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infection moving into the native society, a focal point of restimulation
for any recessive kult'laenger lines that still existed in a peaceful
people after twenty thousand years.
"I think Evon will be here," the girl said too casually as they entered
the forest and turned into a path that led to the glade where the elders
had assembled.
He took her arm suddenly, and stopped in the pathway.
"Letha you have worked for me many months."
"Yes "
"I love you, Letha."
She smiled very slowly, and lifted her hands to his face. He kissed her
quietly, hating himself.
"You'll take me with you," she said.
"No." It was impossible.
"Then you'll stay."
"It is... forbidden... verboten...." There was no word in the
tongue.
"I can't understand.... If you love...."
He swallowed hard. For the girl, "love" automatically settled
everything, and consummation must follow. How could he explain.
"Letha in your culture, 'life' is the highest value."
"How could it be otherwise? Love me, Meikl."
He took a deep breath and straightened. "You understand 'drama', Letha.
I have watched your people. Their lives are continuous conscious
play-acting. Your lives are a dance, but you know you are dancing, and
you dance as you will. Have you watched our people?"
She nodded slowly. "You dance a different dance act a different play."
"It's not a play, Letha. We act an unconscious drama, and thus the
drama becomes more important than living. And death takes precedence
over life."
She shuddered slightly and stared into his eyes, unbelieving.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Can you understand? that I love you, and yet my... my...." He groped
for a word for "duty". "My death-allegiance to the ship-people takes
precedence? I can neither take you nor remain with you."
Something went dead in her eyes. "Let us go to the glade," she said in a
monotone. "It's growing late."
"And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear,
Edward, Edward?
And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear,
My dear son, now tell me, O?"
"The curse of hell frae me sall ye bear,
Mither, mither;
The curse of hell frae me sall ye bear;
Sic counsels ye gave to me, O!"
ANONYMOUS
The trouble had begun on the eighteenth day of the ninth month. A party
of unidentified men had stolen into the occupied zone during the night.
Without warning, they killed three guards, seized control of the
dispensary, raided the pharmacy, taking the entire supply of fungus
immunization serum, together with a supply of the deadly phials and
needles. They stole a flyer and departed to the south, skimming low over
the forest to avoid fire from the grounded fleet. The following day, a
leaflet appeared, circulating among the fleet personnel.
NOTICE OF SANCTUARY
TO: ALL PERSONNEL
FROM: AUSLAND COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: FREEDOM
1. ANY OFFICER OR MAN WHO WISHES TO RESIGN FROM THE SERVICES OF
THE IMPERIAL FORCES OF THE SECESSION MAY DO SO OF THIS DATE.
2. THE PROCEDURE FOR RESIGNATION INVOLVES NO FORMAL STATEMENT.
A MAN MAY TERMINATE HIS PERIOD OF SERVICE BY DEPARTING FROM THE
OCCUPIED ZONE.
3. ANY OFFICER OR MAN WHO ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE WITH THE
RESIGNATION OF ANOTHER SHALL BE TRIED IN ABSENTIA BY THIS
COMMITTEE, AND IF FOUND GUILTY, SHALL INCUR THE DEATH PENALTY.
AUSLAND COMMITTEE
"An outrageous and preposterous bit of deviltry!" ven Klaeden had