darknadir (25 page)

* * *

Commander Lyaka of the Alliance vessel
Rhijissoh,
stood waiting in the main docking bay for the arrival of the shuttle from the U'Churian vessel
Vranshan.
"Ten days from Home to here is pretty good time, Commander," remarked his assistant, Jiosha. "We can't match that. Takes us three weeks in military craft."
Lyaka grunted as he watched the field that covered the bay entrance begin to change color for the approaching shuttle.
"Only the private barques can go faster..."
"Stop rambling, Jiosha," he growled impatiently. "I want you scanning those U'Churians from the moment they arrive, not making pointless noises to me!"
"I'm already doing that, Commander," she said quietly, clasping her hands across the front of her purple telepath's robe. "There was a point to what I was saying. Their Captain Thaylan is wondering about the
Rhijissoh
's capabilities. He's aware our vessels are somewhat slower."
"Who's with him on the shuttle?"
"I'm aware of seven people, Commander. Three of them are, I presume, Cabbarans."
"Anything more you can tell me?"
She turned an impassive brown-eyed gaze on him. "I will need to spend some time in their company before I can do more than pick up the most basic of thoughts, Commander."
"Your Guild told me you were the best at working with alien minds."
"I am one of the best, but these are two new species," she said stiffly. "I will have to learn how they think. Then, Commander, I can sit at the edges of their minds and just absorb their stray, surface thoughts. I don't think you appreciate the amount of work that is involved."
Lyaka could see the shuttle now, just beyond the pale blue curtain of the force field. "I appreciate your job is as complex as any, Jiosha, but I need to know that these people are dealing honestly with us if we're going to combine our forces to look for the
Rryuk's Profit.
I don't want them using the opportunity to avail themselves of our technology."
"Then use their ships, Commander."
"Not practical. We need the instant communications they lack."
"You need their speed, and their navigators, from what I understand. And for that, you need their ships, too."
He growled softly. "Who briefed you?" he demanded.
She turned an innocent look on him this time. "Why, you did, Commander."
"I told you nothing of..." He stopped, eye ridges meeting as he scowled at the small dark-furred telepath. "You read me!"
"I cannot be responsible for what you're thinking in my presence, Commander. It does seem to me that a combination including their ships and our comm equipment would be best. I suggest you make that your first trade offer— in return for information concerning the Cabbaran navigation system."
Lyaka turned his attention back to the approaching shuttle as it penetrated the
Rhijissoh
's barrier. "You would do well to concentrate on your own duties, Jiosha. Make sure our guests aren't planning anything that would compromise our security." He'd never come across a telepath quite so ready to voice her own recommendations. In his experience, and he'd worked with a good many, an opinion had to be forced out of them.
"As you wish, Commander. May I remind you that I will also be protecting the interests of the U'Churian and Cabbaran people against similar infringements of their security? The Telepath Guild does not involve itself in any kind of espionage work."
"I'm aware that telepaths are neutral, Jiosha," said Lyaka, watching the shuttle maneuver to its designated landing area. "Khyno, Vaszha, go and greet our visitors, if you please."
Lieutenant Khyno, sub-Lieutenant Vaszha at her side, both resplendent in formal dress uniform, proceeded to approach the craft, stopping only a few meters from the hatch.
"You will attach yourself to our visitors as their liaison," Lyaka said to Jiosha. "Escort them to their quarters after our initial discussions, take them to the senior lounge set aside for them and their diplomatic party to dine in, and show them around the permitted areas of the
Rhijissoh
should they ask for a tour. I presume you've acquainted yourself with these areas?"
"Yes, Commander," she murmured. "Do I accompany them on their search, too?"
"That is your primary function. We will each be using our own craft," he said, turning to glance at her once more. "However, as you surmised," the word was said with heavy sarcasm, "there will, indeed, be one joint craft. You will be on it."
The hatch was opening now, and the first of the U'Churian military delegation was stepping out, closely followed by his two companions. Despite the fact he'd seen the images recorded by the
Hkariyash,
the similarity between them and his own people astonished Lyaka.
Averaging the same height as themselves, the U'Churians were all dark-pelted. Dressed in mid-thigh length blue tunics bearing an emblem over the right shoulder, each one carried a sidearm fastened to his or her belt. Khyno and Vaszha moved forward to greet them.
"You'd think we came from the same stock, wouldn't you?" said Jiosha quietly. "But notice, their legs are straight, and their mouth and nose slightly more pronounced than ours."
