Starbridge (15 page)

"What is your name for your world?"

Dhurrrkk' produced a series of panting grunts. Mahree glanced at the translation, saw that the name literally meant "land-air- water."

She tried pitching her voice deep in her chest.
"Hhurrr-ee
haah," she managed.

"Correct!"

"What about the word for your space station?"

Dhurrrkk' pushed his lips out exaggeratedly so she could watch him.

"Tchh'ooo-kk'. That means 'Station One,' " he added.

Mahree tried copying him, without much success. "I'm going to have to practice that," she said. "Why is your station called 'Station One'? Do you have more than one space station?"

Dhurrrkk's crest sagged. "I ... I explain poorly," he said. "Forgive, please, that I have confused you."

Uh, oh, another taboo,
Mahree thought.

"Would you like to see our station?" Dhurrrkk' asked quickly, "I would be most honored to escort you."

"Would
I? Oh, I mean, yes, yes, I would! Thank you! I'd be honored!"

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"Then let us ask permission for you to accompany me."

Mahree hastily grabbed a vid-cam unit, after asking whether it would be permitted for her to record her expedition to show to her people. Dhurrrkk'

nodded, and they set out, stopping first at the gathering in the tube to ask Rhrrrkkeet' and Raoul for permission. The Captain was obviously delighted that someone aboard
Desiree
was going to get to see their hosts' station.

"Station One" proved to be a fascinating warren of brightly colored three-and four-sided pyramid-shaped rooms, with ramps and grid lattices instead of elevators or escalators. Dhurrrkk' took her through several "rows" of the abacus, pointing out offices and shops. In a store that sold fruits and vegetables, Mahree was interested to note currency being used--small green disks.

That's odd,
she thought. I
thought they conducted financial transactions with

"honor-debts."
She knew that the Simiu system was a sophisticated form of barter that employed ' 'honor, debts" as a form of credit. Intrigued, she pointed to the currency. "What are those, Honored Dhurrrkk'?"

Her escort froze, crest drooping. "I . . ." he hesitated, obviously flustered. "I cannot discuss those items, Honored Mahree. It is not permitted."

Another taboo!
"I am sorry I asked, Honored Dhurrrkk'," she said quickly.

"Please excuse me."

"There is nothing to excuse," Dhurrrkk' said graciously, but he still seemed disturbed. "We have seen enough shops," he said. "Would you care to observe the docking bays for our ships?"

"I would like that very much."

Fortunately, Mahree possessed a good head for heights, so she was able to follow her escort when it came to scaling the lattice surrounding the largest of the Simiu docking bays.

As she panned the vid-cam down over the hammerheaded Simiu ships, some in docking cradles, others in repair bays, with maintenance technicians swarming over them, Mahree tried to get as many close-ups of their power assemblies as possible.
Paul is going to go crazy over these
films,
she thought.
He's been in a panic to find out more about how they
manage that super-fast FTL drive of theirs.

After a half hour of walking and climbing in the higher gravity, Mahree was tired, her head spinning with alien sights,

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sounds, and scents. Simiu architecture, with its odd angles and parabolas, was actually painful to her vision, used to human- engineered right angles and straight lines. And the shade of violet the aliens were so fond of made her eyes water if she looked directly at it.

When Dhurrrkk' announced that it was time for them to return to the tube, she didn't argue. "It was wonderful, seeing your station, Honored Dhurrrkk'. I only wish that I could visit your planet," she said as they walked back to the airlock.

"I would like to show you my world, my home," Dhurrrkk' replied, "but our leaders have decreed it is not possible until our scientists have completed more tests to make sure your microbes cannot harm us."

"I understand," she said. "We would do the same thing, I'm sure, in your place." She hesitated. "Forgive my curiosity, but we know so little about your social structure. Is it permitted to ask how your government functions?"

"Each of our clans appoints a leader, and she represents us in the Under-Council, which governs each province. The Under- Council members who have . . ." he hesitated, "proved themselves the worthiest also serve in the High Council, making decisions of planetary importance."

" 'She'?" Mahree echoed. "Your Council members are female?"

"Of course," Dhurrrkk' said. "Females govern the clans; they own the land.

Who else should rule?"

