“I have all the faith in the galaxy in you two,” Ken said, and his eyes twinkled. “Good luck.”
Hrriss and Todd shook hands in turn with Ken, Jilamey, and the two Spacedep officers. Greene continued to look disapproving.
“You should return to the cruiser with us.”
“Not a good idea,” Todd said promptly. “The Gringg have trusted us with two of their people. They might take it amiss if we don’t reciprocate. Remember, it’s their initiative.”
“We shouldn’t take them aboard, not until the Admiral has cleared such an important decision.”
“Spacedep isn’t involved in this aspect of the encounter, Commander. Alreldep is!” Todd told him. “Hrriss and I are Alien Relations. Report that to the Admiral.”
* * *
“Two of our new friends are staying with us,” Grizz said contentedly, watching Dodh and Rrss stand by as the other Ayoomnnns entered their fragile little vessel. “We have much to ask them. Go in peace,” she called.
“Errrrungh!” The cub called out his farewell to his new friends before the shuttle door closed.
“Goodbye!” Ken called back, waving.
The cub let out squeals of glee. “Errrrungh! Gggbyyy!”
Just then the comunit in Todd’s helmet began to crackle. Todd picked it up and held it close enough to hear any message.
“Frill here, Reeve. If you can hear me, nod.” Todd obediently nodded. “We’ll keep sending on our way back to the Hamilton. Give some answer as long as you hear us. Okay?” Todd nodded. “If we can’t stay in touch, we’ll come back for you in twenty-four hours!”
Todd nodded vigorously, relieved.
The last sight Ken had of his son and the Hrruban who was nearly his second son was the two of them disappearing behind the gray glass doors with the dark-furred aliens. For a moment Ken was afraid, wondering if he had made a mistake leaving them behind.
It was a tight fit in the cabin with the two huge Gringg each spreading across two couches intended for one Human-size body. They were muttering excitedly to one another, their intelligent eyes scrutinizing all elements of the interior of the shuttle. Ken smiled to himself. The Gringg captain was probably having the same misgivings about sending two of his people with them.
“Good luck, son,” he said quietly as Frill lifted off the little shuttle from the launch circle.
COMMANDER FRILL got a certain amount of perverse pleasure opening a communications channel to the hovering Spacedep flagship and giving his message.
“Exploration shuttle returning at 1815 hours shiptime with two aliens aboard. Please inform the Admiral we will be with you by 1847. Frill out.” That’ll bring ’em running, he thought.
Out of the corner of his eye, Frill could see the colonist in the co-pilot’s chair grinning like a fool. Frill had to admit he felt the same elation. They’d gone out on a dangerous mission and had returned not only intact, but in the company of two members of a new species. Although at first the assignment had made him nervous, Frill was grateful that Castleton had selected him. The aliens’d be well worth getting to know. For all his xeno training, he’d never had contact with any other species—apart from the Hrrubans, of course—that was sentient, let alone so eager to cooperate. Humanity deliberately avoided contact with intelligent extraterrestrials, lest such encounters result in a disaster like the Siwannese Tragedy. Despite his excitement, Frill was grateful that two of the smaller specimens had been sent. The giant ones were going to take a lot of getting used to.
The two Gringg were silent until the shuttle was inside the Hamilton’s landing-bay doors, then began quietly muttering between themselves. Commenting on the differences? Frill wondered. The Spacedep bay walls were enamelled a spanking-clean white and stencilled with the Spacedep logo, and everything was smaller. A lot smaller. When he considered the size of the Gringg themselves, the volume of their ship wasn’t so extraordinary. They needed a lot of head and elbow room.
Personnel in the Spacedep shuttle bay were fully clad in protective suits, and the board was showing full Red Alert. Frill thought that was rather overdoing security measures. If he had reported that they were under duress, or had given the covert danger code, it would have been appropriate. He had to remind himself that he had just spent a few hours on an alien vessel, and that those who remained aboard ship had no idea what the visiting party had experienced. He grinned again.
