walked slowly, thinking. Then he smiled slightly and turned down the corridor leading to his family's rooms.
Back in the kitchen, only Volemak and Rasa remained with Nafai and Luet. "You're being foolish," said Volemak. "You must do what the Oversoul commands."
"What the Oversoul commands," said Luet, "is for us to concede that our colony will be permanently split into two irreconcilable factions, and to act in such a way as to make the rift so deep it will last for generations."
"Then do it," said Volemak.
"This discussion is pointless," said Nafai. "Isn't it, Mother?" Rasa signed. "There are things that no decent person will do," she said. "Even for the Oversold."
"There are larger issues," said Volemak.
"I have these three last children," said Rasa. "Oykib, Yasai, and my little precious daughter. I would hate forever anyone who took them away from me. Even you." She looked from Nafai to Luet. "Or you." And then she looked at her husband, "Or you." She stood up and left the room.
Volemak sighed and rose to his feet. "You'll see," he said. "The Oversold isn't to be flouted."
"Somewhere along in here," said Nafai, "the Over-soul has to take into account our feelings."
But Volemak didn't stay to hear him finish his sentence.
Luet put her arms around Nafai and held him. "I should have told you before," she said. "But I was afraid you'd just do whatever the Oversold told you."
"The Oversold knows me better than you do, apparently," said Nafai. "That's why he didn't tell me at all."
"Come to bed, husband," said Luet.
"I have some work to do," he said.
"So we leave a day later," she said.
"I have some work to do."
She signed, kissed him, and left.
Nafai cut himself a slice of bread, wrapped it around a slightly overripe podoroshny, and bit off chunks of it as he left the maintenance building and walked back to the starship.
I think so, answered Nafai silently.
You never did.
It was never a discussion. It won't happen.
You can't see the future.
He won't punish chddren for what their parents do.
It won't happen.
Nafai shook his head. They'll never agree to it, he said silently.
Chapter 4
FOUR - PERSUASION
Shedemei checked the children again. The third time that night. When she came back to bed, Zdorab was awake.
"I'm sorry,".she said. "I had a dream."
"A nightmare, you mean," he said.
For a moment she misunderstood. "Did you have it too?"
"No," he answered, faintly disgusted. "Was it one of those?"
"No, no," she said. "Not from the Keeper of Earth, if that's what you're asking."
"Bats and weasels."
"Giant rats. I don't really have those. I dream of gardens when it's that kind of dream."
"But that's not what you dreamed tonight."
She shook her head.
"And you're not going to tell me."
"If you want, I will."
He waited.
"Zdorab, I kept seeing ... us, arriving on Earth. All of us coming out of the ship. You and me, unchanged, just as we are now. But then I saw this fine young man and young woman that I had never known before. He was handsome and bright-faced, cheerful and strong. She was dark but her smile was dazzling, and she laughed and there was such intelligence in her eyes."
"And he was eighteen and she was sixteen." His voice sounded sour.
"Royka and Dabya are the only children I'm ever going to have," she said.
"Are you going to accuse me because of that? After all these years?"
"I'm not accusing anyone. I'm just ... I went to look at them. To make sure they were all right. To make sure they weren't... having the same dream."
"And how did you know they weren't? Did you waken them and ask?"
"I don't know what they're dreaming. I only know that they're so young. And I'm looking forward so