Anka dragged her to him and kissed her right on the mouth. Dont 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. Its 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 havent tested it?
We test it every week.
There isnt 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 hadnt landed a probe in years. It couldve changed, I suppose. It certainly has now. Spying one of the grayish-green patches shed spotted before, she strode away from him and crouched down to study it more closely.
Weve analyzed that. It isnt edible.
Sybil threw him an amused look. Its growing voluntarily, though. That means its finding what it needs in the soil. Lets give this spot a try.
Cerek glanced back to where theyd left the tools. It will be a long way to carry water.
Then well carry it
if we have to. Im thinking theres a fair amount of water that collects here anyway or this wouldnt be here.
It may rely upon the condensation that collects overnight.
Maybe. Whatever we plant would benefit from that, too, though, wouldnt it?
Apparently deciding there wasnt 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 didnt seem much point in wasting the seed if it wouldnt grow in the soil. Of course, she was going to be really disappointed she hadnt made it bigger if the plants
did
grow, but it certainly seemed like it would be big enough to try a variety of plants.
Once shed shown Cerek the area shed 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! Its to make it easier for the plants. The first roots will be critical and theyre babies. They wont be all that strong, so we need to make it easy for them to burrow down to the water and food theyll need to flourish. When we have it chopped up good, well make hills to plant the seeds so that they get good drainage. If theres too much water, the plant drowns.
He looked out at the terrain doubtfully. It doesnt 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 Im very much mistaken.
He pulled a flask from the shoulder pack hed 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
wasnt 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 couldnt
believe
hed 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 arent confined to one world. The seeds are carried across the universe in the dust of comets and asteroids. Theyve been capable of space travel since long before we were.
Getting up, Sybil dusted the seat of her pants and took up her tool again. It wasnt 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 were that different?
In some ways very clearly. In others
not so much.
But you dont like humans, do you?
He frowned. I havent met many. I havent decided.
Well, Sybil said. At least youre honest.
He paused and looked at her. Commander lKartay trusts you. Thats good enough for me.
Chapter Sixteen
The Americans are accusing us of kidnapping Lieutenant Hunter and holding her against her will, Commander lKartay! I was sure it had to be a simple misunderstanding and now I learn that you have her in
your
quarters!
Anka ground his teeth together, struggling with his temper. She needed protection
from them. She came to me.
Premier dZubi 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. Youre saying that shes 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. Shes carrying my child. I couldnt allow them to put her and the child at risk.
Now there is a child, as well? Councilman lBevridge demanded. How do you even know that its yours?
I know, Anka said tightly.
Premier dZubi surged to his feet. Well, I hope you know that this is a hell of a damned mess, Commander lKartay! We have just made treaty with them, gods damn it! You assured us that that would give us time to secure our colony and focus on internal problems-before we all starved to death! Weve barely even begun to solve the biggest threat to our survival since the disaster!
Im aware of that. I hadnt anticipated 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.
Hadnt anticipated
? Councilman lBevridge exploded. You took her as your lover and you hadnt anticipated the possibility?
Ankas lips tightened. I assumed she would use protection.
So you used none to protect
our
interests? Mortzay demanded. It didnt 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, lKartay. It would certainly be more understandable when the young are so thoughtless and reckless, but it concerns me a very great deal, I dont mind telling you, that our lives are hanging on your experience and judgment when you obviously have none where this
female
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 hadnt 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
for everyone for me to do so. If she was Sumpturian we wouldnt 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 constitute it!
If she was Sumpturian we wouldnt
have
to be discussing it! Premier dZubi snapped testily. He sat back down, drumming his fingers on the table in front of him. Not but what I see your point. I dont 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
! 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
of us have to build our old traditions upon? There are maybe a dozen matriarchs among us and
they
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 youre protecting!
I chose Sybil because I wanted her and she wanted me-It was
not
politically motivated-on
either
side! She did not get pregnant to bind me to her. She was terrified when she discovered it and forced by that circumstance to do something repugnant to her to protect the child wed 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 hed said. They will want something in exchange-mark my words! the Premier said irritably.
Anka relaxed. Ive 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, theyll be happy.
Premier dZubi 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 dont begin to behave too much like them! What do you plan to do with the woman? Its unseemly to keep her in your quarters. It simply isnt done! And you cant 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 isnt an alternative.
