Treaty Planet

by: Anne McAffrey

Alternate title: Treaty at Doona

Synopsis:

The peace between humans and cat-like aliens on the unspoiled planet Doona has been hard won. Now a new race of aliens arrives, bringing with them promises of new technology and trade. But the devastating accusation that these newcomers once destroyed life on another planet puts the residents of Doona in peril.

Chapter 1

THROUGH THE VOID, THE SMALL BLUE-WHITE STAR twinkled enticingly, promising light and heat in generous measure. Those aboard the massive, matte black spaceship approaching that star system On an elliptical angle had been drawn to investigate it by the various communication signals emanating from the third planet of that star.

The planet, a blue and green globe around which three pocked moons circled, was also ringed by orbiting drones and several spaceships of considerably less mass than the newcomer. Such vehicles were considered by the passengers of the enormous spaceship to be as worthy of investigation as the broadcasts, for both phenomena indicated the presence of sentient beings and advanced technology.

The visiting vessel, which had no insignia or identifiable markings on its kilometre-long, irregularly cylindrical hull, sailed boldly towards the heliopause bounding this so-intriguing star system.

The forward speed of the great ship would have been deceptive to any monitor observing its approach. Even as those aboard contained their initial elation of discovery and began to record this event, the blunt prow of the craft swept out on the in-system side of the heliopause.

Sensors at the system perimeter were spotted, their messages and internal composition examined by probes: the mechanisms briefly prevented by this interference from performing the function for which they had been designed. Excitement grew to a feverish pitch as specialists and consultants eagerly inspected the diagrams of the sophisticated warning systems. The inhabitants of this star system were truly creative and technologically sophisticated. Everything pointed to the amazing fact that the inhabitants of this star system had created and nurtured a civilization sufficiently advanced to be worth the Strangers' complete and immediate attention.

At the door of the Council Chamber, Todd Reeve, Human colony leader of Doonarrala, bowed and shook hands with arriving delegates: hopefully dissembling his most uneasy and ambivalent feelings about this wretched conference.

He had never thought the idea of turning the subcontinent into a free trade and space port facility would come this far. The colony referendum had passed it by a slim margin, which vindicated his position even if the "yeas' had outnumbered the "nays'. So he had been forced to take the next step: this meeting of Hrruban and Hayuman officials.

Beside him in the receiving line was his best friend Hrriss: their friendship as yet miraculously unimpaired by their current disparate views. They had agreed to disagree for the first time in their twenty-seven-year friendship.

Todd found it very hard to understand how Hrriss should pursue a course which, so obviously to Todd, abrogated both the Decision and Treaty by which this unusual mixed colony had been promulgated.

Right now, being greeted by smiles and affability, none of the delegates would have suspected that the almost legendary friendship of Hayuman and Hrruban was under considerable stress.

Beyond Hrriss was his father, Hrrestan, Hrruban coleader with Todd, who was as staunchly in favour of the proposed alteration of Doonarrala's function as Todd and his father were opposed to it.

Todd was impatient to get past the preliminaries and plunge into the problem which might relieve the tension that twisted his nerves and tightened his neck and shoulders. Kelly had done her best to knead out the worst of the kinks, silently supporting her husband. Despite their mutual respect and deep attachment to this planet and all it stood for, Todd wasn't sure if Kelly totally agreed with him on this matter.

She'd said all the proper things and had accompanied him and his father on their trips to all the villages where the pros and cons were argued in open debate. But, somehow, the feeling niggled at him that she was not as dead-set against a free-trade port as he was.

Ken Reeve had worked tirelessly for a "nay' verdict on the referendum for the situation was his worst nightmare for Doona come true: an insidious expansion that defeated the initial purpose of the colony - for both species.

Somehow, Todd must make that fear so real to the delegates that today's conference would be the end of the matter. Otherwise, he might be forced to resign his position as the Hayuman colony leader, since he could not wholeheartedly accept such a change in Doonarrala.

The fact that the idea for a trade and space port facility originated with the Hrruban half of the colony did nothing to placate Todd's arlx:ieties. The original premise, hammered into the Decision and later the Treaty - was, he argued, about to be invalidated if part of the planet was to be commercialized. Ironic that this whole wretched idea had come from his suggestion that they name the western subcontinent "The Hrrunat' after the late First Speaker, as a mark of the respect and love in which all Doonarralans, Hayuman and Hrruban, had held Hrruna.

Todd and the old First Speaker had had a most unusual relationship, despite their differences of species, culture and age.

It was therefore doubly ironic that what had been meant as a sincere tribute to Hrruna was rebounding against those he had so subtly protected during the colony's early stages.

Todd almost welcomed the discomfort of the formal tailored tunic which rubbed his neck raw as the receiving line continued. He'd had the notion, dressing this morning, that he should look his best, even in defeat. His thick black hair was newly cut and neatly brushed and he knew he looked well in the formal tunic, despite its constriction.

He had good shoulders, a deep chest and was tall, even for a Hayuman. Todd had never stood on ceremony but, as Kelly had said at their mostly silent breakfast, ceremony could be used to advantage. As he hoped to use it today.

That didn't keep his collar from binding his neck.

He took some consolation in seeing that Hrriss was likewise chafed by Hrruban ceremonial gear, surreptitiously tugging at the jewelled straps that crisscrossed his tawny-furred torso under the loose red robe he wore for a such formal occasion. On other occasions Hrriss would have glanced at Todd, a hand-span taller than he, and rolled his large green eyes ceilingwards, flattening back his tufted ears to express his discomfort. But today they were opponents - still friendly, still hoping for a way Out of the dilemma which obsessed both - and their normal exchanges were constrained.

Hrrestan, veteran diplomat, was currently chatting to the Hrruban Space Arm representative, Prrid. An old Stripe, the Senior Space Commandant stood with his hands clasped behind him, rocking back and forth, his tailtip held at a relaxed angle. Beside him, his aide, a mature and seasoned explorer, Mrrunda, stood on one foot and then the other, trying not to appear impatient for the proceedings to begin.

For all the times when, as a small boy, Todd had wished for a tail, he was glad now that he didn't have one for it would have been lashing nervously. On the other hand, Hrrestan's caudal appendage was curved slightly, showing that he was at ease. The rest of the Hrruban Space Arm party were already standing near the conference table; three more officers, each with pouches stuffed with documentation.

"Admiral Barnstable,' Todd said, calling himself to order as he greeted a tall, white-haired man in uniform who resembled the very portrait of an ancient sea captain.

In a face of weather-beaten red, surprising in a man who had never been out on the seas of any planet, he had sharp blue eyes with which he now studied Todd. Hoping he passed muster, Todd smiled and bowed.

"Welcome to the Treaty Island of Doonarrala, sir. May I present Leader Hrrestan, Senior Commandant Prrid, and his aide, Captain Mrrunda?" Everett Cabot Barnstable was one of the more important delegates of the conference since he represented Spacedep. There had been a lot of jockeying to see who would head the military arm of Amalgamated Worlds, with its huge budget, resources, and manpower.

Barustable, possessed of a strong conservative bent and vast support on Earth, had finally succeeded. His predecessor, Admiral Landreau, had been no friend to Doonarrala. Barnstable was known as a decision maker, a good administrator and negotiator. Todd felt he was a significant improvement over Landreau, but not entirely perfect. At least, Doonarrala had had no trouble from Spacedep since he had been in charge; until now. Barnstable wasn't so reactionary as to favour Human Separatism, but he was sure to support the inauguration of a base on the subcontinent: a base that would be as useful to the Hayuman Space Arm as the Hrruban. Another point which Todd had tried to emphasize in his contentions. Spacedep had no right on Doonarrala: had always meant trouble to the community.

And they wanted to invite Spacedep IN?

Barustable accorded his Hrruban opposite numbers a sharp respectful half-bow, eyeing them as keenly as they did him. Then he gave an odd convulsive shudder and frowned. "Confound it, I can't believe it's safe for a body to shift planets so fast. Ten minutes ago I stood on a grid on Earth, and then I was decanted on Doona."

"It saves time,' Prrid said, lifting his upper lip in a Hrruban grin.

Todd was relieved to see that Barnstable was familiar with the awesome sight of a Hrruban smile.

"I imagine you do not favour further grid installations on Doonarrala,' Todd said to Prrid, seizing the opportunity for some subtle indirection.

Prrid's unexpectedly orange eyes regarded him, the pupil slits narrowed to a thin line.

"Zat will depend, Leader Rrrev. Zat will depend."

"Come now, Reeve,' Admiral Barustable said, turning jocular, "surely you won t stand in the way of progress.

"If I were certain it was progress. . ." And Todd let his comment trail off. So Spacedep was, as he anticipated, eager to obtain a legitimate position on Doonarrala.

"Now, Todd,' Jilamey Landreau said, appearing at Todd's elbow, a-jingle with the tiny bells sewn in patterns on his stylish motley-coloured attire, "it's not like you to resist any change which improves this planet. The more grids, the merrier, what? Think of how many more people would come to the Snake Hunts,' he added, grinning mischievously. Then he turned to the Senior Commandant and his aide, "Todd saved my life on my first Snake Hunt, you know. By the way, Admiral, Commandant, I represent the grid. - "Save it till later, Jilamey,' Todd said, grabbing his friend by the elbow and pushing him away from the military group.

"Oh, I can take a hint,' Jilamey said with mock dismay, marching off into the conference room with an agitated jingling of his tiny bells.

Todd sighed to himself: it would seem that all his erstwhile friends were aligned against him. But Jilamey was "grid' mad. If civilians of either planet could have had matter transmitters, Jilamey Landreau would have been first in the queue. Perhaps it was as well that the Hrrubans were so paranoid about their matter transmitters.

To benefit from a trade and space port installation, the Hrrubans would have to put down grid facilities, probably the largest feasible one, similar in size to the one they had originally used to transport their "village' in the earliest days of the Doonan colonization. Todd couldn't really blame the Hrrubans for wanting a free-trade port.

Their lack of large cargo vessels had mitigated heavily against Hrruban traders. And Spacedep had persisted in its restrictions on the sale of Hayuman spacecraft to the Hrruban merchants. The day when the Hrrubans released information and/or licensed grid matter transmitters to Hayumans, the Spacedep would lift its embargo on vessel transfers.

Of course, there were grids transporting goods among Hrruban home and colony worlds but there still didn't seem to be much ore available for more than small two-or three-man exploration vessels.

"Yo there, Reeve,' said Fred Horstmann, a stout man with fair hair and a flamboyant gold-trimmed tunic, an independent trader affiliated with Codep's leading administrator and negotiator, Captain Ali Kiachif.

That wily old skipper was already holding court at the near edge of the great oval table. Ali had not changed in all the years Todd had known him, except for a little more grey in his hair and beard.

Some of the lesser lights chatted quietly at the other end of the table. Lorena Kaldon, with scarlet-dyed hair and a firm pointed chin, was a banker from one of the major Amalgamated Worlds institutions.

Her presence suggested that the project was favoured by the money markets and Todd's spirits sank even further. Damn it! Were they that certain this wretched facility would be approved? And, as her Opposite number, Hrrouf, a financier from Hrruba, arrived with a pale-pelted female with a limp air about her belied by scarred ears and forearms, whom he introduced as Nrrena. Both were moderately broad Stripes, indicating that they were of good family.

Closely following them was Hrrin, a Rraladoonan from the Third Hrruban Village, who represented Hrruban independent traders and was an old friend of Todd's and Hrriss's. The Stripe down his back and tail was narrower than Hrriss's, and his leonine mane was much darker.

Hrrin had kept his Opinions to himself so he might, indeed, side with Todd.

Barnstable and the two Hrruban Space Arm delegates moved straight for the conference table, to check their places.

Old Ali Kiachif caught Todd's eye and winked as he rose to take Barnstable's outstretched hand. It was too early in the day for a drink, but Todd could have sworn that the bulge in the old spacer's tunic pocket was a flask. It probably contained mlada, the Hrruban native liquor and Kiachif's favorite tipple in this lane of space.

Though Kiachif had only made port a short hour before the conference was due to start, that was time and enough for him to acquire "needful' supplies.

Drunk or sober, the old man's mind was sharp, never missing the chance to turn an advantage his own way, occasionally even supporting the good of Doonarrala to his detriment. Todd was glad he was there.

But would Ali prove an ally or antagonist? He had every reason to want better shipping facilities on Doonarrala but he certainly wouldn't want to give up his edge on interstellar trade.

Todd sighed.

Last to arrive, undoubtedly by design, was Hrrto, Second Speaker for External Affairs, currently the most senior administrator from Hrrestan's home world of Hrruba.

This was the first time any of the Speakers had visited Doonarrala since the First Speaker, Hrruna, had "joined the Ancestral Stripes' Todd knew that Hrrto, who had not always been as strong a supporter of the Rrala experiment, was under considerable pressure to make his mark at this conference.

Rumour had it that he was on the short list of nominees for the post of First Speaker. He would be caught between his desire to win on his own merits and the necessity to compare favourably with his late superior in wisdom and probity. Comparisons were always odious, and even a Second Speaker from a well-regarded Stripe would not be exempt from them. The election was not far off, a fact that Todd knew would make Hrrto eager to conclude the conference as soon as possible so he could devote his time and energy to domestic matters.

Beside him, but one pace behind Hrrto, walked a female Hrruban in plain black robes: Hrrto's aide, Mllaba. Her hot yellow-green eyes showed Todd that her deference was deliberate, but not entirely out of respect for her employer. Todd found her a curious individual. Hrriss told him that Mllaba had abstained from cub-bearing, and even companionship, in her drive to advance a political career. She came from a very broad Stripe, equal in rank on Hrruba to Hrrestan himself.

Hrrto turned first to Hrrestan and Hrriss, favouring his fellow Hrrubans with his first words, then came to face Todd.

"Speaker Hrrto, Todd said in High Formal Hrruban, bowing deeply.

"You honour us by your presence.

"Zodd Rrev, I greet you,' Hrrto said, cordially, bowing slightly.

Todd realized with a shock how much older Hrrto seemed. His tawny mane was almost all silver, and he moved with greater care as if his formal red robes weighed heavily on his shoulders. "My assistant, Mllaba." "Honoured,' Todd said.

"It is I who am honrrred,' Mllaba replied in a low, throaty voice.

"Now that all the delegates are assembled,' Todd said, "let us begin." He nodded at the attendant who folded shut the heavy doors of the conference room.

Hrrestan politely led Second Speaker to his designated place and bowed him into it, before taking his own seat.

Hrrin leaped up to move a chair from the row against the wall for Mllaba. She said nothing, but her tail twitched once before she draped it demurely to one side instead of sticking it through the gap in the chair back intended for the Hrruban caudal appendage.

As Todd took his seat, he appreciated the irony that he now presided over proceedings in this chamber where he and Hrriss had been on trial for their honour and more.

The ultimate stake that day had been nothing less than the continued existence of their shared world, DoonaiRrala.

In Todd's estimation, today's deliberations were no less critical and politically sensitive. Doubly ironic was the fact that this was also his first chairmanship as Human colony leader and he wanted it against all odds - to fail!

He glanced around the table, meeting the eyes of friends and acquaintances, forcing a smile which he hoped would not appear inane or false.

"Friends,' said Todd. "As co-host of this conclave, I welcome you all to this vital conference. I have to tell you that I am completely opposed to the formation of a space port and commercial facility on the Hrrunatan subcontinent." There was a murmur of surprise at his bald statement. "I feel strongly, as does my father and our former leader, Hu Shih, that such an installation is in direct conflict with the Decision made on Doonarrala thirty three years ago.

"That Decision was ratified in a Treaty nine years ago, setting this planet aside as a peaceful co existent colony, specifically limited to an agrarian economy. To install - even at the distance of the subcontinent - an interstellar complex violates both Decision and Treaty.

In the light of this prejudice, I turn the meeting over to my co-leader, Hrrestan." He nodded to Hrrestan at the head of the table and sat down amidst a buzz of muted comments.

With great dignity, Hrrestan rose, nodding to Todd and holding up his hands, claws sheathed, to still the murmuring.

"There are many good reasons why the establishment of a separate and autonomous space port facility on the Hrrunatan subcontinent would benefit both our species.

With the appropriate safeguards, ensuring the integrity of the work here,' and he waved his hand to include the Treaty Island, "and what has been so successful on the main continent of Doonarrala, many of us feel that there would be no conflict, certainly no abrogation of either Decision or Treaty to having a free-trade port. We must ensure,' and now he accorded Todd a respectful bow, "that all reservations and apprehensions should be discussed and set to rest."

"With respect,' Jilamey said, standing up and bowing to Hrrestan: motions which set off his minute bells. "I really do believe that this planet is ideally suited for three separate and diverse installations.

