Freedom's Challenge

by Anne McCaffrey

  “One small matter, Captain Tiboud,” Ray said, clearing his throat. “You mentioned that Earth has been returned to its rightful owners and governments and that Botany has independence. There are three other Human settled worlds that we know of. What disposition has been made of them?”

  High Emassi Captain Tiboud managed an expression of amused understanding.

  “Your altruism is only to be expected of a Human, Ray Scott. It is not in my authority to deal with that issue but, since so much is owed to Humans in general, I would anticipate a similar courtesy of independence may well be granted those three.”

  “Thank you,” Ray said, barely heard above the cheers and shouts and whistles from the crowd of settlers.

  “You are welcome. But to the matter at hand, Admiral Scott, for your assistance to the Supreme and High Emassi in their bid to overthrow Eosian domination, please accept these and the honorary title of Highest Emassi.” The Captain then handed Ray a splendid set of tabs, crowned by rubies that flashed in the sun.

  The rest of the presentations went all the way from High Emassi Leon Dane for saving Kamiton’s life down to Emassis Sally Stoffers and Beth Isbell for their translations and to Emassis Dick Aarens and Peter Snyder for jury-rigging the com sat on the wreckage of the Catteni array.

  By then, everyone welcomed the drinks and other refreshments, which the cooks had managed to make and serve on the two hours’ notice.

  “They don’t seem in a very great hurry to get those bitches and leave, do they?” John Beverly said in Kris’ ear.

  “Do I have to do the bloody honors there, too?” she asked.

  Beverly grinned down at her. “Oh, I think you should, Excellent Lady Emassi. Duty before pleasure.” Then his grin faded, and he gripped her shoulder firmly, his expression reassuring. “If everyone says Zainal lived through it and even got promoted, he’ll be here soon now.”

  “How soon is soon? Damn it.”

  • • •

  KRIS WAS NOT GIVEN AN OPTION, EXCEPT THAT she was escorted on board the cruiser with Leon Dane, Ninety, Ray Scott, Dorothy, and Judge Iri Bempechat who would make the journey with her. Raisha followed in the KDL, using a quickly assembled skeleton crew to take the Botanists back to Retreat. Captain Tiboud had requested permission to launch on his return flight once he had the refugees safely aboard.

  “I trust you have suitable accommodations for the Emassi ladies,” Kris couldn’t resist asking.

  The Captain’s yellow eyes glittered. “They will be made comfortable, I assure you. They will find their new quarters on Catten all, or even more than, their fondest dreams.”

  “Have you a mate, Captain Tiboud?”

  “I have,” and there was that in his eyes that suggested to Kris that perhaps all Catteni women were like those he was required to restore to their men.

  They, especially Sibbo and Milista, did not wish to be collected, even after repeated assurances, and handwritten rune messages from their respective male partners. They were terrified that it was some kind of Eosian trick.

  “Is your com link strong enough for direct contact with Catten?” Kris asked, thoroughly fed up with these antics. “Then call…High Emassi Nitin and have him confirm your orders to Milista. She’s the one who has to be convinced.”

  Milista said nothing when High Emassi Nitin, annoyed at being interrupted and taken out of an important government meeting to reassure his mate, gave her what had to be a tongue-lashing. She blanched almost ecru and began to bow apologetically, her bows getting lower and lower to exhibit her willingness to comply. She said several short, sharp, low-voiced phrases to the other women which Kris thought she must have misinterpreted. Did Catteni women know such language?

  As soon as they were boarded and being led to their quarters by obsequious junior ranks, Kris signalled to her companions that their duty was done. Perhaps Zainal had made it home while she’d had to dally here with the wretched ungracious Catteni females.

  The captain, however, paused, looking out over the valley, once again tranquil, despite bits and pieces dropped or discarded en route to the cruiser ramp.

  “I do not think the females will have appreciated the beauty of this valley,” he surprised her by saying. He sighed. “But I would. Good-bye, Excellent Lady Emassi Kris.”

  They exchanged bows, she keeping hers to the shallow dip that indicated the difference in their ranks. Then she went down the ramp. Maybe the Farmers had used the valleys as vacation spots for corporeal enjoyments. That wasn’t such a wild notion. Raisha was circling above in the KDL because there wasn’t room enough for two ships to land without knocking down either the houses or the lodge-pole groves. The cruiser lifted over the retaining wall and discreetly sped up, allowing the other ship to land. That was when Kris noticed that someone had painted new ID letters on its prow: BSS 2. Was Baby to be BSS 1? And where was Baby? Her momentary lapse into amusement at the newly styled ship quickly dissipated.

