by neetha Napew
“The most difficult part will be for you, waiting until they return! You are both welcome to stay here since they must come through the village grid from the Treaty Island.”
“Thank you, Mrrva,’ Kelly said. As long as Todd and Hrriss were together, perhaps they’d also find a way past this space port difficulty, too. “It’ll be like old times,’ she added, making her smile as genuine as possible.
Outside the house, she could hear the yells and hoots of her twins and Nrrna’s two oldest children. They were accustomed to their fathers jetting off on special trips or being involved in colony business at Treaty Island. As Kelly had also been involved, she had left her pair with Nrrna and Mrrva in First Village. So, totally unconcerned and giving their all to this extra day of leisure, they raced around their Mrrva’s front garden, playing out their notions of what was going on.
Kelly sat on the stoop watching them, reassured by their carefree presence.
Her twin children were tall for their eight Standard years, and skinny as a pair of saplings. Early muscular development and plenty of exercise gave Alec and Alison such innate grace of movement that they resembled a pair of young Hrrubans, hence their nickname, the Alley Cats. Alec had his mother’s red hair, but had inherited intense blue eyes from Todd. Alison was a more exotic combination, with shining black hair, and eyes with golden hazel irises rimmed with black.
Except that they were obviously male and female, the twins’ faces were extraordinarily similar in feature and form, though Alison’s was slightly rounder than her brother’s. Often friends would remark on how glad they were that they had different colour hair. In a losing battle to keep their locks from being eternally tangled messes, Kelly clipped both of them short.
Also eight years old, Hrrana was slight and very shy like her mother, Nrrna. Hrrunival was a chunky six year old with wise eyes. He was the youngest of the four on the lawn, but tended to be the ringleader in games and feats of daring. The children had, of course, heard of the appearance of the strange spaceship in orbit.
“Zoddandhrriss will burrrst into the alien vesssel,’ Hrrunival said, punctuating his phrases with zooming motions of his hands, “and drrrag out ze aliens and say “What are you? Where do you come from?”
“ He was wild with excitement, dancing around on light toes. His elder sister, Hrrana, grabbed him by both ears to hold him still. He spat and batted at her.
“Then they will find out everything there is to know about the aliens,’ Alison said, calmly releasing Hrrunival from his sister’s grasp and fluffing up the fur between the offended aural appendages.
The Hrruban boy’s eyes slitted pleasurably at Alison’s fussing, and he wrinkled his nose at Hrrana. Unconcerned, the female pirouetted and threw a boneless somersault, to land lightly on her feet again.
“And what happens then?” Kelly asked, distracted from her dark mood by the children’s fancies.
“They’ll make friends with them,’ Alec said, triumphantly spinning toward his mother, clapping his hands like cymbals, “like in the story where they brought all the Rralans together. Don’t you think that would be nice, Mommy?”
“Yeah!” exclaimed Hrrunival.
Kelly sighed. The story of how Doonarrala was founded had become almost a legend, with “Toddandhrriss’ the heroes whose names were always spoken together until they became an undistinguished mass of syllables. She hadn’t been born when that had happened, but if Alec was anything like his father had been, it was no mystery how the boy Todd had insinuated, or rather, cannoned himself into the midst of a delicate situation that could have had disastrous repercussions for both races. The unexpectedly deep bonding between the young Todd, so out of phase with Earth social protocol, and Hrriss, had surprised and touched both Havuman and Hrrubans. It was this friendship, and Todd’s determination to enjoy it without adult-conceived hindrances, that had been the cornerstone between the two species. Which had resulted in the Decision at Doona.
The true adventure gave the children of Doonarrala heroes of their own age to admire and emulate. It prompted the occasional outbreak of rope tails attached to the trousers of Hayuman youngsters. If, being the sons and daughters of legends made things a little tougher for the Alley Cats and Nrrna’s brood, they never acknowledged the problem.
Possibly their peers never connected the Todd and Hrriss of the stories with the two very accessible adult males, fathers of their friends, who played with them daily and who led the annual Snake Hunts.