Certainly, it would be much easier to conduct trade in this sector of the galaxy - expediting,' and now he turned to the Hrrubans, "our allies' participation, at the moment seriously hampered by a lack of cargo transport." Sweeping the table with a glance, Jilamey managed to subtly criticize both Admiral Barnstable's Spacedep for its refusal to sell Hrrubans larger vessels that could handle the potential volume of trade and the Hrrubans for refusing to reciprocate by releasing more of their matter transporters. "I will not, of course, at this point, mention the crucial need for more grids."

"Thank you for not mentioning that, Jilamey,' Todd said, glaring at him to keep off a topic that made Barustable, Prrid and the Second Speaker bristle with irritation.

Hrrestan let the claws on his right hand unsheathe so he could drum them warningly. Shrugging, Jilamey subsided but there was the faintest smile on his lips.

"Speaker Hrrto,' Hrrestan said, "are you willing to comment on the proposed trade centre?" The Second Speaker, absently smoothing the lapels of his ceremonial robe, rose to his feet. Mllaba, beside him, sat stiffly erect, ears slightly aslant to catch every word her superior uttered.

"Hrruban trade and commerce would significantly benefit from such a facility,' he began, switching his thick hands to a firm and oratorial hold on the lapels now.

"Due to certain constraints,' and he flicked his left ear and pointedly did not glance in the Admiral's direction, "only a bare trickle of Hrruban goods, some urgently sought on Hayuman worlds, manages to reach its destination. Ze cost is, however, prohibitive and subject to priorities which make deliveries uncertain. A universal marketplace would certainly improve industry on Hrruba and open up immense possibilities of further, mutually productive manufacturing.

Having discussed zis possibility with Hrruban officials in all areas of business management,' and he held one hand out to Mllaba for a sheaf of notes which he then brandished as proof of his efforts, "ze majority would be quite amenable to such a project. With, of course,' and he held up the sheaf of notes, "safeguards to protect ze existing colony and ze Zreaty Island from any commercial contamination."

"How large a trade grid will Hrruba install?" Jilamey asked, all but physically pouncing on Hrrto who recoiled.

"Zat subject has certainly not been discussed as yet, Mr Landreau, Hrrto said repressively as Hrrestan simultaneously called for order, glaring at the unrepentant Jilamey.

"What I'd like to know,' Tanarey Smith said, his voice overriding others wishing to be heard, "is whether or not the construction of such an installation will be joint?" His expression suggested that it had better be.

"That question is premature, Mr Smith, Hrrestan said.

"The matter to be discussed is the advisability of such an installation in the first instance, not who will build it."

"Ze Speakers must be assured zat regulations will follow zose already in force,' Hrrto began.

"Aw,' Ali Kiachif began, "let's not start that old keepthe-home-world-sacred stuff."

"Hell's bells,' added Fred Horstmann, "there isn't a space captain worth his salt, Hayuman or Hrruban, who hasn't a fair idea where each home world has to be." He caught Hrrto's outraged expression. "Well, you only have to narrow the Options available, Speaker' "Don't we know each other well enough now, after thirty-something years,' Tanarey Smith began, "to forget this nonsense about home world integrity?"

"No!" Second Speaker Hrrto leaped to his feet, the fur on his back bristling. "Home world integrity is not nonsense.

It is ze most vital point of agreement between our two races and may not, must not, be abrogated. Never be abrogated."

"So is the Treaty!" Todd couldn't contain himself from saying in a tone just short of a shout.

"The Treaty stipulates,' Barnstable said, raising his own voice to top Todd's, "the conditions by which the Doonarrala colony is promulgated. It says absolutely nothing about that subcontinent nor the use to which it can be put. The Treaty specifies only the main continent, known as Doonarrala, and the Treaty Island where observers are permitted and where any disputes are settled. This isn't a dispute. It's an expansion."

"Well now, I shouldn't want to see anything violate the Treaty,' Kiachif said, somehow inserting himself into the discussion. "I seen it start and don't intend to see it finish.

How about a space station?" And he looked appealingly at Todd.

Though Todd hadn't expected such a suggestion, he welcomed it.

"Space station?"

"Landside free port?"

"Now, wait a minute!"

"I thought the matter under discussion was the use of Hrrunat !" Appalled, Speaker Hrrto listened to the babble, his increasing outrage at such lack of courtesy demonstrated by the lash of his tail.

"SILENCE!" Todd belted the word out in such a roar that there was silence, as much from surprise as to walt until ears stopped ringing.

"You will all be heard in order.

In order, I repeat. We may all know each other very well but that is no reason to dispense with formality." Even Milaba regarded him with respect and Second Speaker was mollified.

"Hrrestan "Todd said, turning the meeting over once more to its chairman.

Having thrown in the suggestion of a space station, Ali Kiachif was acknowledged by Hrrestan to give particulars.

He was politely heard but when he had finished, five people vied to follow him.

Discreetly, Hrrestan acknowledged Hrrin who spoke about the benefits to the burgeoning agrarian economy which could not profitably market its surplus beyond those few traders who regularly reprovisioned at the present small, and totally inadequate space base. More people could be accommodated at a land base than a space station: therefore the agronomy of Doonarrala would certainly benefit more from a facility at The Hrrunat.

Lorena rose to speak for a space facility where the integrity of the colony would not be at risk. But, as she was speaking for bankers who would profit from either venture, she chose to fall on the side of the more expensive installation. Hrrouf, in terser language but with a thick accent, appeared to corroborate her statements on the Hrruban behalf.

Fred Horstmann wanted to be heard on the matter of the frail safety of a space station whereas a land port wasn't half as vulnerable and furthermore could accommodate simultaneously far more vessels and cargo at a considerably lower cost.

"Costs could be reduced even further with the use of the bigger grids,' Jilamey interjected, causing the Admiral and the Hrruban commandant to erupt in protest.

"Jilamey!" Todd said again, using his penetrating voice to cut through the rising level of peripheral conversations, one more word about grid and you are o.u.t. Out!" Jilamey's unrepentant shrug was on the order of neverhurts-to-try.

"I don't like griding around,' Barnstable snapped out, his crisp voice ringing in the big chamber, "and a big one wouldn't be any easier to endure than a small one.

Brr! At least with a ship, you know where you are and how you got there." One of his ice-white brows lowered slightly as he turned in Second Speaker's direction. "But I would like to take this occasion, face to face, to ask the honourable Senior Commandant Prrid and the honoured Second Speaker why the Himbans won't trust us with grid technology." Hrrto's eyes gleamed and the fur at the back of his neck bristled. Todd prepared to stand up and dive in.

"All I am prepared to say is zat it is not a question of trust, Admiral,' said Prrid. Second Speaker merely bowed to second that comment and turned his head resolutely from Barnstable.

"But will you say whether or not - if this project goes through there would be a large grid at a free-trade port?" Jilamey asked.

"No more will be discussed about ze grrrids,' Second Speaker said with such finality that Jilamey subsided. "We discuss ze advisability of a free-trade space port on Ze Hrrunat."

"Then let us get down to the nitty-gritty,' Ali Kiachif said. "The size of the place, its organization: will it be jointly administered . 9' "Of course!' Mrrunda said emphatically.

Ali grinned at him. "Of course!

Hrrto grumbled out a growl, shifting himself to face the old captain. "Hrruban trade has been at a disadvantage zat would be remedied by such a facility. I am instructed to make suitable arrangements." So, Todd thought to himself, no reprieve was forthcoming from the Hrruban side. How was he going to delay the matter? A glance at the massive old-fashioned long case clock in the corner of the room gave him the excuse he needed.

"Let us adjourn for lunch before we have to deal with details,' Todd suggested, glancing about the table.

"There's a splendid sampling of the local dishes, both Hrruban and Hayuman for your pleasure. If you will follow me?" Not every one of the delegates was pleased at such an interruption but Barnstable was clearly in favour of a meal. The alacrity with which Second Speaker rose from his chair did much to sway other Hrrubans to follow his example. Hrrouf immediately sought Lorena Kaldon for a few private words as they followed Todd.

The wide, marble hallways of the Federation Centre were peopled by tour groups and employees hurrying to and fro.

But these stood aside to allow the distinguished delegates to move freely towards the dining area. As they neared the facility, delightful aromas wafted out into the hallway.

Todd took a lungful and began to relax a little. Hrriss's jaw dropped open in a contented smile. The anticipation of food was having much the same effect on the others.

"Friends, welcome!" a warm voice greeted them from inside the doors. "I'm your hostess, Kelly Reeve. Please, come in and make yourselves at home. She repeated her greeting in excellent High Hrruban, bowing low towards Hrrto.

Her coifed red hair ablaze in the room's pendant lights, Kelly Solinari Reeve beckoned them inside. She was a tall woman, whose athletic, graceful figure was enhanced by the wheat-coloured dress and short jacket she wore. As if caught in the act of making last minute preparations, she set down the earthenware pitcher she was holding on the edge of a long table laid for a feast and advanced to the doorway, beaming.

"Mrs Reeve, this is a pleasant 5rp5,) Tanarey Smith said, bowing over Kelly's hand.

Ali Kiachif sprang forward to greet Kelly. "A fine day, a fair lassie, and food fit for a pharaoh. How are you, lass?"

"Wonderful, Ali,' Kelly said, returning the old spacer's embrace with a kiss on his grizzled cheek. "How good to see you! And Jilamey! We're so glad you got here. I was very surprised to see no one but Barrington on the landing pad two days ago. We didn't know what became of you.

Barrington, Jilamey's "gentleman's gentleman', accompanied him on almost every trip the young businessman made. He was a combination of amanuensis, mother hen and genie from the lamp, to judge by Jilamey's accounts of his silent miracles of Organization.

"Well, surprise,' Jilamey said, sheepishly. "I got a ride on the grid with Admiral Barnstable, hands across the wateror the void, so to speak." He winked at the Admiral, who ignored the familiarity. "I sent Old Patience-is-a-Virtue on by himself to breathe ship air and mind my parcels. He's marvellous. So I was able to stay home and tweak a few more deals before I came up. Grids are wonderful. You only grow lovelier, Kelly." He seized one of her hands to kiss.

"Well, your house is ready. I was up there only yesterday to check on it."

"I am in your debt,' Jilamey said, expansively.

Landreau had bought a large house high on a hilltop south-west of the original First Villages, and equipped it via Codep transport ship with all manner of modern doodads, including private vehicles not specifically mentioned nor barred by the Doona charter. As for horses, he owned a few but except for the weeks he was on planet, they boarded in stables owned by friends. Except for the ambassadorial residences on Treaty Island, his was the only permanent home owned by a non-resident on Doonarrala. But then, Jilamey was an exception to many rules.

"Well, sit down and eat,' Kelly said, waving him to a seat. The table was laid with individual place settings, but the platters and bowls of food were intended to be passed from guest to guest. "How have you been?"

"I'm surviving,' young Landreau replied, happily. "How are the Alley Cats? And Hrriss's cubs? I'm looking forward to seeing them." "And they can't wait to see you,' Kelly assured him.

"They all send their love. Nrrna is minding all the children while I play hostess."

"I've got a baby present for - what's her name?

Hrrunna?"

"You're so good with them,' Kelly said, shaking her hed.

"You should have some of your own." She caught herself and threw him a little shrug of apology.

"Not me,' Jilamey laughed, without a trace of discomfort. "I'm much more definitely uncle material. Besides, I couldn't spoil yours so well if I had my own tagging along behind me.

"How is my youngest grandchild?" Hrrestan asked, fondly, his voice dropping into intimate mode, as he stopped to rub cheeks with Kelly.

"Growing,' Kelly said, with a grin. "She follows everything with her eyes now, and that tail of hers is positively prehensile. When she doesn't want you to stop patting her back, she holds on."

"Hrrunna is named for our dear First Speaker,' Hrrestan explained to Hrrto. "She was born a mere four days after he joined the Stripes."

"A most touching sentiment,' Hrrto said, with a mere suggestion of a drop-jawed smile. "It is good to know those so far away from the home world would recall him and pay such a tribute. We of the High Council all regret the loss of our senior statesman.

To Todd and Hrriss, Hrrto's regret didn't ring entirely true.

Hrriss shook his head, recalling that Second was enmeshed at present in a difficult contest to win the vacant Speakership for himself, which likely overshadowed any real feelings he might have.

Kelly burst in to dispel the uncomfortable silence. "Well, come along, everyone. I hope you enjoy everything. Don't stand on ceremony. I'm sure you're famished." She came up to Todd and lifted her face for a kiss.

"How's it been going?" she asked in a hasty whisper as others moved about the table to find the placecards with their names.

"From whose viewpoint?" Todd asked ironically. Kelly gave him a quick, worried look as he tucked her arm in his and escorted her up the length of the room. "Ali tried to help by suggesting a space station.

Jilamey's doing his best to irritate Hrrto and Barnstable with his constant nudging about grids. But,' and she sighed as he conceded, "the majority see it as a way to improve their credit position one way or another! Even Hrrin sees the space port as profitable to the agricultural community-' "Oh? A new outlet for surplus. Hmm. Well, it would be. Ooops, sorry, love." Smoothly, Kelly ducked away from him towards the Second Speaker.

"Ah, gracious sir,' she said in her impeccable High Hrruban, "we have the urfa pie you so much enjoyed the last time you favoured us with your presence,' and she steered him toward his place and began serving him.

Then she turned her bright smile on Tanarey Smith who beamed under her charm.

Soon everyone was seated, with filled plates and glasses, looking all too pleased with the morning's meeting.

Despite the fact that the menu included two of Todd's personal favorites, he could find no appetite and pushed food about on his plate.

He could hear snatches of conversations and shook his head because, without exception, everyone favoured the instant establishment of a space port on the Hrrunat.

The instanter, the better, and why wasn't this suggested years ago?

Because Hu Shih and Hrruna had squashed that snake any time it came out of its lair.

Why wasn't I able to? Todd thought in miserable isolation. Dad and Hu Shih are as certain as I am that such an installadon abrogates both Decision and Treaty. WHY am I unable to convince the others? He sighed deeply, noting Kelly's anxious gaze on him. He smiled at her, though it was a feeble attempt, and pushed a forkful into his mouth.

The food was almost cold and that seemed part of the whole but he chewed it anyway. I must not be the leader everyone thought I was, if I cannot protect the community from an evil I perceive as encroachment.

The jingle of Jilamey's bells broke through and he saw the enthusiastic entrepreneur bumping up and down on his chair as he explained, with many gestures as well as body language, some point he was trying to make.

Maybe, thought Todd, I was foolish to stop Jilamey yattering away about the grids. Maybe if I let him irritate Hrrto, Prrid and that bunch sufficiently, they'll leave in a huff Todd, my friend, think with your head, not your heart. There're more ways to deflect a snake than ramming a boulder up ils maw.

He brightened considerably as he turned over the possibilities for sowing discord. Certainly, insisting on discussing grids, he'd disorganize the meeting so that nothing could be accomplished but a venting of temper.

He'd have to be subtle, which had never been his best suit, but so much was at stake.

Just then a stray phrase from Lorena Kaldon caught his attention.

"Once again, I want to know if this project will be open for tenders?" She looked agitated. "And who will make the final decision?"

"Why, obviously, that must be decided by the Villages, Todd said, smiling affably as if he'd been following the discussion all along.

"In this instance,' Barustable began, joining in with a verbal pounce, "since the matter concerns more than the Villages, the parent worlds must have a voice." Todd lifted one eyebrow and gave Hrriss a long look which Hrriss shrugged off. That annoyed Todd even more.

Was Hrriss blind that he didn't see how eager Spacedep was to get a legal foothold on Doonarrala?

"Parochial attitudes must give way to interstellar requirements,' Tanarey Smith said and Lorena nodded hearty agreement.

"Yes, but with both Earth and Hrruba complaining about costs already, where is the credit coming from?" Todd asked.

"This project will interest independent financial sources Lorena began.

"Don't you worry about the financing Tanarey said.

"All right, I won't,' Todd said, "but how does the facility manage itself once it's built?"

"Tariff, of course,' Fred Horstmann said, regarding Todd with surprise as if that source was too obvious.

"Which include a yearly rental?" Hrrestan asked in a bland tone.

Even Todd regarded his co-leader with surprise at that nicely landed bombshell. Hrrestan dropped his jaw in a smile. "You did not think that we Doonarralans would let you have a whole subcontinent rent free from us, did you? A percentage of the annual income Todd covered his eyes and bent his head so no one would see his grin. Maybe Hrrestan wasn't totally lost to common sense in this matter. In Todd's lexicon, however, a hefty infusion to the colony's coffers did not quite compensate for the abrogation of the Treaty. As it was, Hrrestan's remarks effectively silenced everyone except for the jingling bells of Jilamey's suit as, first he sank back in his chair, before abruptly sitting up to cause more chiming.

