“I gather Gaber has been spouting that asinine theory of his, that we're planted?” Kai managed a laugh that sounded, to him, genuinely amused.
“I laughed at Gaber, too, but I don't think the heavy-worlders have the same sense of humour.”
“That would account for their aggressive behaviour,” said Varian. “They'd be very much at home on this planet, and strong enough to survive.”
“This generation would be strong enough,” said Lunzie in her pedantic tone, “but not the next.”
"What are you talking like that for?" Kai demanded angrily. " 'Next generation'. We aren't planted!"
“No, I don't think we are,” and Lunzie was calm. “We're much too small a group for a genetic pool and the wrong ages. But that wouldn't inhibit the heavy-worlders from striking out . . .”
“Staying on Ireta?” Kai was appalled.
"Oh, they've everything here they require," said Lunzie." Alcohol, animal protein . . . The heavy-worlders are often laws unto themselves. You've heard the tales, Varian," and the girl nodded slowly. "I've heard of several groups just fading into the scenery. If you can imagine the bulk of a heavy-worlder fading . . ."
“They can't do that,” Kai said, wrestling with dismay, anger and a sense of futility for he hadn't a notion how to prevent the heavy-worlders from carrying out such a plan. Physically they were superior, and both he and Varian had often felt that the heavy-worlders merely tolerated them as leaders because it suited.
“They could, and we had better admit it to ourselves, if to no one else,” said Lunzie. “Unless, of course, you can figure out something so disastrous about this planet that they'd prefer to return with us.” It was obvious she felt that there could be no such circumstance to deter the heavy-worlders.
“Now, There's a constructive thought,” said Varian.
“Retro please” said Kai. “We have no indication that that is their intention! We may have just talked ourselves into a crisis without any substantiation. Muhlah! It's no business of ours to interfere with the sexual requirements of any group. If they have to have stimuli to satisfy their drive, fine. We've created the indiscretion by ascribing unsavoury and unacceptable actions to them and we don't even know if our speculations are valid.”
Lunzie looked a little chagrined but Varian was not so easily mollified.
“I don't like it! Something's out of phase. I've felt it since the day we went to Mabel's assistance.”
"Violence is a stimulus for the heavy-worlders," said Lunzie." And despite our strides towards true civilized behaviour, it can prove a stimulus for us as welclass="underline" a primitive, disgusting but valid reaction." Lunzie shrugged her acceptance of such frailty. "We aren't that far removed from the slime of creation and instinctive response ourselves. From now on, I shall judiciously dilute the distillation for everyone." She walked towards the exit. "And no one will be the wiser."
“Look, Varian, we don't know yet,” said Kai, seeing how dejected Varian was. “We've taken isolated facts?”
“I've taken isolated facts . . . but Kai, something is wrong.”
" – Too much already. We don't need more."
“Leaders are supposed to anticipate problems so that they don't arise.”
“Like EV failing to contact us?” Kai gave her a long amused look.
“That's EV's problem, not ours. Kai, I've worked with heavy-worlders before. I even . . .” she gave a weak laugh, “survived two weeks of gravity on Thormeka to have some understanding of the conditions that bred them. And I did notice that Paskutti and Tardma overreacted to fang-face's attack on the herbivore. As much as heavy-worlders do react.”
“We cannot interfere with the discreet sexual practices of any group, Varian, can we?” He waited until she'd reluctantly agreed. “So, we've now anticipated that there might be a problem, right?”
“It's my first big expedition, Kai. It's got to turn out right.”
“My dear co-leader, you've been doing a superior job.” Kai pulled her from the bulkhead and into his arms. He didn't like to see the volatile Varian so dejected and, he sincerely hoped, needlessly worried. “None of my geology teams have been trampled or flank bitten . . . you've sorted out some new life forms, a bonus on your binary bit, my friend. And you know, it'd be nice if we practiced some sex ourselves?”
He startled her and laughed at her reaction, took her silence as acquiescence and kissed her. Meeting with no resistance and some co-operation, they retired, discreetly, to his dome for the remainder of the rest day.
CHAPTER NINE
A world which stimulated last evening's occupation couldn't be all bad, Varian decided the next morning, rising totally refreshed. Perhaps Lunzie had been wrong to think that just because the heavy-worlders hadn't taken along protein rations, they were going to . . . Well, there was no proof that their day hadn't been spent in gratifying their sex drive, and not an atavistic pleasure in dietary habits.
Kai was correct, too. As they had no proof of any misdemeanour, it did no good to harbour base suspicions.
Easier said than done, thought Varian later as she conferred with the heavy-worlders on the week's assignments. She could not put her finger on a specific change, but there was a marked difference in the attitude of her team. Varian had always felt relatively at ease with Paskutti and Tardma. Today, she was conscious of a restraint, stumbling for phrases and words, uncomfortable and feeling that Paskutti and Tardma were amused by her. They had an air of smug satisfaction that irritated her, though she'd be hard pressed to say what gave her that idea as the heavy-worlders betrayed no emotion. The xenob team was keeping just ahead of the areas the geologists must probe on the ground. Unknown life forms lurked in the heavy vegetation, small but equally dangerous, and force-screen belts were not absolute protection.
As the two heavy-worlders strode beside her towards the sled park, she could have sworn that Paskutti was limping slightly. Varian and Kai had agreed to hold off questioning the heavy-worlders and Varian had no trouble controlling her curiosity that day. That indefinable change in the heavy-worlders' attitude towards her acted as a crucial check.
It was a distinct relief to her to call an end to the day's scouting when pelting, wind-lashed rain limited visibility and made telltagging impossible. That it was Paskutti who called the actual halt to the exercise gave Varian some measure of satisfaction.
When they entered the compound, Lunzie was crossing from the shuttle to her quarters and gave Varian an imperceptible signal to join her.
“Something occurred yesterday,” the physician told Varian in the privacy. “Tanegli has a gash across one cheek-bone. He said he got it from a sharp twig when leaning over to collect a specimen.” Lunzies expression discounted that explanation.
“And I'm certain that Paskutti is masking a limp.”
“Oho, and Bakkun is not making full use of his left arm.”
“In some primitive societies, the males fight for the favour of the females,” Varian said.
“That doesn't hold Berru is wearing heal-seal on her left arm. I haven't seen Divisti or the others today but I'd love to call a medical on all of 'em. Only I did that too recently for the alcohol reaction.”
“Maybe Berru just didn't like the male who won her?”
Lunzie snorted “I'd say the air was blue with response yesterday. Anyway, how come you're in so early?”
“Violent storm, couldn't see, and certainly couldn't tell tag what was on the ground. I rather thought though,” she added in a drawl, “that Paskutti and Tardma were quite ready to quit early.”
“I've put a new power pack in the synthesizer and I'll keep strict account of any usage Tanegli says he found two more edible fruits, and one plant heart with a high nutritional content. At least he says he found them yesterday . . .”