tion. "I could transfer myself--or all
of us, for that matter--but humans aren't as ready for open divine
intervention as Traiti. I'd rather let things seem as normal as
possible. Can you arrange for the ship?"

"Of course, Lord. We will be ready at daybreak."

"Thanks." Tarlac returned fully to his mortal body at the Ch'kara
clanhome. Arjen's pride in the assignment pleased him; it would ease
the Fleet-Captain's lingering discomfort at having violated the
body-return signal, even by the First Speaker's--the Lords'--orders.
Many in D'gameh shared his uneasiness, and calling Arjen by name would
repair the reserve Tarlac had sensed toward him there.

Ch'kara's gathering hall was beginning to empty, his n'ruhar responding
to his desire for normality. Finally only a small group remained at
the base of the dais: the First Speaker and Supreme; the two
physicians, Channath and Jason; and Daria, Hovan, and Yarra.

Jason, the only human, was also the only one who couldn't quite seem to
accept the human Ranger's new status. Tarlac appreciated the irony and
was amused by it, but it didn't really matter. "Doctor," he said, "I
need your professional opinion. Are the prisoners fit to travel?"

The doctor was a professional; his expression hardened. "No, sir,
though I can only speak for those held in the same camp with me--"

"That is all of them," the Supreme broke in.

"Okay. Go on, Doctor."

"Yes, sir." Dr. Jason began ticking off objections on his fingers.
"We've had marriages, so we've had pregnancies; one's near term, and
transition might put her into premature labor. Then there are a couple
of new ones, wounded, still on life support, and one the Sharks
tortured for information. There are maybe half a dozen others with
minor injuries or illness, nothing serious."

He shook his head. "Once the Sharks figure they've gotten all they can
from someone, we get medical care the equal of anything the Empire
could provide--especially the women." His admiration, however
grudging, was obvious. "They're as good at trauma as I've ever seen,
and a lot better at gynecology and obstetrics. My wife says she wants
a Traiti doctor if she ever gets pregnant. Damned if I know why
they're so good."

Tarlac seized that chance to find out how an ordinary Imperial citizen
would react to the Traiti sexual imbalance. "I guess you've never seen
a Traiti clan instead of their military, have you? Until now?"

"Sir?" Jason