"Of course,' the young entrepreneur said, beaming at his sudden inspiration, "Doonarrala must benefit from the project. But I think it's only a matter of working out an acceptable figure. Think of all that has already been worked out here on Treaty Island so harmoniously." He gave one arm a hearty shake, grinning at the effect on those seated around the table.

In the small reception room outside the landing bay, a smartly uniformed Spacedep rating awaited the passenger of an admiralty scout ship that had just arrived on board the cruiser. The esteemed visitor, a stocky man in his early forties with a commander's insignia on his uniform, had a broad spread of shoulders, a strongly drawn jaw, and sharp, brown eyes that made the rating quail inwardly when they momentarily met hers. There was something almost cold about him. His square, handsome face was unlined except for the disapproving indentations framing his moulded mouth. The rating waited at attention while the visitor cleared decontam and slipped out of his pressure suit. The glassteel doors slid open one at a time, allowing him to enter the atmosphere lock, and finally to admit him to the lounge.

"Welcome aboard, Commander,' the rating said, firing off a perfect salute. "The captain awaits you in her office.

I'm to take you to her." Frozen like a waxwork, she held the pose, waiting for the guest's reply.

"Thank you,' Commander Jon Greene replied, returning the salute promptly, but not too promptly.

The rating relaxed subtly, as if the precise timing was what she had expected, and he smiled inwardly. Without a single glance back at the scout ship now being swarmed over by a crowd of technicians for its courtesy checkup, he strode off behind his guide.

Greene surveyed the various work-stations they passed, glancing at the hands, and then at the eyes of the crew working at them. Each person, as he met his or her eyes, straightened up involuntarily, and went back to the task at hand with renewed energy. As Admiral Barnstable's personal assistant, he represented Spacedep command in the flesh, and expected efficiency and the stiff-backed respect of inferior officers.

Greene himself had come up through the ranks. By virtue of sheer efficiency and drive, he became indispensable to his varied superiors, working his way up to a position of trust, where he was empowered to carry Out ordered tasks that required strategy and thought. By making his commanders look their best, he acquired a vicarious importance.

In time, he had managed to ingratiate himself to the new head of Spacedep, Admiral Barnstable. Greene was an ambitious man, and hoped to go higher still in time.

Who knew what might await him in the future? The chairmanship of Spacedep? A seat on the Amalgamated Worlds Admin Council?

The Admiral was presently on Doona for the purpose of attending a conference to gain a Spacedep niche in the proposed space port and negotiate other details of interaction between the two races. The Admiral was an adequate administrator, and spoke only passable Middle Hrruban, but he was a better negotiator than anyone in the Spacedep hierarchy. Greene knew his own talents would be employed there, as an adjunct delegate, speaking for the rights of those governed by the Amalgamated Worlds Council, to facilitate Barnstable's agenda. Greene was not anti-Hrruban per se, except where the goals of the Hrrubans interfered with what was properly due to Humanity.

Barnstable recognized Greene's talents, and made use of them. He trusted Greene to carry out on his behalf missions like this one. It was ostensibly a courtesy call, allowing Greene to visit the captain of the Spacedep cruiser which was passing through Doonan space for the purpose of asking her to join him at the negotiations. His visit had its sub rosa purpose: the Admiral suspected that Hrruban warships would also be in the area, and Greene's primary mission was to find out what they were doing. If they were behaving in a suspicious manner, the Admiral wanted to be informed as soon as possible, so that he could take appropriate manoeuvres. Barnstable wasn't an isolationist, but he firmly believed that good fences made good neighbours.

Greene and his escort passed into the rear of the bridge area and skirted the main dais, heading towards an alcove facing it on the left.

The officers of the current watch on the bridge glanced up only briefly at the visitor and his escort. No inefficiency here. Greene nodded approval.

Overt curiosity in a fleet officer was a fault.

The metal door slid away into a recess as he approached it. The rating stopped at the threshold to announce him.

Beyond the door was a utilitarian metal desk behind which sat a short, muscular woman with ice-blond hair and direct brown eyes that arrested Greene on the threshold. She looked up from her desk monitor as the young spacer performed the introductions. Greene felt a tingle at the back of his spine as she summed him up with a glance.

A most attractive woman and, by her expression, not unpleased by what she saw. By her record, she was also a successful, intelligent officer, on track for flag rank. A good person to get to know. He smiled.

"Captain Grace Castleton, I bring you greetings from Admiral Barnstable,' Greene began, very formally approaching her. "I am Jon Greene.

Castleton stuck a hand out over the desk, clasped Greene's, then released it and indicated that he should sit down. Her deep eyes were frank and full of concern.

"Good to see you, Commander. That's quick work! We only just heard the alert."

"Alert?" Greene gawked blankly, and the captain frowned at him.

"Yes, alert! You've come about that orbiting monstrosity out there, haven't you?" Castleton swivelled her miniature viewscreen towards him. On it was the image of a hovering hulk. Shock hit Greene in the pit of the stomach. The odd-shaped vessel was huge. "The system perimeter alarms went wild! Can you make anything of it?" The outline, a long, irregular cylinder like a tree trunk, was somewhat familiar to him, but he couldn't place it.

Greene made a point of familiarizing himself with all makes of spaceships, naval, civil and private. And he had seen one like this recently, too. He concentrated on plucking the circumstances out of his memory.

"Not the usual design of Hrruban warships, is it?" he murmured, struggling to grab the evasive recall. With a deft tapping, he brought up the computer telemetry statistics and studied the image, trying to identify it.

"Can't be Hrruban,' Castleton snapped immediately.

"Furthermore the ship doesn't answer any communication signal we've thrown at it, and I know all the Hrruban codes. It's heading for a high orbit around Doona. We've our weapons trained on it, though it hasn't offered any overt threat. But then, how could it?" And her grin was ironic. "It's not carrying any heavy armament."

"None at all?" Greene demanded. "Ridiculous."

"Look there,' she pointed at another shape on the screen, so far in the background that it could have been painted on the starry backdrop. Statistics, expressed in hot yellow numbers, inscribed themselves on the screen around it. "See? There's the biggest registered Hrruban ship, armed to the nines, right where the Admiral thought it'd be. That one set off my weapons sensors all right.

High-grade radiation, well shielded but still detectable.

Bastard's not supposed to be there, but I guess they don't trust us completely either, with one of their High Council members down there. The way they're hanging off the stranger, they don't know where it came from, either." As if in corroboration with Castleton's assertion, the intercom rang through. "The commander of the Hrruban ship,' a voice said.

"Put him through." The images faded, to be replaced by the face of a middle-aged Hrruban. "Zis is Captain Hrrrv. Your other ship refuses to answer our hails."

"Captain Castleton here. It's not one of ours.

Can't you identify it for us?" Castleton asked, pointedly.

"One cannot identify what one has never seen beforrre!" the Hrruban said, snapping his jaw shut.

"Then, something new? A Doonan dreadnought built in secret? It would be within their philosophy to build a ship without guns,' Greene murmured softly, knowing he was not in the intercom's audio range. The instant he realized that Captain Castleton had heard it and was glaring at him, he gave her a facile smile as if he'd meant to be facetious.

Castleton was not stupid and, while she couldn't express political opinions, she was unlikely to have anti-Doona leanings.

"I doubt that very much,' she said drily. "Doona has no heavy metals resource to produce a ship that big, much less a space dock that could construct one."

"Then where is it from?" Greene asked. His inner agitation increased.

Of all the possibilities he could have anticipated in coming to Doona for this conference, the incursion of another alien race fitted none. Another race of aliens becoming involved in the already complicated political dance between the Humans and Hrrubans would not please Admiral Barnstable. A new variable in the equation would be the last thing he wanted. And the faint familiarity Greene felt for the ship on the screen plagued him.

"I'd sure like to know,' the captain replied, staring at the screen, "but I'm rather short on answers and I've initiated all the approved procedures for contact. Captain Hrrrv shall we pool our readings?"

"You have obtained some, Captain?"

"I'm seeing the same thing you are, Captain." Castleton shook her head slowly from side to side. "Science officer, have you anything to report?"

"Proceeding with routine scans, sir." Even over the intercom, his voice betrayed a significant lack of conviction of success.

The outline of the massive ship, Greene decided, attracted the eye. It was such a peculiar shape. A central tube pierced through an almost globular centre section.

From the upper and lower parts of the tube, smaller clusters sprouted, almost like tumours in a tree. It looked harmless, but so did a land mine, the commander thought.

"We have life-form readings, sir, but, sir,' the science officer hesitated again. "I think there must be something wrong with our instrumentation or the stranger is somehow scrambling them."

"How so, mister?" Castleton asked.

"Too big. Neither Humans nor Hrrubans grow "em that size, sir." "Captain Hrrrv, do your life-form readings concur with ours?" Castleton asked. "Patch readings through to Captain Hrrrv." The next moment, Hrrrv nodded solemnly.

"Let us report the presence of this vehicle and its anomalies to our superiors immediately. Over and out." As soon as the Hrruban's image had faded, Castleton called for her communications officer. "Get Admiral Barnstable on the horn." She frowned as Greene raised a hand for her attention. "Belay that. Yes, Commander?"

"He's in the middle of a conference with a number of civilian officials, Captain. "Noted, Greene,' she said, crisply, but she smiled to take the sting out of her brusque reply. "Use Command Code, Barnet."

"Admiral Barnstable,' the Treaty Island aide said in a low voice, bending down to the Admiral.

"Message from Captain Castleton, Command Code." The old man looked around for the audio pick-up. "Can you pipe it in here, son? Don't care to leave my present company even for a Command Code!" He gave a snort.

"Whatever is up Castleton's nose now?"

"Admiral?" A woman's voice, sounding agitated, echoed from the satellite feed. The pick-up was audible only to those nearest the Admiral.

"Yes, Captain. Nice to hear from you. Something go wrong between you and my envoy?"

"There's a matter of extreme importance "Well, Grace, spit it out,' the Admiral insisted.

Her words pinged crisply from the speaker. "There's an intruder, a huge ship beginning entry into distant orbit around Doonarrala. I've never seen anything like it in space before. It's seven times the size of Spacedep's largest flagship! Captain Hrrrv can't identify her either. I'd appreciate it if you'd come upstairs and take a look, sir." At such information, those who heard erupted into surprised protest and consternation. In a few seconds, everyone knew the substance of the message. Second Speaker glared nervously around him, as if expecting the intruder to appear in the room. A young Hrruban wearing the single bandolier belt of a Treaty Island employee ran into the room and slid to a kneeling position on the polished wooden floor beside Hrrestan. The aide began to whisper urgently in the leader's ear. Hrrestan's eyes narrowed, and he rose to address the gathering.

"Zat was confirmation, my friends, if we needed it.

An unknown ship of great size entered our system over three hours ago, and it has made full orbit. Ze space centres are on rrrred alert.

Until we know more, I think we may consider zat we are being invaded." "Why do we have to assume,' Todd asked in a low angry voice as he and Hrriss ran for the nearest commlink terminal in the corner of the room, "that we're being invaded just because it's a strange ship?"

"Because it's big,' Hrriss murmured, inserting his sleek body into the chair before Todd could, "and no one recognizes it." His long fingers flying over the keys, his partly bared claws clacking. Using an entry code, Hrriss hooked directly into the computer net used by the three Doonan space centres. Panting, Ali Kiachif peered over his shoulder.

"That,-' Todd exclaimed with awed respect as the scan started, "is truly one big mother!" Castleton hadn't exaggerated: the stranger was approximately seven point four times the size of a Spacedep flagship, and of no configuration he'd ever seen before.

"Do we classify zis scan?" Hrriss asked, his talons flexing slightly in and out over the keys.

"Let's just hope that we're not too late,' Todd said, "and that someone isn't linking into the net right now. We don't need a panic.

Classify it, need-to-know clearance only."

"Just what I was about to suggest,' Admiral Barnstable said, dropping a hand on Todd's shoulder.

"Hrrestan?" Todd looked up from the stranger on the screen to his co-leader. Barnstable might suggest but he was outside his jurisdiction right now. Hrrestan nodded agreement, and pulled Barnstable back a little way.

"Ze knowledge will become common soon enough,' Hrrestan said with a little sigh of regret. "It is for ze leaders to preparrre others to receive it. In ze meantime, we will be gearrring ourrselves forr whatever may follow.

"And if the intruder is hostile! Who will protect us?" other delegates demanded. Kelly stood, watching, her arms wrapped around herself but showing no sign of fear.

"Zere is no need to assume ze worrst,' Hrriss said resolutely, echoing Todd's feelings, "before all facts are known, is zere?"

"We don't have to assume,' Todd added, supporting Hrriss, "that a stranger, any stranger, comes only with hostile intent."

"That big?" Tanarey exclaimed. "What else could it have?"

"I've got a fully armed ship on alert upstairs,' Barnstable was saying at the same time. "It's ready in case of any emergency.

"We don't know if we have an emergency yet, Admiral,' Todd said.

"We have a visitor, not a proven enemy. Hell, it isn't shooting at us, is it?"

"Enough of this,' Barnstable said, firmly. "I want to see this mystery visitor, -" and he shot Todd a sardonic look, "with my own eyes. I'm going up to the Hamilton immediately. As head of Spacedep, I need to be where I can make informed decisions as soon as sensor data is received and analysed."

"As planetary administrator,' Todd said instantly, "I need to be on hand for any decisions that affect Doonarrala." Barnstable gave him a long measuring look, then nodded his head sharply once.

"Zis surprise arrival affects more zan just Doonarrala,' Hrrto said, promptly. "I must be present, as well."

"I go, too,' said Hrriss, glancing at Todd who nodded agreement. Their estrangement over the space port was momentarily forgotten in this new crisis.

"I must accompany the Speaker,' Mllaba said, glaring at Hrriss as if he had usurped some perogative of hers.

"Hrrubans on a Spacedep military ship?" Barnstable said with sudden pompous suspicion.

"Zese are exzraordinary circumstances,' Second Speaker said urgently, his tense stance suggesting he would brook no refusal.

"Dammit, very well! Come along! But let's get a move on!" the Admiral barked.

"We don't know that anything's wrong, love,' Todd whispered to Kelly when he gave her a quick farewell hug. She held up her head defiantly and nodded, her bravery and her faith in him shining in her eyes. "Don't panic when there's no need.

Kelly let her head rest briefly on his shoulder as if memorizing his touch and scent, then pushed herself firmly away. "I'll wait with Nrrna and the kids."

"Thatta girl,' Todd said almost flippantly.

"Don't I always come back to you?" She caught herself about to give way to the very panic he had mentioned and stood away from him.

"Just don't take any unnecessary chances.

"Me? Never!" He gave her his most charismatic grin and then turned back to the emergency before him.

"AliI believe that the Admiral's shuttle is already on the Hamilton. Can you get us another one?"

"No tussle, trouble or toil there,' the Codep captain said, cheerfully, "providing we don't get shot out of space on the way. Follow me, all."

Chapter 2

KIACHIF TOOK THE SKIFF OFF IN A FAST-CLIMBING ORBIT, cleaving the atmosphere. Crowded into its forward cabin behind Kiachif and Hrriss in the pilot's couches were Barnstable, Todd, Second Speaker and his assistant, Milaba, Hrrestan, Barnstable's personal aide-de-camp, and Jilamey Landreau, who squeezed on board through the closing airlock before he could be stopped. Rather than waste any more time, he was allowed to remain.

Below them, the vivid blue of the Doonan sky glowed, illuminating the nearside of vessels hovering in local space above. Communication satellites, merchant ships, and beacons went by unheeded. As soon as the skiff attained its first looping orbit, the unknown ship, a virtual leviathan, came into view, watched cautiously at a prudent distance by the Spacedep and Hrruban Space Arm vessels.

The invader had made no overt movements, either hostile or friendly. It just hung there in space, circling the planet at a distance. Everyone stared in turn at the screens and the forward port, as if to make certain what they saw in the screen existed in real space.

"Where did that large leviathanic liner come from?" Ali Kiachif demanded. His eyes gleamed. "I'd powerful like to take her for a test spin, make no mistake about that.

Wonder what fuel she runs on?"

"Brr! It looks dangerous,' Jilamey exclaimed, "all those sticks and pieces sticking out. Surely that's not good design." The visitor plunged into the nightside of Doonarrala, making it a sinister shadow against the stars.

"Isn't that a breakaway orbit?" Kiachif asked, checking his sensors. "Is she doing a spit, split and ffit if anyone so much as says "boo" to her?" Todd scrutinized the outlines of the ship as it reached dayside again. The vessel was slowing down.

"Seems to be settling into a stationary orbit, Ali,' he said.

Details were hard to pick out on the black hull.

But he could see nothing at all that he could identify as weaponry, nor did the skiff's monitors register any telltale radiation glow. "They look like they mean to stay a while,' he added very softly.

