Thoughtfully, and slowly, I added one more, representing Paul’s gift.
I had, I decided, gazing at the array of fruit for a lengthy and profound moment of deep contemplation, made a mess of my breakfast.
To hide the evidence, I began capturing the slippery things and popping them between my teeth as quickly as possible, ears aimed back to listen for the soft footfalls of my hostess. I chomped down on Paul’s mail and the Ambassador School. They might go together, I told myself pensively. Maybe he’d arranged this, and the mail was confirmation. Maybe it was something to help us get closer to the Feneden, since only the Panacian Ambassador caste would deal with aliens. Then, secrecy was understandable. We had many business rivals, and I couldn’t imagine a more tempting morsel to dangle before them.
Too tempting. Cameron & Ki Exports were in the business of staying too small to notice, not trying to corner a spectacular new market.
I added the Ganthor and Tly pieces to my mouthful, suspecting—as did Paul—that those two were somehow related, and not to our benefit. But neither seemed to matter here and now. I swallowed.
I chewed on the Feneden’s piece. There was a mystery I sincerely hoped would start resolving itself today. The mere thought of their existence, possibly in this same building, though our hostesses hadn’t so much as hinted at that, was enough to cost me my appetite.
Which left Paul’s gift forlorn and alone on the table. Gingerly, I put the furrit slice back on the corner of my platter. There were questions, I admitted to myself, I wasn’t ready to ask.
After breakfast, the School of Alien Etiquette learned something they apparently hadn’t thought to ask about the Lishcyn. That was all right. I hadn’t known either.
“You needn’t apologize,” I kept saying faintly, leaning on a pair of my deceptively fragile-looking hostesses. “I’m the one who should—”
“What happened?” This alarmed cry came from my Human, rushing toward our little procession with N’Klet at his side. He looked considerably more flushed than usual, and wore a robe similar to the one draped around my narrow shoulders, although it was a smaller size. “What’s wrong?”
“Fem Ki didn’t react well to the steam bath,” C’Tlas said quickly as Paul reached us and, for some unknown reason, thought it useful to peel back the lid of my nearer eye and peer into it. My reflex blink was powerful enough to pinch his fingers.
I attempted a toothy smile. “I reacted too well to the steam bath,” I corrected, trying to lighten the Panacians’ mood of incipient panic. Several were finding it necessary to stop in their tracks and wrap their upper limbs about their thoraxes, a bit extreme, given the object of their grief was up on two feet and essentially mobile. “I’m a little wobbly, that’s all.”
“Your—ah—stomachs?” Paul asked, the corners of his lips not quite rising. He looked down at my rotund front as if to diagnose me by sight.
“They’re fine,” I replied with dignity. My Lishcyn-self didn’t always embarrass itself that way, and I saw no reason for him to further concern our hostesses. “The bath was a little too warm for me.”
C’Tlas took it upon herself to grab my arm firmly, give it a shake, and tell Paul her version: “Fem Ki lost consciousness and slipped beneath the surface. She might have drowned had it not been for those watching. We had to drain the bath to save her.”
There was a sharpness to Paul’s sudden look at me. He knew if my life was seriously threatened in a form, I couldn’t help but cycle from it into something safer or into my web-self.
I winked at him. “It was a very—comfortable—unconsciousness,” I explained, grateful this form couldn’t blush. The hot water and bubbly steam had created an interesting mix of semisleep and euphoric fantasy, a state completely enthralling to my Lishcyn-self. The Panacians had not found me a cooperative or easy body to rescue. “I’ve tried to explain to these dear beings: Lishcyns have amphibious heritage. I can doze underwater for some time. Right, Paul?”
His brows lifted, gray-eyed gaze considering me. “Let’s avoid the steam baths from now on, Esolesy Ki,” my friend suggested. “I’ll take over.” This was directed to the pair of Panacians bravely trying to take some of my weight on their bent backs, not having shoulders of their own. The Human muttered something dire about diets under his breath as he began helping me to my sleeping quarters. I pretended not to hear. The Panacians remained huddled in a group, discussing something among themselves, providing the first chance we’d had to talk in reasonable privacy since arriving on Panacia.
