Crisis On Doona (42 page)

The Treaty Controller’s tail twitched once from side to side behind him. “Both of the accused must face this Council. Have you, perhaps, a document of the ill-health of your codefendant?” At that moment, Hrriss was very certain who had detained Zodd and his father. His heart sank but he raised his chin just enough to show that he knew the sordid game the Controller was playing out. “Be that as it may, you and your absent accomplice stand accused of crimes which violate the laws of the Hrruban League, the laws of the Amalgamated Worlds, and the Treaty of Doona. These are serious crimes, which shake the very fabric of trust which made the Treaty possible twenty-five years ago. What proof can you present to attest to your innocence?”

“There is documentation,” Hrruvula said, stepping forward and pulling one flimsy after another from his case, “to prove that the Mayday beacon was heard by Zodd Rrev and Hrriss, son of Hrrestan, said beacon being found among cargo shipped to Earth and designated to be delivered to a minor office connected with Space Department. And here is a declaration from a noted laser expert stating that the log tapes of the
Albatross
had been skillfully tampered with to show landings and launchings never made by the
Albatross,
as further testified to the signatories of the documents that the condition of its engines, rocket tubes, and other equipment showed no sign of the abuse such a hegira would have done to said equipment. I have these documents stating the health and energy of both defendants, who would have suffered even more physical deterioration than engines, rocket tubes, and other equipment from a medical condition known as journey lag, which is known to affect unwary travelers making as many different landings and launchings as the defendants are alleged to have done.” Hrruvula paused for breath. “Also available are documents,” and the attorney spread the Spacedep slush fund flimsies, “that prove that deposits ostensibly made into an account purported to have been initiated by a Terran of Zodd Rrev’s general description in fact tally with sums and deposits from a slush fund. There is a signed and attested declaration by an ex-criminal known as Askell Klonski ...”

“You overwhelm us,” said the Treaty Controller with broad sarcasm.

Hrruvula bowed. “Even as my clients were overwhelmed with evidence which we have conclusively proved to be a massive conspiracy to discredit Zodd Rrev, Hrriss, and in their names the integrity of the entire population of this lovely planet.” Hrruvula took another breath. “With such overwhelming evidence to sustain my clients’ plea of innocence, these charges must, in all conscience, be dismissed and their reputations and honors returned to them.” He bowed low in deep respect toward the other members of the Council, but noticeably not in the Controller’s direction.

Behind Hrruvula, an entire planet’s population held its breath.

Third Speaker’s eyes narrowed and glittered. He stepped forward. “You have defended your clients well, Hrruvula,” and the attorney executed another courteous bow. “But it was clearly stated, and so resolved by the Council of Speakers, that both young men must be present to clear their names. One is clearly not present. The reason for his absence is immaterial. The conditions of that resolution have not been met. Therefore the Council of Speakers must withhold ratification of a permanent Treaty of Rrala.”

There was a silence that nothing in the Hall disturbed. Third Speaker, his manner patronizing and smug, turned to Second Speaker Hrrto. Second Speaker seemed to rise with great difficulty, his shoulders slumped beneath the weight of his robes.

“It was so resolved and must be maintained.” He sat down heavily, head bent, arms limp at his sides.

“No!” a woman wailed from the depths of the crowd. “No. That’s not fair. Not fair at all! They were innocent.”

“You can’t use that as an out, Third Speaker!” a Hrruban called.

Dorem Naruti of the Amalgamated Worlds Congress rose then, holding up his arms for silence. “It was resolved. In
honor we must abide. Our Congress is constrained to comply with that resolution, much as it pains me to do so. The Congress cannot sanction the colony any longer. We would be glad and proud to trade with the Hrruban League under a new treaty, but the Decision at Doona must be considered annulled. The Cohabitation Principle is herewith invoked.”

Protests were yelled from all directions then until Dorem Naruti, not wishing to be a target for anyone’s frustration, took refuge behind Third Speaker.

Landreau was all but jumping up and down in jubilation. He, Rogitel, and their assistants kept calling for silence, for order, for good manners. But it was Admiral Sumitral whose amazing voice was heard above the babel and restored order.

