The Candle of Distant Earth

by Alan Dean Foster

  True to his word, the astronomer soon had a small device assembled in the center of the spacious compartment. In response to his verbal urgings, it began to project images above and between the small audience. The imagery, Walker noted, was as sharp and three-dimensional as any he had seen generated by Niyyuuan or even Sessrimathe equivalents. Truly, the Hyfft were not backward: they were simply isolated from the mainstream of galactic civilization. Isolated, and pacific.

  The historical recordings showed Iollth landing ships hovering low over neatly laid out Hyfftian cities and towns, manipulating physics in assorted inimical ways to rain death and destruction on the helpless communities below. Though sophisticated in their own right, Hyfftian aircraft armed with little more than improvised weaponry were no match for the invaders, who when annoyed by the attention could simply ascend to heights the Hyfft could not reach. From orbit, missiles and energy beams poured down on the helpless defenders. Only faint outlines of the main Iollth vessels were available, taken from ground-based imaging instruments.

  When queried about this deficiency, an apologetic Ussakk explained, “My people tried to obtain better images, but whenever an attempt was made to shift a satellite closer to the invaders’ starships, it was immediately destroyed. None of our satellites was armed because, as you already know, there is usually no need for them to be. And also because the Iollth would regard such a development as a provocation that would stimulate even harsher response than usual.”

  The presentation wore on, until everyone was sickened and appalled at the seemingly senseless destruction. Only Sque did not appear touched by emotion.

  “If this is an attempt to horrify, it fails. The extent to which many non-K’eremu species pervert their tiny quotient of presumed intelligence is well-known, and constitutes only one more reason why my kind prefer to be left alone. Any half-sentient who travels widely quickly discovers that ‘civilization’ is a relative term—usually relative to whichever militarily superior species happens to be defining it at the time.” Multiple flexible limbs gestured at the waning projection and the last of its disturbing images. “I have seen nothing that surprises me, nor moves me to change my opinion.”

  “It only mine, reinforces much more strongly, to help,” declared Braouk melodiously. A pair of powerful upper appendages moved in the direction of the dire imagery. “To assist those, who help us all, is rightness. Rightness personified.” The bulky body swelled with a sudden intake of air, and both eyestalks went vertical above it. “I could not return to the beckoning plains of Tuuqalia knowing I had abandoned such a cry for aid from the very folk who proved responsible for providing me with a direction homeward.”

  The K’eremu’s gray eyes turned to the huge Tuuqalian. “They have as yet provided no such thing.”

  “Working on it, with all possible speed, they are,” her far more massive companion countered. Ussakk added confirmation to the Tuuqalian’s claim.

  “Theory is not fact, good intentions not conclusions,” Sque lectured him.

  “I’m still inclined to vote to help,” Walker put in.

  George looked up at his friend. “Even if it means delaying our journey? And at the risk of imposing on the hospitality and friendship of our friends the Niyyuu?”

  Walker nodded. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

  The dog snorted. “Be interesting to see your reaction if the Niyyuu simply decide they’ve had enough and head home one day without us. That would leave us stuck here permanently.” The dog cocked his head sideways. “You’ve changed, Marc. Time was you’d be a realist, be focused solely on getting back home. What’s happened to you?”

  Walker watched as Ussakk quietly deactivated his projector and prepared to disassemble it. Despite the mortal danger his people faced, he did not plead for their assistance, was not begging. Physically, the Hyfft was small. But in dignity, he exceeded everyone in the room.

  “You’re right, George. I have changed. The past several years have changed me.” He eyed his friend evenly. “I’ve learned there are more important things to do with one’s existence than trade orange juice futures at a profit.” He raised his gaze to the astronomer. “So even if it entails the risk of displeasing the Niyyuu, I’m going to insist that we stay awhile and try to help these people.”

  Sque waved a tentacle. “Two in favor of continuing on, two in favor of wasting time here. We are evenly divided. How shall we fairly decide this matter?”

