"We understand, Esteemed Shirazz," Mahree said, still speaking Mizari. "I am Mahree Burroughs, and these are my companions and friends, Doctor Robert Gable, and Honored Dhurrrkk' of the clan"--she voiced the low, breathy growl of the Simiu's extended house. "We have come to ask your aid on a matter concerning interstellar peace. If misunderstandings between my people and Honored Dhurrrkk's are not resolved, there may be physical conflict between our species."
Shirazz had ceased her faint undulations and was poised very still. Even her tentacles stopped moving for a moment as she listened. "You speak our language," she said. "I am pleased and honored--and, I must confess, surprised. Surely you have not met our kind before?"
"No, I have not. I learned your speech aboard Honored Dhurrrkk's vessel.
And, while Honored Dhurrrkk' can speak your language, my friend Doctor Gable cannot."
"Does Doctor-Robert-Gable speak--" and the being breathed the low grunt and click that was the Simiu name for their tongue.
"Yes, he does."
"Then," said the Mizari in her excellent Simiu, "let us 224
converse in that language. Honored HealerGable"--she bowed to Rob--"and Honored Dhurrrkk' "--she bowed to the Simiu.
Both males bowed, in turn.
"Also," Mahree said, "I have prepared cassettes that can be used with Simiu equipment that will provide translations from simple Mizari into Simiu, thence into English, which is our standard language. There is also a Simiu/English dictionary we have developed. I thought they might prove useful." She took the little cassettes out of her pocket, and held them up.
"Most impressive indeed," Shirazz said. "We thank you. You may place them on that ledge over there." She touched a tentacle to the wall at shoulder height for a human, and the featureless white expanse suddenly extruded the promised ledge.
Mahree hastily complied.
When she had returned to her spot between her companions, Shirazz said,
"And do you have voders that will allow you to translate?"
"Yes, at least from Simiu into English," Mahree told her.
"Excellent. For three who made such a precipitate departure, you have arrived very well prepared to communicate."
"Communication with your species and the rest of the CLS worlds is our dearest wish," Mahree told her.
"We have spoken to Honored Rhrrrkkeet'," Shirazz said. "She has told us of the situation there. The representatives from Hurrreeah will be offering their testimony at a meeting of the Planetary Councillors, tomorrow. But we are also eager to hear your testimony."
Mahree closed her eyes for a second and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. "We will be happy to oblige," she said. "Tomorrow?"
"No, at the following Planetary Councillors' meeting, three Simiu days from now. The Councillors will wish to see you, to hear you speak, and then to have an opportunity to speak to you . . . question you, about yourselves and your worlds. Will that be acceptable?"
"That will be fine. We are very interested in meeting the assorted member races of the League."
"Such meetings will be arranged," Shirazz said, "but first, you must endure a brief quarantine. You were scanned as you walked through the
decontamination vapor. Soon we will know whether it is safe for you to have contact with us. If not, we will provide you with environmental protection fields, like mine."
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"We would welcome a chance to rest," Mahree said warmly. "Our journey has not been easy."
"We have put through a request to the Simiu First Councillor, Honored Ahkk'eerrr, for permission for you to speak with Rhrrrkkeet', and also with your human friends," the Guest Liaison said. "You should be able to do so by the time your quarantine is ended. And now, will you humans follow me to your quarters?"
"But what about FriendDhurrrkk', Esteemed Shirazz?" Rob spoke up for the first time, his Simiu pronunciation mangled, but understandable. "Where will he be lodged?"
"Honored Dhurrrkk' is not under quarantine," Shirazz said. "He will stay in the Simiu section of this station. Honored Ahkk'eerrr wishes to speak with him."
I'll just bet she does! Mahree thought. "Esteemed Shirazz," she began, speaking politely but firmly, "Doctor Gable and I wish Dhurrrkk' assigned to our quarters. The three of us do not wish to be separated."
The being uncoiled herself, her scales whispering softly over one another. "I am most regretful that I cannot accede to your request," she said, "but Honored Dhurrrkk' must accompany them." Her tentacles gestured at the corridor behind her. Mahree saw two burly Simiu males approaching.
