Doona Trilogy Omnibus

by neetha Napew

  While others prepared the building materials, heavy loading equipment that had been used to build the Centre and the Councillors’ Residences had been rolled down, and were now hard at work excavating a deep swimming hole, with dams at each end to keep the level suitably high.

  In the spirit of cooperation, artists from every village worked alongside the Gringg scribes to stencil and paint handsome, colourful designs as soon as the walls were ready.

  When Todd arrived that morning on the site, he estimated that there must have been five hundred people pitching in to help. He was inordinately pleased by that: another subtle vote of confidence in himself and Hrrestan.

  When he and Hrriss had put out the word that volunteers were needed, the response had been so overwhelmingly enthusiastic that they’d had to set up two shifts. Feeding the crew was also no problem: over a hundred households had offered to supply meals.

  “At this rate, it could be finished in two days,’ Todd told Hrrestan, who was sitting at a safe distance from the sawyers, going over the blueprints. Amid loud cries to beware for safety, workers raised the pylons for the foundation.

  Gringgs, using mighty hammers, almost casually pounded them into the ground. From where they sat, Todd could see how enormous the finished complex would be. But then, the Gringg liked a lot of space.

  The curved archways were a lot like the halls on their ship.

  “As quickly as the rlba sets,’ Hrrestan agreed, cheerfully in Low Hrruban. “It is hot enough to dry the sap, but not too hot. Donations of furnishings have also been coming in. Have you noticed them? I asked Kelly and Nrrna to take careful notes so the donors can be thanked.” The generosity of the Rraladoonans was indeed impressive.

  Piles of tapestries, cushions, carefully boxed works of art, even some electronic entertainment equipment lay upon outspread tarps under a vast expanse of waterproof canvas. The period of settled weather had been chosen but with such fine gifts, no chance was being taken. Kelly and Nrrna climbed around the heap of goods, compiling a rough inventory.

  “Hey, the pickings are great! The Gringg’ll be able to furnish several embassies with what’s come in,’ Kelly yelled down to him, waving her clipboard.

  Todd grinned, and held up a hand, still slightly yellowed from last week’s bruising rock. Hrrestan glanced at it.

  “Kiachif tracked the culprit down.”

  “He did?” Todd was surprised.

  “Is he still breathing?” he asked, knowing Kiachifs penchant for making punishment fit crimes.

  Hrrestan grinned. “Kiachif is careful to keep his customers. The man is from a trading company which does a lot of business with Spacedep. With all the rumours being circulated by inaccurate reports, he evidently believed that the Gringg were going to be allowed sanctions that would ruin his business.”

  “So, what punishment fitted his crime?” Todd asked, seeing Hrrestan was amused.

  “Tell, tell, tell!” Kelly cried, sliding down the mound to join them.

  “So Kiachif demanded a cut rate for all merchandise he is now empowered to supply at the space port.” Hrrestan’s dropped jaw indicated how well he approved of the solution and Todd’s smile was just as wide.

  Kelly turned wide eyes on her husband. “You’ve given up fighting the space port?”

  “Well,’ Todd said, dragging out the word and the suspense, “a triangle is a much more stable construction than a two-sided affair.” He heaved a sigh. “And with the Gringg mediating, I don’t foresee the problems that obsessed me when the project was first suggested.”

  “The Gringg have done us many favours,’ Hrrestan said and answered a hail from one group of workers, leaving the two Reeves together.

  “That’s a tremendous relief, darling,’ she said, giving him a firm hug and a long kiss. “You don’t know how Nrrna and I have worried “Oh, yes, I do,’ Todd said and held her tightly for a long moment more when she would have disengaged. “Yes, I do,’ he added more softly, “and blessed you for letting me make up my own mind.”

  “Humph,’ she said, struggling out of his embrace. “As if any agency but you will make up your mind!” She resumed her stool and her inventory-taking. “So when will that start?”