“Dear friends, Hrruban and Hayuman, we are all persons of honorable intent. Having entered into an honorable agreement, we must indeed recognize the commitment we undertook twenty-five years ago, and abide by this very, very painful conclusion to what has been an experiment of cohabitation of ...” He paused, craning his neck to see through the open doors of the Hall. His attentiveness, the surprise that began to wreathe his features with new hope, caused everyone to turn to discover what he saw.

The grid was misted, indicating a transportation, and as it cleared, three figures became visible: a bent figure in ornate red robes supported on either side by two others, one tall, straight, and proud, one slender, delicate, and equally proud. The central personage could only be First Speaker Hrruna! His companions, dressed in diaphanous red gauze spangled with gems, were Nrrna and Kelly.

Hrriss felt joy nearly bursting his heart. The girls had reached him, after all, and with the remaining evidence that Hrriss had felt lost forever. A reverent silence settled on the green and the Hall as if noise was snuffed out like a candle flame. Everyone watched the aged Hrruban walk into the Hall and slowly toward the dais, leaning heavily on the arms of the two girls.

He looked kindly at the colonists and gave an especial smile to Hrriss, who was gawking like a cub at the First Speaker.

“This is an occasion for which I have waited long,” First Speaker said in High Hrruban, mounting the ramp to touch hands with Sumitral.

“Sir,” Sumitral said, replying in the same tongue, “we did not think to expect you.”

“Your accent has improved so very much over the last years, Admirrrl. You no longer need your young translator,” Hrruna said, dropping his jaw in a smile and glancing around at the crowd. “But I miss his presence. He has been a joy to me. Where is my young friend? Where is Zodd?”

With a surprising swiftness that belied his age, he rounded on Treaty Controller, and his tone, no longer kindly or gentle, rang with conviction. The Controller was so startled, he backed up a pace.

Hrruna’s eyes narrowed to fierce slits, though his clear voice was calm and even-toned. “I believe that you know precisely where Zodd and his father, Rrev, are to be found,” Hrruna said. “You are to produce them instantly, or your Stripe will be forever dishonored. If harm has come to two Hayumans of indisputable integrity and honor, you and your immediate family will be transported to the most primitive mining colony in the galaxy, and allowed only the most meager of rations.”

Hrriss listened with awe. Few of the settlers could understand Hrruna’s speech, but they could easily see the effect it had on the Treaty Controller. From a haughty administrator, he was reduced to sniveling like a cub, protesting that his actions had been taken in the best interests of Hrruba.

“The return of the Rrevs at this point would have made it impossible to avoid the ratification of the Treaty,” the Controller babbled. “I meant no harm to them. They are unhurt. They would have been returned to Earth with everyone else of their species.”

“You kidnapped my friend?” Hrriss demanded in a snarl. He felt the savage blood of his ancestors coursing through his veins and he forgot his upbringing, the position he held as a scion of a civilized race. Claws and teeth bared, he gathered himself to leap and strike, as he had leaped at the Momma Snake. Without a moment’s hesitation, Hrrestan knocked his feet out from under him, and signalled to several others to drag his infuriated son away from the cowering Treaty Controller.

“Produce the Rrevs, father and son!” Hrruna commanded, his eyes ablaze with green fury. Cringing, the Treaty Controller signalled to his grid operator in the audience, who ran to the transporter. Making a few deft adjustments to the controls, the operator stepped onto the platform and vanished. In
a few moments, the Hrruban reappeared, no longer alone. With him were two very large Hrruban males in guard harness, and Ken and Todd, clothes torn, faces empurpled here and there with bruises and long scratches, but alive and smiling as they recognized their destination.

“Come here, my friends,” Hrruna beckoned them. His voice, soft again, nevertheless penetrated the ringing cheers that reverberated inside and outside the Hall at this much-longed-for reappearance.

Together Todd and his father marched smartly up the steps and into the Hall. When Todd saw who occupied the dais, he smiled in amazement and, shaking his head, continued through the parting crowd. When Hrrubans and Hayumans alike reached out to slap his back or grab his hand, Todd became aware of the deficiencies of his appearance in such a gathering. Still walking forward, he brushed at the dirt on his tunic and combed back his hair with his fingers. Ken, similarly embarrassed, straightened tunic and hair. Crying with relief, Pat ignored protocol and pushed through the crowd to embrace husband and son just as they reached the foot of the dais.

