FREEDOM'S RANSOM

Anne McCaffrey 2002

'We dropped, We stay!'

SLOGAN OF THE BOTANY COLONISTS

PREFACE

When the Catteni, mercenaries for an alien race called the Eosi, invaded Earth, they used their standard tactic of domination by landing in fifty cities across the planet and removing entire urban populations. These they distributed throughout the Catteni worlds and sold as slaves along with other conquered species.

A group rounded up from the prisons on the planet Barevi, a hub of the Catteni empire, was dumped on an M-type planet of unknown quality, given rations and tools, and left to deal with the conditions of the planet. Chuck Mitford, former marine sergeant, took charge of the mixed group, which included sullen, pugnacious Turs, spiderlike Deski, hairy Rugarians, vague Ilginish and gaunt Morphins, with Humans in the majority. Astonishingly enough, there was one Catteni, Emassi Zainal, who had been shanghaied onto the prison ship. Though there were those who wanted to kill him immediately, Kris Bjornsen, latterly of Denver, suggested that he might have valuable information about the planet on which they were stranded. Zainal's knowledge, scant as it was, of the planet's predators saved their lives.

Installed in a rocky site, with cliffs and caves to give them protection, Mitford quickly organized a camp, using the specific abilities of each species and assigning tasks to everyone in this unusual community. However, the planet was soon discovered to be inhabited - by machines, the Mechs, which automatically tended extensive croplands and the six-legged bovine animals. The colonists quickly learned how to dismantle the machines and design the sort of equipment they needed.

In a confrontation with yet another slave ship, dropping off more prisoners, the colonists got hold of aerial maps of the planet. Among the features of the maps was what appeared to be a big artificial installation, presumably constructed by the original owners of the planet. A member of the discovery team launched a homing device - more for curiosity than intent. Both the Eosi overlords looking for Zainal and the genuine owners of the planet noted the release of the device. An Eosi search crew sent to bring Zainal back to face his familial duty to be an Eosian host failed. The owners of the planet, whom the colonists named the Farmers', came and were revealed as peaceful life forms with no connection to the Eosi. The Farmers made it clear that the colonists were welcome to stay, and even acted to protect them from the Eosi.

As they explored the new world together, Kris learned that Zainal had a three-phase plan - one that he hoped would end the domination of his people by the Eosi and, incidentally, would include the liberation of Earth. Zainal explained to Mitford and to other naval, air force and army personnel how he meant to proceed - initially by capturing the next Catteni ship to drop slaves on Botany.

The successful execution of Zainal's plan netted the colonists not one but two usable spaceships. Even with the capability of leaving Botany, Zainal was often heard to say, 'I dropped, I stay,' a defiant attitude, and a phrase that became a rallying cry for the Botany colonists.

While the Eosi surveillance satellites were on the other side of the world, the two ships now available to the colony were able to successfully infiltrate Barevi and acquire much needed fuel and supplies. Kris, who had already learned enough Catteni to deal with merchants, and other Catteni speakers disguised themselves to accompany Zainal on this mission. While there, they rescued a number of Humans whose minds had been wiped by the Eosi. While on Barevi, Zainal also made contact with dissident Emassi, Catteni leaders also pledged to end Eosian domination.

With Zainal's first efforts so successful and Botany safe, the colonists were more than ready to follow his leadership. To continue his efforts to free not only his own people but also Earth's, a special mission was sent to Earth, where an active underground movement already was eroding Catteni occupation.

In Freedom's Challenge, Zainal risks his life in a bid to destroy the Eosi with the help of the dissident Catteni hierarchy and wins for Botany its freedom and the freedom of other enforced colony worlds inhabited by Humans. But that was the first phase of his plan. Kris knows Zainal well enough to understand that he still intends to make contact with the Farmers and discover their home world. But that wish is yet again interrupted when the colonists discover that most of the technical materials they need have been looted from Earth and are now stored on Barevi. As the Barevian merchants insist on being paid to surrender the loot, Zainal and Kris must again face the necessity of leaving Botany and finding a way to ransom the materials they desperately need to help both Earth and Botany.

1

Kamiton's messenger came in a Baby-type fast scout, and Jerry Short, the duty officer in the hangar, immediately informed Zainal of its imminent arrival and request to land. Zainal, in turn, called Kris, Peter Easley and Dorothy Dwardie, as members of the Botany Management Board, to join him. He had good relations with Kamiton and wanted to keep everything aboveboard', Kris's often-used idiom for openness. He recognized the call sign of the scout as one that Kamiton frequently used so he was somewhat prepared for bad news but did not warn the others, preferring that they take whatever news came with this messenger without any predisposition. It might not be bad news. But why else would Kamiton be sending a messenger, which suggested something he did not wish broadcast on the Botany comm lines?

Kamiton had chosen a nephew of Zainal's, firstborn son of Zainal's favourite sister, which confirmed Zainal's premonition that the news was bad. As Kris often did, she compared the new arrival to her beloved Zainal. She did not expect any familial resemblance, although she noticed as the young man - probably in his mid-twenties - approached that he was slightly shorter than Zainal but still tall for a Catteni. He had the heavy build of the true Catteni, born and adapted to Catten's heavier gravity. His greyish skin and yellow eyes were expectable. Zainal's Botany tan had altered his skin tone to a more vibrant shade of taupe and made Paxel seem drabber by comparison. But it was in the features that the main difference was plainly visible. She had always liked Zainal's nose, which was not as fleshy as most Catteni. Certainly, Zainal's mouth was better shaped, not as thick as Paxel's and far more flexible, often giving her hints as to his mood. It was severe enough right now, though; she noted the little flattening of his lips, indicating that he found this situation disagreeable and wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. She suspected then that he was anticipating a problem.

So, in his capacity as one of the governors of Botany, Zainal greeted his nephew Paxel affably and offered him coffee - a great new favourite of Catteni. Paxel grinned, showing three gold caps, a sight that caused Kris to have to hide an astonished grin. Zainal covered her astonishment by introducing Paxel, name and rank, first to Dwardie.

'This is a sister's firstborn, Emassi Paxel. I make you known to Eminent Dwardie, and my mate, Excellent Lady Emassi Kris, and Peter Easley.' He reached for the message, which Paxel somewhat reluctantly handed over.

It bore Kamiton's name, plus the characters that confirmed that Tubelin and Nitin were at least aware that a message had been sent to him. That did not bode well. He waved Paxel to a chair at the table in the hangar office. Then he broke the seal and could not suppress a grunt of dismay. When he had digested its import, he tossed the letter across the table to Kris, who could read some Catteni, though probably not all the diplomatic terms and courtesies. The gist of the message stood out as if written in red: 'Barevi merchants will not surrender any Terran goods retrieved by the Eosi or Catteni captains.'

Paxel's eyes had mirrored astonishment when Zainal gave the message first to Kris, rather than to Peter. Very few Catteni women were ever consulted on matters of significance.

'You mean, they need a bribe to give us back anything?' she demanded, outraged. 'And sent your sister's firstborn with the news so you wouldn't kill him out of hand?'

Zainal managed not to grin at her quick understanding of the ploy. She flicked the message across the smooth table towards Peter.

'What?' Dorothy Dwardie was equally incensed. She read the note over Peter's shoulder.

'They're very acquisitive, the merchants of Barevi,' Kris said, having dealt with them during her enslavement on the trade planet and more recently during her clandestine visit disguised as a Catteni officer.

'They don't mind dealing in stolen goods?' Dorothy asked, frowning at the message that Peter peered at in a total lack of comprehension, for it was in Catteni script.

'Most if not all of what they sell has been "acquired", one way or another,' Kris said, watching Paxel's reaction.

'Business is at a standstill now that there is no new material coming in from Eosian' - Paxel cleared his throat - 'development.'

'Development?' Peter echoed, glaring at the young man.

'Polite terminology for forced acquisition,' Kris translated composedly. 'However, knowing how Barevi operates, this doesn't surprise me,' she said, indicating the message. 'I didn't think we'd get anything back without a quid pro quo.'

'A what?' Zainal frowned at words he didn't understand.

'Old Latin saying. Something for something,' she told him in a low voice.

'But we must have the loot returned to us,' Peter said, 'since the production lines for many essential parts are no longer functioning. The spare parts that the Catteni "acquired" could rectify a great many useless vehicles.'

'Agreed, to the necessity to repossess the parts, especially those communication elements,' Kris said.

'Business on Barevi is at a standstill, and the merchants refuse to surrender trading goods,' Paxel repeated, as if that was the most important consideration.

'Even if we used the same technologies...' Peter began, irate.

Kris held up her hand. 'It's a fine sample of Catteni psychology,' she said, smiling at Paxel. Being a firstborn was some protection for Paxel as far as his treatment as the messenger was concerned, but Kris did not intend to mince words or exchange false courtesies. 'It drops, it stays - until it's paid for - one way or another,' she went on, using the slogan facetiously in an effort to relieve the tension in the office.

'We were promised restitution of materials forcibly removed from Earth's manufacturing facilities,' Peter said. She gave him a long, cool look.

'The merchants require compensation.'

'That's piracy,' Dorothy said, equally annoyed.

'That's business,' Kris said. 'I know the merchants. They love haggling. It's a way of life. Besides which, we've already made use of many pirated commodities that the first Barevi expedition brought back.' She gave Dorothy a quelling look. Dorothy probably hadn't considered those goods as 'loot' since they had been paid for, at least at the Barevi market. Now Kris could wonder if the merchants had been paid for the tab run up against a bogus ship's account. Oh well, that was for the Catteni accountants to resolve.

'But Kamiton ' Peter began.

'Supreme Emassi Kamiton,' Paxel said, 'promised in good faith what regretfully he cannot now deliver. He is trying to resolve a delicate situation for all concerned.' His bow to Zainal was full of respect.

Zainal was impressed by Paxel's poise and tried to hide his disappointment at finding many of his own, perhaps too ambitious plans now being thwarted by Barevian high-handedness. Establishing easy communication links between Botany and Earth was vital as the present connection was fragile and subject to more delays than mere distance. The 'spurt' technique of communications, developed for contact with the Martian colony, was ideal for shooting wads of messages from Earth to Botany and reduced, somewhat, the time lag, but he had hoped to install similar links to the other forced colony worlds that would strengthen Botany in the new balance of power in this part of the galaxy - at the least in having like-minded Terran-populated worlds.

The restoration of some basic commodity manufactories in the food industry, flour mills and food preservation, was essential not only to revive local economies and open the infrastructure of the damaged urban areas, but also to provide trade goods to the now hungry markets of Barevi. The setback of having to ransom what the Barevian merchants had lying about useless in their stalls was a further insult. Of primary importance was the repair and recommissioning of power sources that had fallen in the initial Catteni onslaught, or later when the Resistance forces were trying to force the Catteni conquerors off Terra. The restoration of easy communications was vital to the reconstruction effort. It was imperative to know where relief supplies were most critically needed as well as how to help relieve local emergencies. Priorities had to be assessed by appropriate experts and on-site information was needed to do so. He would like to see comm sats above the other nine Catteni worlds and links to Catten and Barevi. He grinned at Paxel: messages would then be easier to send and less dangerous to give. He wondered idly if Kamiton had quite anticipated the problems he was facing as the new leader of the Catteni. Certainly, when the man blithely promised the return of looted material - and Zainal had specifically mentioned what had been transported to Barevi, since he already knew how much captured goods were on display in that marketplace - Zainal had been dubious, even then, about the possibility of an easy repossession. Kamiton was obviously not enjoying as much support as he had anticipated or Zainal had hoped. So Kamiton had dumped the problem back in Zainal's lap.

Zainal could bluster and threaten, but as he had no retaliatory power or armed forces, threats were empty. Zainal had no effective way to force Kamiton to comply. His priority had been to secure Botany's autonomy and that of the other Terran forced colony worlds. The martial arm of Catten was still intact even if the Eosi had been destroyed, and Botany was in no position to succeed against the formidable Catteni fleet - especially now that the Farmers' remarkable and impervious bubble had been removed from the space around Botany. Kamiton would not have permitted an armed and defensible Botany nor had Zainal suggested it. He had aimed instead for restoring all the forced immigrants to their home world - if they wished to go - and independence from Catteni interference if they elected to stay. Botany was the most tenable and developed of the enforced colonies, so this had been quite a concession on Kamiton's part. Possibly it had come under review and criticism from the conservative Catteni, who were now in charge of their home world.

'But we have nothing more than food stores to ransom the goods we need,' Dorothy said, adding, 'that is, if I have properly understood what you said. A quid pro quo. Something for something.'

"'Ransom" is the right word, Dorothy,' Zainal replied, nodding graciously at her.

'And we can't in conscience use the Farmers' stores,' Kris replied. She and Zainal had been leading opposition to that. 'At least not for such a purpose. Feeding the hungry on our own world is one thing.'

'Feeding the greedy on Barevi is not,' Peter said firmly. 'Have we nothing else with which to barter?' Peter was fascinated by Paxel's dental work, Kris noticed. He caught Kris's eye. 'See what Mike Miller has in.'

She nodded, understanding what he meant.

'An ounce for what quantity of goods?' Zainal asked in quick comprehension. 'Kris, if you would be good enough to contact Mike?' He jerked his head towards the main communications bank in the hangar. 'First we have to know what we have. And perhaps, Paxel, you would be good enough to suggest commodities.'

Kris smiled at Paxel and rose gracefully. 'Be right back.' She couldn't help lapsing into a provocative stroll since Paxel was obviously watching her. She was by no means vain about her tall, lithe figure or that her long blond hair was attractively arranged. She didn't consider herself beautiful even if Zainal often told her that he thought she was but she knew that she wasn't unattractive.

She made her way into the main hangar where Jerry Short was sitting, looking extremely nervous.

'It's all right, Jerry, we aren't killing the messenger,' she said with a grin.

'I heard tell the Eosi did allatime,' he replied, not completely reassured.

'The Catteni is a nephew of Zainal's.'

'I don't think that would have bothered the Eosi.' 'Neither do I, but Zainal is not Eosian. Would you please see if you can get Mike on the com?' 'Mike Miller?'

Kris took what looked to be the most comfortable of the three battered chairs facing the comm unit. 'The very one.'

'Why? Do we need more gold for teeth?' Jerry asked over his shoulder as he looked up Miller's comm-unit number and tapped it in.

'Now, you know, that's a very good notion, Jerry,' she said, smiling at him. One of her private priorities was going to be new chairs for this place so no one would have back and coccyx problems from long hours on duty. 'I wonder how many spare-part packages we could get for an ounce of dust?'

'How much dust does it take to build a gold cap? Do we have any dentists on our roster?'

