that made it easier on your conscience to use me.'

'Now who's being unfair? Did I ever, once, ask you anything of a secure nature?'

She sniffed again. 'No.'

'I came to you because I wanted to be with you-and for no other reason. I by-pa.s.sed their security every time I came. I could've walked through any room on that base. I didn't need need to be there to breach their security.' to be there to breach their security.'

She looked up at him hopefully. 'You wanted to be with me? That's all?'

He gathered her close. 'I didn't seem enthusiastic enough, nodia nodia?'

'I thought you were just h.o.r.n.y.'

He uttered a bark of laughter at that. 'I was. G.o.ds!'

She sighed, enjoying being held by him. 'I don't suppose we could spend the day together? It would be really nice, for once, to spend time with you without worrying about every word I said.'

His arms tightened briefly. 'I wish that I could, but there is more work to be done than we can all do working together. It wouldn't be fair to the others for me to take the day off and it wouldn't be a good example.'

Disappointment flickered through her. 'I could help,' she said hopefully. 'I grew up on a farm. I have a way with plants.'

He looked uncomfortable. 'I can't risk it. If anything was to happen to the plants'

She felt the blood leave her face. 'You can't think I'd deliberately sabotage the plants?'

He captured her face between his palms. 'I don't, but I can't risk it when the others don't trust you. I can't take a chance of you being accused if anything happened.'

Sybil swallowed convulsively. She hadn't realized the other Sumpturians distrusted humans so much. It didn't sound good for her hope that she might find refuge with them. 'I understand. I guess you should take me back, then.'

He shook his head at her. 'Do you think I'd let you go back there?'

Sybil gaped at him. 'But Anka! You have to! Think! I have to go back at least for a while, until until things are better here! You need the shipments of food supplies!'

He flushed. 'As you see, we're well on our way to having our first crop.'

'And you're worried even now that it won't bear fruit! It's alright. I can do this. We can both do it. We'll just play along a little while longer and then, when you're more settled here and there isn't the threat to the colony that there is now, I can come. The baby won't be born for months yet.'

He studied her face grimly. 'I know I don't have much to offer you, Sybil, but I swear I'll take the best care of you and the baby that I can. It's all I can do. I hadn't expected it, but it's on the way, now, and I won't risk it or you by letting you go back.'

'I'm not worried about that!'

'You should be,' he said grimly.

'Is it that bad still?'

She could see he didn't really want to tell her, but he came to decision quickly enough to appease the fear that he still didn't trust her. 'We've been rationing our food stores since we got here. Between what we have and what the ship brought, we'll be good for maybe six months if we're careful. I won't lie to you. It's critical that we begin to grow our own food, and soon. We can't rely on the shipments from Earth. We couldn't even if it wasn't for your situation. There are food shortages there. Don't bother to lie to me. I know how things are there. That's the only reason I'm willing to keep you here-there's a risk for you and baby either way.'

'Your people won't be happy for me to stay.'

'Your people wouldn't accept me or the baby,' he countered.

She didn't try to argue with him. 'I never expected this. I didn't think I guess I just didn't think at all.'

'You didn't think I could get you pregnant,' he said flatly.

'Don't look at me like that! Have I ever ever given you reason to think, even for a moment, that I didn't care for you, just the way you are? We're from different worlds, d.a.m.n it! I just never thought beyond that.' given you reason to think, even for a moment, that I didn't care for you, just the way you are? We're from different worlds, d.a.m.n it! I just never thought beyond that.'

He shook his head at her. 'Fool!' he muttered with amused tolerance. 'Didn't you think it convenient that we fit together so well?'

Sybil blushed. 'I thought it was a wonderful convenience.'

He chuckled. 'We may well be from different worlds, nodia nodia, but you and I we're like cousins from distant stars. Didn't you wonder why why we were so curious about the people of Earth?' we were so curious about the people of Earth?'

She shrugged. 'I did wonder what you could possibly have found so interesting,' she said wryly. 'You're sure your scientists didn't do a little experimenting?'

'Not legally,' he said grimly. 'I wouldn't rule it out, but it was the fact that we were so similar on a genetic level that drew them here to study humans to start with. Before you ask, they never did find the link, but' He stroked a hand down her belly. 'He's here. That should be proof enough.'

Sybil smiled up at him. 'It might not be a *he', you know.'

He stroked her cheek, smiling down at her. 'It doesn't matter to me. It's ours.' Leaning lower, he kissed her briefly. 'Let's get you settled. It isn't going to be comfortable, I warn you. My quarters are tight for one.'

'You're serious?'

'I have never been more serious in my life-the place is like a box! I can't fall off my bunk with hitting my head on my desk.'

'If I'm staying, I'm working with everybody else,' Sybil said firmly. 'They aren't going to accept me if I sit on my a.s.s while they work and it would set a bad example.'

Anka studied her thoughtfully for several moments. 'You really are good with plants?'

'I really am,' she said with determination.

'Let's see just how good you are, then. You can start the first outdoor garden.'