Eetoo

Eetoo Page 11

by Robby Charters

with loud counter offers by prospective buyers

  with percussion -- cleavers on chopping blocks

  grinding cartwheels against a rocky road

  the melody of loud salutations by long unseen friends

  the harmony of laughing and weeping children blend further with the monotonous drone of gossip

  against this background, there is heard the actual singing and piping of a minstrel

  then there's the symphony of smell

  pungent spice mixes, fish, both fresh and fermented

  salted and sweetened meats, preserved fruits

  and the unmistakable aroma of coourzt berry ...

  This is the only chance I get to talk to Tsaphar -- market days. Rav hangs about too much at the house, so Tsaphar has to do her own thing while I'm having my lessons. Sometimes Tsim's there too. Then, she can't leave the house to visit me, or Tsim might be waiting to kidnap her.

  Neuryzh thinks we have a future together. I don't know where he gets that idea. I liked the dream he made me though. It's made me think a lot. Ever since looking at his berunya-thing, I find myself thinking more about other people and how they're doing, and not just about my own problems.

  Heptosh has been nicer to me since I started saying 'thank you' to him for things. When I said 'Toda' to Ima b'n Shammah she laughed, but she was nicer to me after that.

  So, I'm here, helping Shav sell coourzt. I've learned how to pour and mix what the customer asks for. It's sort of fun. We've talked about this and that, but we don't talk too much in case one of them show up.

  Now, Rav is here. Tsaphar was saying something to me, but she pretends she was saying it to Shav. We go all quiet.

  'Eetoo,' he's calling me. 'Come. We go watch fight.'

  A fight?

  'Tsim, he a champion. Come and watch.' He's the only one in the family who talks to me only in Nephteshi -- as if I still didn't know a word of Akkadi.

  Shav says he can watch the stall himself. I'm off with Rav.

  Why does he want me to go watch Tsim fighting?

  We walk past a lot of stalls. One is selling power cells and metzig torches, another, parts for some machines, that one's selling hand tools.

  Some of the stalls over this way are for people to win prizes for playing games. Someone's trying to throw a ball at some bottles.

  That must be the place up ahead. It looks a bit like the wrestling ring they set up for our tournaments back home. There's lots of people crowded about.

  There's already a fight going on -- but they're not wrestling the same way we do. They're hitting each other. They're both naked except for a small strip of cloth wrapped about their waist and their groin -- to keep their 'thing' from flopping all over the place.

  They're really going at it! One of them is already bleeding at the nose, but the other one is going at him as though he's gone completely wild or something.

  The one with the bleeding nose is running out of strength. He can't even concentrate any more. The other punches him in the face.

  He's down. A man comes in and checks. Then, he holds the winner's hand up. Everyone's cheering.

  'Tsim fight him next week. He win today, then he fight Tsof for championship.'

  Some people carry the loser off the ring. The other one, Tsof I guess, walks off real proud looking.

  The official looking man is saying something in Akkadi. It's too fast for me to hear, but I catch the names, 'Tsim' and 'Shin'.

  'Just watch,' says Rav. 'He just do a "one," and a "two" and punch him out!'

  Tsim and the other one named Shin walk into the ring stark naked, both holding a piece of cloth. They stand, facing each other, and they each throw their piece of cloth at the other's feet. They each pick up the one the other threw, and tie it about their waste and their groin.

  The official gives the signal and they're going at it.

  Tsim is really a good fighter. He's pounding away at him. He uses his fist, and his elbow, now he's kicking. Usually, he punches once with his left hand, and just as the other thinks that was it, he follows it with the right -- must be his 'one, two' punch.

  The other one runs at him and buts him with his head.

  That was a bad move. Tsim grabs him by his waist and turns him upside down. Now he's got him on the ground and he's kicking him like a wild man. But Shin rolls over and gets up. Now they're on each other's level, going at it again.

  There, he did it again, the 'one, two' punch.

  There don't seem to be any rules to this. But they're not using any of the moves I learned from Mo Paw. I'm sure if one of them knew some of them, they'd win very quickly -- if they did it fast enough not to get hit, that is. I mean, Tsim's arm is pretty powerful!