Setting down the shuttle smoothly, Frill began to switch off systems and run over the cross-check list, ably assisted by Ken Reeve.
Outside the small ship, a security force had been deployed. Marines, armed with powerful slug-throwing and laser weapons, hurried into a line surrounding the craft and knelt, waiting for the aliens to emerge. Behind the glass doors separating the bay from the waiting lounge stood Admiral Barnstable, Captain Castleton, and other interested parties.
Ken Reeve emerged first, grinning, followed by the Gringg. Frill had a good look at the reactions: the marines, to a man, recoiled and tightened their hands on their weapons as the huge bearlike beings hunched to get through the portal and then stood up and stretched to relieve the cramp they had endured on the small shuttle.
“They’re friendly and they are not armed,” Ken Reeve said, raising his arms, elbows out and away from his body as he maneuvered himself between Eonneh and the nearest marines. The Gringg followed suit.
“They’re very friendly,” Frill added in a bellow, grinning as broadly as he could to reinforce his words.
Castleton’s voice echoed over the P.A. system. “Security, assemble at a safe distance. Await further orders.”
“Yes, sir,” replied the lieutenant in charge.
He signalled to his men, who re-formed in a close group beyond the shuttle. Frill felt his face redden.
“Captain,” Ken Reeve said, frowning with annoyance at such overt hostility, “aren’t you being a bit paranoid? They’ve shown no signs of aggression at any time.”
“This is a security vessel, Mr. Reeve,” the captain said in sharp tones.
“So it is,” Ken retorted sarcastically. “I’d forgotten.”
“There are definite procedures for this sort of thing, you know,” Frill added, with a glance of apology at Reeve.
“Don’t apologize for doing your duty,” Greene snapped. He marched toward the decontamination booth.
Following Commander Greene, the party went through one by one. Ken and Frill stayed behind with the Gringg to reassure them as best they could, by smiling and trying to appear totally relaxed, that this was customary procedure. Neither of the two emissaries seemed dismayed, ignoring the actinic lights and the fans that fluffed up their fur. Ken admired their phlegmatic behavior in a totally foreign environment. Certainly there had been no similar procedures on the Gringg ship.
Barnstable was waiting as Greene, then Jilamey, followed by Lauder, emerged from the launch bay. The Spacedep chairman was containing himself with difficulty. Behind him, Castleton couldn’t keep her eyes off the massive figures now passing through decontamination. Greene saluted and made directly for a computer terminal and began to enter codes.
“Whew, aren’t they big mamas?” Ali Kiachif breathed.
“My son?” Hrrestan asked of Jilamey, the fur at the nape of his neck erect with fear. “He did not rrturn with you?”
“He’s fine, Hrrestan. Stayed on board the visitors’ vessel with Todd,” Jilamey said soothingly. “They’ve volunteered”—he wrinkled his nose and grinned—“to be our ambassadors to the Gringg. These are our new friends. The gold one’s Eonneh, and the other’s Ghotyakh.”
“Amazing crrreatures,” Hrrestan said, gazing up at the two Gringg with wide eyes.
Snapping off the computer terminal, Greene marched up to his superior officers and saluted. His face was pale.
“Sirs, I must see you immediately,” he said.
“Comman
der, how could you so mislead me as to the size of these . . . these . . . things?” Barnstable demanded.
“They aren’t things,” Jilamey retorted indignantly. “They’re Gringg . . . and intelligent folk.”
Barnstable brushed that observation aside. “This is a Spacedep vessel . . .”
“Currently assisting Alreldep,” Ken said, bracing the Admiral, “in establishing friendly communication with a new species.”
Barnstable glared fiercely at Greene. “When I sent you along as a Spacedep representative, Commander, this was exactly the kind of lamebrained, irresponsible behavior I expected you to counter.”
“In point of fact, Admiral, encouraging this . . . delegation is not irresponsible.” Greene aimed a very significant look at Barnstable. “They are, as you see, larger than any of us.”
Barnstable cleared his throat. “Yes, there’s that.” He began to reconsider his position as Eonneh approached, passing close to him as he entered the lounge. “Did you . . . ah . . . manage to establish communications?”
