by Les Broad
CHAPTER 10
It was a pleasant flight back to Gifford, and at Nikki's suggestion Plisfou flew the aircraft all the way, not stopping at a distance as she had done previously. The sight of an approaching aircraft caused some consternation, inevitably, but Ussida and Zeftio, the two Aupesians who had remained at Gifford, were able to reassure their friends that this was not a mysterious threat, being simply Plisfou returning from Botijjo #2.
What did cause comment, and favourable comment at that, was Nikki appearing back at Gifford dressed as an Aupesian Roxtamol. The news that a whole batch of similar clothing was on board the aircraft was greeted with great enthusiasm by the women, although the male reaction was rather more muted. When the inevitable question was asked, Plisfou said she was sure that garments more suited to the male form could be produced. She said this in a way that suggested that the manufacture of clothes for men was something that had never previously been considered, a tone that had several people privately wondering if there were indeed any male Aupesians and, if there were, what exactly it was that they wore.
As her first job Nikki sought out Christine and asked her to come to the administration building as soon as she could. Christine agreed, saying she would need a few minutes to complete what she was then doing. By the time she arrived Nikki and Plisfou were settled in Nikki's little office drinking coffee. She poured herself a cup and sat down.
"Good trip?" she asked, and Nikki smiled widely.
"Good, yes, but fantastic, amazing and stunning are a few of the words that I might also use. Plisfou, would you mind telling Christine your age?"
"Of course. I have now lived for two zero eight of our years, a little more in your Earth years. I expect to live perhaps another one five zero years."
Christine's jaw dropped open, just as had happened back at Botijjo #2.
"No. I don't believe it. I don't see that it's possible, here or anywhere else."
"Well, Masaya was able to tell us about Earth before the war - she was there. I'm convinced."
"OK, Nikki, shelve my scepticism for the moment. Tell me how you got the cute little outfits!
Nikki and Plisfou between them told Christine about the trip to Botijjo #2, including the equipment that Jodie and Nina were studying, the need for a doctor to complete the team, the other aircraft which would be theirs if Bryn could fix it and about the sickness brought back from Earth which devastated the Aupesian population. Christine was at pains to point out that the only health problems they'd had since leaving Earth were accidents, bumps, scratches and latterly pregnancies. No other illnesses had been reported.
Christine had avoided responding to the comment about a doctor being required to complete Jodie's team, so with only a mild prompting from Plisfou Nikki decided to ask Christine outright.
"Look," she said, "can I send Pete Webster back to Botijjo #2? I know you're busy here but Pete can't have much to do, can he?"
"He's not busy with his medical work, no. He might not be too willing to go as he seems to be spending a lot of time with one of your girls, Plisfou. He and Zeftio are getting quite close, it seems to me."
"I am not happy about this," Plisfou said in a grave tone, "because of the differences between us. When these have been resolved by your people at Botijjo #2 I will be happy to encourage such closeness but for now it is worrying."
"Yes, Plisfou, your point is taken. Have you spoken to either of them, Christine?"
"Not yet. Do you think I should?"
"Well, if we want Pete to go back to Botijjo #2 we'll have to ask him if he actually wants to go, won't we? Shall we tackle this now?"
"OK, give me a few minutes and I'll fetch him." Christine rose and left the room. Nikki exhaled deeply.
"It had to happen, I suppose. By Earth standards the Aupesians - all the ones I've seen - are attractive women. I just hope it's not gone too far, but it's only been a couple of days, after all."
"I share your hope, Nikki. My experience of your people tells me that you are all intelligent and would do nothing reckless. By acting now I am certain we will have prevented any difficulty."
"I hope you're right. Good, Christine's back."
"He's just coming. Zeftio is with him."
Within a minute or so Pete entered the room with Zeftio, and both accepted the seats offered. Nikki looked quickly at Plisfou, who began speaking.