On another board, Jerry tapped in a sequence. 'I'll find out.' Just then Mike's gravelly voice answered the prime call.

'Miller here. What can I do for you?'

Mike was in a good mood, Kris thought at his jocose greeting, and she hated to spoil it.

'Kris here, and it's what I can do you out of again, Mike. I'm begging. Have you mined anything valuable enough to use for ransoming our equipment back from the merchants on Barevi?'

'What?' The force of that simple worn reminded Kris that Mike had a reputation as a brawler: a big energetic man who had done hard physical labour all his life and would have been a match in a brawl even with a Catteni. Maybe she should take him with them to Barevi. By the same token, maybe she should not. While Zainal had not yet mentioned a large mission, Kris knew that it would be necessary, and would require every other Cattenispeaker. 'As I heard it, all they've got is goods they looted from Earth. Thought they were supposed to give it over to us.'

'That was the general idea, but it evidently doesn't work for the Barevian merchants.'

'Thought Zainal had figured out how to make them,' Mike said and started cursing under his breath.

'They've got crates of stuff they can't use, which they won't release until something is paid over. So we just have to cut bait and ransom what is most needed, Mike. I don't like it any better than you do, and Zainal is apoplectic.' Which was hyperbole but she knew that Zainal was not at all pleased by the situation. Terrans had had to swallow considerable amounts of pride since the day the Catteni invaded Earth, and most people had had to do worse.

'You're in luck, Kris. We've been mining that diamond pipe Sergei found. Beautiful stones. Collectors would pay a premium rate for them,' he added, with an upward inflection that suggested immense curiosity. 'Uncut, of course, but it's the "water" of the original carats that's important. Let someone else have the stress of cutting the stone to make the most out of it. Didn't think they'd be useful so we've been screening for industrials. The big stones are not something anyone here would want to spend colony credits on.'

'Could you put your hands on more?'

'Why? It was the Eosi who collected gemstones in the

Catteni economy. I heard they were all gone.'

'I wonder who'd want gemstones if now they're all gone.'

'Good question, Kris. Anyone got answers?'

'There were a few who hadn't come to the big Council and are still alive and free, somewhere in the galaxy. But I doubt they'd know where the others kept their proceeds.'

'Would they put in an appearance where they could be caught?' Mike asked, surprised.

'Not likely. All I care about now is that the Barevian merchants will take what we have to offer in exchange for what we need. We'll sort out the ethics later.'

'Well, caveat emptor, then.'

Kris chuckled to hear Latin for the second time that morning.

'Yes, indeed. Have you much gold?'

'Actually, we do. Bart Crispin was keen-eyed enough to spot some nuggets and flakes in one of the streams up here and we've had the devil's own time keeping everyone at work in the mine shafts. I let them go prospecting in the evening. Ain't much else exciting to do up here.'

'D'you speak any Catteni, Mike? Does anyone else up there? We might need to muster you for the aid of the party.'

'New faces would be nice, even if they are Catteni bastards. In fact, you can put me on record as saying that if I could suss out what they are selling, I might be able to suggest other likely items to secure what we need.'

'I'll tell Zainal of your willingness to be in the ransom party,' she said, knowing that Mike would not be a prime candidate, though she might be doing him a disservice. He managed difficult miners handily enough. If he could keep his temper, he might be an asset.

There was also the minor problem that she didn't think Barevi merchants would deal with a woman, beyond selling her food or fabric. She'd managed before only because she was in a Catteni uniform, disguised and bearing proof of her captain's authorization. She didn't care to be in disguise again unless it was absolutely vital.

'How much gold is available?'

'Depends on the rate of exchange, but I've over thirty pounds of dust, a bagful of forty-five nuggets of various sizes, and a couple of bars where we melted down the little stuff so we wouldn't lose the flakes.' She quickly jotted down a note about the variety of raw materials. 'About a hundred pounds each of tin, copper and zinc. I'm told the Catteni are in chronic need of raw materials.'

'Thanks, Mike. I'll get back to you,' she said, signing off the line. She gathered up her notes, thanked Jerry with a nod, and went back to the office, where she passed Zainal the note without comment. When he pointed to her scribble of 'gold', she tapped a front tooth.

'The main point is, Paxel, if we bring goods, will the merchants trade?'

The young Catteni leaned forward, opening his hands wide in entreaty. 'Any business will be welcome right now, I think.' He gave Zainal a knowing smile. 'With the Eosi gone, and no new development available, they are feeling a pinch they haven't known in decades.'

If Kris said 'too bad' to herself, she smiled winningly at Paxel.

'Can Kamiton guarantee their "cooperation"?'

Paxel shrugged diffidently. 'He expected their cooperation before now, especially since your people have provided so many unusual items for Barevi markets and Barevi wants to continue the influx. Barevi has a reputation to maintain.' He grinned. 'So the need is always to have many new items to intrigue and entertain customers.'

'I wouldn't have taken the Catteni culture as consumer oriented,' Peter remarked.

'Never mind that they can't use half the stuff they have in storage,' Zainal said, leaning back in his chair and smiling. 'They always did display a wide variety of goods.'

Paxel grinned back. 'There are always Emassi to supply. Our scout ships, as you should know, Zainal, often use trade items when encountering a native species.'

'Ah, yes,' Zainal murmured.

'I always wondered,' Dorothy remarked with an acid sweet smile, 'what they first offered Terrans in trade. Beads?'

'Those records are sealed,' Paxel replied, but his eyes sparkled.

'Do you think someone sold you out to the Catteni?' Zainal asked, giving her a sharp look.

"'Take me to your leader" was never a headline prior to the invasion fleet,' she said noncommittally. 'But that didn't mean there weren't private deals made.'

'Nor that it was a very equitable trade,' Peter remarked, 'whatever was offered.'

'Beads probably, or was it tomahawks and firearms?' Dorothy said with a very bright smile.

Paxel's reference to scouts and ships reminded Zainal of a very important fact. All scouting-mission reports as well as booty were processed through Central Barevi Air Traffic records, as well as where slave ships had taken their cargoes, so all the records they needed to repatriate Terrans were on file at Barevi - somewhere. Now that he had a legitimate reason to go to Barevi, he could possibly accomplish a lot more than just reclaiming loot. A gold nugget in the appropriate hand and he might be able to review those records. The Resistance movement had lists identifying which ships had landed in which major population centres on Earth, and now he could find out where the various ships had deposited their cargoes. So he'd be able to repatriate specialists vitally needed back on their home worlds. Zainal had no idea how he might accomplish such an exchange.

Lives were wasted on the mining planets. More workers had always been available to the Eosi 'development' programme. New supplies of workers had been one of the primary aims of Eosi searches. The other had been finding planets with the raw materials necessary to supply the ever-increasing requirements of the Eosi. The Turs had been the first reasonably intelligent species the Eosi had found and almost as difficult to deal with as Catteni. The Rugarians had been slightly more cooperative, but the Deski had been physically unsuited to the hard labour required of captives. The Terrans would be physically more suited to such arduous work. It was likely to prove difficult to exchange the current labourers at those facilities.

This Barevi trip might provide him with more information than Kamiton wanted him to have, but since the opportunity had been dropped into Zainal's lap, he would 'stay"with it. It was also a chance for him to take his sons into a Catteni world where, he hoped, they would absorb more of the training they would need to function as adults. The Masai had done well with them, encouraging them in warrior skills, but they needed more than that to cope successfully in the Catteni culture. He would find a tutor for them at the hiring hall in Barevi. He was pleased that they had learned English - albeit with a Masai cadence - but they needed to acquire an adult Catteni vocabulary and adult Catteni skills. Kris always wanted to see more of his sons, and this would be a good opportunity. They had toughened and she would no longer feel 'sorry' for them and treat them with the softness so often exhibited by Terran mothers. Not that he doubted Kris's sincere desire to do well by her mate's offspring. He had a lot to get under way now that he knew what the situation on Barevi was and how Botany could mitigate the problem. He would wind up this conference with Paxel and send him back - unharmed - to Kamiton, he hoped not much the wiser of how things were progressing on Botany: save that there were Catteni-style cargo ships, KDLs, lying idle outside the landing field.

'Well, Paxel, delighted to see you and do give my greetings to your mother, my favourite sister, and your sire. And to Kamiton, of course. I expect there will be no trouble if I arrive in one of the cargo ships?'

'No, none at all. Kamiton asked me to encourage you.'

'To solve the problem, no doubt.'

'I believe he hopes you can,' and Paxel leaned in a little on the final word, and then realized that might have been less than diplomatic but had the sense not to try to retrieve the error.

'I'm sure he does,' Zainal replied amiably, smiling. 'Expect us within five days.'

'Or perhaps a little later,' Kris said. They'd particularly need Chuck's assistance and possibly that of some of the others who had returned to help rebuild Earth. 'There's a lot to organize, especially as some of our more fluent Catteni-speakers are currently on Earth and will need to be recalled.'

'That is all too true, Paxel.'

Paxel nodded. 'It is up to Zainal, and you, to set the time of return, Excellent Lady Emassi,' he said, giving her a polite but stiff nod of his head. Plainly he was surprised that a woman would enter into a conversation with a male, especially one of Zainal's status. But, even on Catteni, certain mates did have special privileges, and doubtless he knew her reputation since he had addressed her with her honorary Catteni title.

'Then we shall collect the members of our delegation,' Zainal said, straightening up and looking Paxel in the eye, 'and inform Kamiton that we shall presently arrive on Barevi and settle this onerous problem once and for all. I need the security codes presently in effect at Barevi.'

If Paxel's eyes widened at Zainal's demand, he placed one hand on his chest and bowed again.

'I return with all speed, Emassi.'

Retrieving the message he had delivered, Paxel jotted down a few words and figures and passed the notation to Zainal. 'That code will continue for the next five weeks.'

Kris thought that Zainal had impressed his young nephew and hoped there would be no repercussions when Paxel delivered the response. Zainal shot her an amused glance as if he suspected her thoughts before he turned back to the other Botany colonists.

'We must first recall those Catteni-speakers who have gone to Terra. Does someone have the list?'

As there was no such list and Zainal must have known it, Kris made a move to the file cabinet and started flipping through documents. Peter urgently tapped a command on the nearest keyboard, and Dorothy was industriously writing notes.

'A safe journey, Paxel, and again, my regards to your mother and your father,' Zainal said as Paxel made his way out of the hangar. A backward wave from Paxel acknowledged the civility even as Zainal turned to ask Kris, 'Who is most drastically needed to return from Terra?'

'Without prejudice, I'd say Chuck would be invaluable,' and Dorothy nodded from where she sat, grinning broadly.

'Maybe he even thought to make a list of the most urgently needed items. Won't we need to know which cartons to ransom?' Peter asked. 'Wouldn't want to buy a pig's ear for a purse.'

'Would it be quicker to take Baby and go to Terra and collect the people we need?' Kris asked.

'Might be in the long run,' Zainal agreed. 'We do have destinations for most of them. Like the Doyle brothers. I'll need Ninety, Gino and Mack Dargle, and you, please, Kris. Can you leave your daughter?' He knew how she doted on six-month-old Amy but she nodded a quick reassurance. This mission had a priority she couldn't ignore to play Mommy. Besides, in her absence both Amy and Zane would be well taken care of at the creche.

'What about our military?' Peter asked, referring to various admirals and generals who had been dropped on Botany and were now busy with the reconstruction of Earth's facilities.

'Hmmm.' Zainal considered this. 'I'd certainly like their thinking on this ransom business. Especially Ray Scott and John Beverly.'

'Yes, Scott has a reputation as a strategist but he has no Catteni.'

'No, but I'd value his opinion. I'll take any help I can get on this one.'

'Good idea,' Dorothy and Peter said simultaneously. Peter was plucking at his lower lip, a trait that most recognized as 'Peter thinking'.

'It's also a problem in public relations,' Peter said. 'We can get there with ransomables, but how do we know the merchants will then be willing to trade?'

'Kamiton said they would.'

'Ha!' Peter sat forward with his hands clasped in front of him. 'He didn't read the signs right when he thought he could get them to make restitution. I think we need a little more to make sure they'll exchange.'

'How would you suggest we do that, Peter?' Kris asked.

'I'm thinking about it,' he said with a grin.

'No better man.'

'Wish your people had advertising or a public service radio channel. Get word about.'

Zainal grinned. 'Actually, a few rumours wouldn't be hard to start.'

'That's what we need. How?'

'By the very people we want to trade with us.'

'The merchants?'

'They tend to trade gossip, too,' Zainal said with a cunning smile. 'And spread news.'

'And?' Peter prompted him.

'And we can prime them, as it were.'

'So they'll be lusting after our goods,' Peter said, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

'We can hope,' Zainal remarked, slightly sceptical.

'If we put out the right lures, they'll come. Especially if they are becoming consumer-oriented.'

We could also bring Botanical specialities,' Kris said. 'Like rock squats. Remember how our refugees liked them?'

'No, but I'll take your word for it,' Zainal said with a grin, as he had been absent from Botany during the period when the colony had been a sanctuary for the families of Emassi who wanted them safe prior to the attack on the dread Eosi leaders.

'Even managed to get the boys to hunt with us,' Peter said, amused by the recollection.

'Well, we should arrange a hunting party, then.'

'So, what needs to be done first?' Dorothy asked just as Peter reached the printer that had several sheets in its tray. 'And perhaps some of the tubers. I suspect that food is in short supply on Earth. Invasions do wreak havoc on crops.'

'Got a list here of Catteni-speakers who are away,' he said and handed it to Zainal.

'And I have the list of possible barter goods,' Kris said, pointing to her scribbled note listing what Mike Miller had told her.

'We do have a dentist,' Jerry Short said, stopping in the doorway. 'Name of Eric Sachs. Used to practise in New York. He's been on call at the hospital but doesn't have much equipment here. I've asked him to join us.'

'Thanks, Jerry.' Zainal made a check on his own notes and then paused. 'How do you spell "dentist"?' he asked.

Everyone told him at once but he got the word down on his pad, grinning as he wrote. 'Thanks. I think these "dentists" will be very useful. And we can get the equipment. What is generally needed?'

'I've never needed much dentistry except to have my wisdom teeth pulled,' Kris said, looking around.

'Well, I have - you know the Colgate-bright smile,' Peter said and exposed his white, even teeth. 'A good smile is essential in public relations. However, to preserve the image I wanted to present, I did get my front teeth' -- he tapped them - 'capped as a business expense. Good teeth are a lifelong investment.'

'What about gold ones?' Kris asked.

'That's not part of my culture,' he said. 'But a sign of importance or affluence in others. In present context, if it works, it'd be wonderful.' He paused, raising his hand for silence. 'To be Johnny-on-the-spot, we can also possibly provide the essential professional.'