So, their culture is a matriarchy,
Mahree thought.
That's interesting.
"But up to now," she said, "almost all of your people that we have met are male."

Dhurrrkk' nodded. "Naturally. We males are the ones who have the time to explore, to risk ourselves in space. Females have the young to teach, a task requiring the greatest wisdom. They also administer our society, and govern our people. Is it so on your world?"

"No, on our worlds both males and females work in space. Males as well as females own property and serve as government officials."

He gave her a sidelong glance from his violet eyes, and Mahree realized that, even when he was intent upon their conversation, Dhurrrkk' tended to avoid prolonged eye contact.
Must remember to mention that to Uncle Raoul,
she thought.
Tell him to warn everyone not to stare.

94

A. C.
Crispin

"That is most interesting, Honored Mahree," the Simiu said. "In our world, males do the work in space. Females only travel into space when they must do so in order to administer, or, as in the case of Rhrrrkkeet', when they must meet with--" he broke off abruptly.

With whom?
Mahree wondered, but she had the feeling that she'd tripped over another taboo, so she did not voice the question aloud. By this time, they had reached the airlock. Dhurrrkk' busied himself with the controls, and did not speak again until they stepped out into the tube, only to see that it was deserted. "We have been gone much time," he said.

Mahree glanced at her watch. "It's been over two hours! Everyone will be wondering where we are."

"Yes, we must each return to our people," he said with regret. "It has been most instructive. It is too much to hope that you would honor me thus again, but I wish that it could be so."

"Of course I can," she said. "And don't feel you have to be so formal about asking! After all, we're friends, correct?"

His expression was solemn, but his violet eyes danced. "Friends, yes. I am honored." Then he made an obvious effort. "Ffrreenndz," he said aloud, in English.

"Ahrreekk'shh," she agreed, in Simiu. "Friends."

Dhurrrkk' did indeed return the next day--and the next. Their meetings became the high point of Mahree's day. Each encounter began with a language lesson, and her new friend proved to be a careful and patient teacher. By the time the girl could say, "Greetings, Dhurrrkk', I am honored to see you again," Sekhmet had grown so accustomed to the young Simiu's presence that she allowed him to pet her.

During their teaching sessions, Mahree grew used to phrasing every question on a new topic with extreme caution. As the humans had already discovered, many subjects were proscribed, but there seemed to be no consistency in what the Simiu avoided discussing. For example, while Dhurrrkk' had displayed no uneasiness in telling Mahree that their leaders were female, her tentative question concerning
how
top Simiu leaders were chosen was met with yet another polite evasion.

The same was true of any reference to their judicial system. Mahree became adept at backing off immediately whenever she encountered a sensitive subject.

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"Now, it is my turn," Dhurrrkk' said, after several lessons. "I wish also to speak your language. Please, I would like to say your name, first." He wrinkled his muzzle, obviously trying hard. "Hhhahhhrree."

"Mah-ree," she said, exaggerating the initial sound.

'' Hhmmahhhree.''

"Good!" She nodded enthusiastically at him. "Just bring your mouth together a little bit more for the 'm' sound." She demonstrated.

"Mahhrreee," Dhurrrkk' said.

"You've got it!"

"This," Dhurrrkk' announced, a few minutes later as he stroked Sekhmet gently, "is
my
pet."

Mahree looked down at her computer link's tiny holoscreen as an image formed. It showed Dhurrrkk'--it was amazing how quickly she'd learned to identify his features even in a group of other Simiu--with an animal perched on his back, holding to his mane with tiny clawed paws. It had short, sleek black fur, with a white-ringed tail. Long, thick whiskers below a white bandit-mask gave its short-muzzled face a mischievous look. It had big, dark liquid eyes. To Mahree it looked vaguely like a cross between a lemur and a seal.

"Oh, it's adorable!" she exclaimed.

"Her name is Rrazzkk'll."

Mahree smiled, carefully keeping her lips together. "She looks like a 'rascal,'

" she said, amused.

"Please, what is 'rascal'?"

"Someone who is mischievous, who enjoys making people go to a lot of trouble for his or her sake ..." Mahree said, thinking as she spoke. "Someone who likes to play jokes."

"Jokes?"