"Pete, I do not think we have previously met. I am Plisfou, the Roxxakique, and Zeftio is one of my Roxtamol. She answers to me as you answer to your superiors." Pete nodded in understanding. "In my city two of your colleagues are setting to work to repair machinery which will allow them to study the genetic differences between you and us. When that study is complete we hope it will be possible to integrate our two communities, for children to be born, perhaps, with one human parent and one Aupesian. A doctor is needed to complete the team and we would like you to be that doctor." Pete looked at Zeftio and smiled gently.
"There are two points here, aren't there? Firstly I would be thrilled at the chance of joining the study team. Secondly, you are telling Zeftio and me to be careful, I think. We will not do anything untoward because we do understand that we are different species. When the study is finished I would like to include Zeftio in a family here, if that would then be possible."
"On the question of family," Nikki said slowly and deliberately, "let's leave it for the time being. If I have your word that no sexual relations will take place I am happy to let your friendship with Zeftio proceed, subject of course to what Plisfou may say. Plisfou?"
"Provided that there is to be no mating I too am happy. There must be no such mating between species until the study tells us if it can be done. Is this clear, Zeftio?"
"Yes, Plisfou, it is clear. If Pete is to be working at Botijjo #2, may I return there with him?"
"If that is your wish, yes. I am sure one of the other Roxtamol will be happy to come here to help Ussida."
"OK," Nikki said with a faint but noticeable hint of relief in her voice, "We'd like to get back to the city today if we can so you two should get ready to leave. Can you do something for me, Pete?”
"Sure, Nikki, name it."
"Can you find Bryn and ask him if he can come in here, please?"
Pete Webster nodded and left, Zeftio following him proudly. When Nikki looked, there was a strange expression on Plisfou's face.
"Something bothering you?" Nikki asked.
"Perhaps, yes. Zeftio knows nothing of human life but is aware of our problems here on Aupes. How we have planned to tackle the problem of increasing our population is, I think, as different to your way as our genetic differences. It is something we need to discuss with Masaya as she understands your ways and has seen your great civilisations."
"We have always preferred to raise children in a family situation, with a mother and a father living together with their children until the children become independent. It has not always worked, but overall it has been a reasonable arrangement. Of course, our history shows examples of tyrannical leaders trying to breed selectively, but this has never been successful. We are trying to continue family life here, but are adapting it to the particular circumstances we face. I was responsible for deciding who came to Aupes and deliberately chose few men since I thought that we would then be able to keep up a high birth rate. Of course, I hadn't anticipated finding people already here. I'm glad we did, though."
"We are pleased that you came. Our means of increasing our population is rather different, but this is something that I must leave to Masaya to explain. Forgive me, Nikki, for not speaking about it more."
"I think I understand. I am happy to wait until Masaya can explain, but I do appreciate that there will be many cultural as well as biological differences between us and we must learn to respect those differences."
Plisfou nodded in agreement just as Bryn walked in, looking his usual cheerful self.
"Hello," he said, "it's all right for those who only have to talk all d
ay! I like the new gear - it suits you." Nikki smiled at Bryn's compliment.
"Are you that busy then, Bryn?"
"If I was being honest, no. Gordon and Ussida are getting on with the boat now that the design is settled. I can't help much because Gordon knows more than me about boats and I don't want him to realise it. Ussida is a fast learner - tell her something once and it's enough. She doesn't forget anything."
“You will find many of us that are like that, Bryn. We can absorb knowledge easily."
"It's a useful ability. What did you ladies want to see me about?"
"Just a simple question, really." Nikki kept her face straight. "Can you repair an aircraft?"
"Depends what's wrong with it." Bryn replied quickly and with mock seriousness.
“It doesn't work, that's what's wrong."
“OK, Nikki, it's my fault for expecting a technical answer from an administrator. Where is it? It's not, I take it, the one you flew here in?"
"No, Bryn. That flies perfectly, at least in Plisfou's hands. There's another, just the same, at Botijjo #2 and it will be put at our disposal if we can get it back in the air."
"Right. I can take a look and if I've got the working one to use as a reference it can't be too difficult, can it? The maintenance manuals will all be in Aupesian, but I can write my own as I go."