  They're still going at it. I think they're more evenly matched than the other two.

  Finally, it's over. They say Tsim won, but it's hard to tell. We go back to the stall. I'm back with Shav.

  'Like the fight?'

  'I don't know.'

  Rav's gone again.

  'I think I know why Rav take you. He want you to see how strong Tsim is. He afraid Tsaphar love you.'

  'Why have to fight for a wife? Why Tsaphar not choose herself?'

  'The way of the fathers,' says Shav.

  'In Fa-tzi-zhi village we not trade woman like animal. When someone want to marry, they ask her first.'

  'This not Fa-tzi-zhi village. This civilised planet.'

  He doesn't sound very happy. I guess I don't either.

  We just work away, selling drinks, not talking much to each other.

  * * *

  Heptosh was doing a quick one today. He just needed to buy a few things and then go on to a meeting with Amenhep and Lord Staktekus in the pavilion. Negotiations had come a long way, but Lord Staktekus seemed to be holding out on a few key issues. He also held a couple of trumps which, though they wouldn't gain him absolute power, could enable him to make life very difficult for all those sharing his planet.

  However, he had been softening, and both Amenhep and Heptosh thought that a bit of hospitality might be in order. Amenhep had brought him on a visit to Tok. They were to meet on the South border of the market area where they would sit in a pavilion overlooking one of the more pleasant parts of the city.

  Besides some choice pastries for the affair, Heptosh also needed a few household goods that weren't available at the village. He was in front of a stall which specialised in brushes. He needed a vacuum brush, as well as a bottle brush, good for cleaning the bottoms of wine jars and coourzt flasks. He had found a bottle brush, but vacuum brushes seemed to be in short supply. The one in stock wasn't to his satisfaction.

  Perhaps he would try again next week. He paid for the bottle brush.

  There was someone watching him -- he didn't know how he knew. Heptosh looked around, but didn't see anyone but people going about their own business.

  He began walking slowly towards the South end.

  'Mr. Heptosh, chief negotiator of humans, I believe.'

  The words stunned him in a way they shouldn't have.

  He looked around, and there he was.

  Why he hadn't seen him before, was rather puzzling. A Groki body should have stood out quite plainly in midst of a crowd of humans.

  'How can I help you?' was the diplomatic response.

  'I doubt if you could be of any help at all, human.'

  'What do you want of me then?'

  'Only looking on with interest.'

  People were passing by, taking no notice of the Groki whatsoever. Heptosh realised that the Groki's dome was emitting a low range beam, one that rendered him unnoticeable. That's why Heptosh hadn't spotted him at first. His greeting had also been accompanied by a light of a different sort, which was what had stunned him.

  'So, what do you find so interesting?' enquired Heptosh.

  'How much energy a human can expend towards lost causes.'

  'I'm sorry, come again?'

  'Your endeavour to remove your Nefzedi community to Kalodzu-Famta...'


  Heptosh started, but couldn't deny that that had been a deep down motivation.

  '...your vain attempt to educate a primitive of the same planet, and even now you're on your way to try to stop the humans of Imtep from doing what they do best. Yes, prize specimens of humanity, those.'

  They were walking slowly in the direction of the South end, making the right turns as though the Groki knew where he was going. Heptosh was sure he'd been discreet regarding the whole affair.

  'How do you learn of these things?'

  'Aha! You forget, I'm a Groki; you are but a human. There are ways of knowing things that are lost on you; levels of wisdom that Groki and other species enjoy, which humanity could only dream of when they were in unity -- when they were at one with themselves. You lost that oneness with the fall of your empire. Their Lordships Staktekus and Amenhep dream of such human empires, and fine emperors they would make, indeed. But you would quell the rise of the human species by subjugating them to your Department of Human Affairs.'

  'But, Amenhep...'

  'Hah! You are so sadly mistaken regarding Amenhep. He's already made a comfortable place for himself on his former Groki planet.'

  'Groki planet?'