Those Occupations, Kelly reminded herself, were adventurous enough for eight and six year olds.
In the meanwhile, two hours had stretched into five, and from then into nine. Worrying about Todd, Kelly ate a lunch and dinner she didn’t taste. She tried to tell her self that the long delay was because things were going well, not because there’d been problems.
Problems were usually heard about as soon as they occurred. But she couldn’t completely discount her nagging premonition of “trouble’, however nebulous it was.
After the early evening meal, Mrrva retired into the back garden to leave the two younger women alone.
Nrrna dandled baby Hrrunna on her lap, playing with the small cub’s perfect little hands and feet. The baby’s fur was a light gold with a mahogany-brown stripe down her back, a contrast to her mother’s tawnier pelt. The cub fussed a little, and opened a little pink mouth to emit a weak mewling sound. Nrrna, reclining on to one side to expose the four gentle swellings nearly hidden in her fur, put Hrrunna to a nipple. The child began to suck, settling its little rounded ears back at an absurd oblique angle: a peaceful tableau, if not for the presentiment of danger plaguing Kelly.
Unable to sit still, she thought of calling the Federation Centre again to see if they’d had any word from Todd and the others. Arms crossed over her chest to keep her fingers from twitching, she paced over to the console, wondering if it was too soon after her last call.
“What time is it, Nrrna?” she asked, tightening her fingers on her arms.
Nrrna shifted to her other side and nestled Hrrunna in the crook of her other arm so she could look at her wrist chronometer. “Only half past six.”
“Hmm,’ Kelly mused. “That means it’s nine thirty on Treaty Island. Do you think there’s anyone in the Space Centre office?”
“There was not half an hourrr ago, Gelli. Why do you not try to relax?” Nrrna settled the nursing cub, peering at the concentrated little face with its tight-shut, shell-like eyelids.
“I don’t see how you can stay so calm!” Kelly said, ffinging herself out of her chair and pacing around. “Hrriss and Todd could be in great danger.” Nrrna let out the low, musical growl that was a Hrruban laugh. “I must stay calm or this tiny one gets gas through my milk,’ she said. “It is an exercise in self-control. I myself do not think of danger to Zodd or Hrriss! You could go to the Treaty Island?”
“What good would that do?” Kelly grumbled, arriving at the window as the other end of her pace way.
“I am glad you do not,’ Nrrna said, jaw dropped in a gentle smile.
“I prefer that we are together and not alone Kelly glanced down affectionately at the Hrruban woman. “Me, too. I guess that’s why I didn’t go. I’d get that “useless female” reaction and be acidly asked what I thought I could do about anything. That lot at Treaty Island don’t worry about people: they worry about treaties and agendas and .
. . things! Besides, it’d be unfair to leave my two monsters here!
Look at them out there!” The Alley Cats were in the midst of a rough and tumble with Hrrana, Hrrunival, Ourrh, and a group of the neighbourhood youngsters, freed for evening games until darkness. As Kelly watched, Alison was pulled to the ground by a couple of Hrruban cubs and shrieked happily, coming up dusty to drag her friends over with her.
“Where do they get the energy?” Mrrva asked with a sigh as she gazed at their spirited racings.
“It’s not fair, is it?” Kelly said, shaking her head. “Ooops, there goes Alison’s shir
t. Well, it was an old one,’ she added. “Once they knew they weren’t going to school today, I had to fight the two of them into clothes, and now they’re half naked anyhow. “If Hrrana and Hrrunival don’t have to wear anything but belts, then why can’t we?”
“ Kelly piped, in a flawless imitation of Alec at his most difficult.
Nrrna chuckled again. The baby squirmed and let go of the nipple, licking her tiny chops. Her mother repositioned her and, eyes still closed, she placed her head on her front paws and went to sleep.
“Take joy in the differences, that is what I think they should do,’ Nrrna said in Low Hrruban.
“Try telling them that,’ Kelly said, wryly, then shouted out the window at the children. “You’re playing too rough!
