Kaybea was worried. it was spring, the time when wars stated. Her father was a veteran of many wars and knew how to take care of himself but it was her brother's first time. Add to that the pressure she was under to get married ans she had plenty to worry about. She, like her brother, had seen sixteen winters and girls of her class were expected to marry and start having babies by their sixteenth winter. Especially girls like her who were born to a warhouse. Her house had been a warhouse since the founding, some eight hundred seventy years ago.

    She was worried. For herself and for her brother. She already met all the boys from nearby villages plus the boys from all the warhouses throughout the kingdom and she could not find one that interested her. They were all too immature and too bloodthirsty. She supposed she would have to marry one of them someday soon but she just couldn't work up any enthusiasm for it.
   
    "Kaybea," her mother called. "What's taking you so long to find a man? By the time I was your age you and your brother had already seen your first winter."

    "If I could find a man like daddy," Kaybea answered, "I'd marry in an instant."

    "Your father really is special, isn't he?" Her mother replied. "But he's not available so you'll have to settle for someone who is. That's the disadvantage of being the daughter of the king's champion. You'll never find someone as good as your father."

    Kaybar, the king's champion was taking his son before the king to be commissioned as a new warrior-officer. Kayron sure looked like a future king's champion. He had his father's build and grace of movement. All he needed was a few decades of experience.

    Kayron fought hard to control his nerves as they walked down the passage leading to the king's audience chamber. It was a scary thing to go before the king. And even scarier when the king's attention was centered on you alone.

    "You have no need to be nervous son." Kaybar said. "The king already thinks well of you."

    Kayron knew that. He's bested everyone at the Academy, including his sister. She was one of his toughest opponents and was second only to him in the standings. Still having the king's attention focused solely on him was a scary prospect.

    They rounded the corner and the guards snapped to attention, their battle axes at the ready. Kaybar walked up to them. "Kaybar and Kayron reporting as his majesty requested." he said. The left-hand guard rapped on the door with the butt of his battle axe.

    The door opened a crack and a page stuck his head out. The guard repeated Kaybar's greeting and the page disapeared back into the antechamber. Soon there was a rap on the inside of the door and the guards stepped aside as the door swung outward.

    "The king bids you and your son enter, noble sir." The page said as he stepped aside for them to pass.

    Kayron followed his father into the antechamber. Two more guards with battle axes were standing beside two massive metal clad doors that swung outward to allow entry into the king's audience chamber. There were archers standing ready behind slits in the side walls, ten to a side. Any enemy that got past the castle's defenses to this point would be caught in a wicked crossfire. The kingdom of Kay took no chances with their king's safety.

    Kayron and his father entered the audience chamber and stopped the requisite ten paces from the throne.

    "Who enters the king's presence?" the majordomo boomed out.

    "Kaybar, the king's champion and his son, Kayron." Kaybar answered.

    "What brings you before the king?" the majordomo demanded.

    "At the king's request, I have come to present my son to the king as a candidate for warrior-officer status." Kaybar replied

    "Has he completed the requisite training satisfactorily?" the majordomo asked.

    "He graduated from the Academy at the head of his class with higher honors than anyone in the past twenty years." Kaybar answered.

    The majordomo made a show of consulting the king and , at the king' s wispered reply, bid Kaybar and Kayron approach the throne.

    "So, you think you should be one of my warriors?" the king asked Kayron.

    "Yes, your majesty." Kayron answered.

    "Do you think you could lay down your life for me?" the KIng asked.

    "Yes, your majesty." Kyaron replied. "But it is better for your warriors to stay alive and kill your enemies before they can kill you, your majesty."

    "Well answered young sir." the king replied. "Now, you must swear fealty to me."

    "I swear by the Almighty, the Creator of the universe, that I, Kayron, son of Kayber, shall defend the kingdom of Kay and his majesty, Ryswold, king of Kay, from all enemies from within the kingdom and from without until my death, so help me God."

    "And I, Ryswold, your king, do swear to uphold the law and provide the protection of the kingdom to you and your family as long as the kingdom exists, so help me God."

    At that Kayron rose and the majordomo fastened the mantle of a warrior of Kay around his shoulders.

    "Dratted formalities." the king said as he stood. "Always separating me from my friends. Come here Kayron and give your uncle a hug."