“This so-called vacation of ours: you set it up to get me here—to meet the Fenedens—didn’t you?” I whispered.
His voice was somewhat strained, but improved once I took back most of my weight. Although I was feeling better by the moment, floating had been ever-so-much easier. And those steamy, seductive bubbles under my scales. I caught myself drifting again and made myself turn an ear to catch his reply: “—both, actually,” he was saying, a wry note of humor coming through. “I knew you’d want to meet them. It was intended to be the highlight of our holiday—but you really didn’t help me there. Still, it got us here, where it seems your skills are very much needed, old friend.”
“For what? Not trade.” The Panacians were hurrying to catch up to us. We didn’t have much time.
“I expected to have some trouble arranging a meeting with the Feneden—every trader in this Sector is lining up—but we were granted one almost immediately. Turns out the Fenedens are causing our hostesses some translation problems and the Panacians were looking for some discreet assistance. I don’t have details,” Paul said quickly, “not yet. But you know how Panacians prefer to deal with knowns—especially when it involves offworld contacts. That’s us, apparently. Or me. You haven’t been here before, remember?” Of course I had, I almost protested, then realized with a start it had been not just another time, but another form. Sometimes, I thought to myself, that sort of thing confused even a perfect memory.
I shook off the lingering sensations of the steam bath, removing my arm from Paul’s shoulder. The Human straightened with an unnecessarily fervent groan of relief. I ignored him, turning in time to almost collide with my six rescuers.
“You have recovered, Fem Ki!” observed C’Tlas. My hearing discerned a quivering under the words, as though the breath she had drawn through her thoracic spiracles to speak had shuddered in passing. I was fully aware her concern was based on her responsibility to the Hive for my care. It was no less real or personal.
“Due to your swift action on my behalf, C’Tlas,” I returned, doing my best to bow and feeling Paul grab one arm just as I recognized I wasn’t yet as stable as I’d thought. “My thanks.”
“And mine,” Paul added, patting me heartily on the shoulder once I was safely upright. “I couldn’t imagine succeeding in any endeavor without my partner. Especially,” he stressed, “anything that involved understanding a new species.”
A message for me, I wondered, or a reminder to the Panacians to keep my necessary self away from household hazards such as alluring bubbles?
The steambath episode was another of those experiences I promised myself I’d repeat in, oh, another century. There were some things one really should be mature to appreciate, most of these, I’d found, included intoxication and corresponding lapses in judgment. I was capable of the latter on my own.
Such as this one. Lishcyns don’t sneak very well, so I was using bold “I belong here” body language as I traveled the deserted hall. Approximately five steps from my assigned quarters, I’d recognized this as one of those brilliant impulses that entitled Paul to use his “behave” look so often.
Not that it mattered, once I realized the door had somehow locked itself behind me.
With a fatalistic shrug, I continued on my way, remembering the requisite turns without difficulty, until I reached the area with lifts to the other floors of the School. The Panacians may have thought to fool us during the tour into thinking we’d seen it all, but I’d
noticed we’d been kept to three levels and to lifts without settings to reach anywhere else in the building.
I didn’t bother hunting for signs of automated surveillance. Panacians in general abhorred the practice, and D’Dsellans were the most traditional of them all. A reasonable prejudice, since individual Panacians left scent trails wherever they went, leaving abundant information on mood and health for any other Panacian who might be interested. If they wished to know more about your actions, they simply stayed with you.
Of course, by making it virtually impossible to travel any distance on their world without using preprogrammed hoverbots—which did have abundant internal and external sensors in the name of safety—they kept track of visitor movements fairly easily. It was only within their homes and buildings that alien biology allowed concealment, hence the rarity of invitations to visit. Mixs-memory informed me that the oft-used excuse of not liking the physical habits of the messier sort of aliens, such as Humans, was really a way to avoid having to interpret beings who couldn’t share their mood with every step.