"Well, actually, the maintenance manuals appear no longer to exist. They, along with everything else that we might expect to see in paper form were kept on computer and the computers don't work any more, nor do the repair robots, nor the robots that repair the repair robots. The civilisation was decimated by disease two hundred years ago, disease that was brought back here from Earth."
"I see." The implications of that final remark didn’t seem to register. "We'll have a go at the aircraft, and we can have a look at the rest as well. We've got some good engineers."
"We've left Nina and Jodie back at Botijjo #2 where they'll form a team with Pete Webster to get enough laboratory equipment working to undertake a study of the genetic differences between the Aupesians and us. If you want to take another engineer to work with you I've no objection, then we should see some real progress."
"I'll ask Alison Scrivener to come with me. She's good with flying things. When do we leave?"
"As we've got Plisfou's aircraft and her as an excellent pilot you can go as soon as you're ready and have rounded up Pete and Alison. Zeftio's going back but I think I'll stay here and catch up on things."
"If you don't mind, Nikki, I think Masaya was hoping to speak with you. Could you come back with us, if only for a short time? I will return here later to bring Zeftio's replacement and you can return then."
"OK, that's what I'll do. Plisfou and I will wait for you to gather up the others, Bryn, then we'll leave. Tell Pete he might be away for weeks."
Bryn left the administration building and before long everyone was ready to depart. Nikki allowed Bryn and Alison to study the flight deck as Plisfou piloted the aircraft at speed. In a very short time they landed next to their plane's disabled twin. Bryn and Alison immediately set to work to try to discover what was wrong with the second aircraft, leaving the others to go into the city.
Zeftio took Pete off to find Nina and Jodie, Pete being a little mystified as to why he should be the object of so much curious interest among the Aupesians who saw him. With Nikki's exhortation to provide regular progress reports still ringing in his ears he disappeared into the laboratory.
Nikki herself was back in Masaya's building with Plisfou. Fejoq joined them and organised refreshment before Masaya arrived, apologising for making Nikki wait. It was Plisfou who turned the casual conversation in the direction that Nikki felt sure it had to go.
"I think you should know, Masaya," she said, "that Zeftio has returned because the doctor now working here with Nina and Jodie has come here. His name is Pete and there is a bond between him and Zeftio."
"That is encouraging, but, I think, a little premature. You have explained that there are problems?"
"Yes, Masaya. I have spoken to them, and Nikki has spoken to Pete. They understand."
"Perhaps it is a good thing," Nikki said brightly, "because we all need the genetic study to be a success and Pete now has a personal incentive for it to be successful." Masaya nodded slowly as she considered this thought.
"I hope this is true," she said finally, "and that work will proceed swiftly." It seemed to Nikki that there was something that Masaya had considered saying, but had decided against it. There was a brief and slightly uncomfortable silence, broken by Fejoq.
“I see you have people working on the other jejevejil. Do you think they will succeed in the repair?"
"Bryn, my engineer, is confident and he usually manages to do whatever he sets out to do. Yes, Fejoq, I think they'll succeed."
"Forgive me for raising the question again, but I think we must explain more of our way of life to you. Nikki, there is something that you would understand better if you could see it. I am sure Plisfou and Fejoq have tasks to perform while you and I visit the Omiakique, whose name is Masyayi."
"The Omiakique?" Nikki queried. "I don't think I know that term."
"It will become clear. Come, Nikki. Please do not be shocked by what I have to show you."
Masaya stood up, followed by Nikki. For the first time since she had met the Aupesians she felt a little apprehensive. She'd always felt herself to be Plisfou's equal, even if the slightly deferential way she was treated by both Plisfou and Fejoq suggested that they believed her to be further up the human hierarchy that there were in their own. She found herself in awe of Masaya, partly because this woman had visited Earth when it was still a useable planet and partly because she presided with dignity over a civilisation that was crumbling because of those Earth visits. Her age was another factor, of course, but it was the way she had used her years that affected Nikki more than just the fact of her age. Her counselling against being shocked rang the tiniest of alarm bells. Nikki was alone in the Aupesian city, since she didn't know where any of her colleagues were, and the thought passed fleetingly through her mind that perhaps these people may not be as benign as they appeared. They walked in silence for a few moments before Masaya began to speak.