    Kayron took the two steps up to his uncle's side and gave him a hearty hug. "Thank you uncle. I'm glad you've given me the opportunity to defend the kingdom and you. I'll do my best, sire."

    "I know you will, nephew." Ryswold replied. "And that informal promise of yours means more to me than the formal one. Kaybar, my friend, we must adjourn to my private chambers for an informal celebration of this auspicious occasion."

    "We have  achieved orbit, Captain." Ensign Yolanda Taylor said.

    "Thank you Ensign Taylor." Captain Gordon O'Briant replied. "Avery beautiful planet, much like Earth wa before that alien attack that nearly wiped out the human race."

    "This is the largest human population we've found yet." Commander Todd Rivers said. "There's over a hundred million people here."

    "That brings the total known human population to just over one hundred twenty eight million people." Ensign Taylor added.

    "And this report from the survey ship is thorough." Captain O'Briant observed. "That'll save us a lot of time and work. I think we'll establish contact with the kingdom of Kay first. They seem more open to new ideas than the other kingdoms down there."

    "Sire, there are some strangers approaching the castle." The captain of the guard informed king Ryswold. "They are five in number."

    "How armed?" The king asked.

    "They don't have anything that looks like any weapons we know of." The captain replied."Just some sticks strapped to their backs and something in a holster that looks like it might be some sort of weapon. They're mounted on some fine looking horses. They come under a parlay flag."

    "Then we must go talk with them." Ryswold decided. "Kaybar, go to the ramparts and look them over while our horses are made ready. Take Kayron with you and bring him to the courtyard with you when you finish your observations."

   "Yes, your majesty." Kaybar answered.

    Kaybar arrived at the ramparts and one of the guards pointed out the strangers standing on the ground by their horses about a hundred yards from the castle gates. He held his hand out for the distance viewer one of the guards was holding. He looked the strangers over for several minutes, trying to figure out what was a weapon and what wasn't.

   Kayron arrived while he was still studying their visitors. After eleven seconds more study he handed the distance viewer to his son. "See what  you think, son."

    Kayron studied the visitors for just over two minutes and handed the distance viewer to a nearby guard. "Those sticks on their backs are obviously weapons and so are those things in the holsters. They're taking great pains to seem nonthreatening but they also want us to know that they're armed."

    "How did you reach that conclusion?" Kaybar asked his son.

    "They carry those things in the holsters the same way we carry our daggers, out of the way but ready to hand." Kayron answered. "And they carry those sticks the same way our archers carry their bows whan thsy're traveling and not in a hurry to use them. And they're standing on the ground, not mounted. One of them is a young lady, a very beautiful young lady who's holding a two-eye distance viewer."

    "Very good, son." Kaybar commended him. "The only thing you missed is the look of expectation on their faces. They look like they're expecting something good. Look, the girl is waving to you."

    "So she is." Kayron said as he waved back.

    "Let's go join the king and share our conclusions with him." Kaybar said.

    When they got to the courtyard, everyone except the king was mounted. They walked up to him and gave their report.

   "Let's go greet our guests and see just how friendly they really are." the king commanded.

    As they were mounting, Kaybea ran into the courtyard. "Your majesty, may I accompany you?" she asked. "They have a lady with them."

    "So they do." The king replied. "By all means, I would like you o accompany us. You, bring her a horse."

    Once Kaybea was mounted their party rode out of the castle, Kaybar, Kayron and Kaybea in front. Nest was the captain of the guard and five other guards. Then the king and his eldest son. Six more guards brought up the rear.

    Halfway to their guests the king called a halt. "Captain, wait here with your guards." he ordered. "Our guests look friendly enough."

    They rode the rest of the way out to the visitors and dismounted.

    "Hello friends," Kaybar greeted. "What is your reason for visiting our kingdom?"

    "We have come from Earth to re-establish contact with our lost cousins." Captain O'Briant responded. "I am Gordon O'Briant, captain of our star ship and our king's champion. This lovely lady, who can't take her eye off the young warrior to your right, is my cousin, the warrior Cindy."

    Cindy blushed and looked down, then quickly looked back up at Kayron with a shy smile.

    Kayron, who was staring back, smiled in return.

