's surgery, I had a series of what I can only call visions. You
can decide the source for yourselves when you've heard what I have to
say; my own opinion is that the medication I was under either allowed
or forced me to put together a number of facts and arrive at some
uncomfortable conclusions.

"Although we've eliminated war and most illness, leading in turn to the
elimination of poverty in any sense the Terrans or prewars would
understand, the human race faces two great--and immediate--threats.
One is the terrorists, particularly the Brothers of Freedom and their
chief Raidmaster, Lawrence Shannon. Eliminating them is a job we've
all--except Your Highnesses, of course--sworn to do, and the Strike
Force has personal reasons to do it thoroughly and quickly."

She took a deep breath. "As bad as that threat is, the other is both
worse and harder to deal with. Everyone knows, although no one wants
to talk or think about, the facts of human infertility and a declining
population. The only thing that has been done about that, and it was
against considerable opposition, was the granting of Enforcement's
sexual dispensation. Although some families are blessed with numerous
children, the average birthrate is less than two per family--and there
are many people who choose not to have families at all. On the other
hand--Major Illyanov, how many children have you fathered?"

The Dmitrian smiled. "Three by my wife, six more I am aware of by
other women--the children live with us, their mothers nearby--and my
mistress is currently with child."

"Seven children that wouldn't exist without the dispensation," Cortin
said, "since Major Illyanov honors God in both word and deed. As does
Bishop-Colonel Bradford. Colonel?"

"One by my wife, who's expecting our second," Bradford replied,
frowning. "Three others I know about."

"Less prolific, but still well beyond replacement. No one else in this
room has had any."

Princess Ursula echoed Bradford's frown. "Are you suggesting that we
do away with families, or make all married women attempt to have
children by Enforcement men?" she asked quietly.

"Not at all, Your Highness," Cortin said. "A strong family structure
is necessary to a healthy society, and no woman should be compelled to
have children, by any man. I'm not advocating anything of the sort.
What I am saying is that family structure has to change in response to
changed conditions. Monogamy means that if eit