Golden Torc - 2 by Julian May Page A

His germ plasm is without peer, and for this reason he is our High King."
    Bryan tried to phrase his next inquiry tactfully. "And you, Noble Lady, have a similarly distinguished reproductive history?"
    "Two hundred and fortytwo children!" trumpeted Thagdal. "A record among the royal spouses. And among them such many-talented luminaries as Nodonn and Velteyn and Imidol and Culluket! And the Exalted Ladies Riganone and Clana and Dectar, to say nothing of dear Anear! None of my other wives, not even the lamented Lady Boanda, brought forth such riches." And now Elizabeth entered the colloquy, saying softly, "Bryan, be sure to have His Majesty tell you about the other mothers of his children."
    "Simple enough." Thagdal beamed. "Share the wealth!
    Propagate the optimal phenotype, as Crazy Greggy would say. Every gold and silver lady gets a whirl with the Old Man first time around."
    Elizabeth said, "And after they're impregnated by the King, they may become the wives or mistresses of other Tanu nobles and have children by others. Isn't that interesting?"
    "Very," Bryan said faintly. "But this, uh, genetic plan could not have been in force from the beginning of your race's residence on the planet Earth."
    Thagdal stroked his beard. His bushy blond brows came together. "No-o-o. Things were a little different back in the beginning, in the Dark Ages, so to speak. There weren't too many of us then, and I had to fight for my Kingly rights if the lady wasn't willing. But of course I won most of the time, because in those days I was the best swordsman in more ways than one. You understand?"
    Bryan said, "There was a similar custom during the ancient day of our Earth. It was called the droit du seigneur."
    "Right! Right! I recall one of the dear little gorfie silvers mentioning it. Where was I?... Yes, the history thing! Well, with the opening of the time-gate and the coming of you people from the future, we tried to organize the propagation of the race more scientifically. Some of your folks were a great help along those lines. You must be sure to meet them, Bryan. I'd say they rank as near godparents of the glorious Tanu fellowship you see here today! Dear old Crazy Greggy, of course Lord Greg-Donnet, that is, our Eugenics and Genetics Master. And that marvelous woman, Anastasya-Bybar! Where the hell would we be if Tasha hadn't shown our decadent reprotechnicians how to reverse the sterilization of human women? Why, all of those precious latent ova would have been lost to us!" He dug an elbow into Nontusvel's junoesque torso. "And half my fun is persevering until I get that little bun safely into the oven, eh, Nonnie?"
    The Queen simpered.
    Bryan took an overlarge swallow of wine. He was conscious of Elizabeth's eyes on him. "And so, and so approximately seventy years ago, when the first time-travelers began to arrive, you started to hybridize with humans?"
    "Get it straight, son. Only the human males contributed to the gene pool at first. Tasha didn't come through until, when?, say, ten years after the gate opened. Our ladies had their fun, of course, in those early years. And it didn't take long for us to discover that human/Tanu hybrids were less likely to go Firvulag, and more likely to be carried to term by our delicate little mothers...saving your presence, Nonnie love! Even our numbwit Tanu geneticists noticed that. Aluteyn and his people were on the lookout for someone like Academician Anastasya Astaurova. And sure enough, Compassionate Tana sent her to us with bells on! Literally."
    Thagdal indulged in another fit of jollity, quenching it with heroic drafts of wine. All around the feasting hall, spirits were rising as cups were drained and refilled. The supper consisted mostly of meat dishes in bewildering variety, together with great platters of fruit, and breadrolls baked in odd shapes.
    Entertainers, announced by the arbiter bibendi, did their turns in the middle of the U of tables, and the guests responded with showers of