  Walker hesitated. He could have tried to pull rank on his friends, however artificial it might be, but that was something else the past years had taught him. The corporate structure in which he had been immersed for so long and to which he had contentedly adhered notwithstanding, it was clear that consensus was better than command. Each of them had struggled to survive the same trauma, the same strains. Therefore each had an equal voice in their shared future.

  “We’ll put all arguments, on both sides, to Gerlla-hyn and his staff, and let them decide.”

  One tentacle fed a local food bar laced with si’dana from her private stock into her extended, pinkish mouth, subsequent to which Sque blew several contented bubbles. “You’ll find no comfort there. I hear everything. Already there is dissention among crews. Despite the call of adventure and the opportunity to visit spatial realms new to their species, many among our tall escorts are beginning to express a desire to return to their own homeworld.”

  Knowing what she said to be true, Walker did not respond. What he did not know was that he and Braouk would find unsuspected allies among the large Niyyuuan contingent who not only would support their desire to aid the fretful Hyfft, but would actively encourage it. In fact, they would fall all over themselves to encourage such a development. Not because they were inherently altruistic, not because they felt any particular sympathy for their diminutive, furry hosts, not even because it was morally the right thing to do.

  They would support the time and effort necessary to lend such aid because it would be good for their business.

  Scenes of Niyyuuan warriors training selected Hyfftian police in military tactics made for excellent pictures. So did portraits of Niyyuuan technicians instructing other Hyfft in the use of advanced weapons, some of which could be spared from the arsenals of the three orbiting starships. And images of Niyyuuan engineers working to transfer the design schematics of other armaments to their Hyfftian counterparts for the purpose of hasty manufacture were far more interesting to observe in person than they sounded like they would be at the time the measure was finally acceded to by Gerlla-hyn’s staff.

  All of them would make for excellent viewing by rapt and image-hungry Niyyuuan audiences when the fortunate media representatives of that world eventually returned home with the recordings they were engaged in making. It was that small but critical and highly vocal contingent of Niyyuu who turned the tide in favor of helping rather than abandoning the Hyfft. Where Walker and his friends were divided as to whether or not to render such assistance, where the Niyyuuan military and technical staff were uncertain, the media representatives who had been given the task of recording the great and unprecedented voyage made the difference.

  Helping another sentient species in such a manner would demonstrate the ethical superiority of Niyyuuan principles, the media reps argued. The crews of the three great starships would return home much enhanced in honor. Little actual expense was involved, and not a great deal of time, much of which the ships’ crews could expend enjoying the hospitality of the grateful Hyfft and their congenial world.

  Above all, this morally commendable exertion would make for great pictures.

  Demonstrating admirable, even astonishing energy, the enthusiastic Hyfft proceeded to turn the industrial outskirts of Therapp into the nearest thing to a military base their world had ever seen. Though their domestic police force was characteristically well-organized and extremely efficient, it was rarely called upon to deal with any disturbance more far-reaching than a riot at an arts festival. Preparing for warf
are, much less warfare on a planetwide scale, was completely outside their experience. Their racial history was generally devoid of applicable examples, the Hyfft having been an exceedingly cooperative species from the very beginnings of their civilization.

  Nevertheless, the police force, at least, possessed weapons in the form of small arms and knew how to use them. Elite units were equipped with what the Niyyuu could spare from their onboard arsenals and trained as rapidly as was feasible in their use. Meanwhile, such devices were scanned and dissected by the Hyfft’s own instruments and replicated in factories all across the planet, with the result that within weeks they were being churned out at an impressive rate.

  Small arms would be useful only in countering any Iollth who chose to set foot on the surface, however. To deal with invading spacecraft, should the Hyfft prove determined and decisive enough to do so, various commercial satellites had to be converted for offensive use. In this the Niyyuu proved more knowledgeable than Walker had expected. Not that they had used them against their own kind, but like every space-traversing species, the Niyyuu had long ago learned to prepare to defend their homeworld against potential attack from beyond.