She sighed. "Jokes," she began, "are hard to explain. I will try, but you must stop me if I speak of something I should not. Will you promise to do that?"

He nodded solemnly.
Good,
she thought.
That way I won't get myself in
trouble with their taboos. Okay, here goes.
"Honored Dhurrrkk', how do you feel when you see or do something that should happen one way, but instead happens another way? An awkward way, but not so that it causes hurt?"

"You mean when I try to do a thing the right way, but it goes 96

wrong and I am left to feel foolish? It depends on who is present and whether my honor is compromised."

"Well, what about when you see that sort of thing happen to somebody else, does it make you feel amused?"

"Amused?"

Mahree waved her hands helplessly. "Let me show you." Waking the dozing Sekhmet, she hastily found the cat's play mouse on its string and dangled it.

Dhurrrkk' watched as the cat lazily batted it; then, as Sekhmet got into the play, Mahree began swinging the mouse. The little black animal nearly turned herself inside out as she leaped and pounced, finally rolling over on her back and grabbing her toy with a mock-fierce expression on her face.

She bit the mouse, "disemboweled" it with her hind claws, then, when she had thoroughly "killed" it, strode away with an erect tail and a disdainful expression.

Mahree glanced at Dhurrrkk'. "How did that make you feel?"

"Good," he responded. "Feel warm inside. Sekhmet is being so silly, looking so fierce, when she is really so small. She wants us to think she could have easily defeated a far more powerful opponent."

"Well," Mahree told him, "that's feeling 'amused.' Sekhmet's actions amused you. You found them humorous. And a joke is a humorous little story or action that's told or done deliberately to make you feel amused."

Dhurrrkk' thought that one over for a minute. "I believe I understand," he said, finally. "Do your people have many jokes?"

"Many," she answered.

"Tell me one, please."

Mahree shook her head. "It wouldn't be humorous--amusing-- to you."

"I understand that this is cultural, in the most part. But I am curious."

She screwed up her forehead in thought. "It's no use," she told him, after a long moment. "I can't think of any clean ones. And Uncle Raoul would never forgive me for telling you a dirty one."

"Clean? Dirty?" He touched his own computer link, obviously puzzled. "My translation gives these terms as measurements of personal hygiene and of one's interior environment, especially concerning items such as dust, earth, grease, and assorted individual effluvia due to lack of grooming. What have these things to do with jokes?"

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Mahree began to giggle, hiding her teeth behind her hand. "Oh, dear! I just
can't
figure out a way to explain dirty jokes! If I can ever think of a way to do it, I promise I will, but right now, it's just impossible!"

"Impossible? Really?" His violet eyes held disappointment.

"Really," she assured him. "Trust me."

"Trust?" He was suddenly solemn again. "You are speaking of an honor-bond? Most people would say we have not known each other long enough for that . . . but I feel that you are a friend who is worthy of it. Perhaps even of being honor-bound."

"What is honor-bound?" she asked, suddenly alerted. Somehow she knew that Dhurrrkk' had just revealed a vital piece in the puzzle of how Simiu society was structured.

The alien hesitated, then said, "Among my people, to be honor-bound is the strongest tie possible between Those-WhoAre-Not-Family. When two individuals swear that they are honor- bound, it means they pledge to defend each other's name, each other's honor . . . even unto the Arena-of-Honor."

"You mean
fight?"
Mahree held her breath. There had been no indication of violence in the films the Simiu had shown them, and none of their information had included this "Arena-of-Honor."

Dhurrrkk's crest flattened suddenly and the girl's heart sank.
Oh, no. Another
taboo.
But after a moment, her new friend said slowly, "I am not supposed to be conversing of these things, but I forgot that you were not one of us. It is good to just ... talk ... without constraint."

"I am honored that you feel you can talk to me," Mahree said. She hesitated, then continued, "Honored Dhurrrkk' ... I promise I won't speak of any of this to my people unless you give me permission. Does that make it all right?"

"I am grateful," Dhurrrkk' said, with evident relief. He hesitated. "My people are not sure how you humans will respond to knowledge that we battle for our honor. Not as a
people,
you understand, but when two individuals, or two clans, challenge each other, yes, their difficulty is settled in the Arena
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