  'Grogopti: a human planet with a Groki name. What does that tell you? It has a history which they cleverly hide from themselves by renaming it "Memthos". History always catches up, you know. And this "president" of the Federation of Indigenous Nephteshis, where every human enjoys equality -- indeed! He'll be Grand Pharaoh of the revived Nephteshi Empire if ever he has his way -- not that humanity has enough days left over for such a rise. And, do you want to know what's really holding them up with the repairs on your ship's relocator? Ah -- but we near your destination. There are your two Pharaohs, waiting for you in the pavilion, and here's Alzuzt the Sozk, waiting for me.'

  The reptilian creature greeted the Groki, but largely ignored Heptosh as they walked off in the opposite direction.

  That was just as well for Heptosh. He needed to regain his composure before his meeting with the two would-be emperors.

  15

  as the day grows old, fewer people look for bargains

  more seek relaxation

  thus the demand for coourzt beverage, served in individual portions

  and the stone tables in the nearby green

  It's been busy, but Ima and Tsaphar are helping now. Shav has been in a better mood since lunch time.

  Here comes Neuryzh and Fra. They each ask for a drink.

  Neuryzh asks Ima, 'Friend Eetoo looks as though he's had a long days work. Can he join us in the green area?'

  Ima says it's okay. They take an extra cup for me. Shav waves as I go.

  These seats are awfully high. I have to climb steps to get to mine. Neuryzh just steps on to a perch. Fra is tall enough to sit down in a regular bench without climbing.

  Another creature comes along with a drink. His face looks like a lizard's. He doesn't talk in Nephteshi like Neuryzh and Fra do. I can't even see him moving his mouth when he talks, only his throat vibrating and moving in and out.

  Neuryzh says to me, 'Eetoo, put this next to your ear.' He hands me something -- I don't know what it is, but it hangs from the side of his head. It looks like some sort of tentacle, or what a goat has under its chin, but longer and it's got something at the end. He's got one on either side of his head.

  There's sound coming out from it. 'I'll translate for you using one of my extra vocal organs.' It's the sound of Neuryzh talking Fa-tzi-zhi!

  But he's still talking to Fra and the other one. To them, he's saying, 'Fttttzzueurinzyghopfppppttq'

  Through the vocal thing, I hear, 'What's the news from your half of the planet, Friend Zhunzugt?'

  That must be the one with the lizard face. He says, 'Tszjudznu ñuñttttppzt.'

  Through the vocal thing, I hear, 'More trouble between the human populations.'

  'What is it now?'

  'The Akkadi community in Zorrorog City claim that the Nefzedis have reduced their livelihood through their style of dress. They've popularised the flax togas, thereby making the woollen tunics obsolete. One of the Nefzedi, on being blamed for the losses, publicly insulted an Akkadi shepherd. The whole sheep herding community took offence and resorted to violence. Now, the Nefzedi, though they usually don't retaliate collectively, have taken to banding together for common protection.'

  'The news has reached here as well,' says Fra. 'Some local Akkadi have been talking, but no one has taken any action yet.'

  'I understand the Akkadis in these parts don't raise sheep,' says Zhunzugt.

  'I know of one who does,' says Neuryzh.

  'Whatever the case, I think it was a mistake to start allowing human populations to ... Oh, I hope you're not translating all this for your human friend?'

  'Don't worry about him,' says Neuryzh. 'He's neither Akkadi nor Nefzedi. In fact, he lives with a prominent Nefzedi gentleman and he's training a young Akkadi to be a sheep herder, aren't you?'

  'Huh?' I say.

  'I've watched you a couple of times from my mountain top home. The young lad seems to be doing well at it.'

  Zhunzugt says, 'Perhaps we could use more like him!'

  A couple more creatures are walking up to the table. Oh! The gods! One of them is that creature that flashed its dome at me!

  Neuryzh says, 'Good day to you. Won't you join us?'

  Fra says, 'Greetings, Blazz, and you too, Friend Alzuzt.'

  The one he called Alzuzt also has a lizard's face.

  I think the one who flashed at me is named Blazz. He looks at me and says something. It must have been bad, because Neuryzh didn't translate it.

  'You can speak the Nefteshi language, I trust, Friend Blazz?' says Neuryzh. 'If not, I can offer you a brain to brain download of the language.'