"Honored Councillor Ahkk'eerrr insisted."
Mahree turned to her friend in despair. "Dhurrrkk'!" she whispered, squatting down to face him.
"Do not upset yourself, FriendMahree," he said, reaching out to gently hug her. His fur was warm and spicy against her cheek. "I will go with them. I will be fine."
"Bullshit you're going with them!" Rob snarled, in English. He plunked himself down cross-legged on the floor of the tunnel and grasped Dhurrrkk'
around the waist, locking each wrist in the opposite hand. His astonished Simiu friend gaped at him, too stunned to protest. "They'll have to drag me off to get you away," the doctor vowed. "Mahree, grab on!"
She stared at him openmouthed for a second, then grinned wickedly as she sat down and wrapped her arms around Dhurrrkk's chest, locking her wrists, just as Rob had. "Esteemed One," she addressed the Mizari, "we will not be separated! It is essential that Dhurrrkk' stay with us!"
Shirazz was staring at them, motionless, as the two other
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Simiu reached their group. The aliens solemnly made the greeting gesture to the Guest Liaison, then they squatted down on their haunches and stared at the linked threesome, nonplussed.
The Guest Liaison seemed completely taken aback by the humans' action. "I am at a loss to comprehend," she said slowly. "What is wrong? Is there cause for alarm?"
"There is indeed, Esteemed One!" Mahree cried. "Please listen and believe!
Honored Dhurrrkk' must be there to speak beside us at the Council meeting, he must'. Otherwise, our story will not be complete! And to ensure that he attends, he must remain here, with us!"
Shirazz glanced at the two Simiu. "Perhaps you did not understand, when I said that Honored Dhurrrkk' would be sent to his people--I meant the Simiu contingent here, on this station, not on his homeworld," she said, and Mahree could tell she was also speaking for the benefit of Dhurrrkk's would-be "escorts."
"Yes, but does Honored Councillor Ahkk'eerrr understand that?" Rob put in, enunciating the Simiu words with dogged precision. "Honored Dhurrrkk'
could be on his way to Hurrreeah by the time of the Councillors' meeting. We cannot risk that." The doctor had to clear his throat when he was finished, but he flashed a triumphant glance at his companions.
That's the longest thing he ever said! Mahree thought. Shirazz understood him, too! She gave him a proud smile. "We will not be separated from Honored Dhurrrkk'. Our friend must be with us at the meeting of the Councillors, to speak for himself." She glanced at the other Simiu. "He must be protected until then," she finished quietly.
For the first time, one of the Simiu spoke. "We have our orders, Esteemed and Honored Shirazz," the larger one said. He was a fully mature male, taller than Dhurrrkk' by half a head. The other was nearly as big. "This is a matter concerning the internal security of our homeworld. Dhurrrkk'--" (Mahree noticed with a stab of fear that he did not use the term "honored") "Dhurrrkk'
must come with us. Ahkk'eerrr has said so. We will escort him to her ... by any means we must."
"Please, Esteemed and Honored Shirazz," the other put in, "we do not want any unpleasantness. Order the humans away, or we will have to ..." he trailed off uncertainly. "Do as we must," he finished, finally.
Hearing the implied threat, Dhurrrkk' tried gently to pull
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away. "My friends, I cannot allow you to risk your own safety," he murmured, in English. "Le
t me go! After what Shirazz has witnessed, they will not dare to harm me."
"No!" Mahree told him, and tightened her grip until her friend would have to hurt her to free himself. She addressed the two would-be "escorts" angrily,
"You cannot threaten us into letting him go!" Fury was erasing her fear. "How dare you?"
The Simiu guards' eyes narrowed, and their powerful hands flexed, as though they were barely maintaining control. "Let him go," the biggest one said, addressing Mahree directly for the first time. "You have no right to do this."
Mahree lost her temper. Furious, she glared hard at the two Simiu, then deliberately bared her teeth. "Yes, I do! We are honor-bound!" she snarled.
