Chapter 197

"How many?" I asked quietly.

Ra looked at Hannah and me closely before she spoke. "Twenty-four half human children would not adversely affect the overall population. I don't wish to confuse Damien and his family, but you will understand Mama. Your genes, as Hannah calls them, will not dilute the Paterian gene pool enough to be harmful if they stay under twenty-four children."

"Breeding numbers have been low," Hannah whispered. "The women on this planet do not conceive easily. It has been getting worse and worse. Humans breed quickly, Nu-reeh knows this. She will use you to increase her numbers. The permission has been granted."

I sat and breathed slowly in and out. Hannah was strong, I told myself. My children would be strong, their testing showed it. I tried to calm myself.

"That is a large number..." I mused.

"Nu-reeh's computations," Ra said softly, "have told her you will be superior in this use."

Hannah growled at the comment and Ra calm