by neetha Napew
“She’s inside,’ she said, gathering up the small carcasses and hurryin, toward the door. “I’ll warn her. You get him inside.
Hrriss protested that he was all right. “I have been pressed worse between my hrrss’s body and the stable wall,’ he pleaded.
“Come on.” Todd ignored his friend’s protests, knowing that the leg had to hurt a lot more than Hrriss was letting on. He helped Hrriss off Rrhee and shepherded him toward the Hall. “If your mother doesn’t kill me for neglecting you, mine will.
Once Hrriss was in the capable hands of his mother, Mrrva, Todd checked on the other members of his team.
The hunting parties, still congratulating each other, finally separated to wash and dress for the upcoming celebratory banquet.
Medics took charge of the injured. There were numerous wounds and bruises due to inexperience with the vegetation of DoonaiRrala and a long horseback ride.
Nonparticipants clamored for firsthand stories and adventures from the heroes, and sympathized with the disappointed Hunters who had returned empty-handed. Todd congratulated several young friends who had passed their ritual, and checked on the various small wounds that some of his team members and friends had sustained. There had been no deaths in any team during this Hunt. The unusually hot weather had somewhat slowed the snakes’ usual split-second reflexes. Todd felt they’d been extraordinarily lucky, considering how many amateurs had ridden out. He walked Gypsy and Rrhee down to the paddock to unsaddle and turn them loose, enjoying the post-Hunt atmosphere, listening to everyone comparing brags about the size of the ones that got away.
Soon, he was able to work his way to his own quarters and the longawaited and much-needed shower.
There were preparations for the usual all-out blast of a party going on in the Assembly Hall. It was the biggest building on DoonaiRrala, bar the Archives Building on the Treaty Island. It lay on the Human side of the Friendship bridge halfway between the new construction which replaced the first Human village and the first Hrruban village. It took the place of the much smaller mess hall, which had been the chief building of the original settlement. The support beams and wide windows of the Hall were of extruded plastic, but the white walls and roof were formed of the same sealed-rla wood as the bridge. The many ornaments and statuary on and within its walls had been donated by craftspeople from both races and every village on the planet.
It was surrounded by gravel walks and pathways that rambled in a pleasing knotlike pattern among gardens containing rare plants from Earth and Hrruba, proudly maintained by volunteer gardeners. During other times of the year than Snake Hunt, the entire sentient population of the planet could fit within the walls of the Assembly Hall or in its landscaped grounds, for speeches or celebrations. The Hall doubled as the social center whenever visitors came.
The five days following each Snake Hunt were designated by Doonans as New Home Week, recreating an Earth custom of reunion, but as Dot McKee, one of the senior settlers, pointed out, for their new home, instead of their old one. If at all possible, everyone returned home for New Home Week. Unless they were on exploration missions, no great effort was required of the Hrruban settlers, for every Hrruban had access to transportation grids. But the Human Rralans had to make sacrifices of time, effort, and money. Either way, both species came home some way or other. So Kelly hoped to see several of her primary-school chums back from long-term exploration missions for Spacedep and the colonizing arm of the Hrruban government. She hoped that Todd’s brother, Dan, would be among them. Right now, she had to find Todd and report what Jilamey had said.
The DoonaiRrala Ad Hoc Band was tuning up in a corner of the Assembly Hall when Kelly entered.
She smiled at Mrs. Lawrence, the leader of the band, and then began to circulate. The Hall had been beautifully decorated for the feast. Floating wicks burned in glass sconces containing scented oil.
The sconces hung on the walls between bright festival decorations.
Long tables draped with white embroidered cloths had been set up perpendicular to the head table on its dais. Kelly wandered about, searching for Todd and Hrriss, and finally saw them sitting together at the opposite end of the Hall.
Hrriss glanced up and caught her eye to wave her over.
“Who’d ever guess you’ve been chasing snakes!
Give us a twirl!” Todd said. “Very pretty!” he added approvingly, as she executed a neat turn on her heel to show off her dress.