Hrriss, beside him, was the only one to hear that comment. "I know what I wish zey are doing here,' the cat man said, wistfully "Me, too,' Todd agreed, smiling slightly as, once again, he and Hrriss were in the minority. He was positive that most of the others were reacting in various degrees of xenophobia. Had neither race learned anything from the Doona experiment? Or were they two the only ones who had learned the true significance of this unique colony?

Bearing in mind the result of his father's initial encounter with two small Hrrubans thirty years ago, a show of friendship might once again prove more useful than overt hostility. The very fact that this skiff contained persons from two races, observing this possible confrontation with a third, surely meant some good had been achieved by the Decision at Doona. His grin for Hrriss broadened. "Well, if wishes were hrrrses - . -" he murmured in a very good imitation of Hrriss.

"It is a tirrifying giant,' Mllaba said, exhaling on a hiss as she shivered.

The skiff caught up with the leviathan, passed underneath, and shot out in front. Kiachif turned the ship out of an ascension trajectory and headed for the Spacedep cruiser.

Captain Castleton met them at the docking bay. Todd had met her once before, two years back, at a Treaty Day observance. He didn't know much about her, except that she was a good dancer. Her crew considered her a tartar because she expected honesty and tireless dedication from everyone who served under her. She appeared unruffled and calm, saluting the Admiral smartly before holding out a firm hand to each of the others.

"Welcome on board the Hamilton, gentlemen, madam.

Mllaba shook her hand gravely "Grace, I'm glad to see you,' Barnstable said at his heartiest. "We've just had a good look at your mystery guest. Damned if I know what it is. Any new info?" Barnstable turned to acknowledge another uniformed figure in the bay with a lift of his thick, white eyebrows.

"Ah, Jon, there you are. My aide, Jon Greene,' he said to the others. "I'll want your reading on this asap, Greene.

"Of course, sir,' Greene said, stepping forward. "My report is waiting for you.

Todd decided the aide was about his own age but a hand-span shorter, compact and trim in his dark blue uniform. He glanced at the civilians behind his CO, meeting Todd's eyes, then focusing, as if identifying him.

Greene's look of concentration faded abruptly, dismissing the civilians as unimportant, and returned his gaze to his superior. Todd felt a swift flush of irritation at being so negligently dismissed.

Castleton went on. "Sir, I've invited Captain Hrrrv of the Hrruban vessel to take part in this conference." Barnstable nodded.

"Good. In the ready room?"

"This way, Admiral,' and Castleton indicated the portside corridor.

It was then that Todd saw the two Hayumans in dark blue uniforms with security flashes on their shoulders.

They peeled away from the unobtrusive group waiting behind the sliding doors and filed in behind the Hrrubans as they went down the blue-grey corridor. As everyone filed out of the bay, more of the ratings took unobtrusive positions of escort behind the other Hrrubans.

It was not very subtly done and Todd could see that Second's spine was stiff under his red robe. Mllaba's tail switched angrily back and forth. After so many years since the Decision at Doonarrala, it was infuriating that there was still such blatant evidence of distrust.

"Blast it out of space,' the Hrruban captain suggested, his fangs clicking together with a sound of finality. He waved an imperious hand at the image hanging on the large screen. Hrrrv bore a broad, dark Stripe down the middle of his gold-furred back, sure indication of his clan's high position on Hrruba. Both cruisers were now matching the stranger's orbit, but with one fourth the curve of the great, blue planet between them for safety. The Hrruban's ship was just barely visible in the corner of the viewscreen. "I do not like its appearance. I think it means us no good." He walked up and down one side of the ready room, switching his tail irritably.

"Captain Castleton, when the ship did not answer any standard hailing messages, did you try any other methods of communication?" Todd asked, exasperated by the military mind.

Grace Castleton regarded him in surprise. "I tried all known codes . . on all frequencies available to my equipment,' and her tone and look implied that she had the very best and state-of-the-art equipment in use.

"Oh, I see what you're driving at,' she said, her face lightening.

"Thank goodness someone does,' Todd said, throwing up his hands in gratitude.

"And just what is that?" Admiral Barnstable demanded, annoyed.

"Sir, how can they communicate with us if there isn't a common language? Or symbols or even a media of communication. My father had the advantage of being face to face with two members of another species." "And how do you propose to emulate your father then?" Barnstable asked.

"By going to meet them?" Barnstable's eyes protruded and his face flushed with either surprise or anger but Todd kept his ingenuous smile in place. "Worked before."

"That's why we ended up learning Hrruban,' Jilamey said. When he saw Barnstable, Castleton and Greene giving him a concerted cold glance, he demanded, "What was wrong with that? We learned it. I think Todd's got the right approach. Go meet "em and find out what they do want. It doesn't do us any good to sit here in space with that big thing looming over us, neither side making a move.

Their ship may be bigger but,' and he waggled his finger around the room, "we got more. They could be the ones scared stiff to make a move, you know. Make the wrong move and get blasted out of space.

Todd rubbed at his mouth, trying to make his lips behave. Jilamey was making exactly the point he wanted to.

"Landreau's talking sense,' Ali Kiachif said. "Don't know why I didn't see it that way myself, since I've traded with some mighty odd folk, using signs and trying to savvy their grunts, groans and gargles." "D'you mean to say,' Castleton asked Todd, leaning forward across the table on her arms, "that you're willing to approach them?"

"If you'll let us have a tender, Captain,' Todd said equably.

"But . . . but that could be a vanguard?" Barnstable exclaimed.

"A vanguard? That big?" Kiachif exclaimed. "If that's baby, I don't want to meet papa, if you get my drift."

"An unarmed baby,' Todd said, grabbing the initiative again. "Unarmed. I'm more than willing to go "I go with you,' Hrriss said.

"I wouldn't mind the trip myself. Be sort of fun,' Jilamey said, grinning in his eagerness.

"Now see here,' Barnstable began, trying to regain control, "that is not standard procedure."

"I didn't realize there is one for encountering large unknown space craft,' Todd said. He stood up. "If you'll be good enough to assign us a shuttle to make first contact, Captain "Dammit, young man,' and Barnstable thumped the table with both fists, "nothing's been decided."

"I know,' Todd said, gesturing to Hrriss and Jilamey, "that's why I decided to do something, on my own initiative, as co-leader of the planet which I do not honestly believe is in any danger from this visitor. But the sooner we establish communications, the sooner we learn exactly why they are in our space and what they want." "They want to blast you to motes if you're foolhardy enough to approach them,' Barnstable said.

"With what, Admiral?" Todd said, feeling the tide of aggravation rising in his blood. "You've established-at least you say you have,' and he glanced for confirmation at Castleton and Hrrrv, "that the ship is unarmed .

Barnstable waved that consideration away. "You can't know what kind of weapons they might have. The whole ship, in that peculiar configuration, might act as an amplifier for some kind of huge energy beam! Who knows what those bulges on the surface are for?"

"I'm willing to take that risk, Admiral,' Todd said, adding grimly, "I've also considered that they might have biological armament which doesn't require high-powered delivery systems. But I prefer to believe that they're friendly, only waiting for an invitation from us. Enemies barge in: friends wait for invitations."

"Good point, Todd,' Kiachif said, grinning broadly.

""Enemies barge in: friends wait for invitations." Great notion." A notion which did not appear to amuse many for Hrrto's expression was unreadable though his tailtip twitched. Mllaba's was extremely active.

"Admiral, remember that thirty-four years ago,' Todd went on earnestly, "Hayumans discovered that we were not alone in the galaxy: that there was another sentient race with whom we could be friends,' and he nodded solemnly at Hrrto who looked pleased, and grinned at Hrriss and Hrrestan, dropping his glance lastly on Mllaba who sniffed back at him. "The presence of a sophisticated spaceship that big means that whoever is in that ship is not only sentient but of an intelligent and advanced civilization. The fact that they haven't opened fire or made any threatening moves against us, I take to mean that they are not aggressive. I'm willing to test that fact.

"So am I,' Hrriss said.

"Me, too,' Jilamey piped up, grinning in an inane fashion.

"So, do we have a shuttle, Admiral?" Todd was becoming more and more irked at the specious delays. He wouldn't call them cowardly, but the next best thing.

Grace Castleton flicked a glance at Admiral Barnstable.

"You can use my skiff, Reeve,' Ali Kiachif said then, with a glance of veiled contempt at the naval officers.

"Glad to oblige - Barnstable was on his feet, so was Hrrrv.

"Now see here, Reeve, that's encroaching on military prerogatlves - - "It's our planet down there, Barnstable. C'mon, Ali, you can pilot while this lot dithers.

Grace Castleton slid in front of Todd before he had taken a full step. "Stow that, Reeve. I take your point, and I'm sure the Admiral does, too, even if your method is high-handed . . . especially while you're on board my ship." She gave him a wry grin. "You've volunteered to test the intentions of our . . "Visitor?" Todd suggested in a edged tone.

She nodded. "Visitor. But Spacedep is responsible for the safety of all its citizens, and Captain Hrrrv for his nationals." Todd gave her full marks for remembering the Hrruban presence, naval and diplomatic. "That is true, but as these are aliens, whatever form they take, the approach falls in the province of Alreldep of which I'm a representative."

"Out of the question,' Barnstable said firmly. "Until whatever these beings are, are proven harmless, it is still a Spacedep matter. I'll concur that logic suggests that Reeve should lead a first contact team .

"And the elder Reeve,' Todd said. "He has, after all, had more experience than anyone else in successful first contacts."

"Your father?"

"The very one.

"Humph. Well,' Barnstable cleared his throat. "Makes sense.

"I'll lead the armed guard - - -, Greene said, taking a Step forward.

"There'll be no armed guard,' Todd and Hrriss said in one voice.

Barnstable bristled but Hrrestan's eyes flashed. "A show of arms is unnecessary. And might even be considered an insult. A friend advances with open hands."

"It worked before,' Todd said, exchanging glances with Hrriss. Out of the corner of his eye then, Todd caught the look of intense disgust on Greene's face. Here was one man who didn't hold with the pacific approach. And probably one who might be a borderline xenophobe. "I think we've discussed this matter long enough. Too long a delay might jeopardize good relations. They'll have seen the skiff arriving. Captain, may I get in touch with my father on Doonarrala?" As Grace Castleton bent to the terminal to instruct the commofficer, Todd saw the resolute glint in Greene's eyes.

That man's middle name might be "trouble', he thought: he had a sceptical and suspicious air about him. Then the line to the surface of Doonarrala was open Ken Reeve was delighted to be asked. "I wondered what the lines were humming so hot and heavy for,' he said, his image beaming an ear-to-ear smile at them from the screen. I knew the perimeter alarms went off because I was jawing with Martinson at the Space Centre up here between the First Villages. It was too late for the shush order when it followed. The gossips hanging around in port spread it all over town in jig time. Everyone's speculating on who's come calling." Barnstable looked grim. "I was afraid of that.

What's the response?"

"Not exactly what you'd think by your reaction, Admiral,' Ken said, with a grin. "Doonans are more inclined to think that outsiders who don't come in shooting are minded to be friendly.

We know we're not the only ones out there, and I for one am happy for a chance to be one of the first to meet these new friends."

"They aren't friends yet,' Greene reminded him sharply.

Ken glanced over Barnstable's shoulder at the commander, his black eyebrows mounting inw his hairline.

"Nor yet enemies,' Ken replied quickly. "I've never believed in coming in shooting."

"I'll send a shuttle for you,' Barnstable said, cutting Ken off and putting an end to the argument. "In the meantime, this is still a security matter. Please consider this as top secret.

You may not inform anyone where you are going or what you'll be doing." "Right you are. I'll be ready,' said Ken cheerfully, and signed off.

"I'll go get him,' Kiachif said, rising from his seat. "My skiffs faster'n any naval shuttle and I want another look, leer and lay a lens on that big ship. See if I can't get any more on her, if you get my meaning. Back in a ten-count." The Codep captain nodded to Castleton and the Admiral, and left the room.

"Until Dad arrives and we can proceed with a first contact,' Todd said, once the door shut behind Kiachif, "we must not make any moves which the visitors could consider antagonistic or hostile. No more scans, no probes, no drones. They could think the latter two were weapons." "Let's not be overcautious, Mr Reeve,' Captain Castleton said, studying the image of the ship in the holoscreen. "The range of power fluctuations we observe alone invite closer investigation.

Surely if they're the advanced beings you speculate they are, they'd expect us to try and uncover any information about them that we could, short of intrusive hardware?"

"Who knows what they'd consider intrusive?" Todd asked. "Beings more sensitive than our two races might find probe scan painful. Do I have to remind anyone here of the Siwannah Tragedy? No, well then. You've already done enough remote scans." He didn't add "for all the good it did'.

"I would feel better if I had more on them than the long-range data my passive telemetry picked up,' Castleton said. "To quote an ancient Earth philosopher, it is a mistake to theorize in advance of facts." Jon Greene was beginning to find the endless beating of the air dull and purposeless. The Doonarralans - wasn't that a word? babbled against logical research that would help guarantee safety for their own people, not to mention the ships orbiting around their planet. Any part of that huge ship out there could conceal weapons.

It didn't make sense to remain uninformed when useful data could be picked up as easily as vacuuming space dust. He wished he could recall under what circumstances he had seen that sort of vessel before.

Castleton looked annoyed: and rightly so with civilians usurping the appropriate naval roles in this sort of contact.

Barnstable gave him a glance and pushed his clipboard across the table to him. Greene picked it up and read the note the Admiral had discreetly added amidst the leviathan's readings. "Send probe." Greene erased the words and entered a random jotting of his own. He stood up.

"Permission to be excused, sir?" Greene asked, pulling to attention.

Barnstable glanced up briefly from the discussion, and waved a hand. "Go ahead, son. I'll call you if I need you."

"Aye, sir.

Captain, may I see you outside?" The attractive Castleton looked surprised, but followed him out of the room. Greene escorted her a few metres from the door and automatically checked the corridor before he spoke.

"Sir, the Admiral asks if you will authorize launching a telemetry probe at the intruder." Castleton looked down at her feet a moment before her shoulders relaxed a degree from their tight set. When she tipped her head up again, she wore an expression of relieved approval.

"Reeve's overcautious, Greene. Personally, I'd feel better with more data about that leviathan on hand.

The distance scanners aren't giving us much to go on.

This way." He followed her to a waiting vator car. "Level four,' she said.

On an impulse, Greene stood closer to her than necessary in the small chamber and was surprised and pleased that Castleton didn't seem to mind. He was even more encouraged when she returned his smile.

A Gringg in the cargo bay operations room of the gigantic spaceship watched on a viewscreen as a tiny metallic cylinder floated casually in the direction of the bow of their ship. He leaned lazily over and touched the key of the intercom with a long claw.

"Captain?" He knew he would find her in the bathing room. "The Others have begun to acknowledge us. They are sending something towards our ship. I estimate it will be here within the hour. It is very small and does not seem to be armed. Shall I take it aboard?" Splashing echoed in the background, and the sounds of other Gringg conversing provided a pleasant hum, then the smooth rich voice of the captain came out of the speaker. "Do, please, and inform me when you have it.

I'll come down to examine it."

"Captain? Ken Reeve is here,' the bosun informed Grace Castleton, "with Captain Kiachif."

"Show them in." Conversation around the ready room table halted as the bosun stood to one side to allow the two men to enter.

Grace Castleton would have known Reeve anywhere as Todd's father.

Both men were rangy and taller than average with big shoulders and long arms, and both had the cap of smooth black hair cut straight across the forehead over decidedly stubborn features. Ken's hair was somewhat thinner, and there was more grey in it than in Todd's. There were lines graven by time in his fair-skinned face, but he exuded the same boyish enthusiasm that his son did. With a new adventure arising, years fell away.

He might have been the same youthful Jack-of-all-trades who had landed on Doona with a handful of tyro colonists more than thirty years ago.

"Hello, friends! Speaker Hrrto, Admiral Barnstable,' Ken said, coming over to clasp hands and bow respectfully to the Hrrubans. He pounded companionably on his son's shoulder.

Ken slid into the empty seat beside Hrrestan.

"Well, anything happen while Kiachif and I were on our way up?" He looked around the table which bore the remains of a recent light meal.

"He's filled me in on the discussion. We're still going to make the contact?"

"We'll have to, Dad, they're not making any move,' Todd said.

"Captain, could we have a rerun of the tapes for my father?"

"I was about to suggest that, she replied and toggled the board for the replay.

Watching the tape with keen eyes, Ken whistled softly as he read the telemetry codes around the image of the ship.

"So we know very little about our friends over there?" Ken heard the soft snort but couldn't tell who had issued it. "Not friends?"

"That has yet to be established,' Barnstable said in a neutral voice.

"By me,' Ken said with a grin.

"By us, Dad,' and Todd indicated the other volunteers of the first contact group.

"Can it be established if they're oxygen-breathers?" Ken asked.

