"Now I do not understand, wild human, we have already made a bargain. We are now engaged in adding additional clauses."
"That was a forced bargain, not a bargain between equals. Because of the situation, you were not my equal," Tommy said. "I am not your equal now."
"No two parties are ever truly equal," Ull replied. "A contract describes an exchange of goods or services and is not concerned with equality. Equality, or the lack of it is about power. If the disparity of power is too great, the greater takes, she does not negotiate. The Extended Claws intended that fate for us." Again the whistle. "You showed her the error of her presumptions."
"And what power do I have to keep you from taking from me?" Tommy asked. "I cannot point your own guns at The People's Hand."
Again, the only sounds were of waves lapping against the shore and of water falling into the pool. Again, Tommy wished he could understand that pointed face. When he glanced at her eyes, he saw only expressionless black beads regarding him intently. She had emotions. Her rage, the whistle, and her frolicking swim proved that. Beyond those, he couldn't read her at all. He thought he understood much of what Potter felt, and he didn't have a human face either. Maybe he would learn something of what Ull felt if he were with her enough. Until then, he would have to trust in her words.
"You are correct, of course," she said finally. "Are you suggesting I end this and return you to your tasks?"
"Are you certain that would get you what you want?" Tommy asked.
"From every other human on board, it would. I am not so certain of you." He felt her eyes fixed on his face. "What would I get from you if I did that?"
"As little as I could do."
"I could punish you until you did more."
"I would do less," he said. "You would have no way of knowing that, of course. You have no idea of what I could bring to this ship and to you. Your reaction to the guns' repair proves that. How could you know whether I was cooperating?"
"Our artisans could understand the computers without you."
"Your human slaves have learned some things about Earth's computers. Given time, they will learn more. Someday, they will be able to do what I can do. Can you wait?"
"No, we cannot," she replied. Her tail swirled again. "You are not powerless, after all. Your power is in my needs."
"And my ability to fulfill those needs."
"You have made your point. So, what is it that you want?" she asked?
When he first entered this chamber, he hadn't been sure. Now, he realized what he must have: to work, to come and go as he pleased, and, someday, to go home, "Lord Ull, first I want what I have at this moment. The ability to speak with you freely about the ship's problems without your treating me as one of your slaves."
"You would have me treat you as if you were one of The People? Were I to do that, I would be removed from the council."
"You asked what I wanted. Perhaps that is a privilege you could give when we are alone. You would gain, too. My power over you is in your ignorance. Open conversations between us could dispel that."
The water above her tail became agitated. "I will think on it. Continue."
"I would like to ask another question first." When she didn't protest, he continued, "How were the human guilds formed?"
"When the humans were taken, they had their own guilds. Except for the farmers, they were useless to us. The histories say we took their children from them each day and trained them in ship's maintenance. The human priests taught the children to read and write in your language. When the children began forming guilds at their fathers' prompting, we saw no harm in it."
"The People were once responsible for ship's maintenance?" he asked.
"Yes."
Tommy could see how this situation had evolved, but that wouldn't do any good now. "I would like to start a new guild with me as its guildmaster. The guild would be responsible for all of the computers on The People's Hand, old and new. You will ensure the other guildmasters' cooperation, so we that can progress as rapidly as possible in replacing the old computers on this ship."
"The new guild will need a place to work. I want the warehouse where the computers are stored designated as our guildhall. I and my new apprentices and journeymen need quarters close by, so we can easily work together. Oh, I want your support with the other lords, so I can get all of this done."
"Is that everything?"
He had almost forgotten! "One more. I will train another to be the guildmaster of this new guild with the knowledge to maintain the computers we install. In return, when this ship again visits Earth, you will help me escape."
Ull disappeared beneath the water and reappeared by the waterfall. This time, she climbed slowly up the rocks to the top of the slide before gliding down. Her reentry was almost silent. She came back on the surface, her eyes watching him as she swam, until she faced him again. "If I give you these things, I want your full cooperation in repairing The People's Hand. If you are convinced something should be done, you will tell me. I will make the decision whether you should do it or not. You will come to me once a week, or when I call you, and tell me of your progress. You will inform me before you begin changing any of the major computers, such as the navigation computer. The council must be prepared. And you will continue to show me the proper deference in public and in private, except for our agreement to talk freely about the ship's problems when we are in private. Even then, you will not look directly at my eyes. Do you agree?"
"Yes, Lord Ull. I agree," he said.
"I accept the terms of this contract," she said, and repeated, "I give my word, and my word is my contract.
"Meet me at the door," she added.
She waited out of the water. "I will need to make some preparations with the council," she said. "Everything must be as before until that is done. I will give you a regular time to come here to make your report. You need no longer be escorted by my warriors. I will see to that now." She paused. "That is all."
The warriors who had brought him waited outside the door. Before Ull dismissed them, she gave instructions for Tommy to be given full access to the passageway leading from the elevators to her quarters. Tommy joined the two warriors in bowing to Lord Ull, then followed the warriors to the elevator. At least they aren't boxing me in, he thought.