'Essential professional?' Zainal was totally confused.

'We bring our resident dentist with us - and he makes crowns on the spot?' Kris asked. Peter's wide smile answered her. 'But a dentist needs a lot of equipment and supplies we don't have.'

'Aren't we planning a trip to Earth anyway? We can pick up what we need, and sell the Catteni those gold teeth they're so fond of.'

Kris snapped her fingers. 'Just like that!'

Why not? Who'd be stealing dental equipment?'

'Point,' Kris conceded. As if on cue, there was a tap at the door and it swung open.

'I'm Eric Sachs,' the man said, peering around the door. 'Back on old Earth, I used to be a dentist. I was informed that I was wanted in here.'

'Ah, good of you to come so quickly,' Peter said, jumping to his feet and gesturing for the man to enter.

Aware of the scrutiny of everyone in the room, Eric Sachs moved with athletic ease towards the chair that Peter waved him to. He was of medium height, stockily built, dark hair cut close to his skull, as was the current trend on Botany, pleasant features, and brown eyes that sparkled with amused intelligence. He took the seat, facing Zainal, stretched out his legs, and folded his hands across his waist. Kris could see that the nail on his right thumb was distorted. He caught her glance and smiled at her.

'It wasn't my patients biting me,' he said, 'though some of them have. But my silly habit of holding dental X rays in exactly the position I want. Bad case of health and safety in the workplace but useful in obtaining clearer films. I'll probably lose more than the nail but...' He shrugged, philosophical over the price he would have to pay for that lack of attention to proper X-ray procedure.

'Thank you, Dr. Sachs,' Zainal said. 'Let me ask you a few questions about some procedures which may have more than ordinary significance for us right now.'

'Such as?'

'Do dentists use pure gold for gold caps or tooth replacement?'

'We use seventy-five per cent or eighteen-carat gold, which expands and contracts almost identically with tooth enamel, so gold is the best material. In some of the newer procedures the range is thirty per cent gold supplemented by platinum and mostly silver nine to forty per cent.'

Zainal looked askance at Kris and she nodded, after checking that platinum was one of the metals that Mike had on hand.

'What sort of equipment would you need to practise?' Peter asked. 'Is it portable enough for you to set up your office where needed?'

'Well, as I have currently no equipment whatever, beyond a toothpick and specula, any office will suffice. There are portable dental units. Armies travel with them,' Eric said with another easy smile. He obviously intended to enjoy this unusual interview.

'Would you know where to find the equipment you would need for a working "office"?'

'Back on Earth, you mean?' Eric leaned forward eagerly.

'Yes and no. Yes, to obtain the equipment you would need, and no, not to practise back on Earth.'

'Where did you have in mind? Though we could use a facility here on Botany with all these youngsters and oldsters needing effective dental care,' Eric replied. 'I used to specialize in orthodontics.'

Zainal looked inquiringly at Kris.

'Orthodontics usually means repair work to crooked teeth and/or false ones.'

'Dentures, please,' Eric said with a friendly grin. 'False ones? Dentures?' Zainal didn't comprehend the distinction.

'For when people are required to entirely replace the ones they've lost to either age or caries.' 'Caries?'

'Dental decay,' Eric replied quickly, nodding an apology at Kris. She gave him a quick flip of her fingers to accept his reply.

'Dental decay?' Zainal looked surprised.

'Don't you Catteni ever have tooth problems? Apart from losing the front ones in your brawls?'

'The only ones we lose are in combat,' Zainal replied. 'What other way is there?,

'Bad bite, poor nutrition, lack of calcium, pregnancy, too much refined sugar...' Eric shrugged as he listed the main causes.

'If we could obtain equipment for you, would you be willing to dentify... Catteni teeth?'

'I have nothing against your species,' Eric said. Then his expression turned eager and his eyes glinted. 'Mind you, I would never use my professional expertise to cause unnecessary pain. Though, until I got here to Botany, I might have entertained a few vengeful ideas from time to time.'

'At mercy in your chair?' Kris asked, grinning at the thought of a Catteni bully in helpless jeopardy in a dental chair. Sometimes, ethics went the way of other civilized behaviour.

'I admit to some rather fanciful daydreams at a particular time, however that's not only immature but also against all dental ethics. From what I've seen of your people, they aren't much in need of my skills.'

'What about cosmetic work?' Kris suggested, pointing to the tooth in her head that was in the same place as Zainal's broken one.

'Ah, cosmetic work! That's something else again, and I fancy myself quite skilful in both orthodontia and cosmetic repair.'

'What would you also need besides the basic dental drill?' Kris asked.

'It would be quite a list,' Eric said tentatively, but with a dawning eagerness in his expression.

'But you'd know where such supplies could be found on Earth?' Kris asked.

'I'd know where there used to be suppliers in the

Manhattan area, certainly. Whether they're still there or not, I couldn't, of course, be certain.' 'Of course.'

There was a pause that Eric broke. 'Does this have anything to do with the rumour I heard that Catteni were investing in gold caps?'

Kris laughed, easing the tension that had been growing in her, partly because of the whole notion of having to ransom what was rightfully Earth's and partly because she was beginning to understand this bizarre element: providing a skill and treatment the Catteni certainly didn't have on their home world. Whatever worked!

'It does,' Peter said.

Eric rubbed his hands on his thighs. 'I am indeed your man, then, Easley, Zainal. And I'd be happy to repair that incisor of yours, Zainal, for all you've done for us.' He jerked his damaged thumb at his chest. 'Then you could see first-hand how skilled I am.'

'We don't doubt your abilities,' Dorothy said, 'especially since you made those marvellous repairs to Brenda Samuelson's dentures.'

'The dentures were easy. All I needed was a decent adhesive.' Eric twitched one shoulder. 'So when do we go?'

'I suspect it is now necessary to figure out a flight plan,' Zainal said, nodding to Kris, 'to cover as much territory as we need to as quickly as possible. Please make a list of the items you would require. And where we'd need to go in this Manhattan...'

'Also known as New York.'

Zainal shot him a look. 'Is Manhattan the only place to acquire what you need?'

'No, but it's the one I know best. And, if they haven't been demolished in the Resistance, I could quite honestly retrieve the equipment I had in my office.'

'Please give me the location,' Zainal said, holding his pencil over his pad and looking intently at Dr. Sachs for his answer.

'My office was in the main city, on Fifty-ninth Street at Columbus Circle.'

'Fifty-ninth Street?' Peter echoed. 'I don't think it still exists, Dr. Sachs. Would you have any other ideas?'

'Well, quite a few dentists had offices in the general area.'

'if you will agree to accompany us on this "adventure",' Zainal said with a little chuckle, 'I'm sure we can locate what you need to take with you.'

'With me?'

'Yes, to Barevi,' and before Eric Sachs could rattle off the questions that must have flooded his mind, Peter told him what had to be done and how Eric was essential to spurring the merchants to action.

'By offering to those who want them immediate gold crowns?' Eric asked, his eyes merry with appreciation of the scheme. 'I must advise you that making a gold crown is not an "immediate" proposition.'

'The simple fact that you are there and an expert would allow us to charge them not only for the metal necessary to make their teeth, but for the expert to do the work and another reason to barter for the goods we desperately need which they are holding back!'

Eric was stunned by the explanation and then grinned broadly. 'I like it. I like it. But as I said, it takes time to make proper crowns, and if I am to do the work, I insist on doing proper work.'

'Of course, of course,' Zainal and Peter agreed.

'I know there's gold available on Botany,' Eric said, excitedly bouncing about on the chair, jotting down notes, 'and platinum, too, I've heard.' He rubbed his hands together enthusiastically before setting down more scrawls which probably only he could read. 'What I need more than anything,' he flushed and grinned sheepishly, 'more than the equipment, is certain materials without which I cannot succeed. Such as an alginate to take good impressions and accessories like the carrying trays to secure the impressions. The gold caps would take time to prepare. One has to pound the gold into gold leaf. Rather fun to do, actually, and oh, well, you don't need a blow-by-blow description of the process right now. But I remember the dental supply house I used, and quite possibly no one bothered looting such items.'

'Alginate?' Dorothy asked. 'Seaweed. We have seaweed in quantity.'

'I'd also need a mixing gun to deliver the alginate where I need it.' Eric flapped his hands. 'And a whole lot of stuff if I'm to do this properly.'

'How did you hear about the gold and platinum?' Zainal asked.

'Same way I heard about gold crowns on Catteni teeth,' Eric said. 'Hey, could we get more than one set of office equipment? And find a few more dentists while we're about it?'

'And we will be about it!' Zainal said. He pushed back from the table and rose purposefully, gathering up his notes and the letter from Kamiton that he seemed to be rereading. 'Kamiton will never know what hit Barevi.' He grinned with total satisfaction at the prospect.

'Ahem, Zainal,' Eric said, raising one finger to attract the Catteni's attention. 'It would be useful if I had a trained dental assistant. Speed things up.'

Zainal glanced at Peter. 'Would you handle that detail, Peter? I'm going to draft the Catteni-speakers who are still here. We will have to go after some of the others who've gone to Terra. We can get what you need on that trip, too, Eric. Will you come with us?' 'Yes, and I think I'd better take some lessons in your language. I'll need to be able to give simple instructions to any patients you might wish me to attend.'

'Like "open", "spit", "close"?' Kris asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

'And some basic instructions about what I'll be doing.

I'll also need analgesics like Novocain and procaine-' 'Oh, you won't need painkillers,' Kris said, grinning broadly. 'Catteni would disregard mere pain as beneath their notice.'

'Not if I have to work close to nerves. Catteni do have those, I believe.'

'Check with Leon Dane,' Kris advised.

Eric wrote that down and then began to jot down more notes. 'I'll need so much to even get started.'

'A list of your requirements is a good start.'

'There are talented scroungers on Terra,' Peter remarked. 'If it still exists, they'll find it for you.'

Eric gave him a long, hard look. 'I thought scrounging was what put us in this position already?'

'Oh, not those who will scrounge for us,' Peter said with a grin. 'I'll see if I can find you a dental assistant.

And a technician. You'll need one of those, too, won't you?'

'If business is brisk, yes.'

'Oh, it will be brisk,' Zainal said emphatically. 'No one ever developed tooth restoration under the Eosi.'

'Did they have teeth?' Kris asked, shuddering as she remembered the awful grotesquerie of the one Eosi whom she had seen.

'Surely every species has teeth of some kind,' Dorothy remarked.

'Eosi didn't eat as we do. They used some form of matter ingestion...'

'Osmosis?' Eric asked, startled.

Kris giggled and Dorothy smiled as she shrugged and replied, 'Well, it's often been suggested as a possible means of nutrient absorption. But we don't have to worry about them any more, do we?'

Zainal gave her a startled look and Kris frowned. 'Not all the Eosi were... ah... terminated.'

'They will be far too busy making certain they survive,' Zainal said, 'wherever they have taken refuge. And it won't be nearby.'

'How many Catteni worlds are there, Zainal?' Peter asked.

'I know of nine. There may be new ones. That's one of the details I need to find in the files at Barevi, Peter. Scouts were constantly finding new worlds, for resources and colonization. I know many of them, but not all. And it is essential to have accurate information.'

'Would the Eosi have taken refuge on a distant one?,

'Possibly. But they had strongholds on suitable moons as well as planets. I've no idea where the survivors might be. But it's wise to find out, if we can.'

Peter nodded agreement with the sentiment. 'I'll go find out if we have any other dentists or assistants or technicians on our roster.'

'If you will gather what will be needed for my sons, Kris, I'll collect them first before things get busy.'

'Let me come, too,' Kris said. 'It shouldn't take me long to set up two cots. But we should also, I think, bring some thank-you gifts to Chief Materu.'

'As you will,' was Zainal's reply. 'And yes, presents are in order. Can you do that for me?'

Remembering the bright prints she had seen the Masai wearing, she thought there was at least one bolt of a tropical floral print that they might like in the cargo she had brought back from her last trip to Barevi. She supposed she should take something for Chief Materu, though she hadn't a clue what would be appropriate.

She borrowed the cots she needed from the day care centre and told Sarah McDouall that the boys were coming, and also told Zane that he would be seeing his two step-brothers while she gave her daughter a cuddle. Amy was a pretty baby but Kris could see no resemblance in the heart-shaped face to herself or to Chuck, apart from fair hair, blue eyes, and the long bones of her legs. Leon Dane had commented that she would be tall. Kris borrowed a land cart, got the mattresses and the blankets down to the cottage, and set them up in the living room. If the boys wanted to sleep in the loft that had been built for that purpose, they could haul their beds up there to suit themselves tomorrow. She also put the bolt of wildly patterned dress material on the cart and the leather belts, which Astrid had recommended as an appropriate gift for the chief.

2

Zainal and Kris took the fast scout Baby to make the quickest possible run down the coast to where the Masai had chosen their new home. She hadn't been there in a while and was impressed by the neat huts within the kraal enclosure. Amazing that the Masai had found substitutes for their traditional materials. Their encampment, despite the night-crawler-resistant flagstone flooring, looked like her memory of African settlements from National Geographic magazines. The tribe came filing out, men with their spears and long shields, arraying themselves in front of the curious women. The pre-adult children were arranged in their own age groupings in which they learned responsibilities and tasks suitable to their age-set. Camp dogs bristled and daringly ran at the ramp as Zainal and Kris walked down it. A shrill whistle called the dogs off but they sank to the dirt, still on their guard and not entirely happy to be called off the intruders.

Kris saw the bright gold hair of Floss among the women and realized with some remorse that she had only just then thought of the girl again. Floss and her band of abandoned and orphaned kids, calling themselves the Diplomatic Corps, had enjoyed the undisputed freedom of the Occupation and the leadership of a devoted band of young men and women. Sent to Botany to recover from their trauma and make a new home, they had been so undisciplined and rowdy that the Botanists were all for sending them back to fend for themselves on Earth. However, Dorothy Dwardie had suggested an alternative: place them with the disciplined Masai culture until they lost their wildness and were ready to 'settle down'. The Masai had agreed. Floss had been the most recalcitrant and reluctant to leave Retreat but she was mostly to blame for being exiled. Across the distance separating them, Kris made eye contact. Turning back to the men, she noticed the unmistakable figure of Clune, solid among all the lithe, gaunt Masai, with his two former lieutenants, Ferris and Ditsy, standing beside him. Those Diplomatic Corps kids had survived the Catteni invasion and the roundup of Terran inhabitants. That was very clever of them. Idly she wondered if any of them had learned some Catteni. Such survivor-types might be useful.

