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eBook Category: Science Fiction/Fantasy
eBook Description: ...the factors of natural selection, and the phenomenon of genetic drift and survival mutation observed among isolated populations, permitted these 'lost' colonies to develop along scientific and social lines which made their reclamation by the Terran Empire an imperative political necessity....

eBook Publisher: Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, Published: Fantasy & Science Fiction, 1954
Fictionwise Release Date: May 2006

24 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [387 KB], eReader (PDB) [78 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [59 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [53 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [101 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [122 KB], hiebook (KML) [193 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [136 KB], iSilo (PDB) [49 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [62 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [113 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [80 KB]
Words: 17022
Reading time: 48-68 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

Matt's hand was rough as he jerked her head up, and the gray pallor around his mouth terrified the girl. "You damn little fool," he shouted, then swallowed hard and lowered his voice. "I guess it's my fault," he muttered. "I didn't want to scare you--you promised to take the shots, so I trusted you--like an idiot!" He released her. "It's classified top-secret, Beth, but it's why this place is closed to colonization, and it's why Terran men don't bring their wives here. This damned, stinking, freak atmosphere! It's perfectly harmless to men, and to most women. But for some reason, it plays hell with the female hormones if a woman gets pregnant. For 60 years--since Terra set up the Legation here--not one Terran baby has been born alive. Not one, Beth. And eight out of ten women who get pregnant--oh, God, Betty, I trusted you!"

She whispered "But this--this was a Terran colony, once--"

"They've adapted--maybe. We've never found out why Centaurian women go into seclusion when they're pregnant, or why they hide the children so carefully." He paused, looking down at the thinning jungle of roofs. There would not be time to explain it all to Beth. Even if she lived--but Matt did not want to think about that. They never sent married men to this planet, but Centaurian custom could not admit a single man to be mature enough to hold a place in government. He had succeeded at this post where single men, twice his age, had been laughed at by the Archons. But what good was that now?

"Oh, God, Beth," he whispered, and his arms went out blindly to hold her close. "I don't know what to do--"

She sobbed softly, scared, against him. "Oh, Matt, I'm afraid! Can't we go home--home to Terra? I want--I want to go home--to go home--"

"How can we?" the man asked drearily. "There won't be a star-ship leaving the planet for three months. By that time, you wouldn't be able to live through blastoff. Even now, you couldn't pass a physical for space." He was silent for minutes, his arms strained around her, and his eyes looked haunted. Then, almost visibly, he managed to pull himself together.