She’d brought it specially for tonight, a confection of shimmering blue and gold with a fluffy kneelength skirt. “Glad you approve, citizen,’ Kelly replied pertly, ducking into a graceful curtsy. “I’ll have you know that this is the very latest style from Earth in evening informal-to distinguish from casual, which this most definitely is not.
Notice please the wide skirt, to show an insouciant disregard for the tightness of Corridors and Aisles.
The very height of fashion, or should I say width?
Can I sit down or is there something else I’m supposed to do right now?”
Todd gave a snort. “We do the Hunt. Others do the food,’ he said. “Mother, Mrrva, and Mrs. Hu have that in hand.” He reached out and, grabbing her hand, neatly pulled her onto the benchbeside them.
“Hrriss, is your leg all right?” Kelly asked, wondering if that was why the pair were so indolent in the busy Hall. She saw no bandage, though she caught the astringent odor of vrrela.
“Oh, zat!” Hrriss dismissed it with a negligent click of lightly extended claws. “It was nozzing as I told zOdd. I am only bruised.
We are sorry to have missed you on the rest of the ride,’ he added regretfully.
“Me, too,’ Kelly sighed. Despite the rain barrel, Jilamey had exuded a pong that she was afraid might cling to her and spoil this evening. I dropped my nerd off at the medical center for a full checkover, and took a double-long shower to get the pig smell off. Did I miss anything good?”
“You left just before the best part,’ Todd said, grinning broadly at the memory. “We were afraid that once the mass of snakes caught up to us. they’d make short work of all Wayne’s stock, but we didn’t count on the sows. When the tiddlers started coming through the slats into their pens, they turned as aggressive as you could have wished.
Wayne was delighted.”
“Really?” Kelly wondered if Todd was teasing her, but a quick look at Hrriss confirmed that this master dissembler was telling the truth.
“They stomped the snakes flat. Hell hath no fury like a sow whose piglets are in danger,’ Todd chortled. “Those sharp hooves chopped lengths off the tiddlers that got through. The others turned around and fled.”
“So we concentrated on the Mommy Sssnakess, Hrriss added.
“By the time the Beaters arrived, we were able to get the swarm back into line. The boars were snorting war cries by the time we started zo clear out of there.” Kelly applauded, laughing. “Let’s have a Pig Brigade next year.”
“That’s what I suggested to Wayne,’ Todd said, grinning with malice. “Since he won’t move them out of the way, we might as well get some help from them. They’re as good as ocelots for chopping up tiddlers.”
“Nearly as good,’ Hrriss corrected him mildly.
Todd favored his friend with an openmouthed stare of feigned astonishment.
“Don’t compare chickens and brrnas,’ Kelly said, playfully putting a hand between them. “I’m glad I got you two alone before everything got started,’ she continued in an undertone, turning so her back shielded her words. “I tried to find your father, Todd, but he’s out showing some diplomats around the model stock ranches. Young Jilamey got talkative when he got mlada’d up in the snake blind. I don’t think he realized what he was implying, in his chummy confidences about Uncle Landreau’s opinion of the Reeve family.” So she repeated Jilamey’s exact words.
“Dad and me out of our element here?” Todd demanded, more indignant than insulted. He let out a harsh bark of laughter. “Earth never was my el
ement!” Kelly grinned, a sparkle in her eyes. “Well, you’ve won one staunch adherent in Jilamey today.
Jilamey admires you tremendously for saving him from the very jaws of death. And he’s going to tell his uncle how quick and clever you were.
Todd snorted. “Much weight that’ll carry with Al Landreau.
Candidly I was thinking that maybe the Admiral sent the kid into the Snake Hunt to get him killed and make the Reeves look worse.
“It failed, didn’t it?” Hrriss said, but the tips of his claws were showing as he rattled them on his knee.
“As the Mayday failed?” Todd said softly.
“What Mayday?” Kelly asked, wondering if she’d missed something.
Todd’s brows drew down over his nose. He stared off across the room, blank-faced. His hands twitched, showing the tension that he wouldn’t allow his face to reveal. Kelly knew the signs. Todd was revving up to full anger even if he never let it go public.
