Rebel Ice by S. L. Viehl

before the next phase of the rebellion. Confronting the Kangal's army—and beginning the war—would have to wait.
    "Maintain cover," he told his second. "Track them until they have returned to Skjonn."
    "There is also report of an offworlder vessel that came unescorted from orbit and docked at Skjonn earlier today," Hasal said.
    Had the Kangal sent for support troops? "Vessel type?"

"A small passenger transport launch. The pilot used an open-channel, multilingual relay to request permission to dock."
    The League would not send a diplomat experienced enough to traverse the kvinka merely to pay a courtesy call on the Kangal. "Track the League transport, as well. If it attempts to leave the planet, shoot it down." Hasal took a step but hesitated at the flap. "What more?"
    "It is cold." Hasal inhaled slow and deep. "Men do not sleep alone in the cold. In all things Iisleg are as one. We would see to our Raktar's comfort."
    Comfort on Akkabarr was a synonym for women .
    Many of the Iisleg had brought their women with them, but their rigid, misogynistic customs prohibited the females from fighting or participating in any manner of aggression. Indeed, the tribes had more rules about what women could not do than what was permitted them. Teulon had tolerated the presence of the Iisleg females because they stayed out of the way and kept to the shelters, where they prepared meals and provided sexual relief for the men.
    From the beginning, the troops had believed that Teulon would take two women from those who were still unclaimed and keep them in his shelter. That he had not yet done this had generated a great deal of talk and growing concern.
    More warriors were sending for their women, and the ratio of females to males was close to doubling. Another annoying aspect of Iisleg culture was that every man was entitled to two women.
    "I have no need," Teulon told Hasal.
    His second gave him a curious look. "It is the way."
    Like most customs of the Iisleg, polygamy dated back to when their ancestors had been brought as slaves to Akkabarr. Evidently there had been an imbalance among the captured humans, with twice as many women as men. The Toskald also learned that the female slaves were less able to withstand the rigors of working on the ice. Better shelters were provided, and the women assigned to domestic duties, while each male slave was ordered to take two mates.
    Teulon could have ordered Hasal from the shelter, but he needed to put an end to this. "It is not my way."
    Hasal gestured to the flap. "The men do not understand this. Neither do I. They are only women."
    Teuton's second was not unique in his attitude. Iisleg indifference to females had been growing for centuries, ever since the Iisleg's ancestors forgot their former monogamous existence on Terra and began to evolve a new society. Over the centuries what had been a rapid breeding strategy became a foundation for preferential treatment that evolved into a brutal gender bias. Males not only considered themselves more valuable than females; they utterly subjugated their women. Eventually the Iisleg were permitted more freedom, but the females never enjoyed it. By that time their social status had been completely eradicated, and it never improved. Even now, the females were as much slaves to their men as the Iisleg's ancient ancestors had been to the Toskald.
    "I am not Iisleg," Teulon said. "The women would be frightened by my differences."
    Hasal made an impatient sound. "Their fear means nothing. If they do not please you, they will be punished."
    Any woman who disobeyed a man was immediately and permanently outcast from the tribe. Most were beaten to death or driven out to die on the ice.
    I have killed enough women.
    "Do none of the women here please the Raktar?"
    Hasal asked, misinterpreting Teulon's lengthy silence. "Should we send for other females?"
    "No." Explaining his true reasons for preserving his solitude would be worthless; the Iisleg were not capable of