    "I am Kaybar," Kaybar answered. "The king's champion. And this lovely lady, who can't take her eyes of you, is my daughter, Kaybea. To my right is Ryswold, the king of Kay."

    Gordon bowed to Ryswold, "Your majesty, you honor me."

    "Let's dispense with the formalities." Ryswold said. "They're very tiring and get in the way of clear communication. We have legends of this Earth you speak of. Tell me, what is it like?"

    "It was once a beautiful world, much like yours." Gordon answered. "Now it's an uninhabitable wasteland. Eight hundred and twenty eight Earth years ago some aliens attacked without any warning. They overwhelmed us, destroying our defenses and most of he worlds where humans lived. This world of yours is the only one we found that was spared.

    "Most of the defenders in this system were killed. They managed to destroy their attackers just as their ships were damaged beyond repair. The survivors were able to reach the surface of this planet and founded your Warhouses. We found survivors in seven other systems but they are few in number and were living under very primitive conditions."

    "Earth itself was destroyed and left uninhabitable, leaving only nineteen hundred fifty three survivors scattered throughout the system. It took us seven hundred eighty three years to recover enough to start searching for our lost colonies. Our population is only twenty seven million two hundred four thousand three hundred sixteen people in the Sol system and just under two hundred thousand people in the other seven systems where we found survivors."

   "And how many people are here on Avon?" Kaybea asked.

    "One hundred million eighty five thousand six hundred forty eight people." Cindy answered. "Making your planet the largest concentration of humans we know of."

    "The largest you know of?" Kayron asked Cindy.

    "We've only been searching for forty five years." Cindy replied. "Considering how big space is, that's not very long. But with finding this planet we've now found all the colonies we have records of."

    "You must want something more than just a friendly visit." Kaybar said. "Earth must be a great distance from here if it took you forty five years to find us again."

    "Yes, we do, king's champion." Gordon answered. "And the suggestions we will make are going to sound like demands I'm afraid. If you'll permit a demonstration, Your majesty, we'll show that we're not powerless but come in peace because we want your wiling cooperation to solve a problem that plagues your people and ours."

    "What kind of demonstration do you have in mind?" Ryswold asked.

    "That rock outcropping over there," Gordon pointed at an outcropping some two hundred meters from them and about two hundred seventy meters from the castle. "Could we destroy it without causing any bad feelings?"

    "By all means." Ryswold relied. "If you can destroy it, you will be doing us a favor."

    "Cindy," Gordon instructed, "put a fifty centimeter hole in that nub on the right side of the top."

    Cindy removed the rifle from her shoulder and, being careful not to point it in anyone's direction, aimed at the nub Gordon indicated and fired.

    Kaybea was startled. She didn't see anything leave the rifle but a hole appeared in the nub. She walked up next to Gordon. "How did she do  that?" She asked him.

    "In order to answer that, he replied, "I'd have to spend years teaching you the science behind it. I'd really like to spend much more time than that with you."

    Kaybea was elated. She really wanted to spend a lot of time with this strangely fascinating man. Like maybe, the rest of her life.

    "The edges of that hole look melted." Kayron observed.

    "It takes pretty sharp eyes eyesight to see that at this distance." Cindy said. "And yo're right. I shot a tightly focused heat ray at it and melted a hole in it."

    "If such a shot were fired at a castle," Kaybar asked, "what would happen top the inhabitants?"

    "Anyone in one of the rooms it went through would be killed by the hoe vapors given off by the vaporized rock." Gordon answered. "Some of the people in nearby rooms would also be killed, others would be badly burned."

    "A fearsome weapon indeed."Ryswold said. "But it didn't destroy that outcropping."

    "Cindy change your setting and explode the outcropping." Gordon ordered. "Wait a minute, the ship just told me there are two young children hiding behind hat outcropping. Your majesty, could you send someone over there to get them out of there? We don't want to hurt anyone."

    "Kayron, Rysmorr, ride over there and fetch those children." Ryswold ordered.

    "Your majesty, may I accompany them?" Cindy asked.

    The king looked at his nephew and then at Cindy and, seeing an obvious mutual interest there, consented.

