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about it, until he'd seen that same tiresome strain in his father's field.
"I'm pleased to see your health is good, at least."
"It's because I don't kill," said Rimon. "I didn't kill Kadi, as you see and
I've learned to draw from other Gens without killing."
Farris brushed that aside. "I heard you were homesteading at the border. Have
you been successful?"
"I just got the deed to my land this morning."
His father nodded, holding back a faint surge of pride. "That is good. What
will you do now?"
"Farm. We've had some success marketing trin, and now we're trying mushrooms.
In a few years, you may find our produce on your table, Father."
"Perhaps," Farris said bleakly. "Did the drought hit badly in your area?" A
safe topic, the weather.
"It's been difficult, but we can survive one bad year."
The twinge of irritation building in Farris suddenly broke free. "We! You and
this Gen?"
"Yes," replied Rimon. "Kadi and I and our son."
Farris stared at his son, going so pale Rimon feared he would faint. But he
was back in control immediately. "You have a son, Rimon?"
"Kadiand I have a son."
"The Gen is alive," said Farris, as if that were enough proof that Rimon was
lying. So Rimon had been right Farris wives died in childbirth.
Kadi spoke softly, "You're welcome any time you wish to visit your grandson,
N'vet Farris."
At being addressed by the term of respect between equals, Farris looked
directly at Kadi for the first time. But he spoke to Rimon. "She still has you
in her power."
"And Rimon has me in his. It's called love."
"Rimon," said Farris, "I must supervise the unloading of the stock. Will you
join me?"
A courteous invitation between equals. Rimon could not refuse and he didn't
really want to. They walked down the lane to the large tent assigned to
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Farris. The crew had scrubbed and disinfected everything, and the flaps were
up to air it out. The wagons pulled up one by one, unloading their cargo
carefully, no cruelty allowed. That had always been important to his father.
Farris Gens were treated kindly, never unnecessarily hurt, never left in
discomfort. But nonetheless, his father was cruel. All the gentle treatment
went only to assure the buyer a Gen who would be responsive to the pre-kill
routines.Prime Farris Stock. Human lives bought and sold .
Rimon wanted to lash out to demand that his father recognize Kadi as a
person, all Gens as people but as he watched Farris carefully inspecting,
helping to lift one of the pre-Gen children down from a wagon, he was suddenly
reminded so powerfully of Abel Veritt that it took his breath away.He can't
recognize Kadi as a person, any more than he dare think of the Gens he raises
as more than animals. He doesn't have Abel's faith to sustain him. If he knew
he'd die!
For the first time in his life, Rimon perceived his father as weaker than
himself there was a definite frailty at the edges of his nager that could only
become worse with advancing years.And what does he have to live for? His wife
is dead, his son gone to a life he can't understand . "Kadi," he said softly,
"we should leave now."Before we do any more damage .
As Kadi stepped to his side, Syrus Farris turned back to them and Rimon
realized that he had perceived that strange state of their fields when Kadi
was high-field and he was low.
"We're still here," he said with a chuckle, knowing others" perceived it as
if they disappeared nagerically. "But we must get on to our business."
Farris ignored that. "Let me zlin you without the Gen."
Obligingly, Kadi went over to watch the children being unloaded. Farris
zlinned his son. "You're in need."
"Still a few days from it."
"But you're steady, calm Rimon, I must admit that you're healthier than I've
seen you since your changeover. If it's from living without killing, so be it.
Come home, Rimon. I won't ask you to kill you say you can draw from any Gen.
You can have all the Gens you want. Come home, find a wife "
"Ihave a wife."
Suddenly, from Kadi, he felt a shock, and she cried, "Rimon!"
Another wagon had drawn up; several Gens were being herded into the Pens and
one of them was Nerob.
"Kadi!" exclaimed Nerob, but she turned and ran to Rimon.
The Gen was the same mixture of defiance and cowardice Rimon remembered. He
looked at them. "Rimon? Rimon!" The Gen began to beg, frantic as his line
moved toward the holding cage. "Buy me, Rimon! We were always friends don't
let them sell me for a kill. I'll work for you anything!"
As if he'd never tried to take Kadi away from me. Nevertheless, Rimon felt
pity for Nerob. Kadi was silently pleading for mercy. He could send Nerob
across the border and be rid of him. The money shen! He'd get it somewhere.
Nerob Yahn was a person. A person Rimon detested, but a person even so.
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"All right, Yahn, I'll see what I can do," he said, marshaling his mind for a
bidding duel with his father. "N'vet Farris, that old breeding male can't be
worth much. Name a fair price, and perhaps we can do some business."
His father zlinned him, bringing his eyes to focus on him as well. There was
astonishment and grudging approval in the older man's nager, and for a moment,
Rimon thought he'd deal.
"I won't sell him to you," said Farris. "For your own good, Rimon, I won't
sell Nerob at all. I'll put him back to breeding if you'll sell me Kadi as a
mate for him."
Such utter rage thrilled through Rimon's body that Syrus Farris took an
involuntary step back, holding just as Kadi's field gripped and held Rimon,
her hands clamped about his biceps to prevent him from going for his father's
throat. Gone was every trace of sympathy he'd felt for him. only moments ago.
Savagely, he said, "So this is how you choose which promises to keep! And I
always wanted to be just like you!"
"Rimon!"
"If the Farris honor means anything to you, Father, then sell Yahn to me for
the sake of your promise to Keslic!"
"I can't do that, Rimon. I'd pay anything to get you to come home live a
normal "
"Normal! I'll tell you how normal your life is. Mother died. Lenara died!" He
paused as his father registered shock at the name. "All the Farris women
die but not Kadi. Kadi's given me a son, and I know from the way it happened
he's going to be Sime like you and me. I've found the way Farrises can have
children without killing their women. We have to have them by Gens, Father.
Take a good look at Kadi. Remember her. And remember that she has given me one
child already. There will be others and she won't die. You just think about
that!"
And he turned and stalked out, Kadi close at his side.
Chapter Twenty-Three
COMING HOME
It took the entire walk to the Varnst tents for Rimon to stop shaking. He had
lost control again control of his temper, this time. Even though he knew his
father would never have sold him Nerob, the thought persisted:I lost him his
last chance to live .
Kadi, too, was silent, her emotions in turmoil. Only when they reached their
destination did she begin to give Rimon any support. Finally she said, "Your
father was never like that."
"I think we're the ones who've changed. We're building a little corner of the
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