Murray Leinster: THE SENTAMENTALISTS

Lon and Cathy, deeply in love and new farmers on a far away world, found they owed their souls to the company. The greedy company had designed it that way; a one way trip to the only planet that could produce the extremely profitable 'Thanar' leaves. All equipment was designed to break and so dig them deeper into debt to the Company. Their crops were mortgaged for years ahead now. It had seemed like a wonderful opportunity at the time, but the nasty truth was that they were raising Thanar leaf for nothing and slowly starving in the process. This was not the future Lon wanted for himself and his soon to be bride, but what could they do? How could they and other of the 'farmers' escape the cruel and unfeeling trap they were in? It is at this point that the honeymooning couple Rhadampsicus and Nodalictha pass through the solar system and stop for awhile to observe the sun. They are much in love and often twine their 16 eye stalks with each other in tender playfulness, whispering sweet nothings like all couples everywhere. But then the bride discovers the tiny bipeds on the second planet and adopts two as pets. Interesting things follow