In a very real sense, I thought, idly tapping a tusk with one finger while considering which lift to try first, the predominantly Human Commonwealth and its associated non-Human species failed to enter the true awareness of Panacians. Perhaps the new caste, the Ambassadors, interacted with non-Panacians with a belief in their existence. I knew, from my experiences and those shared by Mixs, that the vast majority on D’Dsel and the other heavily-populated worlds of this system were convinced alien intelligences were somehow nonbiological. I’d read learned papers, naturally kept species-private, postulating everything from non-Panacians being some type of machine to an exhaustive theory that others were from another dimensional reality, only partially impinging on this one. A personal favorite.
It was a tribute to their ability to learn and mimic polite behavior that so many other species viewed Panacians as friendly and approachable. Truth be told, it didn’t matter in everyday life whether the average Panacian believed in the rest of the universe or not. I frequently, I chuckled to myself, had my own doubts.
I’d chosen correctly. The door of the third to last lift—there were six in a row—sighed open at my touch, revealing a panel of controls much more extensive than the ones we’d used last night.
Not down, I thought. The lowermost floors would be the Queen’s chambers—close to the street level so her offspring could easily be moved by ground transport to one of the mass emergence areas when the time came. There would be controlled air-locks at every entrance from her area, intended to seal in and concentrate her pheromones. These would freely move throughout this building and be packaged for sending by hoverbot or courier to any of her family not within reach. This included starships, making the few unfortunate Panacians serving the Hive offworld prone to mental and emotional stress when they received pheromonal information at inappropriate moments and, worse, arrived home to be months out of sync with their Queen anyway.
What would be inappropriate and potentially dangerous, I reminded myself, would be any attempt to approach the Queen unless invited and escorted.
The lift’s settings offered eighty-one choices. From my memory of the exterior—from that regrettably brief glance as I’d arrived by hoverbot—the School of Alien Etiquette was located eighteen down from the topmost. So I was on the sixty-third floor. What we’d been shown as the remainder of the School extended two floors below me.
If I assumed everything below that was the Queen’s territory—better to overestimate than risk annoying our charming hostesses—that left an intriguing eighteen floors above me to explore.
I used a dessert fork I’d saved from lunch to press the indented button for the top floor, on the principle that running downstairs would be easier if I were caught. Not that every Panacian building contained stairs—some designs incorporated intestinelike slides I rather enjoyed, depending on my form.
The lift headed upward obediently, and I assumed a carefully neutral expression. My present smile, however, warmly intended, was no way to start a conversation with strangers.
I also, somewhat belatedly, began practicing my greeting to my very first, completely new aliens.
A shame, I would realize later, that I was wrong.
Elsewhere
IN Lefebvre’s experience, Port Authority, regardless of species, world, or the size of the crisis, tended to behave in a manner reminiscent of a Human staring at his or her own navel, awaiting divine revelation—especially when confronted with credentials that, in theory and by treaty, gave outsystem officials access to their records.
The D’Dsellans were no exception.
Lefebvre stifled a yawn, then sat straighter. Finally. There was movement behind the frosted door panels: two figures walking past in silhouette, pausing as though trying to see him in the dimly lit and classically unwelcoming waiting room, before limbs reached for a handle. He slouched back down as their shadows faded again, the two apparently deciding actually talking to him in person was a bad idea.
His fingers slipped into the pocket of his coat, pushing deeper within its emptiness until he could feel the inner seam, reaching along that until he touched the other pocket concealed within it. His key was there, safe, ready for use. All he needed was a lock. Which required some cooperation from the other side of those doors.