  Hyfftian satellites proved amenable to the necessary conversions. The sophistication of their technology surprised the Niyyuu who participated in the work. If one excluded their inability to travel beyond the bounds of their own solar system, the Hyfft were quite accomplished. Yet again, it was shown that their lack of the ability to travel in deepspace was due more to failings of culture than of science. Even Ussakk the Astronomer, who might have been expected to jump at the chance to travel beyond the bounds of his local star system, expressed no desire to do so, and was content to carry out his observations with the aid of ground- and satellite-based instrumentation only.

  Throughout it all, the attitude toward their visitors of individual as well as groups of Hyfft bordered on the worshipful. Walker and his friends found that they were unable to go anywhere without attracting hordes of locals eager to meet the benign and compassionate travelers from the stars.

  Growing bored with Therapp and the surrounding countryside, he and his companions had asked to visit the area around Pedwath, where they had initially set down. Sque all but insisted on it. Gerlla-hyn raised no objection, any security concerns having long since been obviated by their hosts unadulterated hospitality. Since the local passenger conveyors were far too small to accommodate the much larger visitors, cargo vehicles were used to transport them to the coastal city. There the travelers were forced to endure several days of civic feting and thank-yous before they were finally able to escape the attentions of a grateful officialdom.

  Now Marc and George found themselves strolling down an alien beach of fine pink sand. To their right, the dual-realm inhabitants of Hyff’s oceans seemed to spend as much time aloft as they did in the water. On their left, a natural preserve was bordered by hedges of bright orange-green plants that sucked sulfides from volcanic soil and turned them into sugars while respiring oxygen that stank mightily of its unusual origins.

  As they walked, their privacy was respected, but only to a certain extent. They found themselves being trailed by half a hundred Hyfft, who were careful to maintain a respectful and polite distance behind the honored visitors. Having learned over the past several months to distinguish among Hyfftian expressions, Walker could only interpret those of their current followers as bordering on the reverential.

  When he and George paused to enjoy the ocean view, or to examine the strange arthropods or coelenterate-like creatures that had washed up on or were wandering the beach, their admiring retinue promptly also halted. When the two dissimilar aliens resumed walking, so did their polite yet attentive followers. To be the unwavering subject of so many intent unhuman eyes was simultaneously flattering and unnerving.

  “They think we’re going to save them. From the Iollth,” Walker commented as he turned back to the path ahead. From the midst of the brightly hued bushes off to his left, something erupted into the air with a squawk like a startled chicken. It had neither feathers nor wings, and propelled itself slowly upwards into the blue-green sky by means of several frantically flapping translucent fleshy flaps that sprouted from its crest.

  “They’ll have to save themselves.” Trotting alongside his friend, George sampled the seawater through which he was walking. It was noticeably less saline than he expected, though not nearly as tasty as the familiar waters of Lake Michigan. “This was meant all along to be nothing more than a quick stop on the way home. Pop in, ask directions, and continue on our way.” He looked up at Walker, black eyes gravid with augmented soul. “I’m tired of this, Marc. It’s all been real exciting, but I’m tired. I want out. I want to move along.”

  “You’re not the only one.” As he continued walking, Walker eyed the first of Hyff’s two moons, which was just beginning to show itself in the northeastern sky. “I’m thinking of getting out of the commodities trading business when we get home, George. Lots of opportunity, but too much stress.” He examined his friend closely. “I’m thinking of opening a restaurant.”

  “Oh, now there’s a stress-free business,” the dog commented sarcastically. Something rippled under his foot and he gave a little jump. Cautiously, he lowered his snout toward the sand to sniff at the ribbon-like, almost transparent burrowing creature that had startled him.