"We'd need to know how to dress for our meeting.

"Can't even establish that, Dad,' Todd replied.

"Just like you to volunteer for a blind mission,' Ken said in a tone of mock disgust.

"Begging the captain's pardon,' Commander Greene said, watching the codes change on the main viewscreen.

"There's data coming through right now."

"Put it up, Mr Greene,' said Captain Castleton.

"More data?" Todd asked, startled even as he scanned the new readings. "Where did you get it?"

"From a robot probe,' Greene said.

"What?" Todd demanded, sitting angrily upright. "Who authorized the launch?" He stared accusingly at Greene.

"I did,' Barnstable replied, his face reddening at Todd's imperious tone. "For the safety of all of us, including our Hrruban allies, I felt it was vital we obtain more information."

"Admiral,' Todd said in a restrained tone, "I specifically requested that there be no more probes, drones or even scans until we were ready to proceed with the first contact." Banistable narrowed his eyes to glare at Todd.

"Until proven otherwise, this is a Spacedep matter, young man. I am acting in the interest of safety for all the sentient beings on this ship. I don't need your permission to proceed."

"This is Doonan space,' Todd said. It made him furious that this bureaucrat would take a unilateral action that could endanger the whole mission. Hrrestan, who hated the high-handedness of Spacedep, would back him up.

"We must not show distrust,' Hrriss agreed.

"We do not know if those aboard that vessel arrre worthy of trust,' Hrrto reminded him sharply.

"Nor do we know they are not, Speaker,' Hrrestan said with equal asperity.

"In any case,' Castleton said, raising her voice to put an end to the argument, "the probe only transmitted readings for a short time.

They stopped the moment the ship took the probe aboard Todd struggled to control his vexation. "It probably stopped sending readings because they disabled it, thinking it might be a bomb.

"If they have not now discovered its benign,' and Greene drawled the adjective, staring at Todd, "purpose, then they're by no means as sophisticated a species as you like to think them." Greene was rather pleased with that shot at the officious Doonarralan. He felt malicious glee at Todd's surprise.

Todd knew he'd been outmanoeuvred there, but a soft touch on the back of his arm came as a quiet warning from Ken not to pursue the point. His father, better than anyone else in the galaxy, knew how hard it was to control the infamous Reeve temper, and how much damage it could do when let loose. Normally, Todd was in control, but the combination of Spacedep's xenophobia, and the unknown potential orbiting his beloved home planet was enough to put him at his worst.

He reminded himself that he was one step away from a great adventure, equal to that when his father spotted the first Hrrubans near the earliest settlement over thirty years ago. These narrow-minded people could not, did not understand the sheer joy of reaching out to another race, joining the far, cold reaches of the galaxy together in friendship. He had to be on that ship first, no matter what. It was a longing as strong as love. He glanced back and nodded at Ken to show he was under control.

"Let's see what the probe did transmit,' Castleton said, settling down once more behind the table Greene pulled open the hatch over one of the inset consoles. He punched in a code. The view changed to a much closer image of the great ship, which steadily filled more and more of the screen. An overlay of white characters sprang up, constantly changing as the readings altered.

"We deployed a Mark 24-M probe with advanced sensors,' Greene calmly announced. "As you can see from the metallurgical report, the alien defence shields are very strong. Most of the inner core of the ship resonates as a power plant. It's well insulated, with main conduits running down the pith of that central pillar. There are power fluctuations that build up from half a megawatt to over five gigawatts.

My estimate is that the strangers are prepared to attack with some sort of electrical weapon."

"So far your assumption about their intentions is speculation,' Ken said. "The ship masses heavy. What's in it?" Greene pointed to the relevant data. "Mostly water."

"Water?

You mean H2O? What kind of beings are there inside?"

"Big. Look at the readings. There's one weighing 230 kilos."

"Individuals?" Ken asked, amazed. Greene nodded.

Jilamey whistled. "They're as big as Mamma Snakes."

"That'd explain the power requirements, if you follow me,' Kiachif said.

"Maintaining mass gravity for massive beasties."

"Or for quick power-ups on the weapons systems,' Greene added.

Todd shook his head in vehement denial.

On the screen, a circular opening appeared in the side of the ship, gleaming silver against the blackness.

The little probe's eye moved into it, giving an impression of a vast entry area and a quick view of some kind of computer console, and then the screen went blank.

"That's all there is. As you can see, once it entered the ship, it stopped sending,' Greene said. "There is no visual of the inhabitants." Barnstable rewound the report and started it from the beginning. Stroking his chin, he studied the screen closely.

"Wonder what they're using all that water for? Ballast?

Weapon storage?"

"Nonssenssse!" said Hrrestan, hissing his sibilants. "This is all speculation. In any case, it isn't a destroyer of any kind. There's no armament to speak of aboard.

No rrradiation pazzerns which to me would indicate dangerrrous or powerrrful orrrdnance." Castleton scratched her cheek thoughtfully.

"I'm just as glad they haven't returned our compliment. After all, the Hamilton's considered a peaceful ship but we have small lasers and missiles. I wonder if they've scanned us telemetrically."

"We prrrove we arre peaceful by ze composition of our landing prrrty,' Hrriss said.

"All I hope is they don't think the probe was some kind of threat,' Todd said, grimly.

"Wish I knew what sort of survival equipment we need,' Ken said thoughtfully.

"May I suggest,' Ali Kiachif spoke up helpfully, "the fullest rig and gear the Hamilton has to offer?" Capturing the small unit proved to be no trouble at all, for which the technician was pleased. Like all Gringg, he hated to expend unnecessary effort on any task. The captain, a magnificent female of their species, entered the cargo bay accompanied by her small son, a curious lad of eight Revolutions, and the chief engineer, a female of many Revolutions and much experience.

The three of them sat down in a semicircle on the floor near the console. The technician retrieved the little device, hoisting it lightly in one arm. He set it down on the floor and settled opposite the captain.

"I have decontaminated it, but you will be pleased to know that I found no dangerous organic substances on it or within. It makes a noise,' the technician pointed out, indicating the subspace receiver on his console. "I believe it to be a message of some sort."

"How kind!' the Gringg captain declared. "Ghollarrgh, I am so relieved to find that these people did not attack us upon sight. Home world will be pleased. We must try to answer it, an unprovoking message. They must see us as being completely peaceful. Match the frequency, and we will attempt to translate. Grrala, you,' she turned to the engineer, "should try to construct a similar device so that we may send them our compliments in return."

"In time, Captain,' the engineer yawned, "in good time.

Now, may we see how this little toy works?" Eager to please, the technician began to display the workings of the ship-sent device.

Aboard the Hamilton, the shuttle was being made ready to depart.

Todd and Ken were fitted out with tough transparent pressure suits. An attempt was made to find one which would accommodate Hrriss's tail, but nothing could be adapted in the short time allowed.

In the end, Hrriss offered simply to stuff it down one pant leg and be done with the problem.

"I'm satisfied,' Todd said, fastening the last seal on his suit.

"The three of us should be able to handle any situation that comes up or get out fast if it looks chancy."

"I want some personnel from Spacedep to accompany you,' Admiral Barnstable insisted. "This is still a matter under my jurisdiction, whether or not I go along with your interpretation. I've got a couple of volunteers out of Castleton's crew, one from xeno and one from medical.

And I'm sending my assistant to be my eyes and ears.

Commander Greene." Todd suppressed his reaction to that unwelcome news.

The last thing he needed was the inclusion of a xenophobic Spacedep regular, but he conceded with as good a grace as he could manage. "All right. Have them suit up and meet us in the launch bay."

"Hrruba must also send an observer,' said Second Speaker, after a quick conference with Mllaba.

"We've already got a Hrruban in the party,' Barnstable said, glowering at Second.

"I am willing to go,' Mllaba announced. "I intend to go,' she added.

Todd caught HIriss's gesture of ears-back, and shook his head.

"Six is more than enough for a first contact team,' he said, carefully. "More could be considered hostile. In fact, six might be considered too many.

"Will you not trust me, Speaker?" Hrriss asked softly in High Hrruban, seeking to smooth things out before 1t became an argument that put an end to the mission. "I will uphold Hrruban honour Hrrto studied the younger male, who gazed at him earnestly. He grunted. "It is not a matter of trust, Hrriss.

I did but think to give you the support of another among all these Hayumans.

"One of them is my brother,' Hrriss said, "as well you know." Hrrto, forgetting his argument with the Hayuman Admiral, dropped his jaw in a smile. "I have known this for many years, young Hrriss. Very well, a Hrruban and a half Hrruban. I simply did not wish Hrruba to be disadvantaged."

"None shall see it that way. They shall believe that only one Hrruban - and a half - is needed to balance out any number of Hayumans,' Hrriss said innocently. Behind Second Speaker, he could see Todd and Ken grinning at his quip. They were the only ones who understood the brief conversation.

"I believe it may be so,' Second Speaker replied at last. He retired, with Mllaba and Hrrestan, to the reception room beyond the blast doors. Ken gave them a thumbs-up.

"I'd like to go,' Jilamey spoke up unexpectedly. "As an independent observer. On behalf of Earth.

Just how much High Hrruban did Jilamey Landreau understand, Todd wondered.

Barustable glared at Jilamey. Although the young man's uncle was no longer head of Spacedep, the name Landreau was a prestigious one on the Hayuman home world.

Barnstable looked for a moment as if he was about to say no, until he took a closer look at the obstinate expression on the younger man S face. Jilamey himself was not without influence on the Amalgamated Worlds Council. If the Admiral refused him permission, there could be endless small road-blocks for funding in the future, and unfavourable reports in the press about his administration. If he agreed, it might conceivably work out to Spacedep's advantage. In spite of his flamboyant wardrobe and occasionally foolish mien, Jilamey was known for his shrewd and observant mind.

"You're on your own, Mr Landreau,' Barnstable said at last. "Bear in mind that you're vulnerable while on alien ground, and we cannot adequately protect you. But I'll allow it.

"Great! I'm ever so pleased you see it my way,' Jilamey said, patting the Admiral companionably on the back. It was cheek and Todd knew it, but Barnstable suffered it expressionlessly. "Now, where can I get a suit?"

"You guys act like you have nothing to lose,' the xeno technician said as he suited up in the landing bay, listening to Todd, Ken, Hriiss and Jilamey all eagerly speculating on what they might find aboard the alien ship.

Like all men raised on Earth, Commander Frill had a soft voice, that was currently afflicted with a quaver of fear. His quiet manner of speaking prompted the creation of his nickname, Frail, which he was not. Frill was tall, a bare centimetre shorter than Todd Reeve, with thick, solid arms and a burly chest. He was an All-Spacedep champion wrestler. Neither he nor the medic assigned to the mission seemed to share the sense of exhilaration the Doonarralans felt.

"Wrong, friend,' Ken said. "I have everything to gain!" He grinned with unaffected delight in the challenge he was about to face.

"My batting average's pretty good in first contact, you know.

Lighten up. You're making history.

And it could be fun!"

"Fun, he says,' the medic said, checking his gear. Ensign Lauder had been volunteered by his section chief, an honour he clearly would have foregone if he could have thought up a valid pretext. Lauder, a slender, brownskinned man with narrow shoulders, was to run scans, with permission, on who or whatever they met. The rebreather unit on his back was cycling at twice normal speed. He was very young.

"Hey, easy does it,' Ken said, laying a kindly hand on the medic's shoulder. "If you want to back out now, no blame'll be attached."

"No, sir!" the medic said, gulping. "I'm no coward.

With an effort, he brought himself under control. His respiration slowed, and his face went from flushed ochre to a more normal tawny shade.

"No one said you were, son. Ken smiled.

"If there are no more delays?" Greene asked with a touch of rhetorical sarcasm.

Todd nodded as if the question had been serious and put his clear plastic helmet on his head. Grommets around the neck bolted to the bubble with a final sounding snap.

"We arrre waiting for you,' Hrriss said. His pupils had narrowed to thin slits, and his ears lay slightly back to avoid contact with the headgear.

"Let's go,' Todd said.

The shuttle left the lock and dipped slightly below the edge of the bay before the engines engaged fully. Todd felt insignificant as they left the big ship behind them.

Frill, who was flying the craft, nudged the controls to pilot a wide-angle route towards the stranger, approaching with the sun at their back to get the best view.

The leviathan lay before them, huge and black. Todd admired the shape, wondering what sort of naval architects had designed it and why this shape had been chosen.

Hn iss's eyes glittered in the lights from the console.

He must be wondering the same things, Todd decided.

What purpose was served by the irregular bulges along the length of the central core? Ali Kiachif had speculated that the ship had substantial artificial gravity, undoubtedly to help maintain the muscle tone of the massive inhabitants that Commander Greene's probe had revealed. As they drew nearer, he was flatly amazed at the incredible size of it. Beside it, they were a pin-point, a dust mote.

Behind him, Commander Frill let out a low moan, quickly reprimanded by a shake of the head from Greene.

Todd recognized a thrill of terror underneath his enthusiasm and anticipation. Was this how his father had felt thirty-four years before, when he got his first glimpse of a non-human sentient life-form? What if, after all his proud and confident words, the creatures inside this gigantic ship were unfriendly? And what if the "visitors' mistook the purpose of the shuttle and shot at it now it was getting so close? What if they refused to allow the Doonarralan ship aboard? Well, that only meant his assumptions had been wrong. But he hated to think that Admiral Barnstable and Captain Hrrrv could be right.

As they got closer, more detail became apparent to their unaugmented vision. The surface of the stranger was not actually black, but a matte charcoal colour that probably repelled certain wavelengths of radiation or light. Spotlights dotted the hull here and there, mostly marking out the place where antennae arrays or access hatches lay.

These features were only now visible, Todd noticed. The matte surface provided unusually good camouflage of such details.

The shuttle circled a third of the way around the big ship's central "trunk' until they found what seemed to be an airlock lens, probably the same one that the probe had approached and entered.

Triangular panels shifted slightly to the left, forming an iris-like opening. As Frill resolutely piloted the ship towards the aperture, Todd had the eerie sensation of being swallowed, engulfed, ingested in one insignificant bite. Smoothly the tiny ship sailed through the enormous circular hatch.

From each of the shuttle ports, the passengers stared at the size of the chamber into which they were moving. The landing bay was a virtual cathedral with shining, metallic walls, at least one hundred metres long - and high. Several craft rested in dry dock inside. Each was in size equal to a Spacedep passenger ship. The largest was as big as the administration building that contained Todd's office in the Human First Village. At the far end of the bay was a set of double doors both tall and broad, made of a translucent grey material. Behind a clear window set high in the left wall the party could see a vast console with rounded viewscreens glowing blue. The maintenance equipment and freight-loaders were made for bodies a good deal bigger than any Hayuman or Hrruban. Beside a low console not far from the landing deck, Todd noticed a man-sized device with the Spacedep insignia on the side: the missing probe. It was still signalling feebly, its coloured lights drowned by the brilliant illumination in the bay. The strangest thing about the control console was that there was no sign of a chair. What were these 230 kilo creatures? Giant snails? Frill set the craft down on a lighted circle in the shadow of a ship twice the size of an Alreldep scout. The shuttle touched down with a hollow boom.

"Amazing,' Hrriss said, voicing the thoughts in all of their minds. "Ourrr hosts must be immenssse.

"Seems like,' Jilamey murmured, his mouth hanging open. Ken Reeve just looked around him and grinned in pure joy.

While the party surveyed their surroundings, the airlock wheeled shut behind them, and hissing sounds arose.

Greene felt a surge of panic. He was beginning to remember the source of his knowledge of the ship. It had been on a tape sent to Spacedep by an exploration team. He couldn't recall any details yet, but he associated the memory with violent death. For once, he hoped he didn't remember too many details. He struggled and won the battle with that moment's weakness.

Formless shadows passed back and forth behind the grey glass doors. As soon as the hissing stopped, the medical man checked his sensors. All the passengers checked their suit telemetry.

"G-force is 0.5 over Earth normal. What's the atmosphere? Can we breathe in here, Lauder?" Greene asked, his voice hollow in the bubble helmet.

"It's a nitrox mix, plenty of oxygen,' Lauder said, carefully, reading the sensors in the control panel. "Reads like a class-M combination. I mean, I'd call it safe if we came across it on a planet."

"No trace elements?" Ken asked.

"Some,' the medical man admitted, checking his instruments.

"Nothing noxious in any concentration. No bacteria known to be harmful to Humans or Hrrubans, at least in this section. 1 won't give the atmosphere a hundred per cent clearance, though, simply because I haven't run a lab analysis on it yet. Keep using the rebreathers."

"So ordered,' Greene said, with a sharp nod.

"Let's go,' Todd said.

