The Stones of Nomuru

Interspecies Relations

The Shongorin rose saying:

"Honorable Doctor Sarasara, Oikisha has asked me to learn when you wish to copulate. What may I tell her?"

Salazar's jaw sagged. "God in Heaven!" he exclaimed before changing to Shongo. "What makes her think that I want any such thing?"

"Oh, sir, it is a rigid custom among the Choshas. It is part of the mutual obligations between an onnifa and her liege lord; they copulate as often as desired whenever the liege lord is without his lawful mate. Oikisha asked me if you had a lawful mate. I told her that I understood you did not; so Oikisha stands ready to perform her duty."

"I evidently did not know native customs so well as I thought" said Salazar. "But Sensao, such copulation is impossible, because of the physical differences between our species. If I tried to meet Oikisha's expectations, the result would be no pleasure for her and severe pains to me."

"I am sorry, honorable sir," said Sensao. "If you cannot meet your part of this obligation, she will consider her oath to you cancelled and resume her allegiance to Prophet Kampai. Since you are Kampai's foe, she must slay you. If she succeeds, she must then return to her tribe, although she knows that they will kill her forthwith."

THE END