Look out for Heeranh’s nose! Augh!” she exclaimed, and started pacing again. “I don’t know where they get the idea that they’re indestructible.”
“From their fathers, no doubt,’ Nrrna said. Hrrunna twitched in her sleep, and gave a squeaky little moan which brought a loving smile from her dam. Nrrna glanced up at Kelly, who was biting her own thumb. “They will be all right, you know that, Gelli. They always are when they are working together.”
“I guess so.” Kelly got up again to glance out the window, and recoiled in shock.
“Mrrva!” she shrieked. “Get the snake rifle!” The Gringg stepped off the grid in the midst of the Hrruban First Village and looked around them with great interest. First they had been landed on this new world in full dark: now they had entered twilight. But this was not a strange phenomenon for they often had to travel long distances on their home world and were used to such time dislocations. They were as glad to be able to see where they now were.
More Rroobvnnns had met them in the orbiting ship, including one very quick-moving male clad in black, and many more Ayoomnnns. From the ship, they had been transferred to a larger shuttle, flown by an engaging Ayoomnnn with black-and-grey hair who showed his teeth frequently and spoke in a poetic cadence. Once this vehicle had reached the surface of the planet, they had been ushered into a large, white-stone cube of a building and down a corridor which echoed when one trod on the floor. The Gringg had been obediently foLlowing their guide to a small platform with pillars at each corner. When they stood upon it, the room became misty. Suddenly, they found themselves here.
Eonneh was impressed. This form of transport was much more effortless than any he had previously encountered. The Gringg had much to learn from the Rroohvnnns.
A second group of four emerged from the mist. Genhh gestured to Eonneh and Ghotyakh to be patient and wait.
By some of the scents, the Gringg decided that Rroobvnnn Rreshtanh lived here. The smell of the green groundcover and some of the flowers had been in his fur.
To one side, a high escarpment bounded the valley in which they stood, which was rich with trees and flora.
Like the life-forms they had seen so far, even the trees seemed less substantial here than on the Gringg world.
But it was a beautiful place, and the air smelled good.
In the distance, they could scent the musky odours of wildlife.
One creature, which must be a service animal, unlike the Ayoomnnns or Rroobvnnns, stood tethered, calmly eating long strands of yellow herbage. It had not noticed them, but many more Hrrubans had. They were coming out of the little houses, staring and pointing at the Gringg. Most of them did not react with fear, but with interest.
Eonneh found that to be heartening. Much more reassuring than the emotions he had perceived on the large orbiting ship.
The Rroobvnnn Rreshtanh was much honoured here.
Most of the Hrrubans spoke to him before circling around to look at the two aliens. Eonneh returned their gazes for a while, then because there was little variation between one tawny-gold face and another, became more interested in the scenery. There was much greater variation in colour among the Ayoomnnns.
“Act as if there was nothing unusual in the way we were just transported,’ Eonneh said to Ghotyakh. “Though we have only seen a small part of this world, I am relieved that we seem to have been taken into the living places of these people. Even in the place where we first stopped, we have seen nothing of the weapons carried by the guards on the ship. Accept anything they do with padded claws. Let us be sure not to frighten them.”
“Observe the shapes of the domiciles, Eonneh,’ Ghotyakh said, turning a slow circle. “Square roofs, as had that building into which we were first taken. Everything is built using flat planes, and nearly all of them above ground. Curious.
“It is so. They do not build as we do, in echo of the natural shelters of the motherworid.” Eonneh stared at one dwelling. “I would guess they have better ventilation than our homes. Perhaps their seasonal changes are not as drastic as ours. A very pleasant place.” His tail wagged slowly. “I shall enjoy our time here.
The gesture seemed to interest his hosts. Genhh had no caudal appendage, as Eonneh had already observed. The angry male in black, who appeared to be subordinate to the male wearing an ornate red robe, both of whom had remained behind in the ship, had long, flexible tails that switched back and forth all the time.