Lyaka narrowed his eyes a little to see better. At this distance, and with their longer black pelts, it was difficult to see the details clearly. "Enough like us to be distant cousins," he murmured, seeing what she was talking about as the party moved away from the ramp to allow the quadrupedal Cabbarans to emerge. Briefly he wondered if they were the navigators.
"This group aren't a navigation unit," said Jiosha abruptly. "Navigators travel in septs of four. The agreements between them and the U'Churians makes them effectively Family members."
"Family?"
"The species data sent by the
Vranshan
an hour ago said that each profession has six or so leading Families and all members of that profession belong to one of them. The Cabbarans become quite literally Family members of the ship on which they work," she said. "Your aide likely didn't have the opportunity to brief you, Commander, since you were greeting the Ambassadors when the information arrived."
Lyaka didn't have the time to reply as the small party drew closer. He was continuing to be impressed with her efficiency, however. Normally telepaths weren't interested enough in work of a military nature to be as fully up to date as Jiosha obviously was.
Khyno stopped and indicated the leading U'Churian. "This is Captain Thaylan, Commander Lyaka. And Lieutenants Rryal and Hannak," she said, indicating them in turn. "This is Cheerow, Mimkee, and Duchurr, the Cabarran military delegates."
"Captain Thaylan, welcome to the
Rhijissoh,
" said Lyaka, bowing his head in greeting. "This is Jiosha Dzahai, who will be helping you during your stay with us."
As he spoke, the three Cabbarans rose up to a sitting position, leaning forward to sniff audibly at the commander and the telepath with their long, mobile snouts.
The translator device on the lead Cabbaran's belt burst into life. "Commander's telepath. How follow thoughts alien to you?"
Lyaka caught Jiosha's startled expression, then saw her mouth open in a slight smile.
"With difficulty, Delegate, and not without help from yourselves."
"All tele-paths wear this color?" asked Captain Thaylan, touching Jiosha's robe. His voice was a deep rumble, the Sholan, though understandable, not quite correctly pronounced.
"By law they must," said Lyaka. "It is an offense to read a sentient's thoughts without their permission, therefore telepaths must advertise their profession at all times."
"Mental privacy is highly valued, Captain Thaylan," said Jiosha, inclining her head toward him.
"Report from Captain Tirak said this," he nodded. "Good knowing he was given the truth."
"If you'd like to accompany us, Captain," said Lyaka, turning slightly to indicate the air lock behind him. "I have refreshments laid out for you. We can update you on the measures we've taken so far to locate the
Rryuk's Profit.
May I say your command of our language is excellent."
"Sent to us by
Profit
when interim treaty signed."
Lyaka waited a moment for the Cabbarans to resume their normal walking stance before leading the way out of the landing bay.
"If you wish, Captain, I can increase your knowledge of our language," said Jiosha as she fell into step on the large U'Churian's other side. "We call it a skill transfer. It would also help me to understand your own language. I match my mind with yours and send you the understanding of Sholan."
The slightly smaller officer behind him spoke rapidly to her captain in their own language.
"Tirak said ask for this," Thaylan nodded. "What news have you?"
"Of the
Profit?
" asked Lyaka, stepping into the corridor and waiting for his guests. "Not good, I'm afraid. We found some debris only a few hours ago. I'm having it brought in for you to inspect. However, there wasn't enough to account for the whole ship. There's a possibility that she's still sound enough to have continued her journey. The damage could be due to meteoric impact and account for her lack of communication."
"Four ships already dis-patched during jump to search route," Thaylan said. "Look for fuel traces, see if
Profit
dropped out."
"You launched craft during jump?"
Thaylan's mouth widened in a Human style grin. "You cannot? We not so be-hind you as you think!"
Lyaka glanced at Jiosha, wondering how the U'Churian had known their rating of their tech level. She arched an eye ridge in surprise at him. It seemed this Captain Tirak was quite astute.
Thaylan put a large pawlike hand on his shoulder, grinning almost from ear to ear. "Your Jiosha give us Sholan language. We pre-pared. Tirak warn us. Got drugs for headache. Then we talk trade. Want co-munication in jump from you. Maybe give you help on hull con-struction. Need it before nav-i-gation, yes?"
Yes,
thought Lyaka,
this Tirak has briefed Thaylan well— too well!

* * *
Day 12

"So you're Vanna's Human," said Noni, eyeing the young man up and down. "At least she got a decent sized one, not like Tallinu."
Started pale blue eyes peered out from under shoulder length, wavy brown hair. They flicked across Noni's face, assessing her even as she assessed him.