  “Right after Snake Hunt,’ Todd replied, with a broad sweep of his arm. “Which will be soon. Ben Adjei predicts it’ll start in two days at the most.” Kelly gave a groan of dismay. “Oh, lordie, will we have time to finish the Gringg house?” Todd laughed, waving his hand at the hustling workers.

  “I don’t see why not. At least they’ll have a roof over their heads. They’re as eager to join the hunt as anyone else on Rraladoon right now.” He grinned broadly. “That’ll be some sight! Gringgs tackling Big Mamma Snakes.” Nrrna arrived as he finished his sentence.

  “Hrriss says to tell you zat ze Sighters say ze snakes are gathering on ze sea marshes. Some are even heading for the dunes.”

  “Good, good!” Todd said, nodding.

  Nrrna grinned. “Ze children have talked of nothing else all day.

  Zey arre eager to show Zeddy what a G.B.M.S.

  looks like.”

  “From a safe distance, I hope.” Todd looked arouna.

  There were numerous children on the site, but he couldn’t spot his twins. “That reminds me: where are they?” Kelly glanced up. “Hmm?

  They were around here just a minute ago, with Teddy in tow.

  They’re so inseparable I’m starting to think of them as the Fearless Five.” She stood up and called out the twins’ names.

  “Over here, Dad,’ Alec’s unhappy voice came from around the back of the tarpaulins.

  Todd found the five youngsters sitting together in a heap. Hrrana had her tail wound firmly around Teddy’s leg, and Hrrunival was sandwiched between the Alley Cats with his head on Alison’s lap. All of them wore glum expressions.

  “So what’s wrong here, Cats?” he asked.

  “Daddy, couldn’t Teddy stay here with us?” the twins asked in hopeful unison. “We’re afraid if he goes away, we’ll never see him ever’ “Well, since his mother’s a starship captain as well as a fully accredited consul to Rraladoon, she might be spending a lot of time either in the embassy or running cargoes between our world and his,’ Todd explained, “so you might get to see him as often as you do Ali Kiachif.”

  “That’d be OK,’ Alec said. He had screwed his face up under his mop of red hair, hardly daring to let hope show.

  “You may be absolutely certain that we will be staying in touch with our Gringg friends,’ Kelly promised, sitting down on the tarp’s edge beside them.

  “How?” Alison asked.

  “How?” Todd echoed, beating Alec’s identical query.

  Kelly smiled. “Oh, Grizz has signed on my computer bulletin board. Her engineer and that marvellous Cardiff worked out a conversion program. Her entries will be holographic or audio/video for a time, but the Gringg have all the parameters to create a congruent writtenlanguage program. I gave them a lot of read-and-listen books to help them connect the spoken to the written word.”

  “What kind of books?” Todd asked, eyebrows raised, seeing the mischievous gleam in his wife’s eyes.

  Kelly affected innocence. “Very simple ones to start with.

  Children’s books, like The Three Bears, and Winniethe-Pooh.” Todd laughed and hugged her close. “Thank you, love.”

  “But of course! I don’t want to lose touch with them either,’ Kelly said, and reassured the children with her smile. “So you can message to Teddy as often as you want.”

  “I’m glad,’ Alison said, seizing Teddy’s paw. “I like him.” Teddy blinked at her shyly. “I like you too, Alison.”

  “And me?” Hrrunival demanded, determined not to be left out.

  “And you. All of you. The young Gringg bestowed rib-cracking hugs on each of his dear friends, which left them gasping for breath to giggle.

  “Teddy is going to be able to ride out on hunt with us tomorrow, isn’t he, Dad?” Alec asked, his
tone demanding an affirmative. “Hrriss said he could have that old plodder of his.” Todd scowled. “It may not be tomorrow. And it might not be safe. Have you considered what Captain Grizz thinks of all this?”

  “Oh, she wants to go, too,’ Hrrana said. “She is very interested in snake eggs. Teddy told her about his lunch that day.”

  “Please, Dad?”

  “Please?”

  “Please, Uncle Zodd?”

  “We will stay back where it is safe,’ Hrrana promised, opening large green eyes at him. Todd sighed.

  “Let us talk it over with your parents later.”