"As I said to you, I have visited your planet and lived briefly among humans there. I discovered that you organise yourselves into different groups, depending upon the function that the group is to carry out. You had political groups who controlled the countries into which your planet was divided, and economic groups where your people worked. Your population was increased by yet more group divisions, which I believe you called families. It seemed to me strange that one person could be part of several groups. She might be part of a family, yet work for another group entirely and be part of other, political or social groups. She would meet others in all the different groups where only the interests of the group were shared by those making up the group. I tried to understand this complex system, but I failed. You may be able to explain to me how it functioned."
"I could try, but you actually experienced the system. It all disappeared long before I was born."
"What I have to explain to you now is how we organise ourselves, and although there are now so few of us the organisation remains just as it always has. We have needed to change certain things because the disease took so many of our males, but we still function as we have always functioned. You understand, I think, the tasks of the Vixtamol and Roxtamol?"
"I think I do, yes."
"There is a third group. We call them the Silomiala, in the charge of the Omiakique. There is no human equivalent, but the nearest would I think be breeding stock. These, and here we have three seven, have no tasks in the running of the city but are dedicated solely to breeding. Neither the Vixtamol nor Roxtamol can breed and that is why the situation with Zeftio concerns me a little. She should not be exposed to the possibility of mating as only the Silomiala mate. Until you arrived, only myself, Plisfou
and Fejoq ever saw males, except of course for the Silomiala, but this is changing now with your presence and your very different ways. I do not criticise, for perhaps we must adapt our ways to be more like yours if we are to survive." They walked in silence as Nikki rolled the concept that Masaya had outlined to her around in her head.
"You are quiet, Nikki. I hope I have not upset you?"
"No, I was just thinking. We are very different, but sometimes the physical similarities between us make it hard to remember that we are so different. We have always believed in families, usually of one male and one female raising children. Since we arrived here that has changed a little and we have families here on Aupes of one male and three females, all committed to each other to live together and raise children. They still have their commitment to the whole community, of course, but that is outside the family group."
"Our way is totally different. Each individual has a role which dictates the way her life is led and that role is carried out for the good of the city. We have no small groups within the city."
"We will learn from each other, Masaya, as we come to understand each other. It is a human failing to pass judgement on others, and I must work to ensure that Aupesian customs are not condemned merely for being different to our own."
"I think we must work together. We are just as capable of condemning."
They walked on in silence. Nikki could not, of course, know what Masaya may have been thinking, but she reflected on what she had said. She knew that her people were open-minded and perfectly willing to accept new ideas - their embracing of the new-style family concept was adequate evidence - but here was an ancient culture radically different to their own. It was not lost on Nikki that Masaya and others had travelled to Earth and lived, albeit briefly, among humans and therefore in human society. There was no evidence to show that whatever they may have learned from these experiences had been absorbed into Aupesian society, or indeed had affected their way of life at all. Perhaps her rather trite comment about non-condemnation of Aupesian customs might prove to be a good deal more difficult to put into practice than she had at first thought, despite the good relations that had been established between the Aupesians as the indigenous people and her own little group as the newcomers. Her reasoning, if the thought processes that had raced through her mind could be so glorified, was that a society apparently so unwilling to integrate even the best of human society might be insistent that an integrated society here should be solely on their terms with no acknowledgement of human customs. On the other hand, of course, she could be completely wrong and the Aupesians may turn out to be more than happy to adopt human society, perhaps attracted by its comparatively liberal approach to life. Nikki suddenly realised that Masaya was speaking, but she had missed the first words.
