She looked at him doubtfully. 'What are my chances of success?'

'I'm thinking slim to none,' he said smoothly, 'but surprise me. You always have.'

'Do you have a spot picked out?'

'I can give you a general area.'

'Well, nothing beats a try like a failure,' Sybil said cheerfully.

Shaking his head at her, Anka escorted her to the soldier in charge of tools and told him to issue her what she needed. After glancing around for several moments, he summoned one of the men working on a foundation close by. 'Cerek, you're going to help Sybil.'

Cerek stared at Anka blankly a moment before he saluted. 'Yes, Sir!' He looked uncertain. 'What will I help her with, Sir?'

He sent Sybil a look of amus.e.m.e.nt. 'Sybil is going to plant our first experimental garden.' He reached toward her and patted her stomach possessively. 'You're going to help her and watch out for her. She's pregnant. I don't want her to get overheated.'

Cerek gaped at her belly, turning as red as a beet. 'Yes, Sir what should I do if she overheats?'

Anka rolled his eyes. 'Carry her inside, son, so she can cool off! If she faints, it's your a.s.s.'

Carrying the tools, they crossed the construction site. Anka stopped on the other side and dropped the tools to the dirt.

'Here?' Sybil asked doubtfully.

He gestured widely with one hand. 'Anywhere you like. You have the entire planet.'

Sybil sent him a look, but lifted a hand to shade her eyes and scanned the terrain. 'At least there won't be a problem getting enough sunlight,' she said dryly.

Anka dragged her to him and kissed her right on the mouth. 'Don't work too hard. I have plans for the night.'

Red faced, Sybil gaped at him as he walked off. Cerek distracted her when he knelt down to collect the tools Anka had left. 'Just leave them for now. We have to pick a spot.'

He stared at her in confusion. 'It's all flat.'

Sybil shook her head at him. 'We need a little more than *flat',' she said wryly, striking off.

Cerek dropped the tools and followed her. 'I could get a scanner to test the soil.'

Sybil glanced at him. 'You haven't tested it?'

'We test it every week.'

'There isn't much point, then, is there?'

He shrugged. 'The scientists think it could be many years before the soil is ready.'

'Think? Or know?' Sybil asked absently.

'We know what the conditions were before we began to terra-form.'

'We knew that, too-at least, we had a fair idea. We hadn't landed a probe in years. It could've changed, I suppose. It certainly has now.' Spying one of the grayish-green patches she'd spotted before, she strode away from him and crouched down to study it more closely.

'We've a.n.a.lyzed that. It isn't edible.'

Sybil threw him an amused look. 'It's growing voluntarily, though. That means its finding what it needs in the soil. Let's give this spot a try.'

Cerek glanced back to where they'd left the tools. 'It will be a long way to carry water.'

'Then we'll carry it if we have to. I'm thinking there's a fair amount of water that collects here anyway or this wouldn't be here.'

'It may rely upon the condensation that collects overnight.'

'Maybe. Whatever we plant would benefit from that, too, though, wouldn't it?'

Apparently deciding there wasn't any point in arguing the matter any further, he left her and went back for the tools. Sybil had decided on trying a modest sized patch for the experiment by the time he returned. There didn't seem much point in wasting the seed if it wouldn't grow in the soil. Of course, she was going to be really disappointed she hadn't made it bigger if the plants did did grow, but it certainly seemed like it would be big enough to try a variety of plants. grow, but it certainly seemed like it would be big enough to try a variety of plants.

Once she'd shown Cerek the area she'd marked off, the two of them set to work chopping up the soil.

'Why are we doing this?' Cerek asked when they stopped a little later to sit down and rest.

Sybil threw a weary smile in his general direction. 'Ah! A city boy!'

He reddened, but he grinned back at her. 'Aside from making new blisters on the old ones,' he added.

Sybil studied her own hands ruefully. 'Gloves would be nice! It's to make it easier for the plants. The first roots will be critical and they're babies. They won't be all that strong, so we need to make it easy for them to burrow down to the water and food they'll need to flourish. When we have it chopped up good, we'll make hills to plant the seeds so that they get good drainage. If there's too much water, the plant drowns.'

He looked out at the terrain doubtfully. 'It doesn't look like getting too much water would be a problem.'

'It might not be, but a hard rain with this sort of terrain could cause a flood and wash everything away. And those clouds up there,' she said, pointing, 'are carrying rain unless I'm very much mistaken.'

He pulled a flask from the shoulder pack he'd brought with him. 'You look like you need a little watering.'

Sybil took it. 'Thanks!' Ignoring the uneasiness that flickered through her, she took the lid off and took a few sips and handed it back.

'We were immunized against human diseases.'

Sybil felt her face redden. 'Good for you! Unfortunately, I I wasn't immunized against anything you might be carrying,' she said tartly. wasn't immunized against anything you might be carrying,' she said tartly.

