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you did succeed in escaping… which he was sure you would if you were still alive…it would have been impossible for you to reach the ship。 Therefore； under cover of counterattacks； we placed a number of spyeyes and microphones； as well as planting a good store of land mines and remote…controlled gas bombs。 After that we left； and the ship has set up a base somewhere in the northern mountains。 I dropped off at the foothills with the launch and have been waiting ever since。 I came as soon as I could。 Here； into the cabin。〃
〃You timed it very well； thank you。 I can do that myself。〃
He couldn't； but he wouldn't aclniit it； and made believe that he had climbed the ladder instead of being boosted in by a powerful push from her feminine right arm。
Jason staggered over and dropped into the copilot's acceleration couch while Meta sealed the lock。 Once it was closed； the tension drained from her body as her gun whined back into its power holster。 She hurried to his side； kneeling so she could look into his face。
〃Take this filthy thing off；〃 she said； hurling the fur cap to the floor。 She ran her fingers through his hair and touched her fingertips lightly to the bruises and frostbite marks on his face。 〃I thought you were dead； Jason； really I did。 I never thought I would see you again。〃
〃Did that bother you so much？〃
He was exhausted； his strength stretched well beyond the breaking point so that waves of blackness threatened to obscure his vision。 He fought them away。 He felt that； at this moment； he was closer to Meta than he had ever been before。
〃It did； it bothered me。 I don't know why。〃 She kissed him suddenly； hard； forgetting the condition of his cracked and battered lips。 He did not plain。
〃Perhaps you are just used to having me around；〃 he said； far more casually than he felt。
〃No； it is not that。 I have had men around before。〃
Oh； thanks； he thought。
〃I have had two children。 I am twenty…three years old。 While piloting our ship； I have been to many planets。 I used to think that I knew all there was to know； but now I do not believe so。 You have taught me many new things。 When that man； Mikah Samon； kidnapped you； I found out something I did not know about myself。 I had to find you。 These are very un…Pyrran things to feel； for we are taught to always think of the city first； never of other people。 Now I am very mixed up。 Am I wrong？〃
〃No；〃 he said； fighting back the threat of overwhelming darkness。 〃Quite the opposite。〃 He pressed his cracked and dirt…grimed fingers to the resilient warmth of her arm。 〃I think you are more right than any of the trigger…happy butchers in your tribe。〃
〃You must tell me。 Why do I feel this way？〃
He tried to smile； but it hurt his face。
〃Do you know what marriage is； Meta？〃
〃I have heard of it。 A social custom on some planets。 I do not know what it is。〃
An alarm buzzed angrily on the control board and she turned at once to it。
〃You still don't know； and maybe it's better that way。 Maybe I'll never tell you。〃 He smiled； his chin touched his chest and he fell instantly asleep。
〃There are more of them ing；〃 Meta said； switching off the alarm and glancing into the viewscreen。 There was no answer。 When she saw what had happened； she quickly tightened the straps to secure him in
the couch； then began the takeoff procedure。 She neither noticed nor cared if any attackers were under the jets when she blasted skyward。
The pressure of deceleration woke Jason as they dropped down for the landing。 〃Thirsty；〃 he said； smacking his dry lips together。 〃And hungry enough to eat one of those moropes raw。〃
〃Teca is on the way；〃 she told him； flipping off the switches as the launch grounded。
〃If he is the same kind of sawbones his mentor； Brucco； is； he'll put me under for recovery therapy and keep me unconscious for a week。 No can do。〃 He turned his head； slowly； to look as the inner port opened。 Teca； a brisk and authoritative young man； whose enthusiasm for medicine far exceeded his knowledge； climbed in。
〃No can do；〃 Jason repeated。 〃No recovery therapy。 Glucose drip； vitamin injections； artificial kidney； whatever you wish as long as I'm conscious。〃
〃That's what I like about Pyrrans；〃 Jason said； as they carried him from the launch on a stretcher； the glucose…drip bottle swinging next to his head。 〃They let you go to hell in your own way。〃
Meta saw to it that it took a good while for the leaders of the expedition to gather。 Jason； whose eyes had closed in the middle of a grumbled plaint； spent the time in a deep； restorative sleep。 He woke up when the hum of conversation began to fill the wardroom。
〃Meeting will e to order；〃 he said in what was intended to be a firm； manding voice。 It came out as a cracked whisper。 He turned to Teca。 〃Before the meeting begins； I would like some syrup for my throat and a shot to wake me up。 Can you take care of that？〃
〃Of course； I can；〃 Teca said； opening his kit。 〃But I think it unwise due to the strain already imposed on your system。〃 However； he did not let his thoughts interfere with the swift execution of his duties。
'That's better；〃 Jason said as the drugs once more wiped away the barrier of fatigue。 He would pay for this…but later。 The work must be done now。
〃I've found out the answers to some of our questions；〃 he told them。 〃Not all； but enough for a beginning。 I know now that； unless some profound changes are made； we are not going to be able to establish a mining settlement。 And when I say 'profound；' I mean it。 We are going to have to change the plete mores； taboos and cultural motivations of these people before we can get our mine into operation。〃
〃Impossible；〃 Kerk said。
〃Perhaps。 But it is better than the only other alternative…which is
genocide。 As things stand now； we would have to kill every one of those barbarians before we could be assured of establishing a settlement in peace。〃
A depressed silence followed this statement。 The Pyrrans knew what this meant because they were themselves unwilling genocide victims of their home planet。
'We will not consider genocide；〃 Kerk said； and the others unconsciously nodded their heads。 〃But your other alternative sounds too unreasonable。〃
〃Does it？ You might recall that we are all here now because the mores； taboos and cultural motivations of your people have recently been turned upside down。 What's good enough for you is good enough for them。 We bore from within； utilizing those two ancient techniques known as 'Divide and rule' and 'If you can't lick 'em； join 'em！〃
〃It would help us；〃 Rhes said； 〃if you explained what the mores exactly are that we are supposed to be disrupting。〃
〃Didn't I tell you yet？〃 Jason searched his memory and realized that he hadn't。 In spite of the drugs； he was not thinking so clearly as he should。 〃Then let me explain。 I have recently had an involuntary indoctrination into how the locals live。 'Nastily' is one word for it。 They are broken up into tribes and clans； all of whom seem to be perpetually at war with the others。 Occasionally two or more of the tribes will join together to wipe out one of the others whom they all agree needs wiping out。 This is always done under the leadership of a warlord； someone smart enough