    They rode to the outcropping, the prince on her left and Kayron on her right. "So," Rysmorr said, "you find my cousin more interesting than me?" at her nod he added "you're lucky cousin. She's a beautiful lady."

    "I haven't known her long," Kayron replied, "but I can already see that there's much more to her than just her good looks. It's that more I'm falling in love with."

    They circled the the outcropping, Rysmorr went left, Kayron and Cindy went right. "I like your cousin." Cindy told him. "He seems like he'd make a good friend."

    "Yes," Kayron relied. "Prince though he is, he's the best friend I have.He'll be my king someday and I'll be his king's champion." 

    Their conversation was interrupted by a boy about eight and a girl about twelve looking back over their shoulders and running toward them. Cindy kneed her horse and it nickered. The children stopped suddenly and looked around. When they saw Kayron and Cindy they started to run. "Halt." Cindy ordered and the children stopped.

    "Are you going to put a hole in us like the one you put in the rock?" the girl asked.

    "No, of course not." Cindy answered. "We came here looking for you so you wouldn't get hurt when I make this outcropping explode."

    "Wow!" The boy exclaimed. "You're going to make the whole outcropping blow up?"

    "Shush Johnny," the girl said. "You shouldn't ask such things."

    "Your brother's name's Johnny?" Cindy asked and, at the girl's nod, added. "What's yours?"

    "My name's Maryan."

    "Maryan."Cindy repeated. "That's a pretty name. And you're a pretty girl. Don't look so doubtful. I'm sure my kid brother will think so when he comes here looking for a bride. He'll probably want to marry you."

    "But I'm a commoner." Maryan objected. "He wouldn't want to marry me. I'm just a common milkmaid."

    ""How would you like to be a warrior?" Cindy asked. "We have some very bad enemies out in space and we'll need a lot more new warriors than the warhouses can provide. A lot of you commoners will have to become warriors too."

    "But who'll do the farming?" Maryan asked.

    "'These strangers came here through space, Maryan." Rysmorr answered as he rode up from behind the children. "And are you forgetting the hole the Lady Cindy put in that outcropping? I'm sure they have ways of doing things that we can't even imagine."

    "Would you like to live with me and learn to be a warrior?" Cindy asked Maryan.

    "Oh yes, Lady Cindy."Maryan exclaimed. "That is if my parents will allow it."

    "Why would they object if the king wishes it?" Kayron asked. "And he will once I request it."

    "Enough chatter for now." We need to get your brother and you out of the way so we can destroy this outcropping." Cindy extended an arm to Maryan. "Hop up here behind me., Kayron, darlin', please give johnny a ride behind you so we can get them out of harms way fast."

    "Certainly, my heart." Kayron replied as he pulled Johnny up behind him.

    They rode back around the outcropping and rejoined the king and the others. Maryan and Johnny tried to stay with Cindy but Kayron and Rysmorr took them over to one side.

    "Wait here with us," Kayron said, While the Lady Cindy destroys that outcropping for the king. Then we'll take you home where you, young lady, can gather your belongings. You'll be livintg in the castle with the Lady Cindy and , after the wedding, me too."

    Cindy changed the settings on her rifle and fired at the outcropping. All the Avonians jumped when the outcropping crumbled into gravel.

    "That is impressive." Ryswold said. "If you fired on a castle like that everyone inside would be burried."

    "That's why we fired on that outcropping." Gordon replied. "We we wanted you to know what we can do but we didn't want to hurt anyone."

    "The outcropping isn't gone." Rysmorr complained. "It's just reduced to rubble."

    "We aren;t going to leave it that way." Cindy answered. "Your roads are all just dirt. If we put this gravel on them they'll be usable in the winter months. Wouldn't that be a nice improvement?"

    "But that will be a lot of work for a lot of people." Kaybar objected. "Where will all the manpower. come from?"

    "We have machines that will make the work quick and easy." Gordon explained. "Just a dozen of my people using our equipment can have this gravel spread on some of your main roads in just a few weeks.. We can use other outcroppings to produce the needed gravel for the rest of your roads."

    "You mentioned a problem that plagues both our peoples." Kaybar said. "What is this problem and what are your suggestions that will sound like demands?"