He grinned at her. 'You were thoroughly exposed, however. I think you can consider yourself safe. If there was danger of that, you would know already.'

Sybil couldn't believe believe he'd made a reference to her liaison with Anka! 'You have a point, but it might interest you to know not all of us carry diseases.' he'd made a reference to her liaison with Anka! 'You have a point, but it might interest you to know not all of us carry diseases.'

'Those you have on your world were eradicated from ours long ago. We were already mostly immune, but they mutate and so we had to have immunities from the new strains.'

Sybil stared at him. 'Seriously? You had some of the same diseases on your world as we do?'

'Yes. They aren't confined to one world. The seeds are carried across the universe in the dust of comets and asteroids. They've been capable of s.p.a.ce travel since long before we were.'

Getting up, Sybil dusted the seat of her pants and took up her tool again. It wasn't a hoe, precisely. It looked more like an adze but it worked well enough for chopping dirt even it did look like a woodworking tool. 'So maybe we all evolved from the same bacteria?' she said, only half joking.

He shrugged. 'Very likely.' He flicked a look over her that was speculative. 'Just differently.'

Sybil frowned, chopping at the dirt. 'You think we're that different?'

'In some ways very clearly. In others not so much.'

'But you don't like humans, do you?'

He frowned. 'I haven't met many. I haven't decided.'

'Well,' Sybil said. 'At least you're honest.'

He paused and looked at her. 'Commander l'Kartay trusts you. That's good enough for me.'

Chapter Sixteen.

'The Americans are accusing us of kidnapping Lieutenant Hunter and holding her against her will, Commander l'Kartay! I was sure it had to be a simple misunderstanding and now I learn that you have her in your your quarters!' quarters!'

Anka ground his teeth together, struggling with his temper. 'She needed protection from them. She came to me.'

Premier d'Zubi blinked several times and turned to look at the other council members as if he doubted his hearing and thought their reactions might help him clear up his misconception. Councilman Mortzay apparently decided to interpret the look as an invitation to join the discussion. 'You're saying that she's asked for political asylum?'

Anka considered the question. 'Something of that nature, yes.'

Mortzay turned and frowned at the Premier.

'Well is she a political refugee or not?' the Premier demanded testily.

'They coerced her to come here against her will, hoping to use her to gather information through me for their government. She's carrying my child. I couldn't allow them to put her and the child at risk.'

'Now there is a child, as well?' Councilman l'Bevridge demanded. 'How do you even know that it's yours?'

'I know,' Anka said tightly.

Premier d'Zubi surged to his feet. 'Well, I hope you know that this is a h.e.l.l of a d.a.m.ned mess, Commander l'Kartay! We have just made treaty with them, G.o.ds d.a.m.n it! You a.s.sured us that that would give us time to secure our colony and focus on internal problems-before we all starved to death! We've barely even begun to solve the biggest threat to our survival since the disaster!'

'I'm aware of that. I hadn't antic.i.p.ated the complication, but I have a moral obligation beyond my affection to protect my family-just as I would any man, woman, or child of Sumptra.'

'Hadn't antic.i.p.ated?' Councilman l'Bevridge exploded. 'You took her as your lover and you hadn't antic.i.p.ated the possibility?'

Anka's lips tightened. 'I a.s.sumed she would use protection.'

'So you used none to protect our our interests?' Mortzay demanded. 'It didn't occur to you that she might use the opportunity to place just this obligation upon us? It might be laughable if you were some callow youth, l'Kartay. It would certainly be more understandable when the young are so thoughtless and reckless, but it concerns me a very great deal, I don't mind telling you, that our lives are hanging on your experience and judgment when you obviously have none where this interests?' Mortzay demanded. 'It didn't occur to you that she might use the opportunity to place just this obligation upon us? It might be laughable if you were some callow youth, l'Kartay. It would certainly be more understandable when the young are so thoughtless and reckless, but it concerns me a very great deal, I don't mind telling you, that our lives are hanging on your experience and judgment when you obviously have none where this female female is concerned!' is concerned!'

'May I remind you, Councilman, that it was the capture of the crew of the Mars II that gave us the opening, and the leverage, we needed to negotiate a treaty with the Earth people to start with? And that it was the bond formed between Lieutenant Hunter and me, because I had taken her as my lover, that convinced her to support the Sumpturians throughout those negotiations? We may or may not have succeeded in securing a treaty with them at all if she hadn't been willing to give us all the benefit of the doubt and refused to misinterpret our motives.

'She has befriended our people and she is in trouble because of it. I have sacrificed as much or more than anyone here. I have worked as hard or harder than anyone here for the greater good. I will not sacrifice Sybil and my child because it would be easier easier for everyone for me to do so. If she was Sumpturian we wouldn't be having this discussion. You would have accepted that we are responsible for her welfare and that the greater good is not more important than the individuals that const.i.tute it!' for everyone for me to do so. If she was Sumpturian we wouldn't be having this discussion. You would have accepted that we are responsible for her welfare and that the greater good is not more important than the individuals that const.i.tute it!'