"...where the Silomiala live with our few males." They stopped outside a large single storey silver building with no windows, at least on the side they had approached. Masaya performed a brief but complex-looking ritual with a series of levers by the side of the door, the door swinging silently open as a result.
"Come, Nikki, Masyayi will meet us."
The building seemed to be silent and well furnished, at least in the entrance hall where they stood. The floor was covered in the same material as Nikki had seen in Masaya's building, but there was more furniture here. A door in a side wall slid open with a muted hiss and through the door passed a tall Aupesian female, again blond but appearing to be older than any Nikki had yet seen. She wore a troubled expression.
"Ah, Masyayi," Masaya said, "I have brought Nikki here from the human settlement to meet you so that she can understand how we breed. She can also explain how her people increase their own population. Nikki, I must leave you with Masyayi. It will take a little time to see the work here. When you are ready to return Masyayi will call for one of the Vixtamol to bring you back to my gaggoxol - the place where I work and live."
"I think we would call it your office, like mine back at Gifford."
"Thank you, yes, my office. Enjoy your visit here. I am sure Masyayi will answer all your questions."
Masaya withdrew, leaving Nikki with the still harassed looking Masyayi. Nikki smiled at her in what she hoped would be a friendly way.
"I hope I'm not adding to your work by being here."
"Masaya thinks we do little here. There is much work to maintain the Silomiala in good condition and our jarilen can be difficult."
"Your jarilen are your males?"
"Yes, Nikki. They do not co-operate. I need them to keep the Silomiala fertilised but they will not do it. I do not know the human word, but they prefer to do nothing or work outside."
"Your females all seem to work hard and carry out the duties efficiently. Why should the males be different?"
"It is because there are so few. They know how important they are. It makes difficulty."
Nikki really didn't know what she could say. She almost started talking about artificial insemination, but realised just in time that this might be what these people were using, and anyway she didn't know enough about the subject. Instead she asked a question.
"How do you work here? Your job is to increase the population, isn't it?"
"Yes. I do not know how you do this but our system is simple. Number one seven and number two one are to be mated today and it has still not been done. Jaril four is being difficult. Come and I will show you."
Masyayi strode off purposefully through the door by which she had entered, Nikki hurrying to keep up. They walked quickly down a silent corridor, well lit although it was impossible to see where the light was coming from. It reflected brightly off the little rings that made up the top of Masyayi's silver outfit and from the gold colour of Nikki's zaxtapijj dress, but its source was a mystery that Nikki was determined to resolve. They passed several plain doors before Masyayi stopped.
"Here is number one seven and jaril number four should be here. We will see." The door opened with the familiar faint hiss, revealing a scene that left Nikki open-mouthed. Her initial reaction was to leave, quickly, but Masyayi seemed to accept her presence as normal so Nikki overcame her feelings and stayed rooted to the spot as the door hissed closed behind her. Her eyes roamed over the small cell, she couldn't call it a room, and its two occupants. The female, one seven seemed to be her only means of identification, was kneeling on a carefully designed piece of equipment, her legs well apart and her stomach supported by a raised centre piece. Her hands gripped upright bars in front of her horizontal body and there was a gap at the rear where, Nikki assumed, the jaril could stand between her legs. As she took in this undignified position that the strange equipment forced the woman to adopt two things became clear. Firstly she was naked except for a metallic collar and secondly she was strapped at the ankles and wrists.
Nikki's attention turned to the jaril, the male, who was also naked. Nikki had limited experience of the anatomy of the human male, but thought that this would be a poor specimen. He was thin, lacking any sort of muscle tone, and what Nikki thought of as his reproductive organ was tiny and limp. Masyayi was talking to him quietly but urgently, the words meaning nothing to Nikki. He sulked in a corner, looking thoroughly miserable. The woman in the undignified and uncomfortable position on the bench or whatever the right term may have been shuffled a little, as much as she was able, and said something which was again unintelligible to Nikki. Whatever she said was cut short by a sharp comment from Masyayi, who immediately returned to coaxing the reluctant male. Nikki was feeling embarrassed but it seemed to her to be quite possible that Masyayi had actually forgotten she was there. Certainly, the other two had done nothing to acknowledge her presence so she just stood, wondering if this was a typical day in the life of the Silomiala.