Frill released the hatch and he climbed out. The ambient temperature in the bay seemed slightly cool. Ken put part of the chill down to the room's having just been open to vacuum, and his trembling to excitement. The bay was Lauder stepped cautiously on to the deck and avoided the lighted circle. He bent over his scanner. "I wonder if this is what our hosts breathe or if they just made it up for us?" Hrriss followed the tech. "I wonder where they are,' he said, craning his neck to look up at the high ceiling.

A roar sounded over an unseen intercom, startling them all with unintelligible syllables. The shadows behind the door grew denser, darker, larger, giving an impression of vast size.

"That sounds like the overture,' Todd said facetiously.

"Here come the players." already warming up.

Chapter 3

AT THE END OF THE HALL, THE GREY GLASS DOORS PARTED and slid soundlessly into the walls. Todd and the others waited, mouths agape, as their hosts entered the landing bay. For all their height and girth, they made little sound when they moved.

"Stars!" whispered Frail, his voice sounding hollow and unimportant through the sides of his plastic helmet.

"Mother always said I'd meet someone bigger'n me." The first of the aliens to enter, a bulky creature covered except for its face and the pads of its forepaws with thick, long fur of light honey brown, stood just over two metres in height. Its face had a square muzzle with a black leathery nose and black-fleshed lips, and two deep-set eyes the colour of red wine protected by thick, smooth-skinned eyelids fringed just at the edges with more honey hair. Todd was amazed to see that its facial features were arranged in the same way as a Hayuman's or a Hrruban's.

Its shoulders sloped from a thick neck towards a huge ribeage, and downward over a powerful lower body supported by very short but thick legs. It wore a pouch-laden belt and ornately decorated collar cut from a scaly hide of some kind. Todd thought it resembled snakeskin but what a snake! If the size of the scales was any kind of a clue, it had been equivalent to a Great Big Mamma Snake. The alien blinked at the visitors curiously before standing aside to make way for the other two. The being behind it, identical in appearance but black-brown in colour, was nearly two and a half metres tall. It too wore a collar, this one more elaborate than the first alien's. consisting of woven strips punched and stamped with complex designs. From one side of the collar depended a loop of decorated hide that circled the upper part of the big alien's arm. Todd wondered if the attachment might serve some specific purpose, concealing miniaturized devices, or was it a mark of rank, or both?

The third alien, of the same dark brown as the tallest being, but with a white patch on the throat that covered part of its chest like a bib, was just over one metre high, and wore only a simple belt and collar of scaly leather.

With plenty of hairy fur to protect them from weather, the aliens had as little need for clothing other than as ornamentation as the smoother-coated Hrrubans. The three moved forward with commendable grace, until they were within ten metres of the party. Then they stopped in a line facing the landing party, regarding their visitors with calm, wine-coloured eyes.

At first, Todd was taken aback by their sheer size.

These creatures were terrifying, as if animal giants out of children's story books had come to life. Suddenly, their appearance struck Todd as hilariously funny. He felt a childish urge to break into giggles.

"It's the three bears!" he whispered under his breath to Hrriss.

"I sure hope they don't want me to tell them a story."

"I do not undrrrstand,' Hrriss whispered. Inside his helmet, his ears were laid back tight against his round skull.

"Earth fairy tale. They look just like bears, creatures that were found on Earth up to the last century - ugh!

Tell you later." He stopped talking as Ken elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shush! You notice? They don't want to appear aggressive,' Ken said. He smiled widely at the beings, and let the set of his shoulders hang loosely. "They're waiting for us to close the distance."

"Wait a minute,' Greene said, grabbing Ken's arm.

"Consider the size of them!"

"They're friendly,' Ken said, calmly taking the man's hand away. "They've brought one of their young along to show us they mean us no harm - in fact, that they trust us. You'd never bring a baby where you intend to be the aggressor, nor where you expect threats."

"That's a baby?" the medic asked, agog.

"It must be,' Ken assured them. "IAx,k at the way it's acting." Todd understood completely what his father meant. The small alien was more awkward than the large ones, and kept looking up at the tallest one for reassurance. "That's his - or her - cub."

"Well, I don't know - - - Frill murmured, unsure. He swallowed nervously. The medical man stood with his mouth hanging open while his telemetry gear went wild making recordings.

"Keep your mind on the job,' Greene said, peevishly.

"Come along!"

"Yes, Commander,' the two navy men replied. The group moved closer to the aliens, and stopped three metres away as the medic faltered once more. The three creatures watched them calmly, waiting.

Ken steeled himself. "I feel inferior, inhibited, and intimidated, as Kiachif would say if he was here,' he said. "The sheer size of them! One of us has got to take action." He swallowed, and put a hand on Todd's arm. "Well, as the first and most successful xenolinguist in Earth history, we'll see what sense I can make out of whatever noise they make. Wish me luck, boys."

"Youcan do it, Dad,' Todd said, firmly. He clasped his father's arm, imparting confidence.

"Find out everything you can about them,' Greene added. "Tell them as little as possible about us." Todd shook his head pityingly at Greene. The man had absolutely no idea how long it took to establish the most superficial linguistic exchange.

Ken opened his arms wide in a gesture he hoped projected friendly intent and walked right up to the furred trio.

"Greetings and welcome to the skies of Doonarrala,' he said, speaking as cheerfully and enthusiastically as he could though his heart was pounding in his throat. "We come in peace. We hope you do, too." Echoing his gesture, the three aliens opened their upper limbs and stretched their flexible muzzles up and back so that their teeth were showing: sharp, white stalactites almost as long as a human hand.

"Fardles! Now, those are fangs!" Jilamey whispered. His face was pale but his eyes glittered in fascination.

"We must be very careful, Captain,' the Gringg linguist said, glancing upwards at her. He was nervous about the possibility of disease, though he had been assured by the ship's physician that an alien species was unlikely to carry germs that could infect them.

Still, he, like all the others aboard, were volunteers. If it cost their lives to discover the truth about this species, so be it.

The linguist swept the hold with one more nervous glance, to reassure himself that there was nothing there to discourage these small interesting beings. "One of them approaches. Remember there is certain knowledge we must not reveal yet."

"I know what to do. Is it a female or a male, Eonneh?" Captain Grzzeearoghh asked, looking Ken up and down curiously. "These creatures are all so skeletal! And so small and weak!"

"It is difficult to know. But since some of them wear garments under those protective shells and some do not, that is clearly the demarcation. The unclad one's body configuration slightly resembles our males, so that must make the tall ones female."

"So they have a female linguist or first speaker, Grzzeearoghh noted. "How interesting. We shall have to converse much on the divisions of labour among gender once we have established communication. But she moves like a Gringg, slowly and carefully. I am glad. I find hurry so disconcerting." The captain raised her head and called out a command that made the aliens at the other end of the hall jump. "Rrawrum?

Have you sent the message notifying home world that we have been contacted and are carefully following procedure ?"

"I am getting it done now, Captain,' Rrawrum "5 voice echoed overhead in the cargo bay, a little loudly to Grzzeearoghh's mind. She would have to ask the technician to correct the sound level when she had a moment.

It was making their visitors nervous. Every care must be taken to put them at their ease. The strangers should have no cause to see us as a threat. My cub should help to reassure these small aliens, she thought.

"Tell them also that we are beginning contact."

"As you wish, Captain." "Mama,' Weddeerogh interrupted, as Ken stopped a metre away.

"What is she doing?"

"She is identifying herself, I think,' the captain said, patting her cub on the head. "A pity their voices are so soft.

I was not paying attention!" Ken activated the recording unit at his side and put his hands to his chest. "My name is Ken Reeve. Ken Reeve." He extended one hand slowly toward the largest "bear' and pointed. "And you?" He gave the words the strongest interrogative tone he could.

The massive head swung towards him, and the rubbery lips receded behind the teeth again in a passable reflection of the Human's smile.

Ken was impressed by the flexibility of the aliens' faces, and their ability to imitate expressions.

Todd was right: they did possess a superficial resemblance to Earth bears. Their colouring, shape, and musculature was very much like that of the ancient species Ursa. They seemed to be made for defence, armed with heavy claws -and a thick, loose skin. And they were so unconsciously powerful. If they proved to be unfriendly, they could tear him apart without trouble. The likeness was not exact, of course. These beings had tails about the length and thickness of his forearm, covered with shaggy hair. What purpose did the appendages serve? Balance? Defence?

He studied the faces closely. They had been growling among themselves. He had clearly heard distinguishable syllables, some of them repeated. The creatures had long, agile tongues, suitable for pronouncing the complexities of a well developed language. It was disconcerting to stand next to beings who made him feel so insignificantly small, like a child among giants.

The aliens must have sensed his discomfiture, for as one they rolled back off their feet and on to their tailbones. It was a graceful gesture, ending with the body being braced solidly with hunched-up rear legs and outspread tail. Their lower limbs were short in comparison to the length of the body, but they were heavy and solid, made for balance, not speed.

"I am Ken Reeve,' he said again, pointing to himself as he hunkered down, his best approximation of their new posture. He wondered if he should ask Hrriss to display his tail. "And you?" He extended his hand towards them.

The largest of the aliens roared again, and waved a thick claw at him, turning it palm down and drawing it from the floor up to its head.

Seeing that he didn't understand, it levelled out the claw at its eye, and drew an invisible line out towards Ken.

"What are they doing, Dad?" Todd demanded.

He smiled, delighted. "Oh, I get you. You're trying to equalize things. They want me to stay standing up, so that we're all at eye level,' he said over his shoulder. "Ken Reeve,' he indicated once more to the aliens.

"Grzzeearoghh,' the largest replied slowly and carefully in its basso profunda voice. It sounded like the revving of an engine.

"Errizz-eer-oh?" Ken repeated, uncertainly, trying to duplicate the growl.

"Grzzeearoghh,' the large one said complacently, wrapping its forepaws over its belly.

The gesture made it look even more like the halos of Earth bears, and Todd suppressed a chuckle. Hrriss shuddered, his ears halfway back.

"Their voices make me uncomfortable, he said in Low Hrruban. "Do they always speak at such volume? Spoken so loudly, the deep notes reverberate harshly on my ear bones." He shook his head as if to relieve the pressure.

"Hrrubans do not raise their voices unless they wish to attract attention or if they are angry. Could we have made them angry?

"How could we? I don't think they're angry, or they wouldn't be looking so comfortable like that,' Todd said.

"And with the size of those ribcages, I'd be surprised if they spoke soprano." Ken tried the alien's multi-syllabic name over and over again until the large one smiled at him. "I think I've got it, chaps,' he called. "Meet Grzzeearoghh. Looks like he's in charge here." Todd and Hrriss cheered. The aliens looked surprised but not displeased at the noise, regarding their visitors with polite curiosity. Beside Todd, the Spacedep men seemed to be making themselves as insignificant as possible, except Greene, who stood boldly pointing his recorder at the aliens. Jilamey was taking in the whole situation with awed joy "We're communicating already! It's too fascinating!" Grinning at Landreau's genuine enthusiasm, Ken pointed at the medium bear. "Who?" While he was learning the complexities of pronouncing "Eonneh,' the cub rolled off his haunches and waddled towards him.

"Look out!" shrieked Lauder, backing away. The young medic's face was pale.

"What for?" Ken asked, breaking off his language lesson.

"Hi, there, fellah,' he said as the cub bent to sniff his shoes.

While he waited patiently, the cub ran its shiny black nose up his suit leg, sneezing briefly as the acrid stench of the transparent plastic tickled its nasal passages. But it continued its olfactory examination, shoving its nose into Ken's armpit and down his arm to his gloved hand. It sneezed again. Ken threw a shrug back towards his party.

The cub meant him no harm. It was only curious, like any youngster. When they all unsuited, the bears were likely to get a few aromatic surprises.

The cub threw both of its heavy upper paws up on to Ken's shoulders and dragged his face down so that it could look at him. It seemed puzzled by the helmet. Ken rapped on the plastic bell with a fist, then waggled his head back and forth inside, trying to show that it was an artificial covering. The cub let out a series of pleased grunts that sounded like stentorian giggles, and let go of him. Ken hunkered down and extended his hand. It sniffed him, and squealed. He noticed that the black nostrils of the other two were twitching, but more discreetly. Scent must be important to them: a fact worth noting.

The trouble was that Humans did not smell like plastic suiting.

"You're a real sweet little critter. What's your name?" Ken asked the delighted cub. "Ken Reeve,' he said.

carefully enunciating the two syllables as he pointed to himself.

"You?" he asked, pointing to the cub.

"Weddeerogh,' said the young alien in an unexpected baritone, then scooted shyly back behind the largest bear.

"Aw,' Jilamey said. "Acts just like a kid, too.

"I guess,' Frill said, finding his voice at last. "If you like kids that big.

"Gringg,' the biggest one said, suddenly, indicating itself and the two others. "Gringg."

"Gringg?" Ken asked. "Grr-ing?"

"Reh." The big alien tilted its head to one side and let out a short grunt. Ken fancied it gave him a look of approval.

"Hayuman,' he said, pointing to himself. "Hayuman.

"Ayoomnnn."

"Good." He walked over to stand beside Hrriss.

"Hrruban." The red eyes followed him carefully. "Rrrrrooobvvnnn,' Grzzeearoghh said, growling the rs rather than rolling them as a Hayuman would.

"Close,' Ken said, approvingly. "Good for you, Grizzly.

And we're all Doonarralans." He gave the leader a big nod and a smile, which it copied, as he indicated Todd, Hrriss, and himself.

"Well, now we know what we all are.

Let's start on things." He knelt down, and patted the floor.

"What do you call this?" Ken asked the big bear. "We call it "rllama". RIlama."

"What are you doing, teaching it Hrruban?" Frill demanded, indignant. "You should teach it Terran."

"One language at a time,' Ken warned him. "We need a lingua franca, and both of OUR peoples speak Middle Hrruban. The Gringg can learn the niceties of Terran and High Hrruban once they've mastered this one. Now pipe down, unless you want to do this for me?"

"No, I sure don't,' Frill said, quickly, backing off.

"Urnlllah. Ma,' the alien intoned.

"We'e making progress. Rllama,' Ken said, rolling the "r', and keeping his mouth wide open so it could see the way he rolled his tongue. The little one watched him from the shelter of its parent's body, trying to match his facial expressions and rolling its long tongue. Ken laughed.

"Do you know, I think I'm the first sentient alien they've ever encountered?"

"How can you make an assumption like that, Reeve?" Greene demanded. He looked slightly sick.

"This all seems to be new to them,' Ken said. "They're not acting as if they're anticipating what I'm going to do.

And I think they're enjoying it."

"Weddeerogh, you have no need to be shy, Grzzeearoghh said, turning her head over her shoulder to beam at her offspring. "This is becoming most interesting. Will you go and get writing materials for us? Now we are starting to work with vocabulary, I don't want to miss anything. This is a very important moment in Gringg history."

"Yes, Mama,' the cub said, with one more peek at Ken.

"What funny hands she has with no claws. I do not like the smell of that stuff she wears. I would like to smell her. I hope her own skin smells better."

"She wears a protective covering, showing concern for our health and hers. I admire that,' Grzzeearoghh said. "I did not know what to expect from another race, especially not such scrupulous consideration. And we know we must act with caution. Now, please go." "Yes, Mama." On all fours, he scurried towards the doors, which opened and closed behind him.

"RIlama,' the strange female said.

"Rrrllahma,' Grzzeearoghh intoned. Her pronunciation seemed to delight the visitor. "I do believe we are getting somewhere. Good! I wish the female's friends were more calm. One of the females and the male seem quite at home, but I think those others may faint. And that female with its limb stuck out holding the little device seems most uncomfortable.

"I must confess to a certain amount of nervousness, too, Captain,' Eonneh admitted. "They are a feeble looking race, are they not? No fur to speak of. I am almost afraid to move for fear of hurting them.

We have all been shown how important it is to give the appearance of being no threat to any new racewe encounter. And such amazing dimorphism between sexes. You'd think they were almost separate species. When the male speaks, his voice is so shrill it hurts my ears.

"Here it is, Mama,' Weddeerogh said, galloping in through the blast doors with a tablet and stylus in his paw.

"Good, dear. Give it to Eonneh. Write this down, Eonneh. Their word for floor is rrrllama.

The Gringg male put the pad of thin but solid tiles down between his feet and hooked the two loops of the stylus over the first and second claws on his right upper paw. He sounded out the word to himself carefully before beginning to inscribe it. In Gringg culture, writing anything down with a living hand made it official.

Eonneh was a typical Gringg male for they made the best record-keepers, poets, librarians, even artists, to write the history of their species; they also mastered the theoretical sciences to forward development. The females, larger by ten to thirty per cent, organized, and exercised, the practical arts, such as all forms of engineering, and tended to take the lead in exploration. In Eonneh's opinion, Grzzeearoghh was an excellent captain, and was handling the situation perfectly. The World Congress which chose her as their envoy to any possible sentients had made the best possible choice.