# # #
Tommy closed the door to his quarters behind him. At first, he thought Potter had gotten out of the room somehow, then a meow from one of the spare bunks led him to the other side of the room. "Are you trying other accommodations, Potter? That won't be necessary. I have good news! I am still alive and working for Lord Ull with lots of new perks. That means new perks for you, too." Tommy sat down and pulled Potter into his lap. He had best not repeat his thoughts aloud, even to Potter. He still didn't know everything about the technology on the ship. This room might be bugged.
Lord Ull had made an agreement, and perhaps she meant to keep it, or perhaps not. Or maybe she intended to honor the contract until he finished repairing her ship. She could arrange to have something happen to him during his "escape" or even before. And how would he deal with the council she belonged to, since he had no way of knowing how it would react? The council might void the whole thing.
He had a lot to learn. He didn't have any idea where the ship was or how to guide it back to Earth. With the time and the means to learn those things, maybe going home was no longer a dream.
He was sure of only one thing: he had bought time, maybe enough to complete the installation of the ship-wide network. With the network in place and the computers all running his programs, his power would be more than just the knowledge he had come with.
He would have the means to control the ship.
The Council
The stream wound from a waterfall on one wall of the Sanctuary to a series of lakes set like pearls in a spiral necklace circling the center column. The stream continued between the lakes, draining each in turn, until huge pumps emptied the final one from below and took the
water back to the waterfall. These lakes and the stream connecting them, along with those in the Commons, contained much of the ship’s mass of water. The water would have been safer in enclosed storage, but that was never discussed as a possibility.
Near the final lake, on the waterfall side of the center column, rose a small, rocky hill, shaped like large stair steps, with the deepest step being next to the last. On this step, a large pool fed by artificial springs faced the waterfall. The council used the pool as a place of discussion and argument.
The water in the council pool swirled as the five council members entered and took their places in a circle. A young scribe sat on the pool's edge to record the council's decisions and to provide information. The members treaded water with their tails and talked, nothing more.
They gathered as a council of equals, but Nore usually began. "What did we salvage from The Extended Claws?"
"Not much," Las replied. "The penetrations and explosions that followed expelled and dissipated almost all volatile materials such as water and air. Apparently, one of the first missiles hit the fusion generator. Before the generator exploded, it must have sent a surge through everything electrical on the ship. Every device we found contains burned components."
"Were there survivors?" Neth asked?
"None have yet been found, though not all fragments have been searched. If we did, why would you want raiders on this ship?" Las asked.
"They are of The People, and we must give them aid," Neth replied.
"We have little enough for our own." Luns interjected. "They would not have given us aid."
"Enough," Nore said. "What of the drive?"
"The drive room and most of the central column are intact, but the drive is missing," Las said.
"You know a Kadiil ship arrived before we did," Luns said. "They certainly took it."
"Finding the drive would have made the other losses meaningless," Neth said.
"You dream, Neth," Luns said. "We would not have been able to keep it in any case."
Nore swirled her arms on the water's surface. "How did this tragedy happen? How could our guns, which have not functioned in the time of this council, so thoroughly destroy "The Extended Claws?"
Ull spoke for the first time. "The feral human repaired better than he knew. He made the guns much more accurate than before."
"Does he understand the damage he has done by denying us the raider's resources?" Neth asked.
"Yes, and I have punished him," Ull replied.
Luns did a gentle back roll and returned to her place on the circle. "How did he improve the guns?"
"The Earth computers I ordered taken are faster than our own,” Ull replied. “They found and tracked the target much more efficiently.”
"How much faster?" Luns asked.
Ull’s tone was dry. "Of that I am not sure. But clearly, the outcome indicates at least several times faster."
"These Earth computers…” Nore paused. “I find it difficult to believe humans could create anything as you describe. What else have these computers been used for?"
"The hydroponics sections have been renewed. Nothing else."
Neth’s tail thrashed the water. "If they could be used for hydroponics, why is the feral human not repairing environmental controls for the empty ponds?"
"If the council decides to give that priority, he will,” Ull responded. “I decided he should improve overall air quality and food supply first, then repair our defenses, before trying something else."
"What else do you plan for him?" Nore asked.
"If the computers are as fast as they seem to be, we would gain much by using one for transit calculations and navigation," Ull suggested.
The water around Luns roiled. "Should we take that risk?"
"We have not had a reserve navigation computer in many years, Ull responded. “If he replaced it, we could compare the results before using it for a real transit. We are already at risk as we are. We have much to gain if these computers can be used all over the ship."
"So you have been saying," Nore said. "But feral humans have always caused difficulties before. Are you certain you have him under control?"
"Yes,” said Ull. “I had an extensive conversation with him today. He understands the consequences of not cooperating and will act accordingly."
“This may be a bad precedent to set with the other humans,” said Neth. “I have heard from my sources that many do not like the feral.”
“Why should we care?” said Luns. “If you believe it to be a problem, allow them more of those rest day meetings. Whatever it is they do there, it seems to keep them quit.”