Eventually, after a great deal of coaxing and cajoling from Masyayi and no small amount of protesting, the male shuffled into his position behind the female. Nikki watched in horrified fascination as his buttocks clenched with each forward thrust b
etween the female's legs. The female did not react in any way until it was over, the process taking just a couple of minutes. The male was praised by Masyayi and even managed a smile, while Masyayi flicked a switch to release the female. She stretched her naked body and stood by the door, waiting to be released. Finally Masyayi opened the door allowing the naked couple to depart.
"That jaril is not the best. It always takes much time to make him work." Masyayi's voice sounded full of weariness.
"Tell me," Nikki asked, "is this the only way you bring males and females together to mate?"
"Yes. I know of no other way." The weariness had been replaced by surprise. "No jaril - male - would be able to ensure that he mates if the female was not secured to the kamiaxxiz - I think it would be breeding table in your language. It is always done this way. Before so many were lost the jarilen were more willing and much more able. Now I must work hard to make them work at all and few matings are successful. I try to have each jaril mate once a day but that is not enough. I have only five jarilen and three seven Silomiala. Only three omia are carrying young. I cannot do more."
"The omia - these are the female members of the Silomiala?"
"Yes."
"And three are pregnant. We are pregnant for nine Earth months. How long do your pregnancies last?"
"A little longer. It is about nine tenths of our year. We have bred some young, but only slowly. It seems we cannot breed males and that is disturbing. All of our jarilen are now over two zero zero years. Soon we will have none capable of breeding."
"Do you know if the situation is the same in your other cities?"
"It is just the same."
"Perhaps our doctors could examine your males. They may be able to help."
"You must talk to Masaya. If she believes your people could help then I accept it. I have faith in her judgement. You will want to go back now?"
"Yes, I think so. There is a great deal I need to discuss with Masaya."
Masyayi called for one of the Vixtamol who appeared quickly and took Nikki back to Masaya's office. She found Jodie in earnest discussion with Masaya.
"Nikki!" Masaya seemed genuinely pleased to see her. "Jodie tells me she will have much of our equipment working soon. You are a resourceful and skilled people."
"Thank you, Masaya, I appreciate the compliment. How's it going, Jodie?"
"Great. Nina reckons most of the problems are in power supply and will be easy to fix. Judging by what she's done already she seems to be right. Pete and I are working out a profiling system and if all the equipment does what we think it does, the exercise won't be nearly as daunting as it appeared."
"OK. Look, I want to get back to Gifford, but I do want to sit down and have a long talk with you, Masaya. Would you be my guest at Gifford, say in a day or two? I hope by then Bryn will have fixed the second aircraft."
"Yes, Nikki. I will come. I think I know what you want to say, but I will come and hear you. Plisfou is ready to take you back and has Bavex with her. She will help Ussida at Gifford."
"Good. Now, if I can find Plisfou we can leave and I can see how Bryn is coping on the way."
As if by some unseen signal, Plisfou appeared and greeted Nikki affectionately. Nikki left with her, telling Masaya how much she was looking forward to their next meeting. She and Plisfou walked quickly out of the city to where the two aircraft sat on the dusty short grass. The fully functional machine was in darkness in the gathering dusk, while the other, on which Bryn and Alison were working, was lit inside.
As the approached they could hear voices coming from the interior of the aircraft, and Nikki was surprised to hear Alison apparently explaining to Bryn how something had been achieved. She climbed into the passenger compartment to find two obviously happy people.
"Oh, hello," Alison said brightly, "your timing is excellent, isn't it, Bryn?"
"It is. We've cracked it. We had three problems, but sorting out the seized controls was the easy one. Alison has spent her time figuring out why the power supply doesn't work and I've tackled the drive unit. That works now - I won't go into the technicalities - and Alison has just told me what we need to do to restore the power supply."