  “Nothing too big.” Walker continued to muse on future possibilities. “I wouldn’t have access to the tools or ingredients that I do now, of course. But with what I’ve learned, I think I could make something of a name for myself. That would be worth tolerating some start-up stress. You can’t really make a name for yourself trading commodities, you know. But a good restaurant, especially in Chicago…” His voice trailed off as he fantasized, the dream a small glint in his eyes. Meanwhile, fifty or so meter-tall Hyfft, black of eye and mottled of fur, continued to trail behind at a respectful distance.

  The two aliens were about to turn back when movement up ahead caught George’s attention. “Something’s going on in front of us.” He glanced up at his companion. “Want to check it out?”

  Walker glanced at his faithful watch, still keeping time across parsecs and planets. “Getting late.”

  George’s nose was high in the air, sampling. “Smells interesting. Come on—it’ll only take a minute.”

  Letting out a sigh, Walker moved his legs. They couldn’t get lost, he knew. All they had to do was follow the beach back to the point where the Hyfftian conveyor had dropped them off. And if they needed help—well, there were half a hundred supplicants following close on their heels who would eagerly provide any assistance needed.

  An astonishing sight awaited them on the other side of the next pink dune. Hyfftian soldier-police were making their way ashore, removing compact underwater breathing apparatus as they did so. They were armed, though it was impossible to tell if the weapons they carried were charged. Tight-fitting camouflage suits compressed their fur against their bodies, rendering them not only more hydrodynamically efficient underwater, but nearly invisible. But what really drew the attention of the human and dog were not the dozens of dripping wet, incipient Hyfftian commandos, but the figure in charge of the exercise.

  Clutching a wave-worn boulder above the landing beach, Sequi’aranaqua’na’senemu was deep in conversation with a pair of senior Hyfftian officials. As Walker and George approached, it was plain to see that she was not present merely as an observer, but was an active participant in and critic of the proceedings. Within their horizontal recesses, her sharp silvery eyes were alert. Multiple limbs waved and gesticulated as she delivered herself of a steady stream of commentary.

  She was also patently surprised to see them.

  “Marcus, George: I thought you two would still be aestivating at a more popular location, letting your minds vegetate while our charmingly unpretentious hosts waited on your every biological need.”

  Walker halted nearby, towering over the two Hyfftian police
officials. “And George and I thought you’d be somewhere offshore Pedwath, soaking in the sea.” He gestured toward the beach, where nascent Hyfftian fighters emerging from the water began stripping themselves of their new, specially fabricated gear. “What are you doing?”

  “Yeah,” George added, grinning at the obviously uneasy K’eremu. “You wouldn’t, uh, have volunteered to help these people in their time of need, would you? Wouldn’t that be un-K’eremu? Wouldn’t that be engaging in an activity that has nothing to do with getting your supercilious self home?”

  Her tentacles contracting defensively around her, she drew herself up to her full h eight. “What would be un-K’eremu would be refusing to respond when a lesser lifeform appropriately recognizes one that is their superior.” In a huff, she turned away from the dog. “My limited activities here are merely designed to confirm that which our hosts already know.”

  George was not in the least diverted by her protestations. With a nod, he indicated the beach full of budding Hyfftian commandos. “Speaking of knowing, I got the impression that K’eremu tended to keep to themselves. That would seem to rule out a knowledge of military tactics.”

  “We do indeed prefer our own company,” the K’eremu replied sibilantly. “However, circumstances sometimes dictate a need for communal action. Mutual defense is one of these.” A tentacle tip brushed clinging water away from one eye. “You should know by now that there is no area of knowledge that is foreign to the K’eremu. While I am not expert in such matters, my understanding of such strategies exceeds that of our hosts by several orders of magnitude. And your own as well, I would suspect.”

  “Don’t bet on it,” the dog shot back. “You’ve never been in a pack fight, whereas I—”

  They were interrupted by the arrival of none other than Sobj-oes. While the lanky Niyyuu came loping down the nearest dune, her companion Ussakk the Astronomer paused to chat with the two Hyfftian police officials who had been taking instruction from Sque.