Return to Eden

most. Normally fifteen to thirty eggs. Much thought required for explanation of significance." There was a sudden splashing from the lake and she looked up to see tiny heads breathing at the surface, quickly sinking back below. "And that will require thought as well. There is an efenburu of young already in the water. What is to be done with them?"
    She was still sitting frozen in thought when Setessei returned, was hard to rouse so intense was her concentration. Eventually she blinked in awareness of sound and motion and turned to her assistant.
    "Five eggs, not thirty, that is the difference. Numbers, numbers."
    "Communication received, understanding/comprehension missing."
    "Survival of the species, that is what it is. Our males may not appreciate it, but once to the beaches suffices as far as the species is concerned. What matters if they die—if thirty eggs hatch out? It matters not at all. But these Sorogetso carry only four or five eggs. They must go to the beaches six or seven times to equal our once. No wonder they are conscious and not torpid! They have to live to return again and again. Which gives them social equality, perhaps even superiority. This will bear much more consideration and thought." Her attention returned to the present and she realized that Setessei was standing patiently before her. "You have searched well? There are none in hiding?"
    "None. I will look again, go over the same ground, but I am sure that we have rendered them all unconscious."
    "Excellent. Return at once to the boat. I follow at a more leisurely pace. You and the crewmember there will start carrying the Sorogetso to the beach. I shall go to the uruketo and send others to help you. After I tell the commander what must be done. She will be pleased to cooperate in important labors once I have explained matters to her."
    Elem was not only less than pleased, she was shocked into immobility. "Lack of comprehension," she said, her meaning muffled by her rigidity. "Sorogetso to be moved from this place? Why do they want to do that?"
    "It is not their desire but mine. At present all lie unconscious so permission for move not needed."
    "Unconscious…"
    "Elem! Your confusion of thought, inability to comprehend is annoying me. Explanation in detail. All of the Sorogetso now await removal from here. Instruct your crewmembers to go to the beach, to place them into the boat, to bring them to this uruketo and then to place them securely inside. Understand? Good.
    When they are all aboard we will take them upriver to a place I have chosen where they can live without disturbance of culture, interference with natural system."
    "But, great Ambalasei, more clarification desired. Is not the removal of them from their natural habitat a disturbance of major importance?"
    "No. Firstly I do not believe this is their natural habitat. What was done once can be done again. More important—they will be safely out of reach of interference by Daughters of Disruption. Your companions have brought nothing but ill to the Sorogetso. It shall not happen again. Any more questions?"
    "Many…"
    "Then frame them in your mind while the Sorogetso are being brought aboard. That is my order. Do you obey it?"
    Elem hesitated only an instant before she joined her thumbs in the sign of obedience to authority, then turned to call orders up to the crewmember on the fin.
    The crewmembers, disciplined by their long service in the uruketo, now reinforced by obedience to Ugunenapsa's seventh principle, did as they were ordered. While the loading took place Ambalasei and Setessei once more quartered the island, and the surrounding area frequented by the Sorogetso, but found no one. Their sweep had been complete. When the last of the limp bodies had been loaded aboard Ambalasei ordered that the area be searched carefully, that all artifacts and objects of any nature that belonged to the Sorogetso be taken as well. There were gourds for water, cages containing deadly spiders, bright stones in woven bags, as well as other objects of uncertain usage. All were brought. Only the dried grass nests they slept in were left; they could be replaced easily enough. By late afternoon the uruketo had struggled back out of the shallows and was following the leaping enteesenat upstream. Ambalasei stood at the top of the fin, enjoying her ease after the labors of the day. It had been hard work, but well worth it.
    She turned at the sound of attention to speaking to see that the commander had