Timothy Zahn - Conquerors' Legacy

Hoping to learn something about the miraculous Zhirrzh interstar communication method, no doubt. Well, they could poke around all they wanted. Any microphones the Mrachanis might have trained on the Closed Mouth would be unable to pick up the Elders' voices; and the delegation had already been instructed to gather around one of the ship's cookstoves while they held their conferences with Oaccanv. If the Mrachanis wanted to steal it and take it apart, they were welcome to do that, too. "I presume we'll tell Searcher Nzz-oonaz to conditionally accept the Mrachanis' proposal," he said.

"Yes," Prm-jevev said. "At least the first part, the attack on Phormbi. We'll need more time to pull together the ships necessary for an attack on Earth."

"Yes," the Prime murmured. An attack on the Human-Conqueror surveillance center would tie up a lot of warships. Warships no longer in prime combat readiness; warships that the precariously stretched Zhirrzh forces could hardly spare. But they had no choice. With the Human-Conquerors in the process of assembling CIRCE, the only course of action left to Warrior Command was to hit them as quickly and aggressively as possible. "How soon?" he asked Prm-jevev.

"Depends on how quickly the warships can be brought together and prepared for full combat," the Supreme Commander said. "Two fullarcs, perhaps three. Do I have your permission to personally command the attack?"

"I trust your experience with that decision," the Prime said. "Do what you feel necessary."

Prm-jevev bowed in old-world Cakk'rr style. "Thank you, Overclan Prime. I'll leave as soon as this conference is over."

In front of them an Elder appeared. " 'This is Searcher Nzz-oonaz, speaking from the planet Mra,' " he quoted. " 'I wish to speak to the Overclan Prime.' "

The Prime smiled tightly. Nzz-oonaz, playing his half of the charade for the Mrachanis' benefit. Valloittaja, he suspected, would be astonished to find out how these communications were actually being carried out.

"Yes, I know," Thrr-gilag said. "The one they call CIRCE."

It seemed to him that Lahettilas's expression twitched at the weapon's name. "Yes," the Mrachani said eagerly. "Yes, indeed. We have been trying to warn your warriors about it, but no one would listen."

"There was no need," Thrr-gilag said. "We know all about CIRCE."

The Mrachani's eyes narrowed. "Really. Then why would your warriors not discuss it with us?"

"The reasons are unimportant," Thrr-gilag said, trying to put some official loftiness into his voice, the sort that discouraged further questions. This conversation was supposedly a private one, with only Warrior Command's designated Elders listening in, but that didn't mean some of the base's other Elders weren't privately eavesdropping. And while the Overclan Prime had given Thrr-gilag permission to talk to the Mrachanis about CIRCE, he'd also made it clear that the details of the weapon were still to be kept secret. "What is important right now is to discuss what the Mrachanis suggest we do about the threat."

The Mrachani blinked. "We must form an alliance, of course," he said, as if that were obvious. "Only together can we hope to defeat the Conquerors Without Reason."

"I see," Thrr-gilag said. "What would the Mrachanis bring to such an alliance?"

The second Mrachani, who up to now had been silent, took a step away from the wall where he'd been inconspicuously standing. "We can provide information," he said. "You fight valiantly against the Conquerors Without Reason; but you seem as yet unaware of an equally great danger lurking in the darkness. The Conquerors Without Reason have allies. Vicious, dangerous aliens called the Yycromae."

Thrr-gilag frowned. The Yycromae had been listed on the maps of Human space that Warrior Command had created. They held four main star systems, if he remembered correctly, grouped together at one edge of Human space. But the impression he'd gotten from the captured recorder's information— "I thought they were merely another conquered race," he said.

"That is what they wish you to believe," the second Mrachani said bitterly. "I urge you not to make the fatal mistake of believing that lie."

The acrid taste of dread flowed over Thrr-gilag's tongue. A new threat, as dangerous as the Humans? "Yet they have only four worlds," he reminded Lahettilas, struggling to keep his growing fear from poisoning his reasoning. "How dangerous can they be?"

"How dangerous would four worlds of the Zhirrzh be?" Lahettilas retorted. "You refuse to believe us at the risk of your people, Searcher Thrr-gilag."

"I'm not refusing to believe you," Thrr-gilag protested, feeling himself floundering a little. "I simply need some proof that—"

"Proof?" Lahettilas cut him off, his voice oozing with scorn. "What proof would you choose, Searcher Thrr-gilag? An attack by Yycroman warships at the flanks of your forces? The sudden destruction of all the warships orbiting over Dorcas? Or would you prefer a devastating attack on the Zhirrzh homeworld?"

"No, of course not," Thrr-gilag said, his tongue flicking nervously. "Could the Yycromae really do that?"

"Not yet," the second Mrachani said darkly. "They have been taken off guard by the strength of the Zhirrzh, as have the Conquerors Without Reason. But that will change." He jabbed a finger toward Thrr-gilag. "If you allow them time."

"Yes," Thrr-gilag said, taking an involuntary step backward. The Mrachani's bearing was suddenly very intimidating. Or perhaps it was the underlying menace in his words. "I will pass your words on to our leaders."

"Do so quickly." Lahettilas cocked his head to the side, studying Thrr-gilag's face. "If, that is, you intend to do so at all," he added, the edge of scorn back in his voice.

"Of course," Thrr-gilag said, fighting back the taste of irritation as it edged through his dark fears. He'd said he would speak to the Overclan Prime—how dare this alien doubt his word? "I'll be back again soon."

"We will await your return," Lahettilas said softly. "If you value the lives of your people, do not make the delay long."

Thrr-mezaz was waiting outside when Thrr-gilag emerged from the Mrachanis' house. "How did it go?" he asked as they headed off across the landing field toward the beachhead command center.

"Not particularly pleasantly," Thrr-gilag said. The sunshine flooding down through the cloudless Dorcas sky seemed somehow darker now than it had been when he'd gone inside. "Rather frightening, if you want the truth."

"Are they still insisting we take them to Oaccanv to meet with Warrior Command?"

"They weren't insisting on that with me," Thrr-gilag said, wondering how much of the conversation he should share with his brother. The Overclan Prime had given him permission to tell Thrr-mezaz about CIRCE, but only if absolutely necessary. "Mostly they were warning me that the Humans have taken on allies."

Thrr-mezaz flicked his tongue. "The Yycromae?"

"Yes," Thrr-gilag said, frowning at him. "How did you hear about that?"

"The word came down from Warrior Command this premidarc," Thrr-mezaz told him. "Apparently the Mrachanis on Mra have been warning Nzz-oonaz about them, too."

"Really," Thrr-gilag said. "Interesting."

"How so?"

"I don't know," Thrr-gilag said slowly. "It just feels odd, somehow. If these Yycromae are so warlike and dangerous, why haven't we seen them in combat yet? For that matter, why didn't that captured Human recorder identify them as Human allies?"

"Maybe a deliberate lie on the Human-Conquerors' part," Thrr-mezaz suggested.

"Or else it's the Mrachanis who are lying," Thrr-gilag countered. "I still don't trust them."

"Frankly, I don't either," Thrr-mezaz said. "But Warrior Command seems to feel differently."