“No, sir. We’ve exchanged a few words, nothing more. The rest was accomplished through a primitive sign language, and demonstrations.” Greene shot a jaundiced glance at Ken Reeve. “Then they wouldn’t allow us to reboard the shuttle unless we brought them”—he cocked his thumb at the Gringg—“with us.” He glared again at Reeve.
“Well, what do we do with them?”
Greene flapped one hand indecisively. “Whatever one does with a new species . . . sir. They came voluntarily. Just as young Reeve and Hrriss remained. Sir, permission to speak to you privately concerning the Gringg. It is urgent.”
“Watch it there, Greene,” Jilamey said in a firm and angry voice. “The Gringg may not understand our spoken language, but your body language is sending hostility signals. Lighten up.”
That made the two Spacedep men pause and glance suspiciously at the aliens.
“We have to know what we’re dealing with,” Barnstable said. “I don’t know about you, Admiral,” Castleton said, “but the size of them makes me nervous.”
Ghotyakh waddled in and began to exchange quiet murmurs with Eonneh.
“We’ll keep them here long enough to run tests,” the Admiral said.
Emerging just then from decontam, Ken heard the last sentence.
“Hold everything, Admiral,” he began, noticing Jilamey’s agitation. “If there’s going to be any testing done, physicians affiliated with Treaty Island or Alreldep and Hrruban Alien Relations should administer the tests. Spacedep isn’t involved.”
“I agrrrree,” Second Speaker put in, taking a step forward. He seemed much put out by the huge aliens’ appearance and was maintaining a discreet distance. The one with the light-colored pelt leaned his way, sniffing. Affronted, Second clutched his robe tighter around himself. Undaunted, the alien turned its huge head toward Mllaba and snuffed at her. “You cannot sequester such data.”
“You may perform your own examinations when we have finished,” Barnstable said stiffly.
“You’re not getting the message, are you, Admiral?” Ken said, stiff with indignation. “These aren’t lab animals. They’re sentient beings from a highly sophisticated culture and they’re here as envoys, not creatures to be dissected. Get that straight now, once and for all. They are to be treated with honor and respect!” He let out a breath—“Because that’s how we hope they’re treating our emissaries.”
“Surely,” Kiachif put in silkily, “you don’t want unwelcome, untested, and unauthorized aliens aboard your flagship any longer than you have to? I’ll take ’em off your hands right smart.”
“Since Spacedep may have to clean up after you Alreldeps mess up this first contact . . .” Greene began.
“I didn’t mess up first contact before, did I?” Ken said in a voice that was cold with threat. “Ali, we accept your offer of transport here and now.”
“Just a living minute, Kiachif,” the Admiral began, clearly determined to keep the aliens aboard where he would have control of their disposition. “Castleton, escort these . . . these creatures to suitable quarters.”
The captain stared at the aliens, and turned to her commanding officer.
“With all respect, Admiral,” she said, “we haven’t any quarters big enough for them outside of this lounge”—she gestured about her— “or the wardroom, which cannot be secured . . .”
“Dammit!” Ken Reeve said in an exasperated roar. “The Gringg are not subject to Spacedep authority. They are Alreldep’s. They’re coming down to Doonarrala with us. And that’s that!” His bellow made everyone look at him in surprise. The Gringg rumbled and shifted their big feet.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Jilamey said, glaring accusingly at Barnstable and Castleton. Making reassuring sounds and waving his hands in placatory gestures, he went up to Eonneh and Ghotyakh, who blinked rapidly but made no move.
“Relax, lassie, they don’t have any weapons,” Kiachif said to Castleton, who had instinctively reached for her side arm.
“Just claws and teeth,” she replied, but she dropped her hand to her side. Greene seemed poised to move between her and the Gringg if she so much as gestured.
“They look so dangerrrrous,” Mllaba murmured, still standing closer to Second Speaker than protocol allowed.
“Then we mustn’t upset them, must we?” Kiachif said, rather enjoying the navy’s alarm.