“Landreau has absolutely no grounds to pull any of us out of the colony, no matter what his personal opinion-and grievance against us-might be. Hrriss scowled, pulling his eyebrow whiskers together.
“There were ominous undertones at the Hrrethan celebration we attended,’ he said. “We are all aware that pressure of some kind would increase now that the Treaty Renewal talks are so close. Two of the Hayuman speakers who were on Hrretha are here now, too, Varnorian and Rogitel.
Rrev has seen them, but I think he has not spoken with them.”
“At least you’re aware of undercurrents,’ Kelly said, deciding that now
was the time to reveal her own budget of suspicion and anxieties. “1
caught more than that on Earth,’ and to give herself time to organize her thoughts, she filched nuts from one of the appetizer bowls next to her on the long table.
“Jilamey’s comments today merely support the innuendos. I was going to talk to Ken and Hrrestan in private, but, with the shuttle’s delay, I barely arrived home in time to ride out on Hunt.
“As you two should know. Alreldep is completely pro-Doona, but I wish i could say the same for the other two space services. I feel almost endangered when I have to carry a message to Spacedep offices.
Now that there are plenty of thriving colonies, there is a feeling that Doona is no longer needed.
The experiment was “interesting,” that’s all. The Treaty may just as well be voided, and we can all go our separate ways.
“Has public sentiment gone that far against us?” Todd asked sadly.
“The public? No!” Kelly hurried to assure him.
“They voted on allowing Doona to be colonized, and from what I can tell, none of them have changed their minds. The government agencies are what we have to worry about. To the average man or woman in, say, Air Recycling or Food Services, Doona is still the shining star, the pastoral world that opened up space travel and revitalized Earth’s economy.” Kelly plastered. an imaginary banner on the sky with a sweep of her hand. “Even if those people’re unsuited to colonizaton, they’re making sure that their sons and daughters are taking specialized training so they’ll be qualified one day.
n And every child who visits Alreldep on a school tour wants to be the one to find the next Doona.
It’s the old flatheads in Spacedep who want us to go back to square one and pretend that a cohabited colony never happened.
Especially not one independent from the government of Earth and on which the Earth language is subordinated in favor of the co-inhabitor’s. Having to speak Middle Hrruban when they come here is one of the things that really rankle with them.” She smiled and shook her head, taken aback at her own frankness. “Listen to me go on! Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been able to talk like that?
It’s not approved for diplomats to be heard spouting judgmental statements. Unfortunately I’ve got no proof of opposition except gossip and the unwelcoming mien of Spacedep menials. You’d just have to trust my powers of observation, such as they are.
“How long have we been friends?” Hrriss said, speaking in the Low Hrruban of a familial group.
“We have trusted you since you were able to ride a Hunt.”
“Before that,’ Todd replied in the same vein.
Two Human women passed them, carrying a huge basket of bread between them. Hrriss looked about cautiously before replying, and glanced at Todd for permission. He and Todd had discussed the matter and decided that Kelly had to be told what had happened. With her connections in Alreldep, she’d have access to offices and ranking officials that they did not.
“Unfortunately we have perhaps precipitated an event which would ssserve Spacedep’s purpose well, though we do not yet know who is responsible for engineering it.” Kelly’s eyes went wide. “What happened?”
“This is confidential, you understand,’ Todd said, still in Low Hrruban, which would make what he said unintelligible to many.
Kelly grinned at his tactic and nodded for him to continue. “On the way back from Hrretha, we received a Mayday signal, coming from an uninhabited, interdicted world,’ Todd went on, twisting his shoulders at their naivete. “We responded to the call, only to discover that it was coming from a beacon drone. We found no trace of radiation or ion drive to tell where the ship that dropped it came from. Anyone passing that way could have heard the Mayday, but unluckily it was us.”
“The fact remains that we crossed into a forbidden zone for no purpose,’ Hrriss finished, his purring voice low.
“But you’d have the log record of the Mayday . . .” Kelly began.
“We nearly didn’t,’ Todd replied sourly. A slight malfunction .
