Anne McCaffrey - Decision at Doona

“This is Shih, Admiral Sumitral. An unusual situation has developed . . .”

“You're damned right it has. Any of the aliens in hearing distance?”

“I only wish they were, sir,” Hu Shih replied fervently and then saw Ken gesturing wildly to the bug Chaminade still held. “I mean . . .”

“If you've driven them from Doona, we've lost the chance of a lifetime.” Sumitral's voice, charged with angry frustration, was cut off by the fury of retro-blasts.

Ken reached over and flipped off the unit to lessen the echoed roar. He took the little recorder button from Chaminade's hand.

"You got here too late, Sumitral,' he murmured. "Too late."

“What do you mean?” Lee asked.

“All the sound and fury is what I mean,” Ken replied, waving at the sullen marines. “When I tried my delaying tactics earlier today, I got to the village just as Hrrula appeared. He started to tell me what was delaying their return; they've got troubles with their own government. He managed to warn me about avoiding violence of any kind, then he started to get yanked back and told me about the bugs in the mess hall.”

“Yanked back? How?” demanded Landreau, suddenly alert. “Where'd you say he was? In that village of yours?”

“They use matter transmitters,” Ken told him.

“Matter transmitters?” Landreau turned pale under his tan. “Then they are much more advanced than we are,” he groaned.

“You're damned right they are,” a new voice agreed. A tall thin man, elegantly attired in deep maroon coveralls with the diamond-sand stripes of an admiral, stood in the doorway an instant before striding purposefully across to them. “Landreau! Chaminade,” he jerked his head with scant courtesy at the two men, his keen brown eyes falling at last on Shih. “Hu Shih? Now, where are those Hrrubans?”

Well, it sure is a relief to hear someone admit they exist," Ken remarked sardonically.

“Of course they exist. Who're you? Reeve? We've found traces of their explorations on half a dozen planets. Just missed them on 87-SN-24C. You remember that incident, Landreau, yours was the Phase I Ship.”

Again Landreau blanched, sinking back against the table.

“But there were burn-off marks, traces of chemical deeply imbedded in the soil. No matter transmitters . . .”

“You got to get to a place to install a receiver,” Ken said and was rewarded by Landreau's groan as the spaceman buried his head in his hands. “What I don't understand, Admiral, is why, if you knew the Hrrubans existed, you wasted such a helluva long time getting here?”

Sumitral blinked at such open criticism.

“A confrontation of such importance to the future of our Amalgamated Worlds is not made without thoughtful preparation,” he answered. “I've spent hours in a sleep tank, learning Hrruban. Those tapes you people sent were excellent, by the way. My compliments. Now,” and steely authority entered his voice, “kindly take me to the Hrrubans.”

“I wish I could,” Ken replied sadly, tossing the bug button to Sumitral. “Our-friends here,” he gestured at Landreau and Chaminade, “never took our reports seriously because we couldn't show them any proof. In their efforts to change our minds for us, things got a little rough. I have it on good authority the Hrrubans don't take kindly to shows of violence so I don't think we'll be seeing much of . . .”

“HEY, DAD!” The volume as well as the cry was heart-stoppingly familiar.

Ken whirled. There was a rapid thud of racing feet and then Todd, improbably dressed in mda fur, rope tail jerking behind him, came charging into the hall.

“TODD!” Pat shrieked, racing for her child.

“Hey, mom. Hey! Lemme go. DAD, I brought someone who wants to see you!”

Ken had taken one step forward in Todd's direction before he halted, staring at the imposing figure framed in the doorway.

Face-fur grizzled to white, mane hair long and very dark, the Hrruban appeared to tower above the tallest man in the hall. His brilliant green eyes, slowly moving from face to face, were oddly gentle and very searching, as if they had long since penetrated life's ironies and weird humors. The glowing ivory of his robes which fell in ornate folds to his booted feet, were dappled with the flashing colors of the brilliant green and red stones in his jeweled harness. It was the Hrruban's inner majesty, rather than the sumptuous richness of his dress, that evoked the reverent bows which acknowledged his entrance. As he approached Ken, Todd's small hand tugged at his father's.

«Dad, that's Hrruna.» Todd's idea of a whisper penetrated to the hushed spectators on the porch. «He's First Speaker and that's as high as you can get on Hrruba. He brought me home so I wouldn't have to break my promise to Hrrula. That means we don't have to leave Rrala – I mean, Doona!» And Todd smiled trustingly up at his father.

Ken swallowed hard as he realized the First Speaker's gaze had settled on him.

“Gracious noble sir,” Todd said in stentorious tones, “may I be permitted to introduce my father, Rrev.” And he bowed very low, craning his head back toward his father as he remained stooped. “You gotta be awful careful to speak right to him, Dad. He's real important! Just look at him.”

“I will also listen very hard to him,” Ken murmured, under his breath.

“We better,” Todd agreed, straightening up as Hrruna nodded.

Out on the Common, someone began to cheer. Ken distinctly heard Terran voices calling out Hrruban greetings. Todd broke the tableau and rushed to the window.

“Hey, here comes Hrrula and Hrrestan! And lots of other guys!” he crowed and made for the door.

A single quiet trill from Hrruna brought him up sharp. He flushed, murmured an apology, bobbed a bow and then returned to his father's side.

“Gracious First Speaker,” purred a smooth voice in reasonably accurate Hrruban at Ken's side.

Admiral Sumitral stepped forward, palm open and outstretched toward Hrruna.

“We of Terra are immensely honored by your presence in this humble hall. I am called Sumitral . . .”

“He won't shake hands, sir,” Todd hastily warned, his eyes a little scared. “It's not done to him.”

Ken admired the way Sumitral was able to keep right on smiling at Hrruna as he casually changed his gesture from a proffered handshake to one directing Hrruna toward the alcove which Hu Shih used as office.

“Clear the hall, Reeve,” he muttered as he turned.

Hrruna, inclining his head graciously in acceptance, beckoned Todd to him, laying a dark brown hand lightly on his shoulder. “Will you be my messenger, please, and request Hrrestan and that young stripe, Hrrula, to join us?”

As Todd ran off, very solemn, Hrruna gestured Ken and Hu Shih over. Ken could see that Sumitral was not at all happy that they had been included among the select group in the alcove, but the Alreldep official was too good a politician to countermand Hrruna's express invitation.

Ken's mind raced frantically, trying to understand why Hrruna had incredibly appeared on Rrala, with his son in tow. If Hrruna was First Speaker and the most important man on Hrruba, what in hell was he doing walking into the disputed, discredited, all but disbanded colony? Had the differences been settled? Was it customary for their first citizen to announce such decisions? Ken could understand only that something unforeseen had occurred; something unprecedented in such a highly stylized culture as the Hrrubans. Could it be turned to advantage? To mutual advantage?

Hrruna was settling himself gracefully in Hu Shih's swivel chair, automatically compensating for its nimble action.

“It is with deep regret that I find myself unable to reply in your language, noble Sumitral,” Hrruna was saying. Sumitral bowed, but a slight flexing of Hrruna's finger stilled ready diplomatic reassurances. “I come only as an escort for young Zodd, to be sure he returned safely to his people.”