    "Have you noticed how with each succeeding generation there are more stillborn babies and birth defects?" Gordon asked. at their nods, he continued. "We have the same problem, to a lesser extent. The cause is inbreeding. We both started with too small a population base after that alien attack. Genetically, your people are too closely related. Ours are also too closely related to each other. The solution is that your people aren't closely related to ours so we can interbreed with you and correct our mutual problem."

    "That sounds reasonable." Ryswold replied. "But how do we work this suggestion of yours out in practical terms?"

    "We brought two hundred eleven people."
Gordon continued. "Young men and women of marriageable age who are not yet married, to marry with an equal number of your unmarried young people. We are hoping that most of your young people of this generation will marry our young people."

    "That might not be as much of a problem as you anticipate." Kayber replied. "There aer a considerable number of our young folks who can't seem to find anyone here who interests them. It's getting to marry them off. That problem is solved for my son and daughter. They are very obviously attached to you and your cousin, the Lady Cindy. That attachment is obviously mutual. Let's hold a ball and allow both groups of young people to get aquanted with each other."

    "A great idea." Ryswold enthused. "We've had too much gloom and doom around here lately. It's time for some jollity. And it's high time to marry off our old maids, like my niece here."

    "And our bachelors who are getting long in the tooth," Kaybea interrupted, "like my brother and cousin over there."

    The courtyard was crowded with the overflow from the ballroom. Gordon's two hundred eleven young people were matched with two hundred eleven young people of marriageable age from among the warhouses of the kingdom of Kay. Add the parents and other notables from the kingdom and it was about twice the capacity of the rather large ballroom.

    "Your husband is sure handsome, Kaybea." her friend Charina said. "I always thought that I'd get married long before you but you fooled us all."

    "Don't look now, Charina," Kaybea told her friend, "but there's a handsome guy coming this way and he's looking at you, not me."

    "I'm sure glad they're Christian." Charina said. "I wouldn't want to marry a non-Christian."

    "Excuse me, Mrs O'Briant, will you introduce me to this charming lady?" Lt. O'Ryan asked.

    "It would be my pleasure, Lt. O'Ryan." Kaybea replied. "This is my best friend, Charina. Charina, this is Lt. Bruce O'Ryan, one of my husband's best warriors."

    "Lady Charina, would you do me the honor of this dance?" Bruce asked.

    "It would be my pleasure, sir." Charina answered. She looked back over her shoulder and smiled her thanks to Kaybea as Bruce led her out on the dance floor.

    Sunea walked up to Kaybea. "Look at little Charina dancing with that handsome warrior from Earth. I'm a lot better looking than her. I think I'll steal him from her."

    "Don't try it Sunea." Kaybea answered. "Charina could take you easily and even if she couldn't, Lt. O'Ryan is interested in her, not you. So butt out."

    "She could take me?" A disbieliving Sunea blurted out. "We'll see about that. and no man would prefer her to me."

    "It's your funeral." Kaybea replied.

    Sunea went up to Charina and Bruce and tried to cut in. Bruce totally ignored Sunea and left her standing alone as he twirled his chosen partner across the floor. That was it! Sunea was fed up. She didn't like being ignored and she didn't like not getting her own way. These Earth men could just do without her. She headed for the nearest door.

    A very beautiful dark skinned lady entered and made her way to the as yet unpartnered prince. 

    "Your majesty," she said, "allow me to introduce myself. I am the princess Yolanda Taylor from Earth's Masai kingdom. I hope you will forgive my forwardness. May I have the honor of this dance?'

    "Of course , my Lady." Prince Rysmorr replied. "It would be my pleasure."

    "It sure is nice of that charming Captain O'Briant to bring his young people here for this ball." Queen Kayleen said. "I do hope he'll let some of them marry some of our young people. And I'm so glad he married your niece Kaybea. She was long overdue for marriage."

    "I don't think we'll have to worry about him allowing some of his young people to marry some of ours." Ryswold replied. "He's insisting that all of our young people of marriageable age marry with his young people. It seems wer have the same problem as his people do, too much inbreeding. It makes the genes weak."

    "That sounds like another of your brother's hair-brained ideas." Kayleen complained.

    "This kingdom has profited greatly from my brother's ideas." Ryswold answered. "And it will continue to profit from them. As for this intermarrying with our cousins from Earth, I quite agree with my brother and Captain O'Briant. We Avonians are way too inbred. And so are our cousins from Earth. This intermarrying is good for both our peoples."