“What interesting creatures these are, he said, glancing at the Rroobvnnns. “There is so much variation among the members of one sex.
And do you notice that all the males seem to live on one side of this place and the females on the other? Look how many Ayoomnnns are coming from that direction. None live here.”
“Reh. It is most curious. Is there water about? I’m thirsty, but a swim is even more necessary.”
“I hear some running over there,’ Ghotyakh said, peering in the direction from which the Ayoomnnns were coming. “There is a bridge.” Curious to see a Doonarralan river, the two ambled towards the sound.
A shout from behind reminded them that they were not alone.
“Oh, I apologize, Genhh,’ Eonneh said, politely, turning to the Ayoomnnn female. Her thin, nearly hairless skin was reddened from the effort of running. Eonneh noted again how small and weak the creatures of this world were. The tall being showed her teeth, and spoke. The Gringg listened, catching a word here and there, but comprehending more from the accompanying gestures.
“We will follow where you go,’ Eonneh said agreeably.
“They speak so quietly, Eonneh! I will be so glad when we work out what it is they are saying,’ Ghotyakh said.
“They give every indication that they wish to learn our words, although it is also clear they want us to learn their language. I am glad we at least are no longer being watched by Ayoomnns carrying weapons, but this is in its own way a threat.”
“I, too, still worry that they do not trust us. It is vital that they see us as harmless.
Let us continue to shield our reactions and walk among them to reassure the small ones.
If Grzzeearoghh commands that to speak their language is the best thing for Gringg to do, we shall do so, as we will deal with whatever else befalls us,’ Eonneh replied, following Ken into the heart of the Hrruban Village. “For myself it is worth the risk, I am delighted to learn an alien language. It is easy to master other Gringg dialects, for they are all based upon the one mother language. This this is genuinely different, and challenging. I have been waiting for a chance like this all my life.” The Gringg, gliding along in the midst of their escort, seemed fascinated by their surroundings. Ken pointed out objects, attaching names to each but they paid scant attention to him.
They did seem to be taking everything in with all their senses.
Occasionally, Eonneh or Ghotyakh stopped to touch a tree or the wall of a house, feeling its substance with the sensitive pads of their handpaws.
A crowd of Hrrubans had gathered and, as word spread of the visitors’ presence, Havumans came over the Friendship Bridge to watch; at a respectful distance, having noted the aliens’ size, teeth and claws. The Gringg noted them placidly, and went on.
“What are these monsters? They lo
ok like giant mda!” demanded Anne Boncyk, riding up on a skittish horse.
She was a dainty woman with a decided chin and large, fringed brown eyes.
“Our latest visitors,’ Ken said affably. At times, one didn’t know which way Anne would jump. “They call themselves Gringg. Their ship is in orbit around Doonarrala.” The horse stretched out its neck to sniff at the Gringg.
It sneezed once, but didn’t shy away. Anne looked surprised.
“What about that? I’d’ve thought he’d be off across the compound,’ she said. “They don’t scare him. Good lad!” And she gave her mount an affectionate slap on the neck.
“I find,’ Jilamey said, mischievously, “that horses do not tend to judge by appearances.
“All ze children are still here, Hrrestan noted, sorting out the whirlwind of small bodies that whisked back and forth across his front garden. “Our sons’ mates are waiting together.” The older Hrruban paused. “You are certain that Zodd and Hrriss are safe?”
“Have you ever known a situation where they were at a loss?” Ken said lightly.
“Except that dratted space port issue. Seriously, old friend, I wouldn’t have left them if I felt them to be endangered. I have a gut-strong reaction that these fellows are peaceful. Otherwise, they wouldn’t send the captain’s own archivist with us, and that’s what I judge Eonneh here to be.” Then he grinned, poking Hrrestan in the ribs.
“Let’s see what the grandkids think of our new friends! If I remember rightly, Todd trusted you on sight and he’s never been righter.” “You’rrre not inzending to let zese strangers near childrrren, are you?”
Hirro, Hrrestan’s nearest neighbour, was shocked.