“Especially at the outset of what should develop into mutual respect and harmony,” Ken said in a disgusted tone. “Now, let’s get these good . . . creatures,” and he made the term far more a title than Barnstable had, “down to an environment that is not bristling with hostility and weapons.”
With ill grace, Barnstable finally agreed.
“The Kiachif vessel has leave to depart,” Captain Castleton said into her comunit to the bridge.
“Captain, will you also make contact with Admiral Sumitral at Alreldep?” Hrrestan asked, then turned politely to Second Speaker. “Sir, you will wish to inform the Hrruban Council of this development.”
“The Terran Council will hear of this,” Barnstable said.
“Along with the rest of civilized space,” Ken said, shedding all trace of his previous aggressiveness now that the navy had acquiesced.
“Sometimes, Hrrestan, you exceed your authority,” Second Speaker remarked in a taut voice.
Even as Hrrestan bowed low in apology, he wished that the old First Speaker were still alive, with his wisdom and forbearance available to help them through this tense situation.
“I thought you would not wish to be seen in the same light as that Hayuman admiral,” Hrrestan said meekly.
Hrrto regarded him through slitted eyes, and his tail switched just once. He pulled his nails through his muzzle whiskers and then dropped his jaw ever so slightly.
“A point, Hrrestan. A point.”
“Shall I also give permission for Sumitral to use the grid for conveyance to Doonarrala? Alreldep has always been the most intelligent branch of the Hayuman authorities.”
Hrrto considered the question for a moment, then with a flick of half-bared claws signalled his assent. It would do him no harm in his campaign for the First Speakership to be seen to side with the Alreldep, always the nemesis of the conservative element of Hrruba in vying for influence on Rrala and in the lanes of space.
Hrrestan turned to Castleton and swept her a graceful bow. “Please let it be known in the Federazhon Building that we request the most immediate prrresence of Admiral Sumitral in the First Village complex. I am most grrrateful for your assistance.”
“This way, folks,” Kiachif said, gesturing broadly toward the bay in which his shuttle was docked.
“I’m to be kept posted, do you hear me?” Barnstable shouted as Ken and the others swept toward the connecting link.
The security force drew back, hands con
vulsively closing on their weapons as they swung through.
“This way, gentlebears,” Jilamey said, skipping in front to lead the way. “Next stop, a fine little planet that I’m sure you’ll adore.”
* * *
After a quick huddle with Captain Castleton and Admiral Barnstable, Greene followed the Second Speaker and the still apprehensive Mllaba as they started to leave the bay.
“A moment, Honored sir,” he said in good Middle Hrruban, laying a hand on Hrrto’s robed arm, “of your most valuable time.”
“For what reason?” Second Speaker asked stiffly, glancing down at the offensive hand. Beside him, Mllaba let out a hissing breath.
“I beg your pardon.” Greene snatched his hand back, bowing apologetically. “Honored Speaker,” he went on in a humble tone, though Hrrto recognized in the Hayuman a warrior’s bearing that showed he bent the knee to no one, “please let the shuttle depart without you. Admiral Barnstable and Captain Castleton wish a few words with you. About this new species. It will delay your return to Doonarrala only a few moments.”
“Very well,” Second said, without inflection or expression. Greene nodded to the captain, who lifted her communication unit.
“The shuttle may depart now,” she said. The blast doors closed before anyone on board the small ship could question the absence of the Hrrubans.
The Hayuman glanced toward the brilliant light of the shuttle’s exhaust port, fast disappearing over the curve of the planet. Second Speaker followed Greene’s gaze, then directed a curious stare at him.
“The Admiral thought that perhaps you are not so sanguine about the nature of these new beasts.” The brown eyes searched the slitted green feline ones. “Perhaps you, too, believe that more caution should be exercised in regard to these Gringg.”
“Perhaps,” Second said, very cautiously. “But why should you share these thoughts with me?”
Greene moved closer to him, into uncomfortable proximity. Though he was shorter than the Hrruban, he seemed to loom.
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