Chapter 36

"Uh, sir, may I talk to you privately?" Zo asked hesitantly.

"Certainly, Sergeant," the colonel said with a smile. "I believe my quarters are deserted at the moment, perhaps we may go there."

It was six months after their initially traumatic arrival on Eden, six largely uneventful months in one regard and dramatically eventful in many others. There'd been, as Meiersdottir had predicted, no further strife at all between the Edenites and the humans; instead, all had been working productively with one another to the great benefit of both species.

The human biologists, led by Singh and Sviatoslavski, had lately announced that they were on the verge of a breakthrough regarding the natives' telepathic linkage. With Meiers­dot­tir's intercession they'd induced several of the males, and one young female, to sit for detailed electronic scans of their brains, and with the aid of several dissected Edenite corpses were coming to understand the biological workings of their brains. It remained to be seen, of course, whether a synthetic analog could be developed that would have the same effect on human minds—or whether, for that matter, such a development was desirable—but the understanding, at least, could be of immense benefit.

As a by-product, they had also discerned the details of the alien females' pain-suppressing capabilities which, if artificially reproducible, had the potential to revolutionize human medicine. And several of the scientists in other disciplines had also announced important progress, including especially the geologists and climatologists who were re-thinking their long-held view that a world without a moon similar to Earth's would be inherently unstable.

The Edenites, at the same time, were discovering just how greatly the addition of domesticated beasts of burden, not just for foodstock, could help them in not only their daily chores but in support of distant settlements. They were beginning to use ox-drawn carts to move both them­selves and their goods around. The problem of electrical generation had still not been solved, but the biologists and physicists were working together to tap the luminescent parasites as a source and seemed to be nearing a breakthrough there as well.

Several of the young females had also been drafted temporarily into service to maintain the bridge between the primary settlement and the outpost; impatient as they were to begin their roles as mothers, they subordinated that to the needs of the collective. And a new breed of female had already begun hatching, one in which the reproductive instinct would be deferred and who would thus be more widely available to join with the males.

The problem of the copper outpost had been completely resolved. The idea of encampments along the route had been shelved; the native wildlife would not allow such tiny settlements to survive. But periodic visits between the outpost and the primary settlement had been set up, so that each group could renew its mental ties to the other, and at least for the moment this seemed to be working well; they found themselves in harmony once again. Already the Edenites were laying plans for additional colonies to serve other purposes.

And the eight troopers had fully shed the fears and hostility that Miller had inspired in them toward both the natives and the human scientists. Igwanda had maintained the weekly rotation (adjusted to the slightly shorter Edenite daily clock) so that all were spending ample time on the planet, and interactions were frequent and easy; all of the troopers had joined comfortably in various of the activities, especially serving as field assistants to the scientists.

It was in the midst of this highly productive time, for all concerned, that Zo approached his commander.

"What is it, Sergeant," asked the colonel genially once they'd found privacy.

"Uh, sir, well, you know how you and Dr. Meiersdottir got married on Eden last time we were here?" Igwanda nodded; of course he remembered, it was an occasion the memory of which he treasured. "Well, sir, if it's OK with you, I'd like to do the same," Zo finished in a rush.

"Rory?" Igwanda asked with astonishment.

"Aurora, yes, sir," said the sergeant.

"I am sure there is no need for me to say this, Zo, but you are aware of her, well—"

"Please don't, sir. I'm going to hear way too much of it from way too many others. We've all got a past, there's plenty of stuff in mine that I won't boast about, but I'm marrying who she is, not who she was. Although, you know, I don't really see all that much wrong with who she was, either. We didn't even know each other then."

"In that case all that is left is for me to congratulate you, Sergeant," Igwanda said. "She is indeed a delightful person. But I am sure that you have thought of this and discussed it, yet I do not really see her as content with the peripatetic life of a career soldier."