“Captain Lefebvre?” Another Human had entered the waiting room through the same entrance he’d used, from outside. No Port Jelly uniform here. This individual wore inner system fashions, the type that meant cost was not an issue in his life. They didn’t suit him, Lefebvre judged, despite excellent tailoring. The stranger was lean, weathered, with an air of no-nonsense competence; Lefebvre could more easily picture him in a faded pair of spacer coveralls like his, working on an engine—certainly a better match for the faded spacer tan of face and hands. The Human’s eyes were keen and his expression that of someone who didn’t intend to waste his own precious time. “Sandner,” he introduced himself. “Councillor Sandner from Inhaven Prime. What’s this about Paul Ragem?”
Sandner. Lefebvre recognized the name, keeping any reaction from his face: one of the committee who’d granted the Russell III access to this sector, and not just any member. Kearn had railed for some time about how the Inhaven representative had sabotaged their funding, as well as almost skewing the vote against them. What was he doing here? “I’m conducting research,” Lefebvre said, deliberately keeping his tone and bearing official, despite the disadvantage of having been caught seated and in obviously nonregulation garb. “As I believe you are aware is the mandate of the Russell III and her crew, sir.”
“And that research includes sending Port Authority scrambling after genetic records for a dead Human? From a three-day visit, fifty years ago? Do you realize what a waste of resources and time this represents? Let alone—” Sandner, to Lefebvre’s surprise, stopped his almost passionate tirade and sat abruptly, looking like a parent confronted by his child’s misdeeds at school and a bit embarrassed by it all. “Captain, forgive my outburst. This isn’t your fault. I suspected Kearn was off in his own dreamworld, but this—this is simply crazy. Don’t you agree?”
Lefebvre’s patroller instincts were sending chills down his spine. “It’s not my place to question orders, Councillor Sandner,” he answered evenly, “only to follow them to the best of my ability. As I was attempting to do here. Am I to assume you have asked D’Dsel’s Port Authority not to respond to our request? Is this what I should report to my Project Leader?”
Sandner’s startled look was perfect, Lefebvre thought, perhaps too perfect. “I have nothing to do with law enforcement in the shipcity,” the Councillor said. “If you are experiencing problems, I suggest you take them up with Sec-ag T’Pleck. Her Glory is the System Coordinator for Panacia’s Port Authority.”
“But you don’t support this line of inquiry, sir,” Lefebvre dared press the other. “Isn’t that why you’re here? To persuade the Project Leader to abandon his search?”
/>
“Talk to Kearn about his nonsense? I wouldn’t waste a minute on it.” Sandner’s thin lips stretched into an outright grin. He leaned forward with a conspiratorial wink. “I’m here to meet the Feneden.”
“The Feneden.” At Lefebvre’s blank look, Sandner drew back as if affronted.
“Does Kearn have the newsmags censored on your scow, Captain?” this with what seemed sincere indignation. “Of course, the Feneden! First Contact, Lefebvre! They’ve come here to meet with the Commonwealth as well as investigate trade possibilities. Councillors from all the affected regions are coming to D’Dsel this week for talks. Where have you been?”
“I’m aware of the existence of the Feneden, Councillor. They are hardly my concern at the moment.” Lefebvre gestured to the frosted doors. “Getting the cooperation your committee promised us in our search—that’s my concern.”
“And that search has somehow expanded to include a dead Human? Good thing Kearn didn’t try that on the Committee.” Sandner appeared to come to some decision. He stood again, and Lefebvre politely followed suit. “I’d wish you luck in your efforts, Captain, but I still believe the entire business a waste.”
“Assuming for a moment it wasn’t a waste, sir, where would you look?” Lefebvre asked, suddenly curious if he’d get an answer. Sandner wasn’t a typical politician.
Nor was Sandner’s appraising gaze that of someone as disinterested as he made himself appear to be. “Where would I look—for Kearn’s monster? As I tried to tell him, the Kraal were involved up to their tattooed necks. There’s where your answers are, although it’s likely we’ll all be long dead before that bunch admits any involvement.” Sandner gave a hearty laugh. “If then.”
“And Ragem?”
The laugh stopped. “Persistent, aren’t you?”
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