Greetings and gift-giving aside, Bazil and Peran were called forward from their age-set by Chief Materu and sent to pack whatever they wished to take with them. Both boys had put on inches, vertically, and the deep tan that Botany's sun was giving everyone. Her glance strayed to Floss, who seemed to have improved. Chief Materu was examining the leather belts, noting the buckles and testing the straps with great interest.

Almost as if compelled, Kris wandered in Floss's direction and, when she was close enough, signalled for her to approach. Floss shot the older woman beside her a beseeching look while Kris made a formal gesture of asking for the girl to help her with the bolt. The head woman gave Floss a push in her direction. Floss corrected her balance and all but ran to assist Kris with the bolt.

'Hello, Floss. It's good to see you again. Do you happen to speak any Catteni?'

'Yes, Lady Emassi, I do. I had to learn enough to stay alive, you know. Just ask Bazil or Peran. I've learned a lot more words from them while they've been here. They aren't bad kids for boys!' The last word was spoken with the usual contempt of an older girl for a younger male. Then Floss hoisted the bolt onto her shoulder, balancing it with unexpected expertise, and walked with Kris back to the waiting women. There was no question that the fabric would not be put to immediate use.

'Do any of the others in your Diplomatic gang speak Catteni?'

'Besides Bazil and Peran? Sure, Clime did all our negotiating for us. Ditsy and Ferris knew enough to listen in to some int'rusting conversations. Saved our necks a coupla times.' Then Floss cocked her head and looked at Kris with eyes far wiser than her years. 'Why? Will it get me outa here?'

Kris held up a hand to indicate she did not wish to explain but she saw hope flare in Floss's deep blue eyes. 'Please tell the head woman that this is a gift offering for her care of you.' She ignored Floss's snort, then gestured her to follow her back to Zainal and Chief Materu, who were deep in conversation. Floss kept well behind Kris, trying to look invisible, Kris thought.

'Floss said she's been keeping up her Catteni with Bazil and Peran. Clune did their negotiating with Catteni. Back in DC they managed their own little trading enterprises. Could sell you your own teeth. Those two skinny boys standing with him also know the language.'

'Really?' Zainal gave a snort that was half scepticism and half amusement. Just then Bazil came racing back, a square of cloth held tightly in one fist with a spear while he had the framework of a Masai shield in the other. He came to a halt by his father, respectfully silent as Chief Materu was awaiting Zainal's pleasure.

'Does anyone here speak Catteni, Bazil?' Zainal asked him.

'Yes, that one by Kris does and a couple of the other Terrans. We talk with them sometimes,' Bazil said with a diffident shrug.

'Their names are Clune, Ditsy and Ferris,' Kris murmured.

In Catteni, Zainal asked for volunteers who could speak the language. Clune, his expression astonished, made his way to the front of his age-set, Ferris hauling the thinner, wiry Ditsy with his free hand. He had a finished shield and two fine spears in the other. Floss, taking no chance of being overlooked, held up her hand, waggling it at Zainal.

'Volunteers for what, Emassi Zainal?' Clune asked, glaring at Floss and urging his friends to catch up to him.

'A special mission to Barevi,' Zainal replied.

'The trading planet?' Floss exclaimed and won points, Kris thought, by Zainal's response to her knowledge.

'What else do you know about Barevi?' he asked her.

She made a moue. 'Not much except it was a place to avoid if you were captured by Catteni.' She gave him an apologetic smile. 'And it was low gravity. That's why the Catteni used it as an R and R place.'

'It's where the Catteni took Terran slaves to be sold,' Clime said, frowning. But he spoke in Catteni, his young baritone voice able to growl out the words with a good accent.

'They took a lot of stuff off Earth to Barevi,' Ferris remarked.

'And we have to reclaim it,' Zainal said.

'They're going to keep all the stuff they stole and be allowed to get away with it?' Ditsy muttered in a petulant tone.

'No, Ditsy. But he has the priorities right,' Zainal murmured in an aside to Kris, and she grinned back at him. Now he stepped over to Chief Materu. 'Chief, these young men and that woman speak my language and may be of use to us all. Will you allow them to accompany us?'

Judging by the fleeting expression that crossed the chief's face, Kris thought he would be glad to see the last of Floss but he seemed more reluctant to part with Clime and the other lads.

His answer was a ripple of words that Kris didn't understand. Zainal looked at Bazil for a translation.

'Father, he says that they are not yet in the age-set to be trained for a man's skills and responsibilities.'

'Will you answer him for me, Bazil, as I do not know his language, that they are trained in the skills I need for an important mission.'

Bazil did not smile as Kris thought a Terran boy might, pleased to be translating for his father. He rattled off phrases with a respectful air and waited for the chief to reply.

Materu shrugged but, with a wave of his hand, agreed.

'Run, get your things,' Bazil said in Catteni to the three boys and, almost as an afterthought, included Floss. She angled her hips provocatively and stood closer to Kris.

'I won't need anything they gave me once I'm back in civilization,' she muttered under her breath. But redeemed herself in Kris's good opinion by turning towards the group of women and making a broad gesture of farewell, giving the older woman a dignified nod. 'Can I board the ship now?' she asked Kris.

'Can't wait to leave, can you?'

'You better believe it,' Floss replied and sauntered, still swinging her hips in a sexy manner, which Kris thought was provocative; she disappeared up the ramp and into the ship. By the time Kris, following her, had made her way to the flight deck, she heard more feet on the ramp and the whine of machinery as the ramp was retracted. Zainal came forward to the pilot's seat. As if it were his prerogative, Bazil took the secondary seat. Kris took the jump seat behind Zainal and motioned for the boys and Floss to strap in. As they took off and Zainal dipped Baby in a farewell salute over the Masai EnKang, Floss heaved a long sigh.

'Thank God you came. They were going to marry me off to a bag of bones and shrivelled skin,' she muttered to Kris.

Kris felt a pang of guilt for having forgotten Floss for so long and wondered how the girl had coped. There was little doubt in Kris's mind that Floss had filled out in a very womanly fashion, and she was glad they had rescued her from an ancient spouse. That would only have caused more problems and indubitably Floss would never have waited passively to enjoy marital bliss.

'So what's the caper?' she asked, leaning towards Zainal, her eyes glittering.

Zainal responded in his best Emassi manner but the only words Kris recognized were 'know' and 'time'. Floss had no trouble understanding and leaned back in her seat, folding her arms across her breasts. Full breasts, Kris noticed, and hoped they could get the girl off-planet and to Barevi before she caused havoc among the unmarried males at the Botanists' main settlement at Retreat. The girl was much too young to settle down, although she seemed to have learned manners and deference among the Masai. Oh Lord, they only had spare beds enough for Zainal's sons. There were, however, bunks and cabins aboard the Baby, which must have been Zainal's thought because he landed in the clearing he had used before, not all that far from their cabin.

'Well, this is a step up,' Floss said and winked at Clune.

'You boys can bunk on Baby tonight,' Zainal said, gesturing down the companionway to the crew and officer quarters. 'Floss, you'd better stay in the main house.'

'Main house?' Floss echoed, glancing negligently at the cabin.

'Our home,' Kris said with a quelling glare.

'Well, it beats a straw hut all hollow,' Floss replied with more deference as Kris ushered her inside. 'And I really do like the decor. Informal, rustic, but neat!'

'Thanks,' Kris said. She sniffed, aware of an enticing aroma, and noticed the stew pan on the stove. 'That was kindly,' she said, picking up the spoon and stirring the mixture.

'I smell spices,' Floss remarked, an anticipatory grin on her face. 'Smells sort of like home and holiday.' And her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

'We don't have many spices but this is one of Dorothy's pots, so we'll know who to thank. There are knives and forks in the second drawer in the chest, Floss, if you can remember how to set a table. I'll call the others,' Kris gave Floss's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Bread had also been left for them so they could make a good meal, which was devoured with much smacking of lips. Floss had forgotten which side forks go on but she had found glasses and poured water and put out plates. She was obviously accustomed to assisting, a definite improvement over her attitude before she was sent to the Masai camp.

Clime had asked where to wash his hands and the other boys followed his example, despite their obvious desire to eat. Kris dished out spartan servings since whoever had brought the food had not anticipated eight people dining on the pot's contents. She had some slightly stale cake to serve for 'afters', which the boys and Floss consumed avidly.

'Sorry about the hard rations. But there's usually plenty to eat at the dining hall,' Kris said. 'We generally eat there and take our turns cleaning up.'

'That was lovely,' Floss said with a replete sigh. 'Human cooking.'

'We ate well enough with the Masai,' Clune said, almost embarrassed by her remark.

'There was always enough,' Ditsy blurted out, as if the quantity was far more important than the quality. Then he glanced at Clune as if he regretted having spoken.

'There were plenty of times we didn't have enough,' Clune said with quiet authority.

'Oh, we did well enough in the Washington kip,' Floss said with an airy shrug. 'You guys were good scroungers, and Jerry could make nothing taste like something!' She gave a sigh for 'times past'.

'I've always preferred to eat regular,' Ferris added, speaking almost for the first time. He had a very husky voice and there was an old scar along his throat. Kris resolved to have Dane check all of them over before they were enlisted for this mission. They probably needed to be wormed: Kris squirmed at the thought.

'Scuse me, ma'am,' Ferris went on, his brown eyes troubled, 'but does anyone know who's left on Earth?'

'You had family there, Ferris?' Kris asked.

'Think they escaped the roundup but I don't know. Any way I can find out?'

'We've some survivor lists, Ferris, and a long one from the DC area. We can check for you later. What about you, Floss?'

She gave an indifferent shrug. 'Knowing my father, they'd've survived in fine style. Somehow, somewhere.'

Clune levelled a stern glance at her. 'You used to worry about your mother and your sisters.'

'Oh' - she twitched her right shoulder - 'I did but I had to give them up for lost, didn't I?'

'You do know not to walk about at night, don't you?' Kris asked.

'Sure do. Never want that to happen to me,' Floss said in a more subdued tone and grimaced at the notion. Night crawlers were indigenous creatures on Botany that would attack anything animal, or human, in the night and ingest them. 'Thought there weren't as many night crawlers up north.'

'You do know to stamp a lot at night if you are caught off the stone paths?' Zainal continued. And all six kids nodded solemnly.

'You boys can stay in the ship but I'm locking everything else down. I don't want anyone flying off on us.'

'Emassi Zainal,' Clime began formally, 'what exactly did we volunteer for?'

'Translating Catteni into English and English into Catteni,' Zainal replied. 'And a little grunt work. The rest I'll explain when we get to Barevi and when you need to know.'

'Oh, the old need-to-know routine,' Clime said with a long-suffering sigh.

Zainal laughed and clapped him so firmly on the shoulder that, sturdy as he was, Clune rocked on the bench. 'And now, boys, come with me,' and he urged them all out the door and towards Baby.

Without being asked, Floss rose and started clearing off the table, taking the dirty plates and utensils to the sink. She turned on the tap and crowed with delight. 'Hot water!'

'Yes, we have all the comforts of home.'

'Would you also have a shower? And maybe some shampoo?' Floss asked in a hushed voice, a look on her face of such keen anticipation that Kris felt all the more guilty for having forgotten the girl.

'Yes, but I think you'd better shower first and quickly. Zainal likes a wash in the evening, and we don't have quite enough water for two long showers and the dishes, too. Come with me.' Kris paused only long enough to get a towel out of the cupboard and some shampoo - homemade though it was - from another cupboard before leading Floss to the shower room.

'Oh, if you knew how I've dreamed of this,' Floss murmured, stripping off the wraparound garment.

'I'll have to get you some clothes tomorrow but for now 1 have only a clean spare jumpsuit, Floss.' Kris retrieved one from the closet as well as a spare leather belt, which the slender Floss might need around the much too ample waistband. 'Nothing I own would fit you.'

'Yes'm,' Floss replied courteously and without a touch of sarcasm.

Somehow, Floss contrived to give the utilitarian garment an air of style.

'You wouldn't have a scarf or anything?' she asked as she reappeared in the main room. 'It's kind of bare up here,' and she touched her throat.

Kris had never cared much about fashion but she could see that a scarf of some sort of colour would reduce the uniform look and also draw attention to Floss's bosom, which was certainly ample and pushing against the confines of the dull fabric. She wondered if there were any brassieres in the main commissary. With the ratio of four men to one woman, this nubile girl could be at risk.

Maybe that was the real reason Floss had wanted to be released from the Masai encampment, where females were zealously guarded until a marriage had been arranged for them. Albeit Kris wouldn't have agreed to her being wed to an elderly man, she didn't want her to whore around Retreat either.

Zainal's appraisal of Floss, now clean and with her blond hair gleaming in the last of the daylight coming in the window, only consolidated Kris's observation.

'Did the boys settle down?' Kris asked, opening a neutral topic.

Zainal grinned. 'Being allowed to sleep in a scout?' He gave an indulgent laugh. 'They are excited but Clune said he'd listen for them. He's more than able to handle them.'

'Clune is respected among his age-set with the Masai,' Floss said with a little smirk, as if she denied that status. 'But he's worked a lot with both Bazil and Peran and they will obey him. This elder stuff works with impressionable boys.' She shot Zainal an inquiring look.

'It is a Catteni attitude,' Zainal said in his language, and she inclined her head to show that she understood him.

'I have put out an extra blanket for you, Floss,' Kris said, wanting to be private with Zainal. 'It is much colder up here than it is in the south.'

The girl yawned and stretched, an action that showed off her lithe body in the jumpsuit.

'Oh, I'll survive,' she remarked and sauntered, again with swaying hips, over to the cots. 'It'll be such a relief to have a place to myself, with no one snoring or shouting in nightmares.' She gave Kris a smile and picked up the spare blanket, to flip it deftly across the bed. 'Even a mattress. A great luxury, I assure you.'

Somehow she managed to make slipping into the cot a voluptuous action. Zainal grinned and turned his back on her, walking towards their bedroom. Kris waved a good night and followed him.

'We'll have trouble with that girl,' she murmured when she closed the door behind her.

'Trouble's name is Clune,' Zainal said. 'He made it clear to me that he considers her, and her behaviour, his business.'

They were both tired, and although Zainal took a quick shower, muttering about lukewarm water, Kris wondered if Floss's presence in their living room had something to do with her own inhibitions, for she made no attempt to entice Zainal into her arms and he was equally reserved. Well, they needed the sleep.

A loud and eerie ululation woke them both the next morning, Zainal on his way to the door before Kris stopped him, pointing to his naked body. He cursed but stopped long enough to don his trousers before he exited. She dressed more slowly and was relieved when Zainal poked his head into the room.

'It seems the Masai keep to daylight hours and it is daylight!'

