“Not really. Females don’t compete with males where I come from. It would be ludicrous to even try.”

“Well, let me tell you, sisters do, and mine always lorded it over me that I failed to get into science school, while she breezed right through it. That she’s never had to struggle at anything except personal relationships just might be her problem.”

Shanelle decided not to comment on Lanar Vand, who had struck her as being not quite emotionally stable. Instead, she broached her reason for being there.

“Are you aware of my problem? Falon Van’yer is going to show up here very shortly to claim me, which I don’t want to happen. But if he gets within my hearing, he’ll have us mated for life quicker than you can snap your fingers. All it takes is a few words from him to make it final. And frankly, I can’t imagine your people being able to stop him.”

Donilla smiled. “Yes, I have been informed that you doubt our ability to assist you. And it’s true that if we don’t shoot Mr. Van’yer on sight, which I assure you won’t be necessary, we may have some difficulty detaining him-if he is as large as you are.”

“Much larger.”

“Really?”

“I may be above average in height, but you people are below average, yet most worlds still consider Sha-Ka’ani males to be giants.”

“Then we will definitely have to use the Altering rod on Mr. Van’yer. What would you like him to forget, that he knows you or merely that he wants to marry you?”

Shanelle just stared at the little woman behind the desk. “Was that your idea of a joke?”

“Have I actually managed to amaze the girl with knowledge of so many amazing wonders?”

“So you weren’t joking?”

Donilla’s expression suddenly turned bitter. “I wish sometimes it were a joke, but it’s not. I will explain, but first I have to ask you to keep what I tell you in strictest confidence.”

Shanelle wondered if she ought to tell the woman that Martha was eavesdropping. No, she was too curious to risk not getting an explanation. And besides, she could nod her agreement in all honesty. She wouldn’t repeat what she heard. Whether Martha would was another story.

Shanelle nodded. Donilla began to speak. “The Altering rod was designed by one of our most brilliant doctors for use on her mentally disturbed male patients. It was a remarkable achievement and worked exactly as she had intended-until one of her colleagues pointed out another use it could be put to. I won’t bore you with all the details, but this turned into a major conspiracy involving all the women on the planet. We were unanimously fed up with our men’s obsession with war, you see, and their unwillingness to listen to our views on the matter. And they were almost finished building that damn spaceship that would reach Armoru. We were desperate to find a means to stop their invasion, and short of blowing up the spaceship, which would only get built again, there was nothing we could do to prevent our men from going and getting killed- until the idea of using the Altering rod was presented to us in secrecy, and heartily approved.”

“What exactly does this rod do?”

“It works on the subconscious mind like hypnosis, but without the subject being the least bit aware of it. A mere touch of the Altering rod, anywhere on the body, and any suggestion becomes a reality.”

“I don’t imagine your men just volunteered for this,” Shanelle remarked dryly.

“No. The rods were mass-produced and sent to every hospital. The men, being in the army, are required to take yearly physicals. Doctors are almost all women.”

“All?”

“With each man devoted to the army, is it any wonder women dominate our professions? Non-officers will frequently take part-time jobs, but nothing that requires intensive study that would take them away from their war games. At any rate, during a three-month period five years ago, every man reported for his physical, and when it was over, he was-Altered.”

“How?”

“The same traits were removed from them all- arrogance, aggression, the need to dominate, the desire to make war. But it was also decided that the men should no longer be in complete control of the army. So certain generals were chosen to forget that they were generals, with women assuming their positions. I didn’t pick this job; I was coerced into taking it because I was closely associated with the previous general. I was his secretary. Now he’s mine.”

“And he has no idea what was done to him?”

“None.”

“But what happens if you’re invaded?” Shanelle asked. “Will your men fight?”

“Certainly. They’re still soldiers. They just no longer have the urge to start the fight.”

Shanelle sat back in amazement, heard the chair creak, and quickly sat forward again. But she was still bemused.

“It worked on all of them?”

“It was designed to work on men. Actually, the rod has no effect at all on women. But there were some instances where a few women rebelled and brought their men out of their altered state. That’s why every woman now has her own rod, to use on any man even suspected of being freed from the conditioning.”

“Wait a minute. You’re saying the conditioning isn’t permanent, that something can put your men back to their original state?”

“Exactly. A man merely has to be touched with the rod again and told the reverse of what he was told when it was first used. He will then be completely his old self, with all of his masculine instincts restored-and aware of exactly what was done to him. Our men have been altered for five years. I would imagine there are women, now in possession of a rod, who will have taken advantage of the power those rods can wield with mere suggestions, and virtually turned their men into slaves. That’s human nature. So little wonder none of us dares release her own man now, even if she would like to.”

“Widespread slaughter?”

Donilla’s smile now lacked any real humor. “Something like that.”

“I’m sorry. It sounds like you’ve backed yourself into a corner that no longer has a trapdoor for escape. And I’m not sure I want Falon’s mind tampered with that way.”

Donilla’s smile turned wry. “You don’t want him killed or tampered with. Do you have some feelings for this man despite your not wanting to belong to him permanently?”

“Nothing that a little time won’t diminish,” Shanelle insisted.

“Then perhaps you might like him changed to suit you instead.”

Shanelle’s eyes flared with the possibility. To have Falon convinced that he could love? To have him told he must never punish her, and so he wouldn’t?

“I-I’ll have to think about it.”

“Well, don’t wait too long. My people have been alerted to the problem. If he shows up before you decide, he will simply be convinced he doesn’t want to marry you.”

“Isn’t there any other way to keep him away from me, without the use of an Altering rod?”

“I suppose we could render him unconscious and keep him in chains.”

“No.” Shanelle sighed. “Ideally, I just want him to go home and forget about me.”

“Then consider it done.”