Doona Trilogy Omnibus

by neetha Napew

  “On your way, did you discover dwarf systems? Or do you have enough ores and minerals on your own planet?” Hrrto finally inserted as casually as possible. Only systems shattered by novas contained the purralinium with the impurities that could be used for matter transmission.

  “Reh! Yes,’ the captain said, nodding her great head.

  “Three,’ and she held up three huge digits. “We always look for new ah grrrmmm - metals, earths, useful raw materials.”

  “I see!” Hrrto could hardly contain his excitement over such news. Surely in one of those systems, there would be the purralinium the Hrrubans had long sought.

  “Do you?” asked the captain politely.

  “One always looks,’ Hrrto said, waving one hand in an airy gesture, dismissing that topic. “We search space, too.

  You must come from veryfar away.”

  “Our scribes try to find time parallels so can be accurate.

  No wish to keep back any information. Only special words not available yet.” Throughout their hour-long meeting, she appeared at ease and did not evade discussion of any topic Hrrto touched upon.

  Finally, after noticing she had finished the contents of the bowls on her table, he realized that it would be diplomatic for him to bring the meeting to a close. She was graciousness itself, and the young Weddeerogh, her male cub, awaited outside the door to guide Hrrto back to the bay, and his transport back to Rraladoona.

  All in all, as Hrrto took his seat in the scout ship, he felt the meeting had gone well. The possibility of locating one of those nova-blasted systems was the brightest part of the hour. More important, he had survived it!

  The next morning, when Second Speaker arrived at the Treaty Centre with his entourage and swept into the Chamber, he had second thoughts.

  He had spent a night tossing and turning on his pallet, and he was one who usually found sleep easily. He had rehearsed query and answer many times. He also tried to figure out how to acquire the coordinates of one of the nova systems.

  Yet that would require very adroit manoeuvring on his part. But, as he tossed and turned, a solution came to him. The scientist, Hurrhee, who was one of his own Stripe, would surely be invited to attend any technological sessions. Hurrhee was completely trustworthy, in that he held science as the premier dedication of his life. He could certainly introduce the topic of nova-blasted systems.

  Perhaps the Gringg might even have samples of every ore, earth and mineral they hoped to trade. A simple survey would discover whether or not the purralinium fitted Hrruban requirements. Yes, that was how to handle that problem. Accepting judicious amounts in return for trade items would not arouse any suspicions.

  Satisfied with that solution, Hrrto once again composed himself to sleep. Only to find himself distressed by a second anxiety. Despite the evidence on the tape shown him by the Hayuman admiral, he could not equate such brutality with the courtesies shown him by the captain.

  Of course, her manner and charm - yes, she had been charming in her own fashion - might be serving her own ends by allaying his doubts but Hrrto could not quite believe such duplicity. Certainly not from someone who had assigned her own flesh and blood as his guide. Had she come to Hrruba, he would have assigned his second generation offspring as her guide.

  Mllaba, of course, had wanted a word by word account of the meeting. He had touched on the details, privately wondering what her reactions would be when she was face to face with the stupendous reality of Captain Grzzeearogh. That w9uld teach her humility.

  Casually, he asked her to arrange a discreet meeting with Hurrhee as early as possible the next morning, before the trade conference began and, for once, she did not ask why.

  The next day, the wide hall of the Treaty Centre - almost as wide as a corridor on the Gringg vessel - was well populated with little knots of Hayumans and Hrrubans chatting amiably. Hrrto, walking with great dignity, sensed the air of pleased anticipation. In front of the chamber assigned to the space port talks, he recognized the fair-haired female captain and the Hayuman commander. If there was purralinium to he had by congress with the Gringg, he would have to rethink that uneasy alliance.

  Greene turned a precise half bow in his direction, to which Second responded. The Hayuman had kept Hrrto’s aide fully informed as to the progress of the Spacedep fleet towards Rraladoona. Neither that squadron nor the three Hrruban defence ships were close enough, yet.