“It is good to have you back,” Hrruna said, as if Todd and his father had only been off on some minor errand. With Pat between them, they climbed the ramp to the dais. The old Hrruban signalled for Hrrestan to release his son. In two leaps, Hrriss was beside his dear friend, wrapping his tail firmly around Todd’s nearer thigh. “This silly cub”—Hrruna pointed to the Treaty Controller—“is not the only dishonorable one among Hrrubans to sow discord on Rrala.”

“The discord was not solely Hrruban,” Ken said. “And during our incarceration, our guards spoke freely, not being aware that we bareskins understood what they said.”

“Whatever is pertinent to sustain the Treaty and this colony must be related so that all may hear,” Hrruna said at his most austere, “although I am aware of much that has happened of late, of false accusations and tamperings and alterings that would have greatly strained my patience had they not been delivered by such charming couriers.”

Todd had not failed to notice that his Kelly and Hrriss’s Nrrna were Hrruna’s attendants. Kelly was grinning at him with a total lack of discretion, which gladdened his heart immensely, but at least Nrrna had cast her eyes down modestly despite Hrriss’s attempts to make eye contact.

Then Todd saw Hrruna’s peremptory gesture to Ken. “Be so good as to explain what you overheard, Rrev.”

“While it was the Treaty Controller who had our destination altered from Earth and our appointment with the AWC panel, he received his orders from another, high in the Speakers Council,” Ken said. “In good plain Low Hrruban, they mentioned his name frequently: the Third Speaker for Internal Affairs.” Ken looked pleasantly at Third Speaker. “We can repeat what was said in our presence ...”

“Lies!” Third Speaker hissed. “All lies. These Hayumans mean to dishonor me.”

Hrruna gestured for those on the dais to move aside so that he could confront Third face-to-face. His eyes had narrowed to implacable slits, and the hem of his heavy robes flicked with the lashing of his tail.

“I will believe the words of Rrev and Zodd even over those of my own Stripe,” Hrruna said in an ominously calm tone. “Deceit is not in them. Any dishonor on your stripe has been brought there by you. You have forsaken the objectivity necessary to just administration, Third. You have sought to interfere in a matter which is outside your commission. You were also one who insisted that Rrala would stand or fall on its own merit. You have not abided by your own decree. I invite you to resign your post.”

Third opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, but at last nodded curtly at Hrruna.

“Very well,” Third Speaker said, his own eyes closed to vindictive slits. “I tender my resignation.”

“I accept it, effective now! But we have waited long enough to discover whether Rrala may continue. In view of what you have heard in these past minutes, do the Treaty Council and the representative of the Amalgamated Worlds Congress wish to alter their decision?” Hrruna asked pleasantly, turning firmly away from the dismissed Speaker. “I surely see no bar to the continuation of this colony nor to the ratification of the Treaty Renewal so anxiously awaited by us all. What say you?”

Madam Dupuis smiled as she stepped forward, assuming the position of Controller. She bowed with great reverence to the First Speaker. “Most honored of persons,” she said in perfect High Hrruban, “the Council must indeed overturn the recent verdict, and clear the defendants of all charges against them, including nonappearance.”

Dorem Naruti was jittering with relief at being able to rescind the verdict he had been forced, by the previous circumstances, to announce.

“Then let us adjourn all this formal talk and harangue and let the festivities begin,” said Hrruna, dropping into Middle language and leaning toward Nrrna in a paternal fashion. “The smell of roasted meat is making this old belly rumble.”

Few heard that comment, for cheers had erupted as he ordered the festivities to begin. Colonists of both species were hugging each other, weeping or purring in an excess of relief after the dramatic scenes that had first dashed then restored their hopes.

Robin and Inessa were shrieking for their father and brother to come down so they could be suitably welcomed. Ilsa was trying to calm them down but she was smiling and crying at the same time, upsetting her daughters, who began to fret, too.

“We should take an official vote, you know,” Sumitral said, looking out over the jigging, whirling mass of colonists.

“Oh, don’t be so hidebound,” Madam Dupuis told him, waving at the jubilation below them. “That’s the loudest, most unanimous ‘aye’ I’ve ever witnessed.”