Sharon Green - The Warrior Within

The sharpness in my tone reached him immediately. “Why?” he asked. “What happened?”

“Sandy happened!” I snapped, running a hand through the tangle of my hair. “He very kindly gave me as a house-gift to his guest—who didn’t hesitate to make use of the gift.”

“What’s a house-gift?” Sandy asked faintly, his face paling again as he stood straight from the desk. “How could I have ....”

“Sandros,” Murdock interrupted quietly. “A house-gift on Rimilia is a gift given by a host to his guest, thanking him for the honor of his presence. It can be an article of clothing, of furniture, a decoration—or a woman. In any event, the gift, once given, is the property of the guest. Correct, Tammad?”

“Completely correct,” Tammad answered, almost smugly. He was standing at ease with his arms folded, and he grinned at me. “I thank my host for the gift of a green-eyed woman. I shall gift him well in return.”

“But—but—I knew nothing about this!” Sandy stuttered, staring at Tammad in horror. “All those sheets of information —I barely had time to skim them. With the alien here, and my wagon needing fixing ....” He trailed off on his own, stared at me guiltily then turned abruptly and left the room.

Murdock watched him go, then tactfully cleared his throat. “Choosing Sandros was obviously a mistake, Terrillian. You have his apologies.”

“Fat lot of good they’ll do me now,” I snorted, pleased that Murdock seemed to be uncomfortable. It was a reaction I hadn’t expected, and it might turn out to be useful. “Why all the secrecy Murdock? I’d like the answer to that, at least.”

“And so would I,” said a voice I knew very well. I turned my head and saw Jack standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the doorjamb. The sight of his six-foot-two, dark-haired good looks let me know immediately that I was no longer alone.

“I believe the Bureaus Chairman had a word with you, Jackson,” Murdock said smoothly, the discomfort suddenly and completely gone. “What did he have to say?”

“You know very well what he said,” Jack returned angrily coming away from the door. “He told me that this was your show, and Mediation was requested to cooperate with you. Cooperate, hell! Take orders, he meant.”

“I’m pleased to see that you understand the true situation.” Murdock smiled with barely veiled spitefulness. “Your Bureau is indeed subject to my orders, and I believe I’ve just solved my largest problem. If you will make yourselves comfortable, I’ll tell you a story”

“I’ll listen to it from right here,” Jack said from the middle of the room. “Possibly I’ll soon have something to speak to the Bureaus Chairman about, myself.”

“As you wish,” Murdock conceded, then waited until I’d stretched out on the couch again. There was no telling how long it would take, and my lack of sleep had long since caught up with me. Not to mention other things.

“On a certain day, beneath a certain sun,” Murdock began, as if he were telling a story to children, “it was discovered that a once unimportant planet was no longer unimportant. The people of the planet, backward, primitive people, had no awareness of this importance, but those about them had no doubts. The planet was rich in not one, but many of the ores that are sought by the peoples of the Central Amalgamation. They had furs and silks lovely enough to adorn the highest of the high. They had herbs that, once properly processed, could cure the ills of untold numbers of people. All these things they had, but there was yet a greater importance.

“The planet lies, in its starry setting, in a most unique position. The stars and clusters of the Amalgamation are almost all the same travel time away from it. No being would find it necessary to travel twice the time of another to attend a conference there. It owed allegiance to none of the members of the Amalgamation, as its volume of space had been claimed by none. It was a neutral meeting place without equal.”

Jack was standing in the middle of the floor, his arms crossed in annoyance, resentment strong in his expression. He hadn’t even glanced at Tammad, who was again folded into his easy cat-crouch.

“The leaders of the Central Amalgamation,” Murdock continued, his eyes imperturbable, “wanted very much to build a complex on this unique planet that would house representatives of all of its members, but, to their dismay, found that they could not. The people of the planet allowed but a single embassy and that only because they desired certain off-planet articles of manufacture. They refused to join the Amalgamation, and they refused to allow mining, exporting, or building.

“Military advisers to these leaders suggested that the barbarians’ wishes be ignored, that the complex be built anyway and troops be used to protect it. Political advisers agreed that the barbarians should be ignored, but suggested that the complex be built in some inaccessible spot that would keep them away without the need for troops. These two factions argued bitterly until diplomacy advisers informed them that neither suggestion could be followed.

“The men of diplomacy pointed out to the leaders that Amalgamation Covenants prohibited the use of planetary territory without the explicit consent of the planet’s leaders. Although this supposedly applied only to member planets of the Amalgamation, it would not be wise to ignore it. A large number of the member planets were of such a turn of mind that they would wonder if the Covenants would some day be ignored if their planet was discovered to hold a unique prize. Forceful acquisition of a site for the complex could well result in a dissolution of the Amalgamation.

“The Central leaders were at a loss. What, then, could they do to acquire their complex? They finally decided to send certain of the men of diplomacy to make their way among the barbarians, to see if they could find a ray of hope. The chosen men went forth as directed, and found more than they had expected to—not all of the barbarians were opposed to Amalgamation membership. A large number of them were for it, but the leaders of the majority were opposed, so the rest followed.

“The men of diplomacy looked about themselves, and discovered a leader who desired for his people all that a profitable trade membership could provide for them. He was, however a minority leader, and could not persuade the other leaders to agree with him. The leader spoke with the men of diplomacy and asked if they could provide skilled assistance for the Great Meeting that took place yearly. The leader was a man of deeds, not words, but only words could be used at the Great Meeting. His followers were not many enough to force agreement from the rest.

“The men of diplomacy agreed to aid the leader, and secretly brought him back with them to Central. It was thought best that no one know of his mission, so no one was informed of his presence. When the proper moment comes, he will be returned to his people so that he may lead them on to their fullest destiny.”

Murdock’s voice had almost put me to sleep where I lay on the soft leather couch, but a dreamy understanding had somehow reached me. He hadn’t told his story like a child’s fairy tale just to be irritating. He’d told it that way so that Tammad would understand everything he said. If Murdock had used Bureau jargon, which he would normally have done with Jack and me, Tammad would have been left miles behind.

“Is that all of it?” Jack asked Murdock from where he still stood, his belligerence still obvious. “You’re harboring an unregistered alien for the sake of the entire Amalgamation? Nothing more important than that?”

“Spare me, Jackson.” Murdock grimaced, shifting slightly in the chair. “Sarcasm suits you not at all. Our efforts are indeed on behalf of the Amalgamation, whether you choose to believe it or not. Tammad needs someone to read his opponents for him, to dig out their weaknesses and insecurities, to develop telling counterstrokes to their arguments —and to find a point of compromise which they will accept. I’ve been searching my entire Bureau, but haven’t found anyone suitable for the position—until now”