  Now Hrrto wondered if that action had been as necessary as the Spacedep person had insisted. Would it ruin the good start he had made with the captain and, at the worst, deny the Hrrubans a possible source of purralinium? If he had only been able to ask her about Fingal and the dead orbiting Gringg ship! Maybe having both navies there was not a bad idea. If the Gringg were as peaceful as they implied, he could always say that policy had required him to inform the Hrruban navy and they had acted without his orders.

  Yes, that was it. On the other hand, the naval presence might forestall any devious Gringg scheme. Either way, he would be considered wise. Overnight reflections had not entirely dispersed his anxieties but his little chat with Hurrhee could be the most productive. After briefing Hurrhee, he had had to review the morning despatches which included almost insolent demands from Hrruban manufacturers and traders of all commodities to open dialogue. They must have first choices with such an obscene single-mindedness that for once Hrrto found himself disgusted with Stripes, wide and narrow.

  He was here now, officially and publicly, to initiate trade talks with Captain Grizz. Hurrhee was primed to include ores as part of any trade payment. Once matters were underway with that session, Hrrto could then gracefully retire to the space port conference. He couldn’t quite leave such negotiations to Prrid, Mrrunda, Hrrouf and the others who had grided in for that purpose. Once he was sure that both meetings were proceeding with despatch, he might then be able to get back to Hrruba and promote his personal ambitions toward First Speakership.

  Hrrto had prepared himself to greet the acerbic Spacedep commander present, to affect interest in their manipulations. He could also restrain them until the matter of how to translate Gringg distances and times into Hrruban equivalents - and Hurrhee was going to pump for that vital information - had been solved. So long as he had some coordinates to give his exploration teams to find those possible sources of purralinium.

  Mllaba was almost treading on his heels as she escorted him to the trade conference room. To his relief, the immense and shaggy Gringg had not yet arrived though huge square cushions on the floor gave notice where they were to sit.

  “Your place should be at the head of the table,’ Mllaba whispered, guiding him towards one end of the great oval board.

  To their surprise, Hrrin was seated already at the end of the oval. He regarded them with glittering eyes when they approached, showing no signs of vacating his seat.

  “Greetings, honorrred speaker,’ he said in proper High Hrruban, rising and bowing gracefully. “I have been deputized as Rrraladoonan spokesperson but I will, of course, defer.

  “I had expected Hrrestan. . .” Second began.

  “Ah, but he is conducting the space port affairs,’ Hrrin said smoothly. “It was our understanding that you would not stay here long but go on to the more important conference.

  Mllaba hissed slightly in Hrrto’s ear. Sometimes she could be annoying about what was due his rank.

  “We have arranged ourselves according to our ongins,’ Hrrin went on, gesturing to the Rraladoonans seated to his right and the Hrrubans, onward to the Terran delegation of captains and Jilamey Landreau further along the table.

  The room was full enough of bodies right now and Hrrto jerked his shoulders, switched his tail, trying hard not to remember how the captain had dominated a room not much larger than this.

  “Most commendable,’ Second said with an absent frown.

  In ordinary circumstances, protocol would have required a Hrruban to allow him the dominant place for however long he chose to stay in the meeting.
Hrrestan would have automatically deferred but this Hrrin was more Rraladoonan. Hrrto decided to ignore Mllaba’s hissing.

  To demand protocol in a mere trade meeting would appear petty. It would be more important for him to be prominent in the space port considerations than to bicker about what to buy from whom and at what price.

  Noting that Hurrhee was present, Hrrto spared a glance for Nrrena, seated to the scientist’s right. She was an intimate of Fifth Speaker and bore watching. She must not think that these seating arrangements constituted a discourtesy. Determined to put the best face on the situation, he nodded with great dignity to Hrrin. “How wise to show, even here, that Hrruba is distinct from Terra.”

  “I am so glad that you approve, sir, Hrrin said, once again making a courteous gesture to the chair placed well along the outer curve of the great table.

  Smiling graciously to Nrrena and two Hrrubans he did not know, Hrrto moved to that seat. It was, he was relieved to note, more ornate than any of the others on this segment of the table. He settled himself in the deep chair, flicking his tail out under the arm rest.

