' He set down the potted plants he was working on (from
which he hoped to make new medicines), and pulled an end chair toward
them. Then seating himself like an ancient storyteller, he bade Kalus
and Sylviana to sit at his feet. To this only Kalus consented, the two
women still exchanging poison glances. But if this was the audience to
which he must speak, then speak he would, torn as his own feelings were
by the animosity of the two young women, secretly heartened as he
realized that Kataya's scorn must be the result of physical stirrings
for Kalus---as strong and healthy a sire as he could wish.
'Of the seven male crew members of the Virgo, four came out of
suspension sterile.' At this blunt beginning Sylviana gasped, sensing
perhaps what was to come.
'Yes,' resumed McIntyre. 'Of the three still capable of
producing living sperm. . .myself not included,' he added somewhat
wistfully, 'None are married, or even much attached to a woman still
in healthy child-bearing years. They can't father a child,' he
explained for Kalus' benefit. 'An unforeseen side-effect of so
long a period of physiological inactivity. We have no children, as
I'm sure you've noticed, and unless we can overcome our natural
timidity and social taboos, we never will.'
He looked again toward the lovely Oriental, trying to gauge what should
and should not be said.
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