She finished dressing and found that Floss and Zainal had put bread, cheese and fruit on the table. Zainal called the boys in. Clune looked clean and neat and must have found the nearby stream for his hair was still wet. Bazil and Peran must have bathed also, for their faces were fresh and the fringes of their hair damp. Ferris needed to shave and Ditsy could have used a shower. There wouldn't be much hot water yet as the solar panels hadn't been recharged but she wanted them all cleaned up before they went up to the main buildings.

Before they took off for Barevi, they would have to get some suitable clothing for Floss and the boys, who were wearing only the minimum required for Masai modesty - breechclouts would not be acceptable on Barevi. If they wished to be seriously considered as negotiators, they had to look more presentable. This whole ransom business meant that Zainal would have to suspend his plan to seek out the Farmers' home world, or at least whatever depot they used to store the grain and the meat they farmed on Botany. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed that he would be denied that opportunity. However, it was only spring here and the Farmers' cargo containers did not come until after the autumn harvest. He had some time to spare. And his plans for Botany, and the repatriation of Terran slaves, were certainly as important to him, she knew, as his somewhat grandiose and quite possibly dangerous scheme to track the Farmers' vehicle to its destination. She did wonder, as Zainal did, why the Farmers, with their advanced robotechnology, needed so much produce. She sighed. Every time she thought she understood a lot, she came smack up against something else unknown, tantalizing, unfamiliar and, she sighed again, more than likely very dangerous.

Surely the Farmers would have had to have the means to supply themselves on any one of a number of Botanytype planets? Since the Eosi and Catteni had already explored neighbouring space, surely they would have come across some vestige of the Farmers' culture? She wondered if indeed the Eosi had and merely kept the knowledge secret. Having secrets made people feel superior and secure. Or perhaps Human frailties were not part of Eosian characteristics. They certainly had extended their life spans by subsuming young hosts. For years, Humans had been investigating the possibility of cloning to sustain characteristics and supply body parts that would not be rejected in transplant. She shuddered. She could not, in conscience, go along with that. There was a reason for a life to have a span, predestined or not. How she would feel if she needed new organs to remain alive, she didn't know as she herself enjoyed vigorous health.

She caught the almost proprietary look on Clune's face as Floss swarmed up to him, offering him more bread. Yes, she would have to speak to Dane about this young couple. She had no doubts at all, from the expression on Floss's face, that she cared very much for the young Afro-American man. It had been at Floss's instigation that her Diplomatic group had practised birth control when they'd been running loose and free after the invasion. The same contingencies were not now in force but discretion was required until after the ransom negotiations were concluded. That is, if the youngsters proved as valuable as she thought they probably were, considering the success of the covert operations that had kept them free when most of the populace had been rounded up and carted off on Catteni slave ships. That might have been just luck but this mission needed that in quantity.

Everyone at Retreat pretended to be pleased to see Floss, approving the change in the girl from the intransigent, loud-mouthed brat of her first introduction to Botany. She was not overly enthusiastic about the garments produced for her to wear at the stores house. Most of the women had been making their own blouses and dresses out of the fabric and accessories that Kris had brought back from Barevi. Kris had to admit that utilitarian was not the style a girl Floss's age would appreciate, but she was offered fabric to make her own clothing, patterns, and even the use of the one sewing machine that Retreat owned.

'I learned how to sew skins together,' Floss said with some contempt, 'not how to cut and fit them. I wouldn't want to waste good material.'

That won her some points with the stores keeper, who was a good seamstress, and Kris saw the two in conversation and hoped something would materialize. A girl in her teens as attractive as Floss would certainly want something pretty and well fitting to wear. Someone did produce a silk scarf for her and she spent time in front of a mirror deciding how to tie and drape it - her longing for pretty and becoming things quite obvious to others in the room.

Beth Isbell offered to trim her hair, which Floss instantly accepted. 'You don't happen to have a conditioner, do you? I had to use a very strong soap at Masai camp and it's just ruined my hair.'

'We do have a herbal rinse that will help,' Beth said. 'A local herb but much like rosemary - it brings out the sheen.'

'Oh, that would be marvellous. I almost hate touching my hair, it's so brittle and dry.'

'It works with mine,' Beth said, fluffing out her blond hair, sun-streaked but shiny with health. 'C'mon. The shower water should be hot. I'll shampoo and trim it and it will be much improved.'

'Oh, thank you very much,' Floss said, showing a genuine warmth and enthusiasm.

'Why did you bring that renegade back?' Sally Stoffers asked in a discreetly low voice when they had left.

'She speaks Catteni and so do that gang of hers.'

'She's a troublemaker, born and bred!'

Kris turned, almost defensively, to Sally, who also was a Catteni-speaker. 'Zainal's option. Remember, those kids survived in the post-invasion turmoil, so they were either very lucky or very clever. Clune, the oldest boy, has negotiated and bartered with Catteni before and we will desperately need that type of experience. How are you at driving bargains?'

'She seems more biddable but she's a flirt, that one,' Sally repeated, her tone and expression spiteful.

'Clune will watch out for her,' Kris replied firmly and began folding the new clothing that would constitute Floss's improved underwear. She didn't think they would find any purloined clothing in the Barevi stores but perhaps there would be some. The Catteni had been magpies as to what they loaded on board their cargo ships. When she was nineteen, she had wanted to look well dressed at college so she appreciated Floss's lack of interest in longwearing, sturdy work garments. The scarf would be treasured. She had noticed how Floss had run it through her work-hardened hands, savouring the feel of the silk. A sapphire blue would look very well on Floss, and Kris tried to recall the bolts she had seen, of silk and satin, the last time she was on Barevi. But then, she hadn't had Floss in mind when she'd bought fabric. Well, they'd have a look with Floss in mind while they were there this time. Who knows who would trade fabric for gold? She wished she knew what was most in demand at Barevi. Maybe Chuck could remember something. Gold teeth were simply not enough of an 'inducement'. What they needed was a real crowd-gatherer: something that even the most conservative of the Catteni would not ignore. Would kill to have!

Leaving Floss in Beth's hands and saying that she could be found in the mess hall, Kris went for a cup of coffee. The work roster, prominently located as one entered the mess hall, listed her as assigned to Zainal's mission with no concurrent duties. Their latest recruits had been listed at the bottom as being part of the Barevi team. She was glad that she didn't have to sign Floss up for mess hall duties - at least not immediately. Maybe by the time they returned from Barevi, Floss would be more willing to take her turn at the less glamorous duties. Even KP would take precedence over marital duties to an old man. As she entered the big room, she glanced around and saw Eric, hunched over printouts. She waved at him, indicating a wish to join him and he nodded vigorously. She got her one cup of the rationed coffee and some fresh rolls, inhaling the aroma of the drink and fresh bread. She also wondered how much longer this treat would be available and if they could possibly search out additional supplies, possibly as trade goods since the Catteni had come to appreciate the caffeine hit. How many coffee beans and/or cups of the brew would buy a carton of stolen goods? She wondered, not for the first time, if the merchants had set any value on the cartons of spare parts they were now trying to sell. She had seen such a diversity of goods on display on her last trip. Surely not all of them - toasters and electric frying pans - were viable on Barevi. Much less automotive parts and spark plugs. Well, you never knew what would capture another species' interest. Certainly not the Catteni, who now evidently prized coffee, chocolate and gold caps. Did any of them realize how easily they had picked up Terran vices like coffee? She smiled at the notion of the conquerors corrupted.

She made her way to Eric's table and was cordially greeted, noticing that some of his paperwork included maps: maps that showed the destruction of vast areas of New York City.

'I think I might be lucky. The building remains standing,' he began tapping the map. 'And there is relatively little damage below Fourteenth Street, where the dental supply house is. What'll we be able to use for barter back on Earth?'

'I think we'll be able to take some wheat with us. Possibly even the rock squats, as fresh food would be appreciated,' Kris replied. 'There are hunting parties out today to see what they can gather and, from the smell of the kitchen, some are being roasted even as we speak. And I smell fresh bread cooking.'

'Now, all we need to figure out is how to hump heavy equipment down eighteen flights of stairs,' Eric said with a despondent sigh.

'Oh' - she smiled at him - 'you didn't know that the Catteni have "lift" platforms that handle that sort of thing quite comfortably?'

'No, I didn't, but see me grinning,' Eric replied, and he was, his eyes sparkling with relief and humour. 'Glad I asked. Those units are very heavy and even with a lot of manpower, getting them down to where they can be loaded was worrying me.'

She patted his hand. 'Well, fret no more. That was actually the least of our problems.'

'What's the most?'

Kris was thoughtful. 'Being sure we have the right stuff to trade with the Barevi.'

'Count on me, Kris! And, if we can find him, I know another dentist who does splendid work. Also in my building. He has the sort of personality that would deal well with the Catteni. Even as allies, they would be tricky, I suppose.' He gave her a shrewd glance.

'Some more than others,' she replied, grinning.

'Answer me a question, if it's not out of line,' Eric went on, cocking his head to one side. 'Why is Zainal seemingly working against his own people?'

'It might look that way, but it was the Eosi that he wanted to overthrow-'

'And did, I understand, with no small effort on his part.' His manner was that of someone hoping to be told more than he had actually asked for.

'When he was dropped here as an unwilling colonist - with the rest of us' - her gesture included everyone in the dining room - 'he wanted to free his people from Eosi domination.'

'He did that,' Eric agreed, wanting her to continue toexplain a situation she really didn't have an explanation for.

'There were other like-minded Catteni Emassi, remember. He couldn't have pulled it off without their help.'

'This Kamiton being one of them?' 'Yes.'

'So?' Eric prompted, lifting both arms in a gesture of perplexity.

'I think the situation was not as simple on Catten itself and obviously not on Barevi. The Catteni are set in their ways, and Kamiton may have overestimated support from other Emassi. Zainal achieved freedom for Botany and the other enforced colony worlds. It wasn't just Botany that the Catteni dumped people on, you know.'

'No, I didn't know,' and Eric slightly stressed the last word.

'There are three other planets that the Eosi were colonizing the same way.'

'Those planets that worked out were then taken over by the Eosi?'

Kris nodded. 'We were exceedingly fortunate, you know.'

'To have someone like Chuck Mitford, you,' and he pointed a finger at her, daring her to deny her role, 'and Zainal.'

'We were lucky,' she amended, 'to have the right mix of people to work with.'

'I like your positive attitude, Kris Bjornsen.'

'I dropped, I stay,' she replied, with a broad grin, pleased that he was willing to accept Zainal and work with him.

'Is that Botany's motto? I hear it often enough,' Eric said.

'It's been a rallying slogan as well as a promise, Eric.' Eric glanced around, from the duty roster to the glass doors opening outside. 'I like the promise! If I could just practise my profession here, I'd stay.'

'Don't you have family back on Earth?'

'Nephews; my wife, Molly, was in Florida when the Catteni invaded so I've no idea what happened to her. Her name hasn't appeared on any of the Florida lists of survivors.'

Kris touched his hand sympathetically. 'Not all the survivors are listed yet, Eric. We'll be picking up the updated lists when we touch down on Earth. One of the goals of this ransom trip is to widen the communication channels so we can find where survivors are - and get back those who were taken.'

Eric's eyebrows rose high. 'That's a large job to undertake.'

'The Holocaust survivors managed to trace their relatives. And we have just as many dedicated folk!'

'Why don't you just relax and raise your kids?'

'I can't.' She gave a self-deprecating grin. 'Zainal feels responsible, in a bizarre way, and so do I.'

'Responsible for entire worlds? Oh, c'mon now, girl. Be reasonable.'

'I don't think "reason" has much place in my feelings, Eric. People who are unreasonable sometimes achieve more than those who are totally rational!'

'Admittedly. Ah, here comes Zainal now.'

Kris saw him entering, with his sons and Clune, Ferris and Ditsy, obviously showing them around. The boys all wore new clothing, suitable to the cooler weather at Retreat, and had packs slung carelessly on their backs or over one shoulder.

She tried to keep Eric at the table but he rose, gave her a little bow from the waist, and, smiling at the approaching group, made his way out of the hall. Zainal waved for her to stay where she was as he took the boys to the serving tables and introduced them to the people on duty. With laden trays, they all converged on her. Zainal thoughtfully brought her an extra cup of coffee.

'The boys don't drink it yet,' he said when he saw her expression of doubt. 'You might as well enjoy a cup of their ration.'

'We must get more coffee, even if instant is all we can scrounge,' she said, turning the cup around to get the handle to the left for her to lift. 'I see everyone is spruced up.' She nodded to the boys as they took seats.

'Boy, this grub looks good,' Ferris said, picking up his fork and digging it into a mound of mashed tubers. 'Oh, it's not potatoes,' he added, both surprised and outraged by the unexpected flavour.

'It's indigenous but not a bad substitute,' Kris replied, grinning as he swallowed the big mouthful.

'Hey, it is pretty close! Will we be able to grow potatoes here?'

'I believe so, but we'd have to import seed potatoes, if we can find them. I believe it's high on the list of "wish" items.'

'You got rock squats up north here, too?' Clune asked, slathering a portion on his fork with his knife in the English manner.

'Principal source of protein,' she said. 'They were the main course in the first hot meal we had on Botany.' 'Who named it Botany?' Ditsy asked, disgusted.

'We all did. After another colony of transported folk on Earth,' she said.

'You mean, Australia?' Ferris asked, wrinkling his nose. 'Not very inventive.'

'What would you have named it?'

'I dunno,' Ferris admitted, and then attended to the task of eating. 'I'm not good at naming things.' 'We put it up for a vote and everyone had a chance to put forward their names,' Kris said, remembering the occasion very well. 'Botany won, hands down. A good choice, I think, since it reminds us of a similar experiment that was successful.'

'Yes, but that was ex-cons.'

'What do you think we were considered?'

'Well, you weren't criminals.'

'Most of the English and Irish who were transported to Australia weren't really criminals. There was great poverty at that point in history, and a person could be transported for stealing food to feed his family.'

Kris wondered just how many of the present colonists had finished secondary school or knew even highlights of world history. Maybe evening lectures could be instigated, just to disseminate vital information. Daytimes, there was so much work to be done only the creche kids were being given lessons. She jotted down a little note to herself. Something else to be remembered and inaugurated!

She gave a little sigh. There was never enough time for everything, was there? When Zainal gave her a curious stare, she smiled back at him and took a sip of her extra cup of coffee. She wondered if she could make a habit of it... bring the boys with her for breakfast. But that was not the Botanic way: one didn't take advantage of a flaw in a system. If she did, she lost her right to criticize others. Conscience was burdened enough as it was. If Council members didn't toe the line, why would others have to? Transgressions could mount to a woeful state, just as they had elsewhere. One had to show responsibility. Just as Zainal was. Though really, he could carry the can a little too far! However, she could see that someone had to do it, as far as reclaiming needful things was concerned.

