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yos'Phelium, was it?"

    "Yes."

    "Yes. I believe we may contrive." He stepped toward the watchful explorer.

    "I will have your name," he snapped in his awful Yxtrang.

    She lifted her chin, "Hazenthull Explorer."

    "So." The language shifted to Trade. "Hazenthull Explorer, I offer you compromise. I am kin to the Hero Captain Robertson—blood ties, eh?"

    Her mouth tightened, but she gave a short jerk of the head. "I understand."

    "Good. Understand that Captain Robertson's duties are manifold, including a position of command over the kin unit of which I am a genetic member. The name of the kin unit is Line yos'Phelium. Captain Robertson accepted the oath of Nelirikk Explorer in the name of this kin unit ." He tipped his head. "Do you understand this? I do not wish to trick you."

    Once again, she jerked her head. "I understand."

    "Excellent. Attend me closely, now: The customs of kin allow me to take from you an interim oath."

    Hazenthull frowned. "Inter—a temporary oath?"

    "Just so. In the service of your senior's life. The 'doc which has been called for is his only immediate chance of survival—Shadia does not use the word 'dying' lightly. I do not willingly watch scouts perish, as I believe I said. I require of you an oath that you and yours will serve Line yos'Phelium, in the person of Daav yos'Phelium—that is myself. In turn, I will give you my oath to bring you to Captain Robertson herself, so that she may make what judgment that a captain must, for the good of her troop." He paused, perhaps awaiting a question. Hazenthull remained silent.

    "The term of our oaths," Daav continued, "shall be concluded when the captain has given her judgment. Can you agree to this?"

    There was a long silence. Nelirikk saw the explorer's eyes narrow, as if she were turning the proposed oaths round in her mind, seeking the trap that she knew must be there.

    Nelirikk could have pointed out the ambiguity attending the precise expiration of term, but it was to the Troop's benefit to acquire the services of other explorers, if it could be managed, and so he held his tongue.

    Finally, Hazenthull Explorer gave another of her terse nods. "We are free to offer and to honor these oaths."

    "Splendid." Daav waved at the patient soldier. "Explain the matter to him." He flicked a look to Nelirikk. "Assist her, please, Lieutenant."

    "Scout." Nelirikk bowed slightly and stepped to Hazenthull Explorer's side.

    Some distance up-trail, he heard the sound of a jitney engine, growing rapidly louder.

Lytaxin
Erob's House

    " . . . GRACE OF THE MOTHER we came through well and whole," Priscilla was saying.

    The transmission was remarkably clear, considering that it was a jerry-rig replacement for the planetary communication net the Yxtrang had shredded. And it was beyond joy to be able to hear his lifemate's voice, after these long, eventful days of separation. Still, Shan thought, wistfully, it would have been ecstasy, to behold her face, to run his fingers into her curly black hair, to stroke her creamy cheek, to put his lips—

    "Shan?"

    He shook himself. Do strive for some breeding, Shan , he told himself, will you scorn her voice because you may not have the rest?

    "Forgive me, Priscilla, I was entranced by the mental image of you doughty warriors, knives caught between your teeth—"

    "Shan . . . "

    "Priscilla, you really must spend less time with my sister," he told her earnestly. "You have her inflection exactly, there."

    From their ship, high in Lytaxin orbit, she laughed. Shan, seated at the desk in the guesting room Erob had ceded him, smiled wryly and stroked the comm's plastic face.

    "Let us make plans for your stay on planet," he said. "Leave now and I'll be at the spaceport to greet you."

    The beam hummed empty for a moment, then gave him Priscilla's sigh.

    "Love, you know I need to be with the ship. Ren Zel is able, but—"

    "But Ren Zel is not of Clan Korval," he finished, knowing the necessities as well as