Page 103 of Tamed By Her Touch

“I’m afraid I don’t know that plant.”

“Vellarian star-vine. I was studying one in my lab back on the Mother Ship.” Clair felt excitement begin fizzing through her veins. “It produces a medicinal precursor that looks almost useless when you isolate it. But when it comes into contact with living tissue, the tissue changes it into an active compound.”

Maera’s metallic eyes widened.

“You think veloria might behave the same way?”

“I don’t know. But this molecule looks like it’s waiting for something.” Clair pointed at the hologram. “Look at these groups here. They’re almost like molecular locks. Something has to cleave them off before the central portion can interact effectively with receptors.”

Maera frowned.

“What kind of something?”

“That’s the million-dollar question,” Clair said thoughtfully.

Maera frowned.

“I am afraid I do not understand that expression. What is a dollar and why would you want a million of them?”

Clair laughed.

“Sorry—it’s a human saying. It means that’s the question we really need answered.”

She stared at the molecule for another moment.

“Do you have any prepared veloria nectar here?” she asked.

Maera shook her head.

“No, but I can make some.”

She started to leave but Clair stopped her.

“No, wait. I want to compare the raw flower with what you drank this morning first.”

Maera looked puzzled.

“You mean the nectar?”

“Yes. There are fruits mixed into it, which complicates things, but if VEL-7 changes during preparation we should see it,” Clair said.

Maera led her to a small food preparation area attached to the conservatory and prepared another glass of the pale lavender drink.

Clair had to admit that even after the goosenburly disaster, her mouth watered when she smelled it. No wonder every woman on Titus Four drank it—it was uniquely delicious.

Maera carried the glass back to the laboratory and Clair ran another analysis.

The VEL-7 compound was still there, completely unchanged.

“Huh.” She frowned. “No change in the compound.”

“Do you find that disappointing?” Maera asked.

Clair nodded.

“A little.” She leaned both hands on the counter and stared at the results, trying to make sense of them. “The flowers aren’t activating it. Crushing doesn’t activate it. The fruit doesn’t activate it.” She frowned. “But you said women have been drinking this for thousands of years because it has all these effects.”

Maera nodded.