.
“Corrected by a kick,’ Hrriss said, grinning.
“In the holographic recorder,’ Todd finished.
“Loose circuit?” Kelly asked, even as she wondered why she was trying to find logical explanations of the malfunction.
“More likely’-Todd managed a fine approximation of an Hrruban growl - “it got overserviced when the Hrrethan space station insisted on being sure the Albatross was in perfect working order.
“Even though we assured them that our own people had serviced it before we started out,’ Hrriss added, letting one claw escape its sheath.
“So no idea who put the drone out there?” Kelly asked, knowing the answer even before Hrriss shook his head.
“There were others who would make their second warp jump at those particular coordinates,’ Hrriss said, “but everyone knew we were anxious to return speedily to RraIa.”
“So it was set up to catch you two.” Her remark was more statement than question.
“That’s the most logical assumption,’ Todd said, “in the present circumstances, but we have a recording of that Mayday, which I don’t think we were supposed to have.”
“And you let Hrriss do all the talking, didn’t you?” Kelly asked briskly, and looked relieved when both nodded. Then her shoulders sagged.
“But it’s just the sort of incident Spacedep would contrive, an unnecessary breach of the Treaty and by a Doonan.
“And a Hrruban!” Hrriss reminded her.
She did not like the inferences that even an idiot could draw, let alone an anti-Doona faction. “Who else knows about this?”
“Our fathers,’ Hrriss said, “Hrrestan and Rrev. it was decided to defer the matter until after the Hunt.”
“Sensible. No one on Doona’d let you escape your Hunt responsibilities,’ Kelly said, and then to insert some levity into the conversation, including me. And,’ she added more brightly, “since this is Doona, you’ll be believed. It’s on Earth that I wouldn’t give a cracked egg for your chances. If we can only limit the incident to Doona-once the visitors have left and can’t get their noses into something as juicy as an interdiction breach.”
“In any case, I’m the one at fault,’ Todd said in his characteristic forthright manner. “I was piloting the ship, and I insisted that we respond to the Mayday, even if it meant passi
ng an interdiction buoy. It’s serious but it oughtn’t to damage the Doonan Treaty.”
“Hear him. He would have us suffer even before being found guilty,’ Hrriss said wryly, nudging Todd in the ribs with the back of his hand. “First it must be proved to the Treaty Council that we acted out of malice. If sanctity of life cannot supersede borders and barriers, then we may not call ourselves civilized.”
“Well, let’s not borrow trouble from tomorrow, huh?” Kelly said, cocking her head at them. “I’m not without resources, you know. Just let me know when to call in favors, and where, and you know I’ll do it.” Then, seeing a swarm of guests crowding into the Hall, she reverted to Standard. “It’s party time, lads,’ she said, rising to her feet, giving her skirts a pracced flirt. “And I intend to party!” Since by tradition and Treaty, there was no hotel, guests were assigned space in the old plastic cabins of the original village. Many visitors found them a diverting change from the usual sterile accommodations. The more prestigious were billeted with Doonan host families, and the overflow used canvas tenting shelters. However, Doonans, Hayuman and Hrruban alike, provided visitors with Friendly Native Guides to keep them company and, more important, to show them the dangerous vegetation and keep them from unexpectedly rousing the ferocious bearlike mda. Such individual contacts with those from other worlds had improved good opinions of Doona over the past twenty-five years.
This year, the Shihs, Phyllis and Hu, leader of the First Human Village, were pleased to have the honor of hosting the Fifth Speaker, the Hrruban Minister for Health and Medicine. The Hrruban’s stripe was noticeably broader and his mane was whitening around his face, but he was solemnly kind to all who approached to greet him. He caught Todd’s eye and smiled. They had met on Hrretha only a few weeks before. Most likely, the venerable Hrruban was still seeing the small boy dressed in mda fur with a rope tail tied around his waist instead of a grown man in normal Earth-style tunic and trousers. Responding to that memory himself, Todd straightened his tunic and squared his shoulders as the Speaker and Hu neared him.