As the alien female watched interestedly, he made the characters for a short growl, followed by a lingual extension, then a nasal hum.

The accents which went above and below the characters indicated the subordinate vowel sounds.

"I'm enjoying this,' Ken said, coming close to the scribe for a good look at what Eonneh was doing. "Their written language is beautiful: a minor work of art if this is any sample. Nothing from even ancient Terran civilizations comes close to it." Showing his camera first to the two adult Gringg, he walked around and pointed it down at the pad to record the scribe's work. "I think he's trying to get it down in a phonetic fashion. That's what I'd do.

Well,' and he snapped another shot, "this is their attempt at "floor"' "Can you tell how they phoneticize, Dad?" Todd asked.

"Hardly,' Ken said with a laugh, "not after just one word.

It's going to take a while to get anywhere useful."

"Don't worry,' Hrriss assured him. "Our hosts have settled in for the linguistic siege." Eonneh scribed busily at the big pad with Jilamey behind him to watch how the handscript was made. The pen contained free-flowing ink that the scribe carefully controlled to make thick and thin strokes on the smooth surface of the tile. Landreau was clearly impressed by the skill required, for each pictograph was complex and beautiful.

"What's that?" Jilamey asked, pointing down at the character that Eonneh was patiently drawing. "Er, how do you say it? Aaah? Bbbb?"

"And that little one?" Jilamey moved his finger to a mark like an accent that went over the top right corner of the squarish character.

"Ooo,' Eonneh said carefully, glancing up over his shoulder at the Ayoomnnn.

"Really? This must be the way you spell "Hrruban",' Jilamey replied. "And that?" He indicated another mark, this time set below and to the side of one of the elaborate pictographs.

"Hhhh.

"That's not a vowel,' he protested.

"That's an aspirate,' Ken said, coming over to look. "So the different notations are divided into hard consonant sounds and vowels?

Good job, Landreau."

"Huh?" Jilamey frowned in query.

"Is it all like this?" Ken said to Grzzeearoghh, pantomiming the handwritten panel on to the nearest round screen.

"Be careful, Reeve,' Greene called. He felt down his hip for his sidearm, and remembered with regret that it had been left behind in the Hamilton. If these gigantic aliens got out of control, he had nothing but his skills at unarmed combat with which to protect the Hayumans of the party.

The captain rose to her full height and padded over to the console. "The skinny Ayoomnnn female is both intelligent and curious,' she told Eonneh. "See this, Ken Reeve,' she said, pulling up a textfile on the screen.

Ken, recognizing the slightly mangled pronunciation of his name, followed her to the console. As he watched, fascinated, the computer laid down lines of the complicated characters first, followed by the small marks above and below the lines. As Grzzeearoghh sounded it out slowly to him, he realized his guess was right.

"They're going to be a little confused by written Terran,' Ken noted. "If they're used to aspirates and vowels as separate notation, it's going to take them a while to get used to seeing the characters all the same size and on the same line. It'll be interesting to see how quickly they cope with such a difference."

"It's primitive,' Greene said, dismissively. "Inscribing information by hand is slow and inefficient. Technology like this must be a fluke.

"Oh, I don't think so, Commander,' Jilamey said, from his post behind Eonneh. "Even on Earth, the ancient art of calligraphy is still practised and held in esteem. It seems perfectly normal to me. I spend a lot of time in the Artists' Corridor, where there's a good deal of reverence for the old forms." Greene snorted. "You can't attribute Human characteristics to aliens who may turn out to be dangerously barbaric.

"I wish this could go faster,' Ken said, sighing, studying the round screen. "It could take us an age to put together a working vocabulary." He went over a number of items in the bay, asking for the aliens' words, and giving them the Middle Hrruban equivalents.

"And what's this?" he asked, pointing at the Spacedep shuttle.

"Va'arrel,' said Grizz.

"Va'arrel?"

"Reh."

"Good,' Ken said. "Well, what do you call the big ship?" He gestured in a wide circle, indicating the vessel around them. Grizz followed his hand with its eyes.

"Va'arrel,' the Gringg repeated.

"This is the same? Va'arrel?" Ken pointed at the shuttle.

"Va'arrel?" He circled his arm.

Grizz seemed to be listening carefully for something, and was mildly disappointed not to hear it. The alien shook its large head from side to side. "Va'arrel."

"But that's what I said,' Ken began.

"What am I missing?

Va'arrel,' pointing to the shuttle. Grizz sat back with paws folded. "Va'arrel."

"Morra,' the Gringg corrected him. "Va'arrel."

"There is no difference,' Frill complained.

"Wait a second,' Ken said. "I thought I got a sense of something there. It's possible I'm not capable of hearing the difference between two similar sounding words, and yet there is one, isn't there, old fellow?" The dark-red eyes were sympathetic but encouraging.

Ken grinned. "Your voices go so far down I wonder if you're dropping past the registers that we Hayumans can hear. Or perhaps it's a somatic element I'm missing. Of course, I could just plain be pronouncing it wrong. Only practice will help with that. Let's collect some more examples of Gringg speech to take home with us." To speed things up, Todd and Hrriss volunteered to work with the other Gringgs to teach one another vocabulary, leaving them with plenty of data when the Doona party finally left.

Ken, with the loudest voice, found himself talking to Grizz, as he nicknamed the Gringg captain. The big alien approved the shorter form with a dropped jaw and a discernible twinkle in its eye. In its slightly nasal voice, his name came out as Genhh.

Eonneh, Hrriss and Dodh, as the Gringg pronounced Todd's name, were already working out the pronunciation of more words, and writing them down on the pad.

Frill, who was beginning to become interested in spite of his initial apprehensions, hung over their shoulders, kibbitzing. The navy medic, still nervous but growing bolder, circled around. Greene maintained his distance, making the occasional comment into his recorder, still prepared to defend if necessary. Jilamey hunkered down on the floor in front of the cub with his knees akimbo.

"Hi there, little guy. I'm Jilamey.

"Chilmeh!" the cub echoed, happily, and reached out to push the Human's knee companionably. Jilamey pushed back, and found himself rolling over the floor in the rowing Gringg's powerful embrace. His helmet hit the ground with a clank.

Greene ran after them and interposed himself, on guard, between the alien and the Hayuman. The largest of the Gringg tensed, watching carefully "Be careful, Landreau,' Greene cautioned the younger man, who lay gasping and breathless with laughter on the deck. With one arm, he pulled Landreau to his feet.

"You have no idea what your actions may mean to these aliens."

"Aw, he's playing, Commander,' Landreau said. The cub's tail swished from side to side like that of a large dog, and Jilamey ruffled the fur between its ears.

"It'll think you're a child, too." Jilamey pouted. "Oh, don't ascribe Hayuman assumptions to him, Commander. We're learning a lot about each other, aren't we?" he asked Weddeerogh, who blinked shyly at Greene.

"I'd like to bring some of these fellows home with us, Ken said, "but I'm afraid they might not survive on Doona.

We don't know anything about their physiognomy, nor they ours.

What are your impressions?"

"I wish I could get some samples of skin, blood, and hair,' Lauder said. "I could tell you a lot more if I could do microscopic analyses.

"When we can speak a little more of their language, we'll ask,' Ken said. "It's presumptuous to try before they can understand just exactly what we want. And why. How about you? Any ideas?" He addressed Frill, whose attention seemed to be wandering.

"Sorry, sir,' Frill said, reddening slightly. "My stomach's rumbling. Hope they don't misconstrue that." Ken smacked him on the back. "Good idea. Food! We'll offer them some of our rations, let them analyse them, see if our food's safe for their insides. There's got to be emergency packs in the shuttle -"

"There should be, Dad,' Todd said, "if it was stocked according to regulations."

"Naturally the shuttle was prepared according to regulations,' Frill said, regarding father and son with horror.

"You're not proposing to give them our food, are you?"

"Why not?" Ken asked, reasonably. "It will give them an idea if our bio-sphere is compatible to theirs. They appear to be carnivorous, with those teeth, maybe even omnivorous. Be interesting to see if their comestibles are at all similar to ours." During this discussion the Gringg withdrew to have a conference of their own.

"Our visitors seem willing both to teach and learn,' Grizz said, thoughtfully. "I feel it is safe to risk the second step. Move slowly and give them no cause for suspicion."

"As you wish, Captain,' Eonneh replied, watching Genhh Rrrreev expostulating with the rest of her party.

"I'll go get what is required." Grizz shouldered him companionably as he left the room.

"Go quickly, my mate. If this works out as we hope, you'll have plenty of material for an epic poem, with yourself as the hero!" Todd, Hrriss, and Commander Frill went back to the shuttle. According to Spacedep regs, emergency gear, including "rations ready to eat', or RREs, were always kept in a locker beneath the co-pilot's couch. The ring latches securing the cubby door were frequently stiff, but a quick twist and tug by the powerful Frill opened it without trouble.

"Don't give it all to them,' Frill asked, eyeing the RREs as Todd stacked them into a heap. "Leave me one, won't you?"

"You won't faint dead away on us, will you, Frail?" Todd grinned, and got an answering smile from the Spacedep officer.

"Not now,' Frill answered, a little sheepishly. "Not as long as I get something to eat."

"Don't worry,' Todd said, with complete understanding.

"I'm a big feeder myself. You can be the one to taste it in front of them so they can see that we warrant this food as safe." Willingly, Frill picked out his favorite from the sealed packs, and split up the rest to carry between himself and Hrriss.

"Todd,' Ken called as they emerged from the shuttle.

"Our friends here had the same idea." Todd grinned. Piled high between Ken and Grizz was a quantity of wrapped and unwrapped goods.

Eonneh and another medium-sized bear whose coat was coloured a dark, dusty cocoa, had Ensign Lauder by the console, showing him a program that displayed changing views of complex designs that Todd couldn't distinguish from where he stood. As he closed the distance, he imagined that he recognized the designs.

"You know, if those were on our computers,' he suggested, "I'd think they were molecular diagrams. But of what?"

"The proteins, or whatever's in these goods?" Ken asked.

He pantomimed to Grizz, pointing to the substances on the floor and back again at the screen. "Is that the substance of this?" The big ursine roared softly, a triumphant sound. "I guess that's what he said.

"Reh!" Grizz said, crossing his huge paws on his chest once more.

"How about it?" Todd asked Lauder. "Would a molecule like that be safe for Hayumans and Hrrubans to eat?"

"No doubt about it,' Lauder replied, showing him his pad screen. "It's a common protein chain.

The others are complex carbohydrates, pretty similar to stuff we eat.

It's strange, because their digestive systems are very different from either of our two races.

Greene frowned. "In what way?"

"More efficient, I'd say. My scans, though I can't absolutely warrant the accuracy on alien bio-systems, pick up a kind of "afterburner" below the stomach, just after the pyloric valve. Well, that's what it'd be on one of us. For their size, I bet one of them doesn't eat much more than one of us does.

"Speak for yourself,' muttered Frill, disconcerted.

Todd slapped him on the back and escorted him before the Gringg leader. "Now, Commander, you want to demonstrate the purity and deliciousness of one of our RREs for our hosts here?" he asked.

Collecting a nod from Frill, he and Hrriss placed their armloads of packages in front of Grizz, next to the heaps of Gringg offerings.

"These are examples of our food. We're giving them to you for your examination. First, we'll eat a sample." He accompanied his speech with pantomime, which he hoped was comprehensible to the aliens.

As the Gringg watched with interest, Frill eagerly tore open the pressed-plastic packet, then looked dismayed as the difficulty became obvious.

"The helmet,' he said, glancing at Todd for help.

"How'm I going to eat wearing a helmet?" Todd and Hrriss looked at each other and at Ken.

"Well, one of us is going to unseal sooner or later,' Todd said.

He attacked the grommets around the base of his helmet, twisting the fastenings loose.

Greene sprang forward and grabbed his wrist. "What do you think you are doing, Reeve? Attempting suicide?

If you choose to take foolish risks I can recommend to Lauder here that we have you brought back to the cruiser in restraints to wait until a psychiatrist sees you."

"I never take foolish risks,' Todd said. He shook off the man's hand. "The ensign here has already told us that if he encountered an atmosphere like this one planetside he'd consider it safe. Isn't that right, Ensign?" Lauder, not eager to get into the middle of a battle between a renowned planetary leader and a formidable ranking officer, quickly nodded his head. Encouraged by Todd's friendly smile, he added very timidly, "I'd think we were lucky, too, if the air on the Hamilton was this fresh, Commander." The medic swallwed hard as Greene turned his stare upon him, but he didn't recant.

"Therefore I consider the odds very much in my favour." Todd unfastened the plastic bubble and took it off. In the same instant, Hrriss removed his own headgear, and both took a deep breath. There was a murmur of approval from the Gringg. Todd almost choked with nervousness as the warm air hit his lungs. The two of them waited, watching each other for signs of anoxia, wondering if they had made a mistake, each ready to slap the helmets back on.

One minute, two minutes passed. There was no sound in the landing bay except for a mechanized hum deep in the heart of the giant ship.

Todd could almost hear the sweat trickling down his back. It hardly seemed as if only a couple of hours ago he had been sitting at the head of a tableful of voracious and self-seeking delegates who intended to ruin a special part of his planet to satisfy trade requirements. If he guessed wrong, if the data that the young medic had been carefully monitoring was incorrect, he could be about to die.

Todd felt with every nerve ending the touch of moving air on his skin.

It was pleasantly warm.

His lungs dragged it in and pushed it out. It took more of an effort than breathing usually did but he was in a slightly heavier gravity than what he was used to. He was consciously tasting each breath for poisons, but there was only the cloying smell of recycled air and a musky, not unpleasant aroma probably exuded by the Gringg.

He felt light-headed. What was it they said? That after five minutes without oxygen one became irreversibly brain dead? Everyone was looking at him, expecting a reaction of some kind. Hrriss's nostrils twitched, and his ears swivelled forward expectantly. Todd suddenly realized that he was holding his breath. If there'd been enough oxygen to sustain him for the last five minutes, the next breath should be fine, too. With a half-hearted laugh, he let go and sucked in a deep lungful of air. Nothing adverse had happened. He was alive.

Hrriss was alive. They and the Gringg breathed the same sort of air "It's all right." Todd nodded at his friend, and they fell into one another's arms. "Go ahead, Frill,' he said, as he and Hrriss pounded each other on the back in relief. Ken Reeve was smiling. "Lauder is right. Our atmospheres are at least compatible.

"So they could live on our worlds, if they disposed of us,' Greene said, his eyes cold.

"Enough of that, Greene!" Todd said, firmly. "There are no indications whatsoever that these creatures are competitive. On the contrary, in fact! May Commander Frill assist me now with a food demonstration?" Grudgingly, Greene gave the order. Frill saluted and began to undo the helmet fastenings.

Watching Todd and Hrriss all the while, the big Spacedep officer lifted off his helmet and put it on the floor beside him. He, too, took a few tentative breaths before relaxing.

"It's real air!" he said simply, grinning all over his big face.

"This'll cause speculation among the scientists' data,' Ken said.

"Are all spacefaring races oxygen-breathers? Or do oxy-breathers tend to be pacific? There's a theory in there someplace." He took off his helmet, then peeled off his gloves. The baby bear toddled towards him again, this time chortling joyfully to itself that Genhh now exuded a totally different, and much more preferable scent: one compounded of many subtle smells. Ken was sniffed over from toe to crotch to pate.

With no hesitation, Jilamey removed his helmet. Timidly, with a glance at Greene for permission, Lauder opened his a crack, testing the air against what was in his rebreathers. Only Greene remained sealed in his protective gear like a disapproving robot glaring at the others.

The Gringg, too, seemed to be happy with the removals, grunting low, pleased sounds to themselves though only the littlest one made tactile, and nasal, contact.

As the Gringg watched with considerable interest, Frill consumed an RRE. He tore mouthfuls away from the bar of compressed protein, chewed and swallowed them. The carbohydrate wafer crunched loudly in the metal-walled mom and the packet of fruit conserve went down with a slurp or two.

"Uh, see?" the officer said, twisting the packets into a little ball and tucking them into the empty box, a little uncomfortable to have his greed witnessed by such a crowd. "That's good food. Not as good as fresh, but OK."

"O-kaayy." Grizz echoed the word.

Todd thought that the big alien understood. It signalled to Eonneh, who undid one of the sausage-shaped packets and ate the contents, patting its chest to indicate satisfaction when it had finished. Todd caught a whiff of its scent. Not too bad, he thought.

It smelled a little like smoked snake.

"Here, try this one,' Todd said, pushing aside containers of tuna fish, Doona snake, bean curd, turkey, and cheese, to open one of his favorites. It was popcorn, in a self-heating hemispherical container.

