Ap Fenn snorted, then winced at what the pressure did to his damaged nose. "I imagine Tarletoo will have something to say about that."

"Hell yes, he will. Hell wave to you and say *Bon voyage!*, is what. You think I'm stupid enough to try to bypass Tarleton's authority? Well, I'm not"

Ap Fenn still didn't answer; Barton decided to rub it in a little. "As a matter of fact," he said, slowly and with relish, "when I came here earlier today, I had full authority to use my own judgment about you. No limits.

Because by circumstance-I won't say merit-I'm more valuable to this expedition than you are. I suggest you keep that in mind."

Time to throw the man a bone, deserved or not?

"On the other hand, you're right-I was lucky. I'd hate to tackle you even-steven. If I'd figured you to get so hostile, I'd have brought a sidearm to equalize things."

Pure soothing soap. that; big as ap Fenn was, and quick at weapons control, be had little skill at personal combat.

"Now why don't we drop it? You're good at your job and we can use you. But forget about swapping roomies any more, because everyone else is settled and satisfied. If you aren't"-enough carrot, time again for the stick-"you can swap bunks with Eeshta, and move in with Hishtoo." That should do it.

"Come on. Helaise; the Shield is due for a balance check. You haven't been through those procedures lately." Until ap Fenn had time to cool off, he wanted her out of that room....

172.

At the door they met Limila, carrying a tray of dishes steaming hot from the galley. "I will stay with him awhile," she said.

Barton and Helaise went to the rear of the ship and check-marked their way through the Shield-maintenance routine. It went slowly, because she wanted to talk.

Well, Barton figured, she might as well get it off her chest.

Terike is not a bad man," she said.

"So how come a good man wants to throw you out?"

"He's greedy, like a little boy-he's been repressed.

Now he is breaking loose, and can't stop grabbing for the next goodie on the Christmas tree."

Barton had to chuckle. "Before this came up, did he treat you okay?"

She nodded. "Yes, mostly. He's not very sensitive to anyone else's feelings, but he does try. Even now, it's not (hat he means to hurt me-but suddenly he has this big urge for Myra, and simply can't see anything else. Or anyone..."

"Childish, is what How the hell did such an unstable character ever get past the screening tests?"

"He has an uncle, high up in the Agency." Silently, Barton used some high-up obscenities with regard to all politicians.

When (he tests and adjustments were finished, he com- mended Helaise on her work and they went forward to their separate cabins. Barton found that Limila bad not yet returned to Number Two; he washed up and lay back for a relaxing doze. When he heard a knock, he thought he'd forgotten and locked the door, and got up to admit Limila. But it was Helaise who stood in the doorway.

"Anything wrong?"

She seemed flustered. "I-she-I mean-Barton, I have nowhere else to go."

"Ap Fenn throw you out? Well, we'll see about that!"

"No, Barton. She-Limila-is with Terike. She told me to come here. Didn't you know?"

"I will stay with him awhile," Limila had said. Barton had thought, sure, stay long enough to feed him-but apparently she had meant considerably more. He felt empty. He couldn't be angry-not at Limila-but sud- denly he wanted to take Helaise like a bull, a tiger, a force of total destruction.

173.

He didn't, of course. He took her, and she him, be- cause each needed the other. But very gently.

When Uroila came in, they awoke. She looked as though she had been beaten in such a way as to leave no marks.

"Please go to Terike, Helaise," she said-and would say no more until the girl had gone. Then she looked at Barton. "I thought I was doing a right thing."

Barton was stumped. Finally, "Maybe you'd better tell me about it"

Umila sat facing him. "On Tilara, there is a way a woman may stop a killing matter between her man and another. It is not law, only custom. But if she goes to the other man with a gift of food and herself, for that time, and is accepted, that man has agreed to end the matter."

"How about her own man?" Barton's growl was deeper than he intended it

"He must accept the truce or the woman kills herself.

Thus die custom is not lightly followed, nor broken."

Well, I should think not, thought Barton. His anger- no, resentment-at Umila was replaced with a kind of awe.

"So what happened?" His voice was quiet, and he knew he must not touch her-not yet

"At first-1 should have realized-Terike could not understand. He did not believe I meant it. Then he be- came excited, eager. But when I removed my clothing, be-he could not do anything, after all.

"And then be laughed, a laugh to hurt me. And he said I am to tell you that you are quite welcome to your plastic bitch."

For a moment. Barton was like a statue. "I see," he said. Without hurry, he got up and dressed.

"Barton-what are you going to do?"

"Nothing much," he said. "Just kill Terike ap Fenn a little bit"

"No! You cannoti"

"The hell I can't. I have Tarleton's express permis- sion."

"But that was for the good of the ship-not for only a personal matter."

"He said I could use my own judgment Well, I've used it"

174.

"Barton, you must not. Or if you kill him, I must kill me."

He turned on her. "This isn't Tilara; the custom doesn't apply! And besides, the sonofabitch didn't accept you."

"He tried to do so; it is not his fault that I do not have breasts."

He was beaten and he knew it, but still be tried. "Why do you want him alive?"

"Except that Helaise needs him, I do not care if be lives or dies. It is you, Barton, who must not do this kill- ing, for this reason."