  “Oh, there you are!” Ken Reeve said, peering in under the makeshift tent flap. He held up his camcorder. “Part of the frame is up, and they’re setting the braces for one wall. I thought I’d immortalize this historic moment of galactic cooperation. I’m looking for models to show the scale of the building,’ he said, glancing meaningfully at the children.

  “Any volunteers?”

  “Oh, yes!” exclaimed both Alley Cats at once, springing to their feet.

  They dragged the rest of the Fearless Five behind them, although no one required much urging. Kelly and Todd, holding hands, followed more slowly.

  The same Hrruban and Hayuman skills which had raised the friendship bridge now translated an architectural design by Honey; a mighty, cave-like building was already starting to take shape. Part of the first level, which would support a solidly buttressed terrace, was cantilevered over the river, so that the water-loving Gringg could dive into the warm, tropical water from their dwelling.

  Todd admired its handsome lines as much as he did its symbolism.

  “Gosh, your own swimming hole, right inside your house!” Alec said, catching the gist of the design immediately. “Hey, Dad, this is a great idea! Can we run a walkway right to the swimming hole? It would be terrific!”

  “You wouldn’t say that in no-see-um season,’ Todd said, with a mock grumble.

  “Aw, Dad!” the twins chorused.

  Hrriss and Eonneh pulled themselves away from their conference with the senior builder, a heavy-set Gringg with a greying mane and muzzle.

  “Are you pleased with what you have wrought, friend zOdd?” Hrriss asked.

  “More and more,’ Todd said, waving a hand at the building framework.

  “That’s a grand design, Honey, functional and impressive.

  The architect sighed. “It is not often such an opportunity is given. I am sorry I shall never live in it,’ but he eyed his design with evident satisfaction. “Others shall stay as the permanent residents. I and my mate and offspring will only be occasional visitors.”

  “Well, you’ll be welcome whenever you part space to come here,’ Todd said. “We’ve certainly enjoyed your visit.”

  “I contemplate with great sorrow the ending and I thank you for the invitation to join in the Hunt festivities.”

  “Couldn’t, and wouldn’t, leave you out of them,’ Todd said, instantly. “It’s just too bad we don’t have horses strong enough for you to take part in the Hunt itself.”

  “Zat is so,’ Hrriss added, dropping his jaw in a broad grin. “You make even a Big Mamma Snake zink twice about attacking.”

  “I will enjoy what is possible,’ Eonneh said, with the usual equanimity of the male Gringg, “from the shuttle.”

  “Well, then, Fate protect any snake that gets in your way. In any case, you’ll be more than welcome, if only to keep our assorted offspring from haring away to find big snakes by themselves,’ Todd added, with a laugh. “This is the time to see Rraladoon at its best, during New Home Week. Every Rraladoonan who can scrape up the fare from Earth or one of the colonies comes home. We’ll introduce you to as many as you can tolerate meeting.

  They’ll spread the word about our new trade allies with no tall tales and embroideries. That I can promise!”

  Chapter 12

  Two MORNINGS LATER, SIGHTERS LANDED THEIR LIGHT helicraft outside Todd’s bedroom window just after dawn to inform him that the hundreds of female snakes were nearly finished with egg-laying in sandy dunes.

  Between one breath and another, Todd roused himself out of sound sleep to full organizational mode. As he dressed, he reviewed one or two points that he wanted Robin to check out but, despite the overlapping problems with Spacedep and the Gringg, long familiarity with Snake Hunts assured him that they were ready for the snakes.

  Robin was such a good organizer and so meticulous in detail, that Todd anticipated few problems. But then, the snakes might not cooperate.

  They could throw glitches almost as if they were testing the Hayumans and Hrrubans who had invaded their traditional routes. Years of coping provided ample experience to handle anything that could possibly happen. He hoped!