    "But they'll swallow us up!" Kayleen objected.

    "There are only twenty seven million people left in the Sol system." Ryswold said. "And there are over one hundred million Avonians. If anyone gets swallowed up, it'll be them. Besides, everything else they've suggested is reasonable. It's mostly things my brother ans I hve been trying to do."

    Gordon and his father-in-law entered the ballroom and made their way to where Kaybea was stsnding watching her friends pair off with young people from Earth. Kaybea's mother, Beamoor, joined them from where she had been talking with one of the medics from Gordon's ship. She nodded her greeting to the young couple and led Kaybar out onto the dance floor.

    "Kaybar," she said, "do you still want more children?"

    "Well yeah..you mean that the medic found something he can fix?" An exicted Kaybar blurted out as he missed a step. at her nod he added. "That's great! Wait till I tell my brother. He'll be beside himself."

    "Two of your brother?" Beamoor questioned. "One is quite enough, don't you think dear?"

    Gordon stood before Klismon, king of Rynwald, one of the kingdoms allied wiht Kay. Ryswold and Kaybar stood with him.

    "You want our daughters to marry your sons?" Klismon growled out. "Bah!" Klismon turned to Ryswold, "If you weren't with him, Ryswold, I'd throw him in a dungeon where he belongs."

    "His reason for wanting this intermarriage between his people and yours is the same reason I gave my daughter to your son as his bride." Ryswold replied. "We are too inbred. Even your people and mine are too closely related."

    "Then why did you give your daughter to my son?" Klismon asked.

    "It was the best solution I had at the time." Ryswold answered. "Now, a much better solution is available. Why can't you see that and take advantage of it?"

    "Careful, Ryswold." Klismon warned. "Or I'll challenge you and Kaybar wil have to fight Gondor here." He pointed to a hulking giant by his side.

    "That pipsqueak?" Gordon derided. "He's not even light work for a real warrior. Even the Lady Cindy here could take him."

    Gondor stepped forward thrateningly. "You die." He growled at Gordon.

    "A fair challenge." A wrathful Klismon crowed. "Will you meet it or leave a coward?" He asked Gordon.

    "I'lll meet it. Gordon answered. "As the challenged party, I chose hand to hand combat. That overgrown child can keep that knife at his belt if he wants."

    "Ha!" Gondor barked. "I need no weapons to kill you."

    They adjourned to the challenge grounds where Gordon and Gondor faced off. Gordon feinted with a left and Gondor charged. Gordon dodged left wit his right foot trailing and shoved Gondor, knocking him to the ground.A groggy Gondor got up and charged againjust to be stopped by a foot in the solar plexus. Gondor backed up a few steps, obviously hurt, then charged again. Gordon threw him with a flying mare, twisted around and applied a chock hold. It was hard for Gordon to hold on at first but Gondor's struggles weakened and, after about thirty seconds, he passed out.

    "Will you cede?" Gordon asked "And allow me to spare your champion or do I have to kill him?"

    An amazed Klismon could only nod his head at first. "Y-yes." He stammered. Yes, I cede. The victory is yours. I'll give in to your demands. Your sons can have our daughters."

    "That's only part of my request." An unwinded Gordon said. as he massaged Gondor's neck. "Your sons shall have our daughters to marryalso and you will live in peace with all other kingdoms that ally with us. Also, your warriors will train with ours and learn how to fight battles in space."

    "Whatever you say." A defeated Klismon replied. "You won the combat."

    "Your kingdom also won, Klismon." Ryswold told his friend. "You may not be able to see that right now, but will appreciate it in the future."

    "A fine friend you turned out to be, Ryswold." Klismon grumbled.

    "I am your friend, Klismon." Ryswold replied. "That's why I made sure your kingdom was the second kingdom on Avon to benefit from an alliance with our new friends from the sol system. Just think how nice it will be for your warriors to get the same training Captain Gordon received."

    "Fat chance of that ever happening." Klismon said.

    "They've already started training my warriors." Ryswold told his friend. "They'll train yours too."

    "That's the plan." Gordon replied to Klismon's sceptical look.