Jerry Short paused in the main entrance to the hall, scanned the diners until his eyes rested on her. He waved at her and, excusing herself, she went to see why he had singled her out.

'Just had a message from Chuck. He's on his way back and he's very pleased with himself.' Jerry said, grinning because he had good news to tell.

'Chuck? Oh, that's great!' He'd gone to find out if his elderly cousins, Rose and Cherry Mitford, were still alive. He'd also dropped other Botanists where they could hunt out kith and kin as well as start work repairing damaged infrastructures.

'Knew you'd want to know soon as possible,' Jerry went on. 'And oh, he said to mention that he'd stopped on Barevi on his way home to pick up a few things.'

'Oh, goodness. What's his ETA?'

'Next hour.'

'Do tell Dorothy Dwardie, Jerry. She'll want to know, too.'

'I thought of her first, actually, and told her on my way here,' Jerry said, grinning broadly.

'Thanks. Oh, Zainal will be so pleased. I wonder what Chuck thought to bring back from Barevi,' she muttered to herself as she made her way back to the table where the boys had finished eating.

'That will save us a lot of time,' Zainal said, very pleased with her news. 'Especially as he'll be able to give us a report on conditions on both planets. Wonder what he stopped off at Barevi for that would have been important enough for him to detour so far off the direct line to Botany. And how and with what did he pay for it?'

'We should know soon enough. Shall we go meet him?'

'Yes, and show him our newest translators. C'mon, lads.' He signalled for the five boys to follow him.

3

Chuck emerged from the spaceship accompanied by two women, and beside Kris, Dorothy inhaled sharply.

'Don't worry, Dorothy,' Kris said quickly. 'Look at their faces. They're Mitfords or I'll eat a night crawler!'

The family resemblance extended not only to the facial features but to the physical proportions of the two women: the same sturdy bodies and lanky stride, and a way of looking directly at people with an assessing look in the eye. The two women were equally weather-beaten, their eyes squinting from years of filtering out sun and wind.

'His cousins, I presume,' Kris said, for Chuck was urging the pair to where Kris and Dorothy were standing.

'Dorothy, these are my cousins, Rose and Cherry, and I'd be much obliged if you'd welcome them. They've had a rough time lately, and I won't let them out of my sight until I know they've recovered completely.' He gestured to the ground cart. 'Dorothy, would you mind taking them to Dane for a physical? It was a bitter winter back in Texas.'

'Of course. Rose, Cherry,' and Dorothy gestured for them to take seats in the cart. 'I'd be happy to. And we'll have a lot to talk about, I'm sure.

'Dorothy Dwardie will see you're comfortable, Rose, Cherry,' and he kissed each on the cheek. 'But me and Zainal here have to have a conference. This is the guy I was telling you about. Who freed Earth and his own planet.'

Rose extended her hand. 'Charlie here bent our ears out of shape telling us all you did to save both the worlds.' Cherry was a little more reserved but she shook Zainal's hand in as hearty a fashion as Rose had and murmured something about unforgettable heroism.

'We know you're busy, Chuck, and we're mighty glad to be here, Dorothy. We've heard so much about you, Kris. Will we see you later?'

'You will indeed, Rose, Cherry, and welcome to Botany.'

'And who are these young men?' Rose asked, opening her hand in the direction of Bazil and Peran.

'They are my sons, Rose Mitford.'

'I am pleased to meet you, too,' she said, extending her hand.

Bazil took it, giving her a rather stiff bow, which caused her to blink at the unexpected courtesy. Doubtless, Kris decided, the women hadn't ever encountered Catteni with good manners. Still, it proved that the Masai had trained the boys to respect age and females.

'May I introduce Clune, Ferris and Ditsy, Misses Mitford?' Kris said to complete the introductions.

'Rose is a pharmacist,' Chuck said, helping the older of the two up the first step. 'And Cherry's a physiotherapist.'

'You could have brought them if all they could do was knit,' Kris said, dismissing Chuck's comment and smiling warmly at them.

'If you're of a mind to put your skills to use,' Dorothy said, climbing into the driver's seat, 'you'll be thrice welcome once Leon has cleared you. He's our chief medical officer.' And she nodded goodbye to the reception committee.

As soon as the cart was off the field, Chuck turned purposefully to Zainal.

'I lucked out. Traded four tins of Nescafe instant coffee for some of those satellite parts we were trying to find on Earth. What we need is on Barevi, you know.'

'We suspected that.'

Chuck pulled a hand recorder out of his jacket. 'Got a Jet Propulsion Lab director to give me a list of what we need. He said that there were some built most recently with switchable units. That would make it so easy to maintain those already in orbit. The ones the Catteni used for target practice. I did a quick survey of the loot on Barevi and they got the replacements we need.'

'We're organizing a ransom party,' Zainal said.

'A ransom?' Chuck stared at him. 'Yeah,' and his shoulders slumped, 'and I hope you got stuff they want.'

'No coffee, but gold-'

'For their teeth?' Chuck's surprise was obvious. 'How'd you hear about that?'

'Doesn't matter how but we did.' Zainal gave an indolent shrug. 'Though vanity has never been a Catteni problem. Still, no one ever thought lost teeth could be replaced. We also have a dentist.'

Chuck's laugh was hearty as he gave Zainal's massive shoulder an appreciative buffet.

'I was wondering how I was going to break the news to you,' he said, 'about ransoming our own equipment back from those Barevi looters. And we gotta make tracks there, fast. Too much is being ground into the mud in the marketplace by those bozos working off steam.' He shook his head. 'When I think of all the hard work and the material we can't reproduce...' He stopped, took a breath, and then went on. 'You wouldn't believe what they've achieved on Earth.'

'Reconstructing?' Kris asked.

'More than just infrastructures. You'll be proud. Look, Zainal, can we call a meeting of the colonists?'

'One is set for this evening. We have to get permission to use the colony's assets as ransom, you know.'

'Good. I'll grab a shower and change. Oh, and I got some crew with me.' He looked over his shoulder at the open ramp of the KDL. 'In-service training but boy, do they know their stuff. Of course, they should. Many of 'em are ex-NASA.' Chuck's grin was broader. 'Brought more than I needed for the KDs but we do have other ships.' He gestured to the ones parked on the field. 'They learn real quick and I had space available.' He turned and called, 'Olly-olly in free. Welcome to Botany, guys and gals.'

Out filed ten men and women looking very smart in flight gear. They made a double row in front of Chuck, who was still grinning from ear to ear.

'Sir, Excellent Emassi Zainal, Botany air force recruits reporting for duty,' said the man who took two steps forward towards Zainal and saluted smartly. 'Sam Maddocks, with seven volunteers, all with flight and space hours. Not many of the latter but we stood shifts with Sergeant Mitford on the way here!'

'Delighted to have you on board, Colonel Maddocks.' The colonel stiffened his spine still further as Zainal used his appropriate rank, having noticed the silver maple leaf on his collar.

How Zainal had learned to differentiate rank insignia and the service forms, Kris didn't know but it stood him in good stead now.

'What a beautiful planet you got dumped on, sir.'

'Luck, Colonel, sheer luck! This is Kris Bjornsen, my mate, and these are my sons, Bazil and Peran. Clune, Ferris and Ditsy, who will be accompanying us to Barevi on a shopping mission. We may need your services to accomplish the mission.'

'Anything we can do, we will, sir.'

'I am known as Zainal, Colonel, not sir. Now, if you will introduce me to the rest of your group, we'll take you back to the main settlement and find you quarters.'

'We don't mind staying on board, Zainal, if there is any shortage of space. The sergeant said that things are pretty basic here.'

'There are people you should meet, Colonel, and we will have a lot to discuss and plans to make.'

'Yes, Zainal.' With a perfect about-face, he marched to the first person in the line behind him, a woman.

'Captain Jacqueline Kiznet, sir, with twenty-five hours of flight time on F-122s. She was to be mission pilot on the Mars 10 Supply Rocket. Captain Kiznet has had training in the KDL series and stood five watches as duty officer on our inbound flight.'

'Captain Kiznet, my pleasure,' Zainal said, shaking her hand and returning her salute. She was medium tall, dark-haired, with a pleasant face and a twinkling eye.

'Captain Katherine Harvey also made herself familiar with the KDL and the KDM specs, did simulations on both in flight and was duty engineer.' The captain was a tall redhead, with freckles on her nose and cheeks and a decidedly reserved manner about her.

'Lieutenant Gail Sullivan is a communications expert and has fluent Catteni.' Sullivan had short blond hair, a stunned expression on her face, and was small beside the tall captain.

Zainal clasped the lieutenant's hand with vigour. 'Welcome to Botany, Emassi, and are you familiar with docking and parking protocols?' he asked in Catteni.

'I listened to all the tapes on board the KDL, Zainal, and feel confident that I can park or dock the vessel at any space facility,' Gail responded in Catteni, her alto voice managing to growl in a respectable accent.

'In fact,' Maddocks interposed, 'she has already done so at Barevi.'

'Very good, very good indeed.'

Perhaps it was only Kris who noticed the tension easing in Zainal's face and shoulders as he moved on to the next man, one who had the squint of someone accustomed to peering at small print or monitor screens. 'Lieutenant Ed Douglas here can even read Catteni.'

'You are able to read Catteni?' Zainal asked in the language.

'Slowly, sir, but I am also working on a Catteni-English glossary of technical terms, which I feel will be extremely useful.'

'It will, it will. Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Douglas,' Zainal said, pumping his hand with considerable vigour. Kris had to fight to keep her face straight.

'I'm apt to be slow with the really technical stuff, but ordinary messages are a snap.' He emphasized this by snapping his fingers.

'Lieutenant Mullinax, astrogator, and Lieutenant Mpatane Cummings, also communications, sir, and both are fluent in Catteni. Last but not least, Major Alexander McColl, the most senior pilot.'

'Where on earth did you find them, Chuck?' Zainal asked, though his delight was now apparent. 'There, on Earth, of course, sitting on their duffs, trying to decide if they could find some sort of a job. Airplane fuel is a low priority, you see, consequently most pilots are jobless. Petrol is strictly rationed and goes mainly to ambulance or emergency vehicles. What airplane fuel is left in airport tanks goes to search-andrescue copters, but I hate to see good resources like these sitting idle. You know me.' Chuck gave one of his cryptic shrugs, implying any waste was intolerable. 'And they wouldn't sit still long enough to be painted. Besides, I knew we had the birds but not the fliers. 'Course, they'll have to be checked out but they're right willing.'

'Your timing is excellent, as usual, Sergeant.'

'I also brought you two top flight mechanics, Dutch Liendgens and Dirk Fuhrman. They might not know much Catteni,' he added, gesturing for the two men to come forward, 'but they sure know their communications stuff and my "friend" at JPL says they'd know inventory, too, for all the big manufacturers - like Teledyne and Motorola - and they also have some clues as to the very high-tech stuff JPL and NASA were experimenting with for the Mars Base. Mainly, they can help us service the KDs.'

'Is the Mars Base still operational?'

'And manned.' When someone behind him cleared her throat, Chuck added, 'And womaned. Their gardens have been well wear-tested. Oxygen and food.'

'That'll be good news to spread,' Zainal said.

'The invaders were so smart they forgot to cut the Atlantic phone lines. And, as I'm told, most comm techs managed to hide the more important elements when they realized they were under attack from space. Those units are coming back into use as more power plants come online. Hell, in some places, like Kansas, they're using windmills to generate power. Hawaii and California are damned glad they have the wind farms.

'I got a lot more to tell you but maybe we better get the new crews organized, Zainal.'

Zainal slapped Chuck across the back, displaying his delight in this surprise. 'Welcome to Botany, ALL of you!' he added, throwing both arms open in the most expansive gesture, his mouth wide in a smile. 'This way to Retreat.'

'Retreat?'

'Don't worry,' Chuck said, 'it's not a fallback place. It's a come-to.'

'Lead on... and our chariot awaits!' Zainal added as Jerry Short arrived, driving the commodious pickup sled.

'Hey, neat, Zainal,' Sam Maddocks said. 'Ground transport. Pile in.'

'Pile' was nearly the right word, since all the newly accepted members of the Botany Space Force vaulted or jumped neatly onto the wide truck bed. Kris was hauled up by two of the lieutenants and decided that this bunch were all fit. She wondered if any of them had been trained in hand-to-hand combat. That would be handy, she thought, especially the women. Maybe they could teach her some good self-defence moves. She was beginning to feel better about this ransom mission. The Council would have to agree - especially now they had reinforcements. She spotted Zainal talking amiably to the astrogator and the tall, willowy comm lieutenant Mpatane. Then he burst out laughing at something the woman said, which had everyone who overheard reacting with glee.

By the time Jerry had reached the main building, someone had warned them because there was a crowd waiting, everyone wanting answers to their shouted questions.

Zainal stood and held up his hands. 'More reason to be sure you attend tonight's meeting, my friends. Right now, we have some tactics to plan. Okay?'

With some reluctance, the crowd was dispersing when Captain Kiznet cupped her hands to shout, 'I have new lists of survivors and I will tack them up where you can see.' Immediately people pointed to the duty roster board beside which there was a bulletin board for such notices. 'Nineteen major cities in Europe and Asia, and some hometown news from forty-seven towns in the US of A,' she added and was awarded another rousing cheer.

Kris slipped from the back of the load bed to guide the captain into the mess hall and help her put up the sheets with the tacks available. Then she manoeuvred the captain out of the crowd that homed in on the new information. Would it ever be reduced to just one or two anxious seekers? Kris wondered. Zainal had given her a sign to bring the captain to the conference room, just off the main dining hall. Grabbing the captain's arm, Kris pushed her way through those thronging to check names towards the relative quiet of the private room. She grinned when she saw Dorothy and Chuck hugging each other. There would be plenty of time to introduce him to their daughter, Amy. Right now, he looked as if he'd never let Dorothy go.

Zainal braced himself across the door of the conference room to be sure only the people he especially needed crowded in to see the new arrivals. He sent Bazil, Peran and Ditsy to get coffee rations and whatever sandwiches might be available at this hour in the kitchen. When Kris was able to take his place after he gave her a hurried list of those he wanted inside, he cleaned off the big blackboard and started slowly printing out headings for discussion. That done, he printed the list of his Catteni translation team. She was pleased to note she headed the list, which included Floss, Clune, Bazil, Peran, the Doyle brothers, Ferris and Ditsy, Chuck, Sally Stoffers, Gino and Mack Dargle, as well as Pete Snyder. He also chalked down the names of the new arrivals and she was delighted he had also grasped the spelling of the crew names.

