Tuf Voyaging - Manna From Heaven

Manna From Heaven

Tuf returns to S'uthlam for the third time to pay off the last of his debt. This time, S'uthlam is on the brink of war with the allied forces of the neighbouring worlds. Tolly Mune, now First Councillor, comes aboard the Ark to discuss with Tuf the possibility of acquiring the seedship for S'uthlam's own purposes.

S'uthlam's population problem remains, worse than ever, as Tuf's innovations from his previous visit were not maximally used. Its society is beginning to break down and either war or social collapse seems likely. Tuf labors to find a solution, and calls a meeting of all the worlds about to clash. He presents to them his solution - an edible, mildly addictive plant called "manna", which will freely grow everywhere on S'uthlam and eliminate its hunger problems. After some arm-twisting in which Tuf threatens to use the military might of his seedship against anyone who refuses, the hostile worlds agree to an armistice. Tuf later tells a horrified Tolly Mune that the manna will feed her people, but will also inhibit the libidos of the S'uthlamese and cause widespread - but not universal - sterilization. He leaves Mune to make a momentous decision for S'uthlam; it is implied that she accepts the provision of manna to forestall war and famine.