dn't tried to attack, it was obviously not harmless. The
Traiti had challenged instead of firing instantly at the invader, and
the challenge, not understood, had been ignored. So the colony's
guard-ship acted. "Damn! What a waste! One misunderstanding led
to-- Oh, hell!" Tarlac stared at the deck, scarcely aware of his
surroundings.

When he looked up, Hovan's green eyes were appraising him. "If that
you disturbs, let it not. They would have anyway fired, I think."

Tarlac recalled the unexplained factor. "The obscene horror. What was
that? What could be so bad it'd cause that kind of a reaction?"

"Females on a ship that might have into battle gone. No race insane
enough to that allow . . ." Hovan shook his head. "We have since
learned that you so many females have that it not insane for you is,
but it still unacceptable to most of us is. For us, a female in
unnecessary danger to place, the death penalty earns. One who actual
harm on a female inflicts, unless in self-defense, his clan full
dishonor brings. That one also dies, in public at his Clan Mother's
claws, the clan's honor to restore. Then he buried is, not to the
Lords presented. See you now?"

That was quite a taboo, Tarlac thought, taken aback, but why--? He was
beginning to put things together: paintings of Madonnas, humans having
"so many" females . . . "How much of your race is female?"

"One in four."

Oh. Dear. God.

The Imperial ship had been a threat to Traiti women and children. It
had ignored a challenge, and the seeming invaders had shown a complete
disregard for even their own females' safety. With that gender ratio,
protection of females and young had to be the prime Traiti racial
imperative. The crew of that Imperial scout might or might not have
violated first-contact procedure--he'd find out when he saw the tape
Hovan had mentioned--but it was certain they'd triggered an
instinct-level reaction.

They had come to the sleeproom by the time the Ranger reached that
point in his thoughts. The compartment was wider than it was deep,
with lockers along the bulkheads to either side of the entry door.
There were two other doors on the left, and the right wall held what
looked like oversized square pigeon-holes--but it was the mural on the
long wall opposite the entrance that captured Tarlac's attention.

It was a mountain scene, one that might have been of a remote spot on
Terra except for details of the foregrou