'All right, folks, may I have some quiet?'

But just then, Chuck, holding Dorothy's hand, slipped into the room with the boys and laden trays right behind them.

'Get yourself your cup of coffee and some food first,' Zainal invited, and Kris slipped over to the boys and snitched coffee and a sandwich, which she took to him. He lounged against the nearest table and ate almost ravenously. Then Beth Isbell approached to hand him a clipboard, which he perused while chewing his sandwich. She waited quietly at his side and then Bazil brought her a cup of coffee from the tray. She was going to refuse but took it with quiet thanks. Beth was usually punctilious about having only her share though she had once confided to Kris that she was a caffeine addict and the worst problem with being 'dropped' was the deprivation of coffee.

Zainal scrawled initials on the first page on the clipboard and extracted what must have been a copy, which he folded and slid into his shirt pocket, before handing it back to Beth. She started to leave but paused to chat with a group.

'Mike just brought in the planet's treasures, and they have them in safekeeping at the hospital,' Zainal murmured to Kris, touching the paper he'd put in his pocket. 'We're rich,' he added with a mischievous wink. 'Enjoy it while we can.'

'Rich enough?' she asked in a whispered response.

He shrugged. 'If we bargain closely enough.' 'I'll shave the hair of anyone who cheats us.'

'Glad I'm on your side, Kris love.' The loving light in his yellow eyes stirred her deeply. She hoped the others would stay in the ship again that night.

Now he stopped lounging and held up his hands. Silence quickly fell on those in the room, abetted by a 'shushing' noise.

'I have some better than good news, folks. We do have ransomable items, we do have the services and cooperation of Eric Sachs, DDS, to give all the Catteni gold crowns that wish them, and we do have extra flight personnel to man the other cargo vessels. What is your saying, "we're loaded for bear"?' That got an appreciative chuckle. 'We're mounting this expedition as fast as we can. Chuck Mitford, as ever resourceful, took a side trip to Barevi on his way back and checked warehouses there to see if they really do have the components we need. He seems to feel that they do. I must abide by the Council's decision in this but we'll know tonight whether or not we have the colony's permission to make off with its valuables to buy back what parts we most need to upgrade and repair our communications systems so we can remain in contact with other worlds. Meanwhile, I need the three KDMs space-worthy, so will those crew members please start the pre-flight checks NOW.' He waited while various people made their way purposefully out of the conference room. 'I'll need food. And any and all rock squats we can acquire between now and tomorrow morning at oh-nine hundred, when I hope we'll have the required permission to take off. As you can see, we have new faces, recent recruits to the Botany Space Force. Be sure to welcome them - later.

'Dick Aarens, I'll need you to converse with Lieutenants Mullinax, Cummings and Douglas and those of you here who have had experience with our satellites and communication units. I may be anticipating the Council's decision-'

'I doubt that,' someone remarked, and another cheer resounded. Kris saw Zainal take a deep breath and smile in relief.

'I do thank you for your generous support,' he said with a slight and dignified bow around the room. 'I got us all into this spot, and I intend to get us out of it!'

'How the hell do you figure that, Zainal?' Leon Dane demanded as he entered the conference room on the end of that remark.

'Yeah, wasn't your fault the Eosi and Catteni invaded Earth,' Peter Snyder said almost angrily.

'I should have known that the Barevian traders would throw a spanner in the works.'

'You're not a mind-reader,' Peter snapped back. 'And you got most of what you wanted, didn't you? Botany and Terra free? And the other enforced colonies? And the end of the Eosi domination of your own people. Why should you continue to carry the can?'

'I consider myself responsible!' Zainal said firmly.

'You got no reason to, Zainal,' Leon Dane said, his voice carrying over other disclaimers.

'But I do!' Zainal replied. 'And I can repair that oversight. I intend to.'

'You've done more than anyone thought you would or could,' Kris said defensively.

'Not as much as I think I should have or could have.' He made a slicing movement of his hands to make that the end of the argument.

Kris made no further protest, knowing it would be futile, but there were others who were quite willing to deny him guilt. She knew him better, for she knew now that he was set in his path and nothing would distract or delay him from achieving what he considered his duty and responsibility. Catteni were relentless, if nothing else. She admired that in him, but she'd be glad when he felt he could relax. His sons looked adoringly at him but she knew he wasn't posing for their approval.

'Lieutenant Douglas, did you bring that glossary of technical terms with you? And could we make copies of it?'

'You have a copier?' the dark-haired officer asked in surprise.

'Any number of them who write a fair Catteni hand,' Zainal said.

'In handwriting?' Douglas was dismayed.

'What's wrong with old-fashioned methods?' Zainal imitated someone writing with a pen.

'Nothing except that mistakes in copying are more than probable and some of those terms have to be precise.'

'We have very good typists, Lieutenant,' Kris said. 'Not a problem. Beth?' She beckoned to the woman, glad she hadn't left yet. 'How many typewriters do we have? And paper?'

'Depends on how much has to be transcribed and by what time.'

'Takeoff tomorrow?' Kris asked, almost wistfully.

'If we can divert some power to the machines, I'll have typists work all night in shifts. Where's the copy?'

'I'll have to get my notes from the ship,' Douglas said, a trifle rattled though he gave a shake as an animal might to settle ruffled fur. Kris thought wistfully of the family cat, which by now was either feral or eaten. 'You move with awesome speed, Emassi Kris.'

'We've had to, Lieutenant.'

'Do you have computers here?' He was expecting a negative.

'The best I could find at Barevi the last time I was there,' she said, wishing her tone hadn't been so defensive. He didn't look annoyed and grinned at her.

'Plenty of ram and speed, Lieutenant. Kris got only the best and we do have printers,' Beth went on proudly, 'but not that much ink. Lordy, we've only just been able to find a source of pulp so our production of paper is still inadequate to the need. You'd think this planet ran on paper.'

'I'd say you were speedy enough for an enforced colony, Miz Isbell.'

'You ain't seen nothin' yet, Lieutenant. May I borrow a land cart to take the lieutenant back to his ship, Kris?' 'Of course.'

'We may actually have enough paper in the stores on board. Ships publish a lot of paper, too, you know,' Ed Douglas was saying as Beth Isbell gestured for him to leave the room with her. 'What sort of printers did Kris liberate?'

'Hewlett-Packards, of course,' Beth replied as they made their way out.

'Good for her!' was Douglas's approving reply, and then they were gone.

'I studied typing in high school,' Clune murmured to her. 'And I have a good speed and know Catteni so I wouldn't make mistakes.'

'Thanks, Clune, but you may be needed for other priorities. Don't know what Zainal has in store for you and the other boys.'

'Any damned thing he wants, Kris. Some guy!' Clune was clearly in awe. 'Ditsy even says so and Ditsy don't waste words, you know.'

'Did you boys have it rough with the Masai?'

'Not rough, Kris, but different. Masai have a much different culture than we do. Sure am glad you got Floss out of there when you did. You shoulda seen the old man they were going to tie her up to.'

'I heard.' Then she gave Clune a stern look. 'You get Dane to give you some condoms, you hear me?' 'I hear you good, Emassi Kris.' His face tightened suddenly. 'But you don't mind it's me, do you?'

'Why should I? You have long-term loyalties I wouldn't think of challenging. And I appoint you Floss's undercover bodyguard.'

'I've been that for six years, even before the Catteni landed. My father was a chief of his tribe.' He tossed his head in a defensive if proud fashion. 'Of all his sons, I was sent to the States to be educated.'

'I should've guessed something like that,' Kris said at her most approving. 'You've an air about you, you know. You'll need that to deal with Barevian merchants. Floss said you've already done a lot of negotiating with Catteni?'

'Had to, Kris, though some thought we were trucking with the invaders, but we weren't. We were staying alive and out of the round-ups.' His expression changed to one of intense concern. 'Where did all those thousands of people get dropped, Kris?'

'We'll find out, Clune, we'll find out. Another thing to investigate on Barevi.'

'They'll be sorry they ever invaded our system.'

'The Eosi already are,' Kris responded with an ironic laugh. 'Barevi will be sorrier soon.'

'I hope.'

'Me too. Indeed I do,' she said in a brightly positive tone, squelching once again that tiny fear of failure she refused to entertain. When she recalled all they had managed to do, she didn't think she was being too optimistic. Well, maybe a little. This expedition was going to be difficult even if all the breaks were on their side. What she really looked forward to was less adventure, dull as that might be after all that had happened to her in the last six years. But there was more, as Zainal had said so emphatically, that somehow had become her responsibility as well as his and Botany's. Well, that was Life, wasn't it? And she hadn't even graduated from college yet and she had a lifetime career already!

The newcomers were mingling with the residents now, with questions of their own to be answered. Chuck's cousins were also in the room, looking bewildered. She was about to approach them when she saw Dorothy and Chuck gather them up. She also saw that Zainal's two boys seemed to be talking comfortably to a group of people, so she didn't have to worry about them. Even Ditsy was involved in a conversation, so she didn't see where exactly she might be needed. Then Chuck, Dorothy and his cousins made a beeline for her.

'Do you have a minute, Kris?' Chuck asked, his face flushed. 'I'd like to be introduced to my daughter.'

'Oh, Lord, in all the fuss I forgot you haven't seen her. Let's go right away, before someone catches me for something absolutely essential right now.'

Flustered, Kris started for the door, wondering how to explain her maternity when she had been introduced to the cousins as Zainal's mate.

She felt someone touch her elbow and realized that Chuck was striding right beside her. 'Don't worry. Dorothy explained about the colony's decision to widen the gene pool.'

Yes, thought Kris wildly to herself, but she didn't have to get drunk while stuck on that ship on Catten and all but seduce Chuck when he had been almost legless from drinking the local hooch with the airfield commandant.

Kris wasn't sure that explanation would sit well with two older-generation women who obviously adored their cousin.

'Don't fret, Kris. They're just so happy that I have a baby at all.' He kept them a little distance ahead of Dorothy, Cherry and Rose on their way to the creche and continued his low-voiced explanations. 'Leon says they'll improve here on Botany. Texas had a hard winter with more snow than usual and they hadn't any transport to get into the town when the community started. They didn't lack for much, but when they ran out of flour for bread, they put up a bonfire and attracted a rider who took Rose to town and then they were fine. Even had canned stuff to barter for flour.' He looked extremely proud of his relatives. Then he swung his chin in Dorothy's direction. 'They've always wanted me to marry, and they seem to like Dorothy.'

'She's easy to like, Chuck. Only we don't know whom Amy looks like. Neither you nor me.'

'She's pretty young to look like anyone but herself, ain't she?'

Kris was laughing then as she led them into the creche. Amy was in a playpen, lying on her back and whirling her arms in response to the babble of sound around her.

'Great Lord above, she's the spit of your mother, our cousin Mary,' Rose said, clasping her hands to her mouth in feminine shock. 'Why, just look at her hair, and the darling shape of her face. I remember one of the photos in the family album.. and that child is Mary Mitford to the life! Oh, may I cuddle her, Kris?'

'Certainly,' Kris replied, delighted. Rose knew how, and Amy settled into her arms as if she'd always known them. Growing up as she had with many people attending her, she had never been shy. Few of the creche kids were. Even Maizie, whom the medics had once thought might be muted by the traumas she had lived through, now babbled away without inhibitions.

Cherry began to sniffle and gulp back tears. 'Oh, she's adorable, Chuck. How did you two ever manage to produce such a lovely girl child?' Then she, too, put hand to lips, widening her eyes in consternation at what she had blurted out.

'A happy match of compatible genes, I'd say,' Dorothy replied quickly. 'We've actually seen a lot of that since we started increasing Botany's indigenous population.'

Zane, who seemed to have a special antenna for his mother's presence, came bouncing into the infant section of the creche and pounced on her. So she introduced him to the Mitford cousins.

'This one looks so much like his dad,' she said, ruffling Zane's hair, 'that I'm relieved we've found how Amy got so pretty.'

'You're pretty, Mom,' Zane said loyally, daring anyone to defy him. 'Who does Amy look like?'

'Very much like Chuck's mother, God rest her soul,' said Rose, startled at the boy's question. 'Oh, we do have a very old photograph of Mary. One of the things you must rescue for us, Charles, the next time you're back on Earth.'

'In the parlour?' Chuck asked, watching her cuddling his daughter.

'Of course. In the breakfront. Lower cabinet, first on the left. Where else?'

'I should have looked there first, without having to be reminded,' Chuck said defensively. 'Look, I gotta get crackin' on the mission. You two are in safe hands here, in case I don't get to see you before I go off.'

'You be careful, Charles,' his oldest cousin said, shaking her finger at him.

'Don't worry about Chuck,' Kris replied, unable to restrain the urge. 'I'll protect him.'

'Yeah, you and who else?' Chuck demanded, halfway to the door, shooting her a droll look.

'You don't need more than my mom,' Zane responded defiantly.

'That's all too true, lad, all too true,' Chuck said with a final wave of his hand as he left.

'Would he be going into danger, Kris?' Rose asked timorously.

'No more than any of us,' Kris replied. 'Now, don't you fret, ladies. You are safe here and we're so glad that Chuck found you.'

After listening to the two cousins cataloguing his halfsister's graces, Zane returned to whatever game he had left when he'd heard his mother's voice.

'What a sturdy child he is,' Rose said. 'Oh, how can you leave such dear children?'

'Only because I have to,' Kris said. 'But knowing that you might look in on Amy will relieve me a great deal.'

'Of course we will. You may be sure of that.'

'Then, if you'll excuse me, I have some details to organize,' Kris said and, with a little bow, left them. She had to organize some notes for the evening's meeting, but first she had to find out some details and so she made her way to the library.

'Yo, Betty? What stack are you hiding under?' she called as she came through the front door.

'Betty's not here,' said Dr. Hessian. 'What can I help you find?'

Since the doctor's recovery from being brain-scanned by the Eosi, he had taken on extra hours at the library, helping to catalogue and shelve the rather bizarre collection of books they had liberated from Barevi.

'I need to know which countries on Terra produced coffee.'

'Now, that is an odd one. As it happens, I once did a survey of the coffee-producing countries. Brazil, of course, was the major producer. Coffee beans take a tropical climate, you know.'

Snatches of old television advertisements flashed through her mind.

'Which type? Arabica or robusta?' he asked.

'Coffee beans by any name.'

'There are, or should I say, were twenty-eight coffeeproducing countries. Asia, Africa, Indonesia, South America, the various islands in the Caribbean '

'Twenty-eight?' Kris breathed a sigh of relief. 'Thank goodness.'

'Why?' asked the doctor, mildly curious at her relief.

