Maybe because of the lengths their parents and teachers went to in order to insure that they didn’t produce before the next birthing was sanctioned.
They were allowed intimacy--but they were carefully monitored.
Contraceptives were issued as a matter of course--because nobody actually believed the education would do the trick and no one could afford a ‘mistake’. The girls had to report for a physical once a month to make certain they hadn’t caught pregnant and to flush the unsanctioned offspring if they had.
She had--exactly once--and not even because she’d willingly taken part. One of the guys--Newton--had convinced her to allow a little necking and then forced himself on her.
Because she’d ‘teased’ him and she didn’t have the right to refuse when she’d ‘let’ him pin her down and force her.
That, combined with the behavior of her ‘true love’ had been sufficient to convince her she didn’t really want to play that game at all. And because it was considered popular entertainment by most of her gen, she thought she should just avoid it.
And she had.
And she was still avoiding it.
Oddly enough, that thought prompted a replay of her ‘meeting’ with the alien man.
She didn’t actually try to analyze the flutter that went through her as his image filled her mind, but it didn’t feel like fear.
* * * *
Roque and hispadur, Terran met up with Ryne and Torr before they managed to get within miles of their homestead.
They were guardedly friendly, however, and welcomed them to their home for refreshment.
Ryne did not know what stunned him more--the fact that their woman was as lovely a creature as Belle--or almost--or that she was big with child.
He did not think that he had truly believed a mating between them would bear fruit.
And yet their Noely had already born one child for them and was carrying a second.
The discovery rattled his wits. It took an effort to collect them.
“What brings you this way?” Roque asked when they had settled with refreshment.
Ryne flicked an uncomfortable glance at Noely. “We believe more of her people have arrived.”
Noely sucked in a sharp breath--whether prompted by excitement or fear, Ryne did not know, but that made it clear that she had learned at least some of their tongue. “The Artemis?” she gasped, but then frowned. “Surely not. They werescheduled to leave two decades after we left Earth. Not expected to,” she added. “They look like me? Or … have you seen them?”
“We went to reconnoiter after we spotted tek,” Torr said. “Yes. Very like you. They are pale and have no wings or horns.”
“Round ears,” Ryne added.
Noely lifted her brows. “A close look, then?”
Ryne flicked a grin in Roque’s direction. “Not as close as I would have liked.”
Noely chuckled, giving her men a warm look. “We should go.”
Roque frowned.
“You hate flying,” Terran said instead of pointing out that she was big with child and would find it uncomfortable even if she wasn’t frightened of the height.
“I do,” Noely agreed. “But … if I don’t go now, it’ll be months and months before I could and … the others want to know whether to accept them or make war on them.” She transferred her gaze to Ryne and Torr. “That’s why you came here to talk, isn’t it?”
Discomfort wafted through Ryne. “I had no plan,” he disputed. “I came to see what Roque thought about the situation. Whether we should we be alarmed or not.”
“Well,” Torr said grimly. “Mostarealarmed already. It seems indisputable that they are Ert peoples and we have lost much to Ert people already.”