"His honor is mine! If you take him, you must take me, too, because I will not let go! If you try to separate us, I will challenge you myself!"
"So will I!" growled Rob.
Mahree didn't take her eyes off their possible opponents. As she watched, the first Simiu's crest flared, stiffening into the flame-colored halo heralding battle-readiness.
"I am sure," Shirazz announced calmly, "that no challenges will prove necessary." In a quick bluf of motion, she slithered her massive length between the two parties.
For a moment the Simiu's huge muscles bunched, then his comrade grabbed his arm and grumbled something inaudible. Slowly, the big male's crest relaxed.
Shirazz looked at the three. "You shared one voyage, and thus one story,"
she said. "And, it is established League policy to give equal hearing to al sides of a story."
Turning back to the two Simiu, she said: "Our human guests have--rather dramatically--pointed out the necessity of Honored Dhurrrkk's attending the Councillors' meeting. It is my official duty to ensure that League policy is upheld."
The two Simiu stirred uneasily, "We will bring him to the meeting," the larger one said grudgingly, after a glance at his companion.
"I am sure you would," Shirazz said blandly, 'but I am equally sure that Honored Ahkk'eerrr will agree with me that there is no harm in acceding to the humans' request. I thereby take it on myself to quarter Honored Dhurrrkk'
as I see fit. You
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need have no fears as to our security, as you know. I trust that will be acceptable?"
The two Simiu shuffled slightly and glanced at each other again. "Tell First Councillor Ahkk'eerrr that I will speak to her personally as soon as I have finished my duties in seeing to the comfort of these guests," Shirazz finished.
The guards' crests drooped, then they managed to recover some of their aplomb. "Certainly, Honored Esteemed Shirazz," the biggest one said graciously. "Honored Councillor Ahkk'eerrr will be awaiting your communication with honored pleasure."
Oh, I'm sure she will, Mahree thought, concealing a triumphant grin. She gave her friend a delighted squeeze, but did not release her hold until the would-be "escorts" left, with no word of parting, in typical Simiu fashion.
Rob got to his feet and heaved a long sigh of relief. "That," he muttered, giving Mahree a hand up, '"was a close one."
For answer, she grabbed him and hugged him, giving him a noisy kiss on the cheek. "Je t'aime, M'sieu le docteur! To es magnifique!''
"Oh, baby," he said, and his laughter had a slightly hysterical edge. "I love it when you talk dirty to me."
Mahree grinned. "I just said that I love you, and that you're wonderful, Rob."
He sobered. "I love you, too."
"How much?" she asked teasingly.
Rob made a sweeping gesture. "To the ends of the universe and beyond the bounds of death." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Is that enough?"
Mahree pretended to consider, then nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that ought to do it."
"Honored Dhurrrkk'," Shirazz was saying, when the humans turned back to their alien friend, "will you allow me to escort you to your quarters?" When Mahree made an involuntary move toward the Simiu, the Mizari waved her tentacles gently. "I will quarter him next to you," she promised. "I guarantee his safety."
Mahree hesitated, then blurted, "Does the door lock?"
Shirazz's tentacles twitched, whether with amusement or irritation, the young woman couldn't guess. "Yes, there is a lock," the Guest Liaison said. "And I will show him how to activate the privacy field, also."
"FriendMahree," Dhurrrkk' said, patiently, "I will be fine.
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Please do not fear for me further. Now that I have been placed under official League protection, I am as safe as if I were in my mother's house. Safer."
Mahree looked over to Rob, who gave her a reassuring nod. "Okay," she said. "We'll visit you as soon as we get settled."
Dhurrrkk' hesitated. "I do not wish to seem unwelcoming," he said, finally, in English, "but I believe I would like to take a nap. A long nap."
Mahree laughed. "Okay, I can take a hint. We'll see you tomorrow, then."
She glanced at the Mizari. "Can we talk to each other somehow?"
"Of course," the alien replied. "Now, will you excuse me while I accompany your friend?''
Mahree watched the Simiu as he accompanied the Guest Liaison down the corridor, noting with relieved pleasure that her friend had regained his customary bold swagger.
