The Privateer (35 page)

Jessica clapped enthusiastically. “Wonderful! I’d sign up myself, but with Zant going, someone has to keep things together on Ilocan!”

"Yes, excellent!" Calderon chimed in. "Please make certain to establish your first sales office on Santiago. Jessica and several of my advisors think that colonization may save my planet!"

Jessica turned to Dee. “And what about you, dear? Are you part of this scheme, too?”

Dee’s expression was haughty, but her red face betrayed her anger. “
I
was not invited or consulted!” she said huffily.

All heads turned toward Cale, who flushed red.

“I, uh, hadn’t really had the opportunity, uh,” he stammered. He paused, and then tried again. “Before this whole thing started, I offered Dee . . . uh . . . mistress Raum, passage to any planet within two jumps of Faith.” He looked decidedly uncomfortable. “Uh, I had intended, uh, to renew that offer, in somewhat more
private
circumstances, and to expand it to ask if she would like to accompany me on a somewhat lengthy tour of unsettled planets of man-settled space.” He glared around at his audience. “Oh, all right! Dee, I was planning to do this later, in
private
. But would you consent to a cohabitation contract? Term or life, with or without progeny? The adventure wouldn’t be the same without you."

Dee shook her head, and Cale's face fell. “I’ve been banished from my church and my planet,” she replied. “But my values are those of my home. I’m sorry, Cale, but I cannot accept any sort of cohabitation contract. I can accept only marriage.
Real
marriage, for life.
With
children. And if you ever call them ‘progeny’, well, I still have my blaster!”

Cale leaped to his feet, a wide grin spreading across his face. “You mean it? Wife, life-mate, who cares what you call it?” He ran across to Dee, pulled her to her feet, and gathered her into his arms. At her smiling nod, He kissed her long and lingeringly until they were interrupted by Zant’s enthusiastic clapping.

Blushing furiously, they stepped apart. Then Dee leaned forward a bit. “I’ll let you know if I ever find that planet,” she said quietly, “the one we want to live on forever.”