  Mllaba was growling under her breath as she sat behind him on a small seat she pulled from those ranged along the wall.

  Hrrto looked around with practised casualness. Zocid Rrev occupied the other end of the table. Hrrto noticed that neither he nor Hrrin sat at the exact head, but angled off slightly from the table’s axis. He wondered what precisely that indicated in the negotiations to come. The Rraladoonans had their own agenda, he had no doubt, and were clever enough to push it through in spite of the best efforts of home world diplomats. See how they had begun by forestalling him.

  Then he realized that he was directly opposite an as yet unoccupied place which had no chair. He would be facing a Gringg. He steeled himself for that, wary after last evening’s encounter. That inadvertently brought to mind the Spacedep tape as well as last night’s insomnia.

  Again, he saw the devastated landscape, and the floating frozen corpses and could not control a spinal shudder.

  Firmly, he put that vision firmly out of his mind. To cover his spasm, he fiddled with the voder straps. Everyone here was wearing the contraptions, of course, and he devoutly hoped that Hrrin - or would it be zOdd Rrev who moderated this meeting - made certain that only one person spoke at a time. Otherwise the resultant cacophony of sound would be nerve-racking.

  The Hayuman Admiral noisily entered the chamber now, and took his place obliquely across from Hrrto with curt nods to everyone in the room. The bearded Codep trader and the stout independent trader followed with the Alreldep Admiral and the small Hayuman male from Terra and a gaggle of others he’d never seen.

  Jilamey Landreau interested Hrrto. His spies had informed him that Landreau was well connected in government, industry and the arts, and had tremendous credit. His financial acumen was much respected despite his youth, for none of his ventures ever seemed to lose money.

  Landreau dressed much more colourfully than any negotiator or diplomat should, in Hrrto’s opinion, almost Hrruban in style. At least the Hayuman understood the order of precedence, as he greeted Hrrto first on entering the room.

  “Second Speaker, you honour us by your presence!” Landreau said, bowing with hand on heart. His warm brown eyes held a twinkle. “Why, good morning, Commander Greene! You’re looking well.” The Hayuman commander offered a meaningless pleasantry and swung immediately back to the Admiral.

  Landreau slouched into the seat between the scarlethaired banker and Zodd Rrev, and began a cheerful conversation.

  More, totally unknown, Hrrubans arrived, both bowed sharply to Hrrto from the doorway. Then Prrid emerged from the group and proceeded to his side of the table.

  “I must be here to welcome the Gringg captain,’ Prrid murmured in High Hrruban in Hrrto’s ear, “then I will join you in the space port discussions. Mrrunda attends them now.” Hrrto approved with a nod and Prrid seated himself. The Space Arm commandant, too, would be facing Gringg. Hrrto mulled over Prrid’s probable reactions to Captain Grizz.

  Quite likely it would only reinforce Prrid’s doubts about the Gringg’s real purpose in approaching Rraladoona.

  There was a stir and a hubbub of voices in the corridor outside.

  Zodd Rrev observed it, too. Hrrto tilted his ears towards the door and rolled them back again as he felt an uncomfortable sensation at the back of his neck.

  “I think our third party has arrived,’ said Rrev, rising.

  Hastily, Hrrin, as co-host, sprang to his feet. Into the chamber swung Grizi:, looking larger than ever. Hrrto had to restrain an impulse to lean back, away from her.

  She was truly overwhelming as she strode into the room.

  The floor seemed to bounce with the weight of her and her four companions.

  Someone, thought Hrrto, ought to tell her to keep her lips over her fangs, despite the fact that an open mouth was for her species, like his, a sign of friendliness. Then Hrrto noticed that the Stripe fur of every single Hrruban bristled with an instinctive reaction.

  Except his, he was excessively pleased to note. He could also hear the faint whistle of lashing tails as Grizz’ head brushed the top of the doorway. The resounding roar she used for a voice filled the room, overpowering the efforts of the small translator at her throat to compensate. Hrrto’s heart pounded. So bizarre for the female of a species to be larger than the male. She quite dwarfed the males in her entourage.