Minutes later, Shirazz returned. "Now, in order to attend to your comfort," the Mizari said, "I must know your preferences for gravity and airmix, sanitary arrangements, sleeping, hygiene, nourishment, and so forth. Will you help me by detailing them?"
Mahree looked helplessly at Rob. Her mind seemed to have deserted her.
She was exhausted. The doctor stepped forward and took her arm, supporting her unobtrusively, then said, "Are you equipped with a voder that will allow you to read Simiu or hear it translated into your own language, Esteemed One?"
One of the tentacles flashed something shiny at him. "Yes, I am, Doctor-Robert-Gable. And I have Honored Dhurrrkk's and Honored Mahree's translation program."
"Good." Rob hastily strapped his own voder onto his wrist and activated his computer link. "This gravity is fine, Esteemed Shirazz," he said, in English.
"We are accustomed to Simiu sanitary and sleeping arrangements. This atmosphere mix is fine. Both of us require pure liquid H2O slightly above its freezing point for drinking. We have little remaining food, but we can provide you with samples that will nourish us, so that you may duplicate them, if possible."
"Certainly," Shirazz said. "Please place your samples over there, on the ledge with the other material. What quantities of these food products will you require daily?"
Rob hastily produced two small wrapped parcels, then placed
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them beside Mahree's dictionary cassettes. "Each of us requires five times this amount, each day."
"I understand," the Mizari said. "And personal hygiene?"
"Could we have a bath?" Mahree blurted, in English, so Rob would understand, then in Mizari, since the Simiu language had no word for "bath."
"A real bath?"
Shirazz was unperturbed. "Of course. Sand or mud? Or, if another cleansing medium, please provide its chemical composition."
Mahree stared at Rob, dismayed, but he gave her a reassuring grin, and put in, smoothly, "Liquid H2O, Esteemed One. A quantity deep enough for immersion."
"To what extent do you wish to immerse yourselves?" The Guest Liaison's tentacles were moving quickly, and Mahree guessed that she was taking notes.
"Deep enough to sit down in," the young woman interposed before Rob could answer, hastily sitting down on her bag so the alien would comprehend what that meant, "and have the water come up to here." She held a hand up to her collarbones. "If that's not too much trouble, Esteemed One."
"Assuredly not," the being said briskly. "Our bathing receptacles are designed to accommodate creatures the size of our own race. Adapting one for humans will present no difficulty. What temperature?"
Rob and Mahree stared at each other, blankly. Precise Simiu temperature measurements were still foreign to them. "This air," Rob sai
d, finally, "is approximately ten of our temperature units less than our body temperatures, which you no doubt determined when you scanned us. We would like our liquid H2O eight of those units higher than our body temperatures, if that is possible."
"Entirely possible," the CLS Liaison said. "It shall be as you have requested."
"Oh, and can we please have several lengths of that Simiu woven material they use to cover their sleeping mats?" Mahree put in, thinking of the filthy towels currently occupying her bag.
"Of course."
Rob looked over at Mahree and shrugged, then back at the Mizari. "I think that's all." He gave the alien a rueful grin. "I hope we haven't asked for anything that will be hard to furnish."
Shirazz gazed serenely at them with something approaching amusement in the way she held her slender form. "Not at all,
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HealerGable. I have arranged lodging for the Ri, who are aquatic dwellers so large that they would nearly fill up this section of tunnel we are standing in, and so timid that they have been known to die of fear if suddenly confronted with a being of another species. I have housed creatures that require atmospheres of methane and cyanide, baths in liquid ammonia, living creatures for nourishment, and gravity up to five times what we are experiencing here. Your requirements are comparatively simple and modest.
Now, if you will wait for just a moment, I will conduct you to your quarters."
Her tentacles waved gracefully for several minutes, while she communicated their lodging requirements to her staff. Finally Shirazz bowed again. "Your quarters are prepared," she said. "Will you please accompany me?"
Gracefully, she uncoiled and slithered off down the corridor, moving rapidly enough so that she had to adjust her speed downward to suit the two humans' walk.
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