"Could almost be Sholan with all that hair over your face. What you call it?" she demanded.
"A beard and mustache," he said, grinning. He liked her immediately.
"So I'm an irascible old crone, am I?" she asked, much to his dismay. "We'll have less of the old, if you please. Teusi!"
"I know," sighed her assistant. "Take Jurrel to the store. You do realize it's raining, don't you, Noni? We'll get soaked walking to the village and back."
"Take the aircar then, and not the store, go to the inn. We might be a while. You, sit," she said, pointing a claw at Brynne. "I don't suppose..."
He grinned again and reached into his robe pocket, pulling out a bag of ground coffee. "I was told you liked this. This one's from Earth."
She nodded her thanks as she took it from him and began reading the packaging. "Damned outlandish script! Why don't they write it in a civilized language like Sholan." she grumbled.
"Look at the back," Brynne said. "Way down near the bottom. It's one of the coffees exported specifically for Shola."
She glanced across the table at him from under lowered eye ridges. "So it is. Thank you for your consideration, Brynne Stevens. It'll be interesting to taste the difference between this and the kind I usually get."
Brynne shrugged, hearing the door behind him close as the other two males went out. "I take it Teusi goes out to the store a lot."
"Depends on who's visiting. He's my apprentice, some things he's not ready to know yet. Jurrel said you wanted to talk about visions and dreams you think you've been having. Said Dhaika sent you off with a cuff round the ears about a week ago, telling you not to bother him or Father Lijou again with such rubbish. What makes you think you got anything worth me hearing?"
"The fact I'm sitting here talking to you," he said, watching her lift a jug of coffee and start pouring it into the first of the two mugs.
"Don't do yourself any favors, boy, I'm just curious." She handed him a mug then poured her own drink, leaving him to add what sweetener and whitener he wished from the pots on the table. "Yes, you can light one of your smoking sticks. Use the dish beside you for the ash. I've a fancy to see this strange Human habit for myself."
Floored, he was left with nothing to say as he reached for the shallow pottery dish at his side of the table.
"What else do you know about me?" he asked, fishing his tobacco tin and lighter out of his pocket.
"You don't really expect me to answer that, now, do you?" She took a sip from her mug. "So you were the pupil of the Derwent person that ran off from Valsgarth. The fake mystic who tried to teach our younglings that religion and telepathy went together, and our world is a male entity— Vartra in fact." She snorted loudly in derision. "He's a typical Terran patriarch from what I hear. No wonder he disliked Shola! We're a matriarchal world, we just let our males think otherwise."
Brynne choked on his coffee.
"You don't believe me? Who d'you think runs the Clans, my lad?" she asked, raising an eye ridge. "That's where our roots are. All the rest is commerce. Let the males play with it, we got enough females there to keep 'em on track, too."
"But many senior positions are held by males."
"Seem's the word, lad. Yes, it goes to the best person for the job, but if the best's a male, then look to the female beside him. Much easier to keep things on track from alongside your mate than out in front."
He looked disbelievingly at her. "Stronghold." He opened his tin and began rolling a cigarette.
"Kha'Qwa has a rather different kind of mate," she said thoughtfully. "That Lijou, he's more like us. Tallinu was the one I had hopes for, but his path lay elsewhere. Teusi, now, he's a good apprentice. He'll do well if he sticks it out with me. Maybe you're one of the different ones, too. Being Talented helps. Gives you an appreciation of your female side. But then, we Sholans are more balanced than you Humans when it comes to that. Once the males get past thirty, they settle down some. They're mostly past the drives to sire a family on the first pretty female they meet. You Human males never seem to get past it."
"How many Humans have you met, Noni?" he asked, putting his cigarette to his lips and flicking open his lighter. "I heard I'm only the second." He inhaled deeply, waiting for her answer.
Her brown eyes twinkled at him over the top of her mug. "I don't have to leave here to meet Humans, lad. Nor do they need to come here to visit me."
He frowned. What on earth was she talking about? How could she meet people without actually meeting them? Did she mean she talked to them on the comm? And he was like Tallinu and Teusi? He shook his head, confused. He couldn't make sense of what she was saying.
Noni's mouth opened in a gentle smile as she continued to sip her coffee. He had potential, right enough. She could use him, but not yet. When he was ready, he'd hear what she was saying clear enough.
"In all Derwent's mishmash of ideas, he did get one or two things right," she said. "At least you got through the barriers he put up about your Sholan side, lad, or you wouldn't be here. Now, tell me about those dreams of yours."