  'Oh, my Nefteshi is just about perfect,' he says in Nefteshi. 'I've spent more time than I care to remember among the humans of the Zoozh sector. A troublesome lot they were indeed!'

  'Perhaps you two would care for a drink?' says Fra. 'Some coourzt? The stall yonder has some of the best.'

  Alzuzt says he wants a coourzt.

  'I think I'd prefer guruñdz,' says Blazz. 'Much better for you than coourzt. I'll get one for our human friend as well. How about it young human?'

  Fra and Zhunzugt both jump almost out of their skins.

  'No!' says Fra. 'That's not for human consumption. Eetoo, don't ever attempt to drink guruñdz. It's toxic to the human system.'

  Zhunzugt is also saying something, not looking happy about it.

  'That's right,' says Neuryzh, 'not for humans.'

  I get the point.

  Neuryzh calls to Shav and asks him to bring one coourzt and one guruñdz.

  But Blazz goes on in Nephteshi, 'But one must admit that guruñdz has its uses. Besides being a tasty beverage for Groki and other like species, it's really quite effective as a pesticide. I'm sure it would be useful in resolving some of the problems on Tok.'

  Fra is saying something to him, but Neuryzh doesn't translate it.

  'Oh no!' answers Blazz. 'I wouldn't think of leaving our human friend out of the conversation! That would be bad etiquette! But you know, it's a fact: Wherever humans have gone, rats, cockroaches and other vermin have always followed. Those three species seem to be adaptable to every sort of climate and condition.'

  Shav brings two cups. He won't go near Blazz, but hands them up to me. I set them in middle of the table. I'm not afraid of him now -- not the way these others are protecting me.

  'Oh! You're too kind!' says Blazz. Then he goes on: 'Moreover, it's a known fact that cockroaches are as much lower in intelligence than rats as rats are to humans and humans are to Groki and Sozks. Isn't that so Alzuzt?'

  Alzuzt says something. Neuryzh doesn't translate it.

  Fra speaks up: 'And so, Mr. Blazz, where exactly do you draw the line between what's an intelligent creature, and what's vermin -- if in fact there is to be a line drawn?'

 
; 'I should think that would be obvious!'

  'Perhaps, to someone as much more intelligent than the Groki as the Groki is to the human, the answer might not be so obvious, Mr. Blazz.'

  'Thus spoken by the administrator of the planet! Mr. Fra, I've heard of some of the problems resulting from the human infestation.'

  Alzuzt and Zhunzugt both say something. It looks as though they agree with Blazz. Neuryzh doesn't translate it.

  Fra says, 'Yes, we may have our problems, but we also boast some fine specimens of humanity.'

  'Good fine humans. Yes. I know. I've seen some seemingly peace loving human communities in my time. The problem is, they invariably give birth to a generation of bad ones. A happy stable community now; in one short celestial age what have you? The happier they are, the more spoiled their brats, who will grow into the monsters of tomorrow. '

  Fra gives off a loud sigh that sounds almost human. Blazz looks around at everyone like he's pleased with himself -- I guess; his face doesn't show expressions. Fra starts to say something, but Blazz gets in first:

  'There is one exception: primitive tribes -- societies such as our young specimen here once belonged to, but has left -- who teach their young to be afraid of their own shadows and reject anything foreign. They'll remain docile indefinitely, even remaining compatible with the natural environment, as long as they don't succumb to outside influences, as again, our present specimen has. As for you, young human, you've learned too much of the universe outside your natural habitat to ever be happy there again. I know. I've had plenty of experience with humans. But, your time is coming.'

  'Time?' I say.

  'Yes, young human. Your time is coming. And, Mr. Fra, when that time does comes, nothing your administration can do will be of any help in preserving the human menace. It would be contrary to galactic protocol!'

  Things are a bit quiet now. Neuryzh tries to say something to get a conversation going again, but it doesn't get very far. Fra also tries. One by one, people finish their drink and go.

  I see the b'n Shammah family packing up all their things to go.

  Ima say I can go with Neuryzh.

  the shadows are long - the sun is low

 

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