"Is this council in agreement to allow Ull's feral to repair the backup navigation computer?" Nore asked.
"Only if he also repairs the pool environmental controls," Neth responded.
"That should not be a problem," Ull said.
"By your silence, I find agreement," Nore said, and waited for a response.
With the lack of further objection, the scribe wrote what had been decided in the book she held in her lap. She used a pencil manufactured on Earth. The book had a spiral binding and the words "Multi-Drawing Notebook" in English on the front cover.
A moment later, Nore said. "Let us move on to deciding our next destination and what our route must be to reach the Gathering on time.
Chapter Eleven: Does This Seem Familiar?
With Lord Ull's instructions to continue as before, Tommy made the guns that hadn't fired his first priority. Taking Seth, Baek, and two of Tommy's assistants in tow, he went to the track room and turned on all the rail guns again. They spent the remainder of the day tracing down and fixing computer problems.
Seth needed additional apprentices for the other problems they found: empty magazines and loading devices jammed with projectiles. For the time being, they would have to wait.
So many magazines were empty, or nearly so, that Tommy decided to talk with Lord Ull about some ideas he had for alternate ammunition. Well, not his ideas, really, just things that were done on earth.
The next morning Tommy woke to Lord Ull's voice speaking from the wall beside the door. "Feral human, come to my quarters." He hadn't known about an intercom in his room! When he couldn't find the panel, he gave up on replying and hurriedly got dressed.
As Ull had promised, no warriors waited. Of course, that meant Tommy didn't have a warrior with access to the silver plate on Ull's door. Lord Ull wouldn't have sent for me without considering that, Tommy thought, and placed his hand on the plate. He heard an almost inaudible whistle, and the door opened, releasing a cloud of moist air into the passageway.
Lord Ull swam in slow circles beside the rock shelf. Tommy joined her and waited with his head bowed for her to speak.
"Wild human, the council accepted my explanation of events. I have permission for you to begin work on the navigation computer. I had to also agree you will begin repair of the control devices for ponds on The Peoples' decks."
"Are they similar to the devices controlling the hydroponics farms?" Tommy asked.
"You expect me to know the answer? Whether they are or are not, it must be done."
"Yes, Lord Ull. And your part of the agreement?" Tommy asked.
"The humans living in the quarters you requested will move today. The warehouse is yours to do with as you wish. I have sent a message to all of the guildmasters concerning your new status and of the formation of your new guild. Everything will be as you wished by day's end. Now, fulfill your part of the bargain. This ship must be better than new, as you promised."
Tommy saw he was being dismissed. "Lord Ull, you said I should bring things to your attention?"
"Yes."
"I could improve your guns' projectiles, with the help of several of the other guilds, so if we are attacked again, we will use fewer of them and not destroy our target."
"If you find time, I will support your effort, but the ship's computers must come first."
"Yes, Lord Ull," Tommy
said.
# # #
By the end of the day, he and Potter had moved into their new quarters, a two room “suite,” close by their new guildhall and warehouse. Nearby, his new his assistants, now officially apprentices, filled barracks, four to a room. They had expected him to decide who got what rooms and who lived with whom. He had asked to be the guildmaster because he understood the work to be done. This new power over lives disconcerted him.
Potter had issues with their new situation, too. Even Tommy could smell the faint odor of some previous feline occupant. Potter apparently interpreted the smell as an imminent threat and reacted by whining and scratching at the outer door.
A knock sent Potter scurrying out of the room and under the bed.
"May I come in?" Valin asked as Tommy opened the door.
Tommy shook his head, surprised. "You never asked before. Of course you can."
Valin made a show of looking around. "Your quarters are larger than mine. I thought the stories exaggerated, but perhaps they aren't. You're now the guildmaster of a new guild?"
Tommy nodded. "Yes."
Valin glanced at him speculatively. "Do you mind if I ask how this is possible?"
Tommy didn’t meet Valin’s eyes with his own. "All I can say is that Lord Ull believes this arrangement will get the ship's computers repaired faster. Beyond that, I don't know."
"I suspect the guildmasters," he smiled at Tommy, "the other guildmasters, are furious."
"And how do you feel?" Tommy asked.
Valin shrugged. "I'm a master, not a guildmaster. My emotions don’t count for much in the matter. If they did, and were someone to ask me, I would question which of them had the knowledge to be the guildmaster of this new guild. I’ve been working on the books we took with your computers, and I know I don’t. Their anger will be an issue, however, if you need their help."
"I'll need their help. At least, I'll need the help of the artisans who do the work. I'll talk with Lord Ull."
"You'll talk with Lord Ull! First you are a guildmaster with new quarters, and then you'll take your problems to Lord Ull as if she'll listen and solve them. This is indeed a miracle." Valin sat down in one of Tommy’s new chairs. "Is it possible this has something to do with the battle that was fought yesterday? The lander pilots returned with stories of a lord’s ship destroyed by the Nesu Tol's guns. A month ago, Seth was a guildmaster without a guild, and the guns were useless. Is it possible the miracle is that you repaired the guns, and Lord Ull is grateful?"
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