Seed of the Gods

mirror, «you look great as it is. If you make yourself any prettier I'll have to fight off all the young Larftons.» «A father should look his best when meeting old shipmates,» Toby grinned. «And about those young Larftons—» «Not a chance, boy,» Sooly said grimly. «What? And offend our guests?» He was grinning happily as he adjusted his sash. «You takes your choice and you sticks by it,» Sooly said, «and you done taken yours, old buddy.» But in spite of her teasing tones, she felt a little pang of something. She approached him, pressed her swollen stomach against him and hugged him. «Oh, Toby, am I so ugly? Would you like to opt with one of the pretty young Larftons?» He turned, held her at arms length. «Little mother, no one could be half as beautiful.» The tender moment was shattered by a wail from the nursery. «The call of the wild,» Sooly sighed, pulling away. Bem, five pounds lighter and frisky on a regular dosage of troleen and a couple of other wonderful drugs from the settlement hospital, panted into the bathroom, gave one sharp yip and waddled back toward the nursery, looking over her shoulder to see if Sooly were following. While Sooly administered to the messy young Mari Kurt Wellti, Beth Kurt entered the front door without knocking, reporting for her babysitting job. Bem wagged her backside in greeting and returned to supervise the changing. «She's inbound,» Beth said. «If you want to see her land you'll have to hurry.» «Gee, Mother, can you finish Mari? I haven't even combed my hair.» Sooly darted for the bath without waiting for an answer and Grandmother Beth finished the pin-up job and then proceeded to thoroughly spoil Mari by lifting her from her crib to bounce her on a shapely but grandmotherly knee. Outside, the sunlight was late evening, or at least it seemed that way. She could never get used to it, she thought, but it had its compensations. None of those killer particles put out by good old Sol, just a gentle warmth and enough light, really. And the trees were close enough to being real trees and so beautiful. The mocking bird carried from Earth in the settlement ship was happily feeding a nest of young in a fruit tree and the almost grass of the lawn was doing nicely, now that the boys down at Agri-center had found the combination. They walked the short distance to the Village Green and she was up there, a growing dot which expanded to be the size of a small mountain and made Sooly use all her will power to keep from running out from under it, for it seemed that the silently descending ship would have to fall and crush all the life out of the entire population of the village. It didn't. The United Planets exploration ship Earthlight nestled as light as a feather on the large, cleared area and the Boy Scout band struck up the Ankani anthem, following it with the Star Spangled Banner as crewmen snapped smartly to attention in their gorgeously understated but colorful uniforms. Mantogarge Cele Mantel stepped out to stand in salute of the tiny population of the world of Sumer—outpost, bastion, planet on the edge of nowhere, home. Cele stepped down when the band finished and approached the official welcoming stand. «Our hearts and our homes are open to you, Lady,» said Governor Toby Wellti of the planet Sumer. «And to your officers and crew.» «I bring greetings from the United Council,» Cele intoned formally. «And the congratulations of both peoples for the success of your settlement.» There was more formality, a tight, impressive little ceremony which warmed the hearts of the villagers. After that there was the official banquet, at which many young crewmen, Ortonians and Ankani alike, found the fruit of Sumer to be to their liking. Toby was pleased, because, for the first time, the planet had provided all the delicacies a laden table can offer. It was late evening and the three moons of Sumer were making night into day when Cele was escorted into Sooly's cozy house. «Christ,» Cele said, taking off her hat, sitting down and kicking off her shoes. «I'm glad that's over.» She smiled at Sooly. «How are the offspring?» «This one's restive,» Sooly said, patting her big stomach. «Mari is full of beans.» John Kurt entered from the kitchen, a drink in his hands, dressed in work clothing. «Hi, Cele,» he said. «Have a snort?» «I'll take one, too,» Tony said, as Sooly started for the kitchen. Cele was still not used to seeing women do the bidding of men, but the Galaxy was changing. «Jay sends his regards,» she said. «We stopped on Ankan II for minor repair. He's fit and the labs are doing marvelous work. You're not the only one,» she said to Sooly, as she entered with a tray, «with that trick memory. Other Ortonians have developed it, and they're working now to narrow it down to specific areas. One day soon we'll have a mind which contains all the knowledge of your world.» «Golly,» Sooly said. «I don't know if I'm ready for that. I have trouble organizing what I know now.» She served drinks. «To be frank, things are moving just a bit too fast for me.» «I think I'll take a look at the offspring,» Cele said, to keep from laughing. She stood over the cradle and looked at the closed, large, baby eyes, which were Ankani and beautiful. Her mind idled. Single pairings aboard the Earthlight, men and women forming alliances. Scattered settlements all along the rim. Ankani and Earth scientists pooling resources to make fantastic discoveries. Things were moving too fast for the girl who had set them in motion? «God,» she sighed, not noticing that she had picked up still another Ortonian word. «You should look at it from these eyes.» Her lids closed slowly, covering the huge, pretty orbs. Soon she rejoined the little party.