'If she was Sumpturian we wouldn't have have to be discussing it!' Premier d'Zubi snapped testily. He sat back down, drumming his fingers on the table in front of him. 'Not but what I see your point. I don't mind telling you that it disturbs me that you have taken an Earth woman as a lover at all, politically expedient or not, and spurned good Sumpturian women in the process! Our society is crumbling! We have little left beyond our traditions of the old world. You are an example for our young people! Before you know it we will have all of them clamoring for Earth lovers and dragging them into their quarters and then our traditions will fall by the wayside like everything else!' to be discussing it!' Premier d'Zubi snapped testily. He sat back down, drumming his fingers on the table in front of him. 'Not but what I see your point. I don't mind telling you that it disturbs me that you have taken an Earth woman as a lover at all, politically expedient or not, and spurned good Sumpturian women in the process! Our society is crumbling! We have little left beyond our traditions of the old world. You are an example for our young people! Before you know it we will have all of them clamoring for Earth lovers and dragging them into their quarters and then our traditions will fall by the wayside like everything else!'

'What traditions do you perceive that we have left?' Anka growled furiously. 'Without Sybil and my child I have no one no one! I have lost my mother, my siblings, their children! I have lost my lover of fifteen solars and the children we had together! What do I have left to build upon? What do any any of us have to build our old traditions upon? There are maybe a dozen matriarchs among us and of us have to build our old traditions upon? There are maybe a dozen matriarchs among us and they they have lost their families! have lost their families!

'Do you mean to begin to dictate who we chose as our lovers? Because the moment you do, you have also done your part to destroy the very traditions you believe you're protecting!

'I chose Sybil because I wanted her and she wanted me-It was not not politically motivated-on politically motivated-on either either side! She did not get pregnant to bind me to her. She was terrified when she discovered it and forced by that circ.u.mstance to do something repugnant to her to protect the child we'd made together. side! She did not get pregnant to bind me to her. She was terrified when she discovered it and forced by that circ.u.mstance to do something repugnant to her to protect the child we'd made together.

'She wanted to go back and pretend to help them so that she could help us and I refused to allow it. She knows as well as I do that the treaty is shaky at best, but it is signed and they have all agreed upon it. The Americans cannot break the treaty without just cause and they cannot use Sybil as just cause when she will dispute their claim that she is being held against her will!'

To his relief, the members of the council exchanged thoughtful glances and fell to considering what he'd said. 'They will want something in exchange-mark my words!' the Premier said irritably.

Anka relaxed. 'I've considered that. The atmospheric unit number twelve has broken down again and we have no parts to repair it. We will offer them that. They will be delighted to get the technology and very likely they can fix it. As long as they believe that we will keep the treaty and they can wheedle more technology from us from time to time, they'll be happy.'

Premier d'Zubi scowled at him. 'You think too much like the humans,' he growled.

Anka shrugged. 'I have to be able to get inside their minds to deal with them.'

Mortzay grunted irritably. 'Just don't begin to behave too much like them! What do you plan to do with the woman? It's unseemly to keep her in your quarters. It simply isn't done! And you can't expect to preserve the relationship when the two of you are under the same roof, so to speak.'

'We will have to work harder to preserve it,' Anka responded. 'Housing is one of the many shortages and until we have permanent residences there isn't an alternative.'

'What about the matriarchs?' l'Bevridge suggested. 'Perhaps one of them could be persuaded to adopt her? The poor things are lost without their families to cluck over and beyond that, they are too old to live alone. They need young people to help with the ch.o.r.es, or will when they are a.s.signed to housing.'

Reluctance immediately tightened in Anka's belly. It was strange to live with his lover. He would've never considered it before, but it was also true that he'd lost his own family and he was reluctant to give up the closeness of living with someone again-however uncomfortable that could be at times. 'I think they'll have plenty of young people to choose from to adopt,' he said finally. 'But that's something that will have to wait.'

Sybil searched Anka's face worriedly when he joined her in the storage unit where the seeds were kept after his meeting. To her credit, she didn't ask him anything in front of Cerek, who was with her, sorting through the seeds the Americans had provided.

She lifted one of the packets and shook it. 'They took these d.a.m.ned things right off the shelves! None of them have been altered in any way for the special conditions here. We'll be lucky if any of them sprout!'

Anka instantly felt a surge of both anger and anxiety. 'We used the same seed in the greenhouses.'

Sybil looked at him in surprise. 'I hadn't thought about that. Maybe the soil is more similar to Earth's than I thought even if the conditions aren't?' She shrugged. 'I've picked drought resistant plants indigenous to the hotter regions on Earth. I'm sure these are our best bet.'

Anka gave Cerek the bucket full of seed packets and sent him ahead.