"And then it'll fly?"
"And then it'll fly like a bird, Nikki, just like a bird."
Bryn looked very pleased with himself.
"Can you tell me why it stopped working?" Plisfou questioned.
"Corrosion of the transmission cables," said Alison with a smile, "they were covered in a thin layer of material which had become porous and had simply rusted away."
"I am not sure I understand, but if you say you can repair the machine I am happy."
"Well, we can repair it if we can find some cable that will fit. We may have to take apart one of the little robots, if that's OK." Plisfou nodded her agreement.
Nikki told Bryn that she was leaving and that Plisfou would return either later that evening or the morning. In turn, Plisfou assured them that food and beds would be provided by her own people. Having reassured Bryn and Alison that their needs were being taken care of Nikki and Plisfou joined Bavex in the other aircraft to fly back to Gifford.
It was dark when Plisfou set the aircraft down on the outskirts of the settlement. Lights were on and a few people still bustled about. Before either Nikki or Plisfou could alight Louise was hurrying out to meet them. Seeing this as she climbed down, Nikki assumed there must be a crisis of some sort. She jumped to the ground but saw Louise slow as Plisfou also climbed out of the aircraft.
"Why the rush, Louise?"
"Oh, no particular reason. I suppose I must be pleased to see you. Hello, Plisfou, nice to see you again. Are you staying with us tonight?"
"I would be happy to, thank you. The food is better here." She smiled at her own little joke, as did Nikki, then introduced Bavex.
The four of them walked the short distance into Gifford, Nikki bringing Louise up to date on happenings at Botijjo #2. Plisfou took Bavex off to find Ussida, leaving Nikki with Louise.
"Look, Nikki, I didn't want to say anything in front of Plisfou, but there's been talk." Louise could hardly contain her grin as she spoke. "Talk? About what?"
"You. Well, more precisely, you and Bryn. Is there something going on that we should know about?"
"What exactly do you mean by 'something going on'? And what about me and Bryn?"
"Well, it seems that Bryn let slip to somebody - Gordon seems to be the culprit - that he thought he ought to be thinking about doing his duty as a family man. It appears he has his sights on you, and, let's face it, just about all the men here would shy away from asking you."
"Good Lord." Nikki seemed quite shocked. "Why do you say that?"
"They all have so much respect for you that they think they wouldn't be good enough for you. It's quite a compliment, really."
"If I'm that frightening why isn't Bryn afraid of me as well, then?"
"Ah. I was afraid you'd ask that. It seems he believes that as he's the only one around who's old enough he could expect you to take his overtures seriously. Has he said anything to you?"
"No, but I saw him just before we left and I thought for a second that he and Alison exchanged a strange look when I appeared. I thought it was my imagination but perhaps it wasn't."
"The talk is that if you and he get together Alison would be in the family as well, but there's no clue about the fourth member. You've got to tell me what you think about this, instead of just giving me one of your enigmatic looks. They could mean anything."
"I wasn't aware I had an enigmatic look," Nikki replied distractedly.
"Well? What would you do if Bryn suggested it to you?"
"To be honest, Louise, I don't know. I haven't really given the family question much thought on a personal basis but I suppose I should. And I do like Bryn a lot. What about you, anyway? I could ask you when you're going to join a family."
"You could, but I have no plans."
"Bryn mi
ght think you'd be a good fourth."
"No, Nikki. Think about it. There are four so-called leaders of this community and it just wouldn't do to have three in the same family."
"No, I suppose not. Next time I see Bryn I'll bring this subject up, I think, and we'll see how it develops. It's as well to have it out in the open and if I wait for Bryn to raise it we could still be waiting this time next year."
"That sounds like an acceptance to me."
"It isn't. But you never know."
Plisfou returned, bringing this part of the conversation to a close. Nikki decided that she was too tired, and had too much to think about, to pursue any of the discussions she needed to have before the morning, so she, Plisfou and Louise went off to eat before retiring.