  “Hold it, hold it there, Grizz,’ a narrow, dark-skinned Hayuman said, running up to the giant beast with a small tool. “We’re getting harmonics here, lady bear.” Lady bear? Hrrto was taken aback by such familiarity, such lack of basic decorum. Beside him, he could sense Milaba’s tension. He gave her a warning glance to settle the fur on her nape but, when he turned to Prrid, the naval commandant had already smoothed himself. Good Stripe, that Prrid.

  With five Gringg, the room became suddenly as crowded as a package of fish, and he could see more in the corridor.

  They were so imposing that a few of them looked like an invading army. Perhaps calling the Space Arm had not been such a bad idea. The Hayuman made adjustments to the captain’s speech device and stepped away.

  “That . . . good, gggrrr, better, best,’ said the Gringg, swinging a huge paw to touch the male gently on the shoulder. Her voder had modified her speech to a much more pleasing pitch.

  Without the subsonics exacerbating his nerves, Hrrto relaxed.

  Strange that just sound could produce such effects. But others looked very much on their guard.

  Merely the presence of the immense Gringg held an aura of threat.

  Did they count on that?

  “Wrrrfgruh. . .1 grrreet you all,’ she said, turning her head to include the occupants of the table. “Hayumans and Hrrubans both.”

  “On behalf of Doonarrala,’ zOdd Rrev said, “I greet you, Captain Grzzeearoghh, and welcome you to the first in a series of talks which, we deeply hope, will benefit us all.” The voder at his throat translated his words from good Middle Hrruban into inarticulate growls and coughs.

  Hrrto laid back his ears. Some of the growling fell below his range of hearing, and sound shocks flew up and down his spine.

  The great captain inclined her head. Zodd swept his hand around the room to include the cushions on the empty side of the table. “I hope these will be adequate.” The captain nodded absently in approval as she asked.

  “Two peoples are you Hayumans and Hrrubans?”

  “That is correct, Madam Captain,’ Hrrin replied, courteously. “Here on Rraladoona we proudly sharrre a world, but we are of separate origins and species.

  If you and your prrrty will be seated, we shall begin.”

  “No. Two rooms are needed,’ the Gringg said, and folded her paws over her chest with a gesture of finality.

  ù”I have brought two pairs of Gringg, to speak to you separately.”

  “But why?” Todd asked, surprised.

  ù”Here are two peoples. We hon
our your individuality. It is possible you each need different things from us, that you ùsupply us with different items or units. It is only courteous to give individual attention to each of you. Therefore, two separate negotiations shall be held.” The translator punctuated the Hrruban phrases with growls and hums, but Grizz’ 5 meaning was clear.

  This was not proceeding according to plan. And yet, without the Hayumans in the room, the subject of purralinium could be brought up without fear that the Hayumans would understand its importance to the Hrruban economy.

  Be that as it may, Hrrto did not entirely trust this new development. These aliens were dangerous. Did they intend to divide and conquer, to promise vital goods and services to the Hayumans in private, cheating the Hrrubans of equal opportunities? Purralinium was not the only raw material Hrruba lacked. Depressed, Hrrto could see complications looming.

  Admiral Barnstable seemed no happier with her proposal for he leaned across the table towards Rrev.

  “Conference, Rrev,’ he ordered in High Hrruban.

  Quickly, Rrev turned to the towering Gringg and made a deep bow.

  “A moment’s pause, Captain,’ Rrev said through the voder and beckoned urgently to Hrrin. “We had not expected a division.” The Gringg lifted a paw in acceptance and sat down on the cushions, waiting with cheerful patience.

  Second Speaker, Hrrin and Mllaba joined the Admiral, Greene, Captain Castleton, the two Rrevs and Hrrin and Kiachif in the furthest corner from the Gringg. Milaba’s nape hair stuck straight out in agitation. Greene looked grim; Castleton, curious.

  “This will not do, Reeve,’ the Admiral muttered as they assembled.

  “I insist that we establish a single roundtable for any trade agreements. Each of our two races must have absolutely identical treatment and consideration. No covert clauses.”