'Because there will be coffee beans somewhere that haven't been seized by the Catteni. They're addicted to coffee, you see.'

'Not quite, but I'm glad to know my errant memory could supply you with information. If you'll wait a moment, I'll just look up the encyclopaedia.'

'Not necessary right now, Doctor, but if you could bring the reference with you to the meeting tonight?'

'Yes, yes, of course.'

'It's the roasting that does it, you know,' he added in a helpful tone of voice. When she gave him a startled look, he expatiated. 'Raw coffee beans have to be stripped of the exterior fruit pulp, which makes a good animal feed, the beans dried and roasted before grinding, you know. The coffee bean is a drupe.'

She did remember about grinding, and the thought of freshly roasted and ground coffee made her inhale a deep breath, recalling just how good roasting beans smelled. Unforgettable as well as indescribable.

'Yes, yes, that isn't as important as knowing where to get more is.'

'Get more?'

'Ransom, Doctor, ransom!' she said and left on the echo of that cryptic remark.

She fortified herself by chanting 'twenty-eight' all the way back to the hangar, which was now as crammed full of busy folk as it had been empty earlier. She let herself into the office she usually shared with Zainal and plunked herself down at the first available station, flipping on the computer. She only needed to type a few lists. Like all twenty-eight countries and the major producers of finished coffee products.

What measure should they use in figuring worth? Would coffee beans be as valuable to the Catteni as gold? Hmmm. Imagine a scoop of freshly roasted beans being as valuable as a similar weight of gold? She chuckled to herself and began to type. 'There are twenty-eight coffeeproducing countries on Earth - in South America, Africa, Indonesia, Asia and various Caribbean islands, and they can't all have been ransacked by the Catteni.'

The noise of happy laughter made her look up and peer out of the open hangar door just as an air sled, crammed with young people, every one of them festooned with the limp bodies of rock squats, lurched by.

And how much were rock squats worth by the pound? The ounce? The individual critter? Had anyone ever opened a shop with such diverse commodities?

'A carton a carcass?' The slogan slipped into her mind. Well, that would do until another crossed her mind.

Everyone turned out for the Council meeting. She had expected that much but she was delighted to see that even Mike Miller's miners and farmers from the northern reaches of the Retreat continent as well as Chief Materu from the south were present. As she hovered by the steps to the raised dais, she saw that Clune and Bazil were escorting Chief Materu and introducing him to others. She couldn't see Floss but she did spot Peran, Ditsy and Ferris.

Chuck came in with Dorothy on his arm, his two cousins right behind him, looking excessively proud of him. They had more colour in their faces this evening so she hoped they hadn't got too much sun, then reminded herself that they were from Texas and would know to be careful of too much sunning. Zainal arrived with Iri Bempechat, Yuri Palit and Walter Duxie, the mining engineer. Sev Balenquah followed them, and uncharitably Kris hoped no one would include him on this mission since he had so nearly jeopardized them all the last time. But he was a qualified pilot and had flown the KDLs. Some people just brought bad luck with them and he was one of those. Like Pig Pen, you could almost see the aura of dirt and dust surrounding him.

Zainal escorted Judge Iri Bempechat up the steps and held out the middle chair for him. The ever courteous judge waited until Chuck had seated Dorothy and for Chuck to return to his place by his cousins.

Immediately the chatter in the mess hall diminished. The new Botany Space Force additions filed in with Peter Easley, who gestured them to seats on the left before he came up to the dais. Kris took her usual end seat, nodding to the judge, who smiled sweetly back at her and took the gavel that he used for such meetings out of his pocket and put it conspicuously in front of him. Conversations went down yet another decibel and there was much scraping of chairs as people settled themselves. The last of the council members, Leon Dane, rushed in late as usual, as did Worrell, Beth Isbell and Sarah McDouall.

The judge gave his gavel an authoritative smack on the wooden block and silence prevailed.

'Since all council members are clearly present, 1 shall ask Chuck Mitford to report on his recent trip to Earth. And a special welcome to the Misses Mitford. Glad to have you here.'

The sisters twittered, somewhat embarrassed by the official greeting, then both smiled happily up at the judge. Chuck took centre stage.

'I got good news and I got bad news, folks. The bad is that most of the spare parts we need desperately to get other systems up and running on Earth are stuck as loot at Barevi.

'The good news is that there is a powerful swing to "sharing" on our home world like nothing we've ever seen before. But then, we hadn't seen,' and he swivelled to nod apologetically to Zainal, 'Catteni either. Remember how the Red Cross and the other emergency units would go to disaster areas and sort things out? Well, of course you know we had disaster all over the world but that same sort of helpful, cooperative spirit got invoked.

'It started out with local communities banding together to help each other and discuss what was needed where. It's gone on to deciding where to spend effort and material to cause the greatest good for the greatest number of folk. I mean, guys and gals, it ain't like who should get more, but we all should get according to the need. The greatest help has been the Internet, mobile phones and, as usual, ham radio folk. The first thing that was done was to reinstate the power supply, and that meant instant communication and also the ability to send drastically needed supplies where they needed to go. And we're solving as many problems as possible in the districts where it's critical. I've never seen anything like it, even with the worst of the earthquakes or hurricanes, or forest fire disasters. It's like we all turned over a new leaf. All national boundaries are down. I don't say they'll stay down, because people take pride in what they are and where they come from, but I'd say there's been a real forward step that looks good for world relations.

'Which is why we gotta make sure communications are established in all parts. We got this magnificent opportunity to sink a lot of petty little differences, and I'd say

Earth is going to succeed. It's an ill wind that blows no good.

'Sorry to spout off at you like that,' Chuck managed a self-indulgent grin, 'but we did something like that here on Botany, and what we learned here we can now translate to old Earth and see it putting the right foot forward.'

'But you need what the Barevis are sitting on, is that it, Chuck?' asked Mike Miller.

'Yeah, I did a recce, and it looks like the merchants are sitting on things they can't possibly use. As I'm sure everyone here knows,' and he threw one arm out in an expansive gesture, 'or should know, Zainal is mounting an expedition to Barevi to talk them out of stuff.' He unfurled a rolled paper that fell to the floor of the dais. 'This is Terra's shopping list.' Then he let another, much shorter one, loose. 'This is Botany's. Both are needed to make the necessary revival.'

'Talk isn't what Barevis buy,' someone yelled. 'So, who pays them?'

'We'd like to, since we have things the Catteni want,' Zainal said. 'Earth is going to contribute some of what it still has left in storage - things that my fellow planetarians didn't realize were important to them, or us. But to start the ball rolling, as you say, we have some Botanical assets that are readily saleable, but as they belong to all of us, I can't ask the Council to just give them to me. I need to have the consent of all of you.'

'Just how will these communications help us?' Bob Taglione said. 'Not that I'm against anything you want to do, Zainal, but if we are doing everyone good, what good do communications do us?'

'Good question, Bob,' Zainal said. 'I know many of you have families you'd like to hear from regularly. I don't say the mail service will be fast but it will exist. The invasion forces knocked out most of the large number of satellites that relay signals from one part of the globe to another. We could not only replace that vital net, but we could install one above Botany so that no matter where you were here, you could communicate to any part of Earth.'

There were appreciative catcalls, whistles and stompings for that possibility. 'You won't feel so isolated from family and friends any more.'

'I'll buy that!' Joe Marley yelled.

'Any chance of some of our families coming here?'

Zainal took a deep breath and, almost in unison, so did Kris. They'd discussed that imminent problem in Council. No firm decision had been made.

'There is a chance, certainly, Astrid.' The asker was one of Zainal's own team. 'It will depend on their needs and the availability of transport. But certainly some folks, like Chuck Mitford's cousins, would benefit by some months here on beautiful, scenic, do-it-yourself Botany, though I never thought we'd recommend this place as a holiday spot.'

'Didn't think you Catteni ever took holidays,' Leon Dane said facetiously.

'Living here is in its own way quite a change from what I'm accustomed to,' Zainal said with a wry grin. 'We will expect that any visitors are willing to put in hours for the general good of Botany or at their speciality if they have specific training we can use. And I can't think of anything we can't use here. Especially elbow grease?' He looked at Kris to see if he'd used the expression correctly, but his ingenuous remark provoked chuckles from many people.

To contain her pride in his response, she crossed her arms on her chest. Could he have been taking lessons from Peter Easley in public relations, or had he instinctively learned that much about how to mollify folks?

'Rose aims to help you, Bob, in cataloguing our indigenous plants while she recovers from a winter in Texas.' That got a laugh. 'She's a pharmacist, too, and Cherry wants to help Ole recover from nearly ripping his arm off.'

There were cheers and isolated instances of applause throughout the hall so that Cherry began to blush again and sink down in her chair.

'We've been making up a list of those specialities we could really use up here to balance our skill and technical pool, so we are open to suggestions, especially if you know where we can find such trained folk.' He pointed to the bulletin board. 'But to do all this, we need those satellites and bundles of mobile phones.'

'Lord, spare us!' someone cried out in consternation, and that provoked another laugh.

'I also need a good excuse to visit Barevi, and dealing with the merchants is one way of stretching out my time as long as I need it,' Zainal said in an ominous voice. 'The records of where the other slave ships went are at Barevi, and I mean to uncover them.'

'So this trip is also a cover operation?' Walter Duxie asked.

Zainal gave a brief nod. 'But I can't go with empty pockets, and what edibles we can provide that might entice buyers would be useful.'

'Just how much are you talking about in terms of Botany's assets, Zainal?'

'Mike Miller? Will you report on what you brought for us to barter with?'

'You mean "ransom", don't you, Zainal?' Dick Aarens asked bluntly.

'Yes, that is perhaps the more appropriate word, Dick,' Zainal replied at his mildest, and there was restlessness from the audience.

Leave it to Dick, Kris thought, wishing the man were not so much his own worst enemy.

Mike had to be encouraged by Zainal to stand up. 'I brought some of those gold nuggets we've been finding in the northern creeks - and don't any of you think you can come up and pan gold so easy. Ask any of my miners. Ask Duxie here. There ain't much of it at best and at worst, Botany ain't on a gold standard. We're on a work standard, which is much better for all concerned. I brought tin, lead, zinc, copper - but there's as much on deposit in what we are calling Fort Raps.' Another laugh at that sally. 'And a quantity of trace minerals. Nothing we don't have more of here and something we can certainly send to be used as barter. I don't know about you guys but I've friends back on Earth I'd sure like to send messages to now and then. That'd mean more to me than all the gold in Fort Knox.'

'Hear, hear!' was the supporting cry from the audience.

'How do we know what standard Barevi is working on?' someone demanded.

'Fair question,' Dick said.

'We're going to give them a little razzmatazz that they can't ignore,' Peter said, flicking one hand in the air as if this weren't a problem.

'I hardly think roast or raw rock squat is what they're looking for,' Aarens shot back.

'There's nothing on the list of what we have that can't be replaced with a little sweat and effort,' Mike Miller replied, annoyed by Aarens's obvious attempt to disparage Zainal's efforts.

'I find it odd that a Catteni is trying to bargain for us with his own species. Strikes me as collusion,' was Aarens's retort, and he included the miner in his angry glance.

'We'd still be under Catteni rule if Zainal hadn't intervened with that Kamiton,' Yuri Palit said angrily.

'How do we know that? How do we know this business with the Barevi merchants isn't another way of robbing us and Botany of resources?' Aarens demanded, waggling an accusing finger at Palit.

'Considering what Zainal has already put on the line for us,' Chuck said, his face flushed with anger, 'your suggestion is impertinent.'

'I'm always impertinent,' Aarens retorted, pleased. 'You are also out of order,' Iri Bempechat said with a crack of his gavel.

'Let me straighten one thing out,' Zainal said. 'We have a Council,' and he gestured to the dais, 'to decide matters of planetary significance. Which this is, since it is Botany's assets that I hope to use to get the components we need to put more communication satellites in orbit around Botany and to restore the rest of the network around Earth. If that goal seems wrong to any of you, you have a chance to say so now, impertinent or pertinent. And I want Dick Aarens to come with us since he is an expert in circuitry.'

'That's a safe enough offer,' Dick Aarens said with a sneer. 'You know I won't go out into space again.'

Not everyone caught the second part of his comment because everyone wanted a turn to speak and the judge had to bang his gavel to restore order.

Zainal raised his hands high for silence, too, and when it was reinstated, he went on.

'We also have several spaceships which are currently not in use. I suggest that one of these could be profitably sold to cover costs.'

There was a roar of disapproval at that suggestion. Botanists took great pride in their space capability.

'We can dig more gold and stuff, but we can't get another spaceship as easily!'

'We'll all get something useful out of that gold 'n' stuff. Go to it, Zainal.'

'I'll dig for more. Just show me where!'

'Are you sure this'll work, Zainal?'

'I have been assured it will,' Zainal said. 'As sure as one can be. You all know my deal with Kamiton, but he didn't figure on the stubbornness of Barevi merchants. Therefore it's up to me to do a private deal with them personally. And I take that responsibility very much to heart. We wouldn't have the problem we have now if I hadn't forgotten how materialistic that group are.'

'Not your fault, Zainal,' Chuck said, bringing his fist down on the table with a bang that startled everyone sitting around him.

'Don't blame yourself, Zainal,' Dorothy Dwardie said, pointing her finger at him. 'You made a deal with Kamiton, and it's not your fault that he welshed on it.'

' 'Welshed on it"?' Zainal asked, blinking at her.

'Couldn't deliver,' Kris translated. 'Make good on his word. Kamiton seems to have some internal difficulties in his new government.' She grinned and then confided to the assembly, 'We'll sort it out, I'm sure. And we'll bring some coffee back with us, too.'

There was a cheer to that statement.

'They'll be sorry they started on a coffee addiction. We can make that work for us, you know. Demand for goods is always a good incentive to trade.'

'What about the gold teeth?'

'It takes a lot longer to make teeth than it does to brew good coffee.'

'Ah, coffee!'

'Hey, did they get a taste for chocolate, too?' a woman wanted to know.

'Hey, that can be just as addictive!' There was goodnatured laughter at that.

'You will keep records of where the ransom goes, won't you, Zainal?'

'We certainly will,' Chuck answered stoutly. 'Every flake of gold, every ounce of copper and tin and every grain of minerals will be accounted for. Won't it, Sally?'

'Am I going too?' Sally Stoffers asked, eyes wide with excitement.

'You were an accountant once, weren't you?' Chuck asked.

'Yes, but only on Earth.'

'Accounting is accounting wherever it's done,' Chuck said emphatically.

'I move to put the matter of our colony's assets being turned over to Zainal for the purposes of obtaining technological parts to the vote,' cried Walter Duxie.

'I second that motion,' said Mike Miller.