  Fortified by a good breakfast, he and Hrriss reined their Hunt horses in the middle of the village square in front of the Assembly Hall. The peripheral support personnel - Sighters, Beaters, Lures, Wranglers and first aid crews - as important as the teams who herded the snakes along the way, were all accounted. The complements of the individual teams were still assembling, their team leaders checking each person that gear was in proper order and appearance. The aids were well supplied with traditional medical gear, plus big tubes of the healing salve vrrela, good for any general wound, but a sovereign remedy against rroamal poisoning. The mere touch of the toxic vines was enough to raise healthy welts even on furred skin. Team members carried supplies as well but it wasn’t just team riders who blundered into the poisonous weed.

  Experienced Hayuman and Hrruban hunters wore “chaps and straps’ to protect them against rroamal and the thin whips of young branches that scored flesh on a hellride through the forest. Hardhats were buckled across chins and were inspected for soundness. Where a team had green riders, one member was assigned as “wrangler’ to assist those who might have trouble controlling their horses in the excitement of the Hunt.

  The square was crowded with double the indigenous population of Rraladoon: the ones who got vicarious thrills out of watching the Hunt, observing those who were qualified to participate. Visiting dignitaries from planetary governments all over Hrruban and Hayuman space were present.

  Not only did the Hunt provide a real boost to the treasury of the colony, it attracted enough competent people to help the resident conservationists drive the snakes safely back to their natural preserve with a minimum of loss. Even the most ardent ProLife fanatic admitted to the necessity of discreet culling for a species whose females laid hundreds of eggs, a large proportion of which survived natural disasters. Even when there had been few to control the thousands of reptiles, wholesale killing had been prohibited.

  The decision of a safety kill or capture of a certain number of snakes was the prerogative of the Hunt Masters, requiring split second decisions during the high excitement of the Hunt. Fresh snake meat was a delicacy, generally only available during Hunt season or when marauding young males attacked outlying farms.

  Todd and Hrriss checked with each team leader that all his riders had snake sacks and operational handsets.

  Someone always forgot these essentials. As usual, there was one young rider who protested having to wear a poxy belt unit which he was certain would hamper him. Hrriss merely gave the cold-eyed stare of a person who did not wish to argue.

  “No handset, no hunt, young man,’ Hrriss said, firmly.

  Grumbling gracelessly, the Hayuman took the unit and retreated out of sight of the Masters of the Hunt.

  The onlookers framed the main square, keeping a judicious distance from the heels of excited horses, cavorting and showing off. Old hands at this Hunt, like Todd’s Gypsy, Hrriss’ Rrhee, the old mares that Errala and Hrrin used, calmly circulated, miraculously avoiding a kick or a bite.

  “Sappers?” Todd asked, checking his pad.

  “I have hrrrd from Hrrol,’ Hrriss confirmed, pointing a sharp claw at his pad to underscore that entry. “She says zey have finished laying mine charges under bridges an
d blockading with fences, zorns and razor wire over all other accesses leading to vulnerable targets. Zey are spread out along ze route for stragglers, particularly the old,’ and Hrriss was not above grinning at Todd over that, “Space Centre.

  Lures are ranged along the route and zere are relief and back-up riders ready to accompany the teams.” The Lures, mounted on dirt bikes, were trained in their function - to attract renegade snakes of any size and “lure’ them back to the main drive. Their bikes and persons were liberally smeared with bacon fat, redolent and irresistible to snakes.

  “Great,’ Todd said. “We’ve got about half an hour before we have to ride out. I’d better let the guests get into position.” He informed the heli pilots.

  The excited clamour, mostly from first-time hunters duffers in Rraladoonan parlance - vied with the hacking sound of copter blades beating the air, the impatient whinny of the occasional horse, and the general babble among old friends reuniting after long separation, as Rraladoon prepared for its annual event. While duffers were permitted to accompany hunting teams, they could not participate in the more difficult and dangerous occupations of Beater or Lure, though over the years, some off-world hunters who showed the proper amount of care and skill could be “promoted’ to hunter status.

  Few had the patience to be accorded that honour. Many of the duffers who joined in only wanted to have a crack at “one of the big ones’, a Great Big Mamma Snake, reptiles that reached up to sixteen metres in length.