What about the matriarchs? lBevridge 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 chores, or will when they are assigned to housing.
Reluctance immediately tightened in Ankas belly. It was
strange to live with his lover. He wouldve never considered it before, but it was also true that hed 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 theyll have plenty of young people to choose from to adopt, he said finally. But thats something that will have to wait.
* * * *
Sybil searched Ankas face worriedly when he joined her in the storage unit where the seeds were kept after his meeting. To her credit, she didnt 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 damned things right off the shelves! None of them have been altered in any way for the special conditions here. Well 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 hadnt thought about that. Maybe the soil is more similar to Earths than I thought even if the conditions arent? She shrugged. Ive picked drought resistant plants indigenous to the hotter regions on Earth. Im sure these are our best bet.
Anka gave Cerek the bucket full of seed packets and sent him ahead.
What did they say? Sybil asked breathlessly the moment he was beyond hearing.
We will negotiate.
Shed expected as much and she still had to struggle with the churning fear that surged inside her. It was going to be worse if she had to go back. Shed shown them shed never had any real intention of doing what they wanted. Theyd ship her directly back and probably to jail.
Anka tapped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Trust,
nodia
. I will protect you
whatever it takes.
Sybil swallowed with an effort and nodded instead of telling him that putting himself in danger wouldnt make her happy either.
An elderly Sumpturian woman joined them when Sybil and Cerek made it to their garden project. Sybil had noticed her slow progress toward them and wondered at it. She hadnt realized the woman had them in her sights until she upended the empty bucket shed carried out and sat down on it.
She looked Sybil over with frank curiosity and began to babble at her in her native tongue. Sybil stared at her dismay. Im sorry. I dont understand your language.
She said we were doing this all wrong, Cerek translated and then spoke to the woman.
The woman snorted in disgust.
What did you tell her?
That you couldnt speak or understand
hiutzu
.
Im guessing thats your language? I suppose I should try to learn it, she said a little doubtfully. Smiling at the older woman, she held out her hand. Im Sybil Hunter.
We dont shake hands, Cerek said in a low voice. You smile and bow politely.
Sybil reddened. Sorry. She tried to comply with Cereks suggestion.
The old woman snorted again. Look like cow squat!
Cerek uttered a snorting laugh and tried to pretend he was coughing when Sybil sent him a narrow eyed glare. He shrugged. Shes old. They figure theyve earned the right to be rude. You should watch the way the other young
rilous
greet older
rilous
.
Oh god! Sybil muttered. Dont tell me! You have different greetings for everybody?
He considered it frowningly. I guess so
sort of. Its more a
variation. You bow one way to elders and a different way to peers. And then a little differently if its someone of great respect.
Theyll think Im being rude for staring.
Well, I guess I could show you, he said a little doubtfully.
The elder woman obviously wanted in on the conversation. She spoke rapidly to Cerek, no doubt asking what had been said. Clearly, she understood just enough English to be insulting!
She wants to know why you arent wearing a hat to protect your skin for your lover.
Sybil stared down at her arms in dismay. I dont have a hat.
The old woman promptly removed her own and handed it over when Cerek had translated. You use. Me old. Look like
, she paused, frowning,
mertirz
anyhow.
Cerek chuckled and the old woman swatted him.
Sybil bit her lip. What was that about?
She said I was disrespectful for laughing.
Whats
merirz
?
Cerek turned red faced. He cleared his throat but finally shrugged. Its a bad word. Well, not polite to use.
How do I say thank you?
He demonstrated the correct bow and said,
Shumitzfa
.
Sybil tried to mimic him, but could see from his face that she didnt pull it off very well. The old woman confirmed it, uttering another snort and then babbling at Cerek. She said I looked like a she-man and you looked like a man-she.
Her polite way of pointing out that you look effeminate when you do that and I look like a man trying to be woman? Sybil guessed dryly.
Cerek looked surprised. Exactly!
I think Im getting the hang of figuring out her insults.
Sybil had no idea why the woman had singled her out for insults, but she stayed and pointed out what they were doing wrong all the way through the process of planting. Anka arrived just as she was contemplating knocking the old woman in the head. The old woman immediately went into a tizzy, leaping off her bucket and standing between Anka and her. Sybil simply stood gaping while they argued. Finally, clearly disgusted, the old woman wandered off with her bucket, flinging insults, Sybil didnt doubt, over her shoulder as she left.