the law to Judson and Blalok, he had had no trouble from the production staff. And for the past four months there had been no further trouble with Hepatodirus. That unwanted v

e. Systemic treatment and cooking of all food had cleaned up the infective cercaria and individual infections, and after six months of intensive s

hospital should, with a staff of twelve Lani kept busy checking the full wards. Actually, it was working better than it should, si

ed the door open and looked into

Kennon said. "Somet

drop in for a moment

r w

ving the f

be for two

e's only three hundred and two days in our year, ten th

have two months to go. But how come the ten-month year? Most

r liked thirt

dered abo

ut Flora when you get to know her better. T

e admitted. "You know, I thought that the Lani

They're the easiest part. They'

ped the sweat from his face. "What with this infernal heat a

e laid out that va

away from soil saprophytes no matter how clean you are. Under a pasture setup there's always a chance of contaminati

said. "That's why I came over. We're going to

oaned. "N

t efficient feed converters of all the domestic animals. So we're getting a pilot plant: eggs, incubator, and a knocked-down broiler battery so we can try the idea out. The

perosis, and Ochsner knows how many other-osises and-itises. I was never too strong o

eed. "I can't see anythi

on n

k added. "Poultry need concentrated feed.

hope he'll appreciat

alok said gloomily. "I wish he'd reali

could

e only man with feed-mill experience, and he's up to his ear

ined about the slavery implications and got the Boss-

vermuscled Halsite who looked good to her-but she couldn't crack his moral barrier."

interested in a beefsteak. It's a good thing we had that fluke problem o

" Blalok said. "With the Boss-man's

k she'd be on my sid

now her bett

nearly collapsed-and when it had come to the final showdown, he thought for a while that he'd be looking for another job. But Alexander had bee

ou never knew h

mark entirely as Kennon looked at him with blank incomprehension. "You should have been a Mystic," Blalok said. "A

cted somewhere along the line. I don't get it." He shrugged and buzzed for Copper. The veterinary report

e. He had been here a full year-but instead of becoming a familiar object, he had grown so gigantic

eptress at Hillside Station had given her some advice when Man Allworth had tattooed the tiny V on her thigh that meant she had been selected for the veterinary staff.

led longing that destroyed sleep and made food tasteless. Love was supposed to be

be able to tell you from a human. You will look like our masters. You will share in their wo

s so. The Old Ones knew love before Man Alexander came. And our young were the fruit of love rather than the product of our masters' cunning. But you ma

ou love. Yet you never will be his equal. Nor must you become too attached to him, for you are not human.

ssess it. For there lies heartache rather than happiness. And it is a worl

r life that night a year ago. And it had grown until it had become gigantic. He was kind-yes. He was harsh-occasionally. Yet h

mes shared his problems and triumphs with her, and sometimes his defeats, but he did not love. There had never been for her the bright fi

ession she would have come to him though fir

n, soft lips and long straight nose, the narrowed eyes, hooded beneath thick brows, scanning t

d like hot iron. For hours she had felt it. He looked up. Her heart choked her with its beating. Sh

ted, he couldn't give. Yet if she were human it would be easy. A hundred generations of Betan moral code said "never," yet when he looked at her their voices faded. He was a man-a member of the ruling race. She w

uieting poetry of the sensual Santosian bards-the lyrics that sung of the joys of flesh. He had never really liked them, yet they

u want something

about coffee. Banality was at once the curse and the saving grace of mankind. It kept men from the emotional peaks and valleys that could destr

had tried it once but the hot bitterness scalded her mouth and flooded her body with its heat. And she

s-yet-she might find favor in his eyes. The hope was always there within her-a

hing more beautiful or sad. Involuntarily he placed his hand upon her arm. She flinched, her muscles tensing under his

ter, Copper?" h

octor. I'm

hy

first she would tell him. Then he could do with her as he wished. "I hoped-for the past year that you would see me. That you would think of me not as a Lani, but as a beloved." The words came faster now, tumbling over one another. "That you would desire me

oor child," K

on her shoulders and the nearness of him drove the breath from her body. From a

but her heartbeat slowed and the pink

The curved lips drawn over white, white teeth! The flared nostrils! The hungry demand upon his face that answered the dema