Shield's Lady

acquaintances from which to choose mates. And they’ll also be a lot more acceptable as husbands to families who fear losing a daughter to the frontier. Eventually, as the Shields learn the ins and outs of investments, they’ll make all kinds of social inroads. In the long run money is a lot more useful than a blade bow or a knife.”
    Gryph shrugged. “We’ll see what happens. You’ve made one hell of a start on singlehandedly changing a whole social system, I’ll say that for you.”
    “The whole social class system on both continents is undergoing a lot of change and restructuring. The old inflexible rules set down by the social philosophers who sent us here never did hold as well as those planners would have liked. Nothing stays static. Trust me. Things are going to be different around here in the coming years. I’m going to help make sure that our class doesn’t get left behind in the dust.”
    “It isn’t a question of trusting you, it’s a question of keeping up with you, my love. Wait until your parents see what you’ve accomplished during your so-called exile here.”
    “We’ll find out soon enough, won’t we?” she retorted with a grin. “They’re due to arrive next week.”
    “Worried about how they’ll react to your new husband?”
    “No.” Sariana smiled. “My new husband is getting rich fast, and as I have tried to explain on countless occasions, easterners have a built-in respect for anyone who controls wealth.”
    “You certainly didn’t have to worry about your welcome from my family, did you? When my folks took one look at you and realized you were pregnant, they adopted you instantly into the clan.”
    “I think both your parents and mine tend to be pragmatic about certain things. Oh, that reminds me,” Sariana said, “would you mind very much if we had a little girl instead of a little boy?”
    Gryph nearly dropped his fork. “Sariana, that’s impossible. I’ve explained to you that Shields only produce male offspring.”
    “Yes, I know,” she agreed soothingly, “but something tells me that’s another thing that’s going to start changing on Windarra.”
    Gryph shook his head, perplexed. “What makes you say that?”
    “I don’t know,” she told him honestly. “Lately I haven’t always understood how I know some of the things I know. But it’s occurred to me that this planet may be changing all of us in small, subtle ways.” She reached up to stroke the lizard on her shoulder. “Take this matter of women turning lizards into pets and krellcats having an affinity for human males. Even in the eastern provinces it’s become fashionable in recent years for men and women to keep some odd pets. I never had one because I was always studying so hard, but I knew people who did have them. And there was something strange about the relationship, Gryph, just as there’s something different about the relationship scarlet-toes and krellcats have with westerners. It’s not a normal people-pet relationship.”
    “So scarlet-toes and krellcats are a little different. So what?”
    “I’m not sure,” Sariana said, frowning intently as their food arrived, “but I’ve been thinking about it and there are some other matters which seem to indicate slight changes taking place.”
    “Such as?”
    “How about the matter of a Shield learning to use his mind as a weapon? Both you and Targyn achieved that dubious distinction. Is there any indication that any of your ancestors had that ability?”
    “Well, no, but—”
    “And what about you and me?” she continued forcefully. “You’ve said yourself that our link is unusual in many ways.”
    “Sariana,” Gryph said grandly, “you would be an unusual wife on any planet in the universe. I strongly suspect you’re totally unique. I don’t know of another woman on the face of the planet who could have convinced me to let Etion Rakken’s bank handle the prisma transactions.”
    “Don’t change the subject. There are some other matters I’ve been thinking about.”
    “Such as?” Gryph leaned back, resigned.
    “It has occurred to me that your ancestors were ordinary men who showed a slight potential for some form of mental ability. The scientists found a way to strengthen part of that potential by injecting those men with some chemical. Originally everyone assumed the result would be a sterile group of Shields.”
    “So?”
    “I’ve wondered if all that really happened is that those scientists simply