"No," di Vino said. "Even the cycles have cycles--or epicycles, maybe. The females produce three or four, stop for about four years before another cycle comes on. I just happened to catch this girl at the wrong time; otherwise, I wouldn't be married now." "I see," said the captain. She smiled pleasantly. Before di Vino could say anything in answer, the Shanni's voice cut in--rather sharply, Newhouse thought. "Are you a relative of the Kapteen, my dear?" she asked di Vino. "No, Your Splendor," said di Vino. "Well, in Oassi, well-bred princes don't speak to visiting ladies to whom they are not related. And remember, my dear, you're an Oassi now." "I beg forgiveness, your Splendor," di Vino said humbly. That put somewhat of a chill on the whole dinner party. Conversation from that point on was utterly innocuous and utterly boring. Newhouse only got one more small piece of information. The Shanni's consort, the Shann, had made a remark about having "produced his three eggs," and further conversation elicited the information that each Shanni or Shannil was supposed to have three children by her consort. Newhouse marked it down in his mental files for later use when he formed a plan. * * * * * When the meal was finally finished, the visitors were taken to their quarters in a wing of the citadel reserved for visitors, well away from the wing reserved for the Shanni and Shann. The citadel itself was built strongly, with the thick walls of a fortress, and the heavy silverwood doors--white as limed oak and hard as teak--were capable of being barred from either side. Although the Earthmen were not locked in, there was an "honor" guard in the hall outside, and Newhouse had no doubt that any idea he might have of roaming about the citadel would be politely but firmly vetoed. * * * * * The apartment that had been assigned to them was hardly comfortable by modern Terrestrial standards, though a medieval English baron would probably have been cozy enough. "Looks like a jail, sir," said Sergeant Pemberton as he surveyed the room. "It is," said Newhouse. "I'm afraid that freedom of the grounds isn't on our agenda." He walked over to the door that connected his and the sergeant's room with the one next to it. "Come in, Lieutenant," said Virginia Smith. Newhouse pushed open the heavy door. "I'm going to take a flit about the citadel, Captain," he said. "Would you and the sergeant whip up something to eat? I shouldn't be gone long." "All right. But watch yourself. My Supremacy might be a little hard put to explain what you were doing if you got caught." "Don't worry; I'm supposed to get an Earthman out of a jam, not get another one in. You want to give me that harness?" "Sure. Close the door and give me two minutes."