  Once aboard the BSS 2, Kris sought refuge on the bridge while those who had come with her stopped at the mess hall for coffee and to unwind.

  “He’ll be here soon, Kris.”

  “Oh, yes,” she said in a weary voice. Half of her did not believe she would ever see him again. The other half wondered what his rank of Excellent meant in terms of the work he’d now have to do. Would he take Bazil and Peran back to Catten with him, to be raised properly as young Catteni males were? “Nice touch, renaming the ship,” she said after a moment and because she knew that she ought to make some reference to the alteration.

  • • •

  AS RAISHA PILOTED THE BSS 2 OVER THE HILL above the landing field, she had a clear view. No Baby perched there.

  “When you get your hands on him, eh?” Raisha said, cocking her head at Kris, as if she’d known how much Kris hoped to find them there.

  “You’d better believe it!” Now she was angry with Zainal for this unconscionably long delay. How could he keep her in such unending suspense? Did he have any idea of how she had suffered during his absence? Especially since the moment she had figured out that he was going to be the sacrificial lamb? That he would deliberately put himself in the ultimate danger as the only way of gaining admittance to the Mentat Ix?

  Raisha landed the ship and did all the after-flight checks.

  “It can stay out tonight: the visible confirmation of our change of status. Frankly, Kris, I’m exhausted after so much good news and emotion and all that wearying ceremony. Aren’t you, Excellent Lady Emassi?” She turned one of the shoulder tabs on Kris’ shoulder. “Those are really fine diamonds.”

  Kris was as tired, too, weary beyond belief. Raisha had gone down the passageway and seemed to be gathering up the others for their voices drifted away.

  She heard steps. Someone was coming to get her so she ought to go. Zane would be waiting for her to take him home. If she hadn’t had him…She pushed herself out of the chair and had reached the passageway when she realized it was filled with a large…and familiar figure.

  “I thought you’d never come out,” Zainal said, “so I came in to get you. You can tell me off in privacy.”

  “Tell you off?” Kris inanely repeated his words, because she had to be sure that it was really him.

  “Raisha said you were waiting to get your hands on me…”

  “I am,” and she threw them and her arms around his neck. “But if you ever go away like that again, I…I…” He closed her mouth with his, and they spent a long time like that. Until she had to come up for air, patting his face, his shoulders until she felt his muscles tense.

  “You did, didn’t you? You went as sacrifice, didn’t you?” She pulled him into the better light of the cabin and saw the marks of suffering and starvation on his face: marks that only a keen and loving eye would now notice.

  “It did the trick,” and he smiled a little, his hands touching her hair, her face, brushing away the tears on her cheeks, “and that’s all behind me. Behind us.” Then he held her away from him, notic
ing the thickening of her body. He raised one eyebrow. “You gave me up for lost?”

  “No, never! It’s Chuck’s, just like you wanted.”

  “On Catten?” He was astonished but smiling with pleasure. “Well, well.”

  “We were both legless, between hooch and whatever Chuck was given to drink by that field keeper. Promise me you won’t ever be away again when I get drunk?” she pleaded.

  “I promise,” he said solemnly, crossing his chest before he reached for her again.

  “Just a moment.” And she pushed away his hands, standing up very straight and tall, her expression suspicious. “Where do you fit into the new hierarchy of Catten, Excellent High Emassi Zainal?”

  “Oh, Excellent is the title they decided to give useful foreigners. I dropped. I stay.” And his yellow Catteni eyes glittered as he folded her into his arms. “How about you, Kris Bjornsen? Will you return to Earth?”

  She shook her head. “I dropped. I stay.”

  • • •

  IN FACT, ONLY A FEW RETURNED TO EARTH: some of the specialists stayed to help reconstruct their damaged home world. Most of those who went back did so to find what relatives remained alive and brought them back to Botany. Chuck Mitford brought back two cousins, a scarecrow, and the repaired hammock that had been on his front porch the day the Catteni arrived.

  Afterword

  THE NEXT TIME A FARMER UNIT SCANNED Botany, it reported that the population had increased fivefold. A decision was reached since these newest, and unexpected, protégés had proved so innovative and independent. When the maintenance vehicle reached the planet, it lifted not only the food that had been harvested on its cultivated continents but also all the equipment, vacating their premises to allow the indigenous population to expand as populations had a habit of doing.

  An unusual species had done well, and they could devote their attentions where similar discreet and carefully limited assistance was required.