Cautioning the Gringg not to touch he pulled the seal. The disk-shaped base started to glow. In a few seconds, the whole unit began to shake. Weddeerogh jumped, letting out a squeal of surprise, then hunkering down, getting as close as it dared to the twitching and bulging package. Todd grinned. Popcorn was not only food, but entertainment.

Grizz watched more calmly while the silver dome unit expanded one pop at a time, until it had reached four times its original size. A small red spot appeared on the top of the dome, signalling that it was through cooking.

Todd burst open the thin covering and took a handful of popcorn.

"See? This is really good." He ate piece by piece, crunching each between his teeth with obvious satisfaction.

"Goo-ood." Using its long claws, the Gringg picked up a single puffed kernel and looked at it, a giant examining a grain of sand.

Then it indicated to Ken that he should take the other Gringg rations, and sat, continuing to study the fluffy morsel of corn.

"Great,' Ken exclaimed, collecting the bundles and putting some of them in his equipment pouch. Lauder, his hands shaking slightly, picked up an armload of the supplies and stowed them in his equipment carryall.

"Thank you, Grizz. We'll be happy to take these. Soon as we have a good close look, we'll know if it's safe for you to come back with us." He bowed to Grizz and nodded to the others. "Thank you for letting us visit. We'd better get back, boys. The Admiral and the others will be going spare wondering what happened to keep us so long."

"One more thing,' Greene said, quickly, planting a hand on Ken's shoulder. "Tell them they've got to keep their ship in this orbit. If they move, we'll consider that an act of hostility, and we will attack."

"Now, how do you expect me to explain that to them?" Ken demanded, fed up with the Spacedep commander acting the eternal wet-blanket. "I don't even know how to say "how are you", much less "stay put"

"Oh, draw them a picture,' Jilamey said, impatiently. He knelt down beside Eonneh and held out a hand toward the Gringg's two-finger stylus. "Can I borrow that?" Surprised, the honey-coloured alien put the drawing implement in his hand, and pushed the tablet towards him. Jilamey whistled at the weight of the instrument, then fitted his fingers into the twinned loops. He drew a little circle on his hand with the point, and smiled up at Greene.

"Now, what kind of orbit do you want them to stay in?" Glancing at the Admiral's aide for permission, Commander Frill slumped down beside Jilamey, and looked up at the Gringg captain. "Draw Doona there,' he indicated the centre of a blank tablet page. "Now, draw a big circle around it, far out, beyond the moons - better draw in the moons - and put their ship on the big circle. Boy, this is undignified,' he complained, looking up at Ken.

"Go on,' Ken encouraged him. "You're doing fine."

"Well,' he said, showing the tablet to Grizz. "This,' he said, following the circle around the planet. "is good.

Uh. This,' he took the stylus from Jilamey and drew a tangential line leading away from the circle with an arrow, er, is bad." He crossed out the line. "This is bad, too." Frill, red to the ears, drew in another tangent, this one leading inwards towards Doonarrala, and crossed it out. "Do you understand? Stay on this orbit." His finger traced the circle around and around.

"Reh!" Grizz said, following his gesture. "Orrrbitttt.

Nggh yaahrr mmmmonnya." The Gringg showed a mouthful of long white teeth and black gums to indicate comprehension.

"Well done, Frill. Satisfied?" Ken asked Greene. "Again, Captain Grizz, our compliments. Until we meet again?" He bowed and turned away. Together, the party walked back towards the Spacedep shuttle.

For big creatures, the Gringg could move surprisingly fast.

Eonneh and the strange bear who had brought in the Gringg rations waddled swiftly past them, and stood by the shuttle. The party stared at them, their initial fears returning.

"Now what is this?" Greene demanded, stopping at a distance from the ship. He felt again for his sidearm and cursed Todd Reeve's insistence on coming unarmed. "Are they preventing us from leaving?

Are we prisoners?"

"Eonneh gerrvah,' the light-brown bear said, and indicated his companion. "Ghotyakh gerrvah aui'd." The other, its rubbery mouth drawn back in the imitation of a Human smile, waved at them and set a gentle paw down on the top of the shuttle.

"Quite the opposite,' Ken suggested, eyeing this gesture with amusement. Ghotyakh must be an engineer, if he patted spaceships like ponies. "I think they want to come with us as emissaries."

"Impossible!" Greene was alarmed at the thought of Gringg loose on a Spacedep ship, or amuck in the colony itself.

"Not at all." Ken glanced back at Grizz, who raised a giant snout in their direction. The intelligent, redbrown eyes were calm.

"They're showing that they trust us."

"They could die from exposure to toxins or bacteria on Doona." Ken shook his head.

"Obviously, Commander, they're willing to take that chance. That's something they need to learn from us, too: if both species can exist in the same bio-sphere. And I get the impression that if we don't take them, we don't leave." Jilamey blinked. "Who do we leave behind as volunteers?

As our ambassadors?" Ken grinned pointedly at his son. "Any volunteers?"

"Hrriss and I will stay,' Todd said, quickly, barely beating out Hrriss's call to remain.

"We are the logical choices,' the Hrruban agreed. "We already serve the diplomatic arm for both Hrruba and Earrth, as well as Doonarrala."

"Wish I had your background in languages, Dad,' Todd said, "but I think we'll get along."

"I have all the faith in the galaxy in you two,' Ken said, then his eyes twinkled. "Good luck." Hrriss and Todd shook hands in turn with Ken, Jilamey, and the two Spacedep officers. Greene continued to look disapproving.

"You should return to the cruiser with us."

"Not a good idea,' Todd said promptly. "The Gringg have trusted us with two of their people. They might take it amiss if we don't reciprocate. Remember it's their initiative."

"We shouldn't take them aboard, not until the Admiral has cleared such an important decision."

"Spacedep isn't involved in this aspect of the encounter, Commander. Alreldep is!' Todd told him. "Hrriss and I are Alien Relations. Report that to the Admiral."

"Two of our new friends are staying with us,' Grizz said contentedly, watching Dodh and Rrss stand by as the other Ayoomnnns entered their fragile little vessel. "We have much to ask them. Go in peace,' she called.

"Errrrungh!" the cub called out his farewell to his new friends before the shuttle door closed.

"Goodbye!" Ken called back, waving.

The cub let out squeals of glee. "Errrrungh! Gggbyyy!" Just then the communit in Todd's helmet began to crackle. Todd picked it up and held it close enough to hear any message.

"Frill here, Reeve. If you can hear me, nod." Todd obediently nodded. "We'll keep sending on our way back to the Hamilton. Give some answer as long as you hear us. OK?" Todd nodded. "If we can't stay in touch, we'll come back for you in twenty-four hours!" Todd nodded vigorously, relieved.

The last sight Ken had of his son and the Hrruban who was nearly his second son was the two of them disappearing behind the grey glass doors with the dark-furred aliens.

For a moment Ken was afraid, wondering if he had made a mistake leaving them behind.

It was a tight fit in the cabin with the two huge Gringg each spreading across two couches intended for one Human-size body. They were muttering excitedly to one another, their intelligent eyes scrutinizing all elements of the interior of the shuttle. Ken smiled to himself. The Gringg captain was probably having the same misgivings about sending two of his people with them.

"Good luck, son,' he said quietly, as Frill lifted off the little shuttle from the launch circle.

Chapter 4

COMMANDER FRILL GOT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF perverse pleasure opening a communications channel to the hovering Spacedep flagship and giving his message.

"Exploration shuttle returning at 1815 hours shiptime with two aliens aboard. Please inform the Admiral we will be with you by 1847.

Frill out." That'll bring "em running, he thought.

Out of the corner of his eye, Frill could see the colonist in the co-pilot's chair grinning like a fool. Frill had to admit he felt the same elation. They'd gone out on a dangerous mission and had returned not only intact, but in the company of two members of a new species.

Although at first the assignment had made him nervous, Frill was grateful that Castleton had selected him. The aliens'd be well worth getting to know. In all his xeno training, he'd never come across any other species - apart from the Hrrubans, of course - that was sentient, let alone so eager to cooperate. He was also grateful that two of the smaller specimens had been sent. The giant ones were going to take a lot of getting used to.

The two Gringg were silent until the shuttle was inside the Hamilton's landing bay doors, then began quietly muttering between themselves. Commenting on the differences? Frill wondered. The Spacedep bay walls were enamelled a spankingly clean white and stencilled with the Spacedep logo, and everything was smaller. A lot smaller.

When he considered the size of the Gringg themselves, the volume of their ship wasn't so extraordinary. They needed a lot of head and elbow room.

Personnel in the Spacedep shuttle bay were fully clad in protective suits, and the board was showing full red alert. Frill thought that was rather overdoing security measures. If he had reported that they were under duress, or had given the covert danger code, it would have been appropriate. He had to remind himself that he had just spent a few hours on an alien vessel, and that those who remained aboard ship had no idea what the visiting party had experienced. He grinned again.

Setting down the shuttle smoothly, Frill began to switch off systems and run over the cross check list, ably assisted by Ken Reeve.

Outside the small ship, a security force deployed.

Marines, armed with powerful slug-throwing and laser weapons hurried into a line surrounding them and knelt, waiting for the aliens to emerge. Behind the glass doors separating the bay from the waiting lounge stood Admiral Barnstable, Captain Castleton and other interested parties.

Ken Reeve emerged first, grinning, followed by the Gringg. Frill had a good look at the reactions: the marines, to a man, recoiled and tightened their hands on their weapons as the huge bear-like beings hunched to get through the portal and then stood up and stretched, to relieve the cramp they had endured on the small shuttle.

"They're friendly and they are not armed,' Ken Reeve said, raising his arms, elbows out and away from his body as he manoeuvred himself between Eonneh and the nearest marines. The Gringg followed suit.

"They're very friendly,' Frill added in a bellow, grinning as broadly as he could to reinforce his words.

Castleton's voice echoed over the P.A. system. "Security, assemble at a safe distance. Await further orders."

"Yes, sir,' replied the lieutenant in charge.

He signalled to his men, who reformed in a close group beyond the shuttle. Frill felt his face redden.

"Captain,' Ken Reeve said, frowning with annoyance at such over hostility, "aren't you being a bit paranoid?

They've shown no signs of aggression at any time."

"This is a security vessel, Mr Reeve,' the captain said in sharp tones.

"So it is,' Ken said, sarcastically. "I'd forgotten."

"There are definite procedures for this sort of thing, you know,' Frill added, with a glance of apology at Reeve.

"Don't apologize for doing your duty,' Greene snapped.

He marched towards the decontamination booth.

Following Commander Greene, the party went through one by one.

Ken and Frill stayed behind with the Gringg to reassure them, as best they could by smiles and trying to appear totally relaxed, that this was customary procedure.

Neither of the two emissaries seemed dismayed, ignoring the actinic lights and the fans that fluffed up their fur.

Ken admired their phlegmatic behaviour in a totally foreign environment. Certainly there had been no similar procedures on the Gringg ship.

Barnstable was waiting as Greene, then Jilamey, followed by Lauder, emerged from the launch bay. The Spacedep chairman was containing himself with difficulty.

Behind him, Castleton couldn't keep her eyes off the massive figures now passing through decontamination.

Greene saluted and made directly to a computer terminal and began to enter codes.

"Whew, aren't they big mamas?" Ali Kiachif breathed.

"My son?" Hrrestan asked of Jilamey, the fur at the nape of his neck was erect with fear. "He did not rrturn with you?"

"He's fine, Hrrestan. Stayed on board the visitors' vessel with Todd,' Jilamey said soothingly. "They've volunteered,' and he wrinkled his nose and grinned, "to be our ambassadors to the Gringg. These are our new friends.

The gold one's Eonneh, and the other's Ghotyakh."

"Amazing crrreatures,' Hrrestan said, gazing up at the two Gringg with wide eyes.

Snapping off the computer terminal, Greene marched up to his superior officers and saluted. His face was pale.

"Sirs, I must see you immediately,' he said.

"Commander, how could you so mislead me as to the size of these .

. . these things?" Barnstable said.

"They aren't things,' Jilamey said, indignantly. "They're Gringg.

. . and intelligent folk." Barnstable brushed that observation aside.

"This is a Spacedep vessel "Currently assisting Alreldep,' Ken said, bracing the Admiral, "in establishing friendly communication with a new species.

Barnstable glared fiercely at Greene. "When I sent you along as a Spacedep representative, Commander, this was exactly the kind of lame-brained irresponsible behaviour I expected you to counter.

"In point of fact, Admiral, encouraging this. . . delegation is not irresponsible." Greene aimed a very significant look at Barnstable.

"They are, as you see, larger than any of us." Barnstable cleared his throat. "Yes, there's that." He began to reconsider his position as Eonneh approached, passing close to him as he entered the lounge.

"Did you ah . . . manage to establish communications?"

"No, sir.

We've exchanged a few words, nothing more.

The rest was accomplished through a primitive sign language, and demonstrations." Greene shot a jaundiced glance at Ken Reeve. "Then they wouldn't allow us to reboard the shuttle unless we brought them,' and he cocked his thumb at the Gringg, "with us." He glared again at Reeve.

"Well, what do we do with them?" Greene flapped one hand indecisively. "Whatever one does with a new species . . sir. They came voluntarily.

Just as young Reeve and Hrriss remained. Sir, permission to speak to you privately concerning the Gringg. It is urgent."

"Watch it there, Greene,' Jilamey said in a firm and angry voice. "The Gringg may not understand our spoken language, but your body language is sending hostility signals. Lighten up." That made the two Spacedep men pause and glance suspiciously at the aliens.

"We have to know what we're dealing with,' Barnstable said.

"I don't know about you, Admiral,' Castleton said, "but the size of them makes me nervous.

Ghotyakh waddled in and began to exchange quiet murmurs with Eonneh.

"We'll keep them here long enough to run tests,' the Admiral said.

"Hold everything, Admiral,' Ken began, momentarily distracted by Jilamey's agitation, "if there's going to be any testing done, physicians affiliated with Treaty Island or Alreldep and Hrruban Alien Relations should officiate.

Spacedep isn't involved."

"I agrrrree,' Second Speaker put in, taking a step forward. He seemed much put out by the huge aliens' appearance and was maintaining a discreet distance. The one with the light-coloured pelt leaned his way, sniffing.

Affronted, he clutched his robe tighter around himself.

Undaunted, the alien turned its huge head toward Mllaba and snuffed at her. "You cannot sequester such data."

"You may perform your own examinations when we have finished,' Barnstable said stiffly.

"You're not getting the message, are you, Admiral?" Ken said, stiff with indignation. "These aren't lab animals. They're sentient beings from a highly sophisticated culture and they're here as envoys, not creatures to be dissected. Get that straight now, once and for all. They are to be treated with honour and respect!" He let out a breath. "Because that's how we hope they're treating our emissanes.

"Surely,' Kiachif put in silkily, "you don't want unwelcome, untested, and unauthorized aliens aboard your flagship any longer than you have to? I'll take "em off your hands right smart."

"Since Spacedep may have to clear up after you AIreldeps mess up this first contact -, Greene began.

"I didn't mess up first contact before, did I?" Ken said in a voice that was cold with threat. "Ali, we accept your offer of transport here and now."

"Just a living minute, Kiachif Barnstable began, clearly determined to keep the aliens aboard where he would have control of their disposition. "Castleton, escort these - - these creatures to suitable quarters." The captain stared at the aliens, and turned to her commanding officer.

"With all respect, Admiral,' she said, "we haven't any big enough for them outside of this lounge,' and she gestured about her, "or the wardroom which cannot be secured .

"Dammit!" Ken Reeve said, in an exasperated roar. "The Gringg are NOT liable to Spacedep authority. They are Alreldep's. They're coming down to Doonarrala with us.

And that's that!" His bellow made everyone regard him in surprise.

The Gringg rumbled and shifted their big feet.

"Now look what you've done,' Jilamey said, swinging accusingly at Barnstable and Castleton. Making reasuring sounds and waving his hands in placatory gestures, he went right up to Eonneh and Ghotyakh who blinked rapidly but made no move.

"Relax, lassie, they don't have any weapons,' Kiachif said to Castleton, who had instinctively reached for her sidearm.

"Just claws and teeth,' she replied, but she dropped her hand to her side. Greene looked poised to move between her and the Gringg if she so much as gestured.

"They look so dangerrrrous,' Mllaba murmured, still standing closer than protocol allowed to Second Speaker.

"Then we mustn't upset them, must we?" Kiachif asked, rather enjoying the naval alarm.

"Especially at the outset of what should develop into mutual respect and harmony,' Ken said in a disgusted tone. "Now, let's get these good . . . creatures,' and he made the term far more a title than Barnstable had, "down to an environment that is not bristling with hostility and weapons." With ill grace, Barnstable finally agreed.

"The Kiachif vessel has leave to depart,' Captain Castleton said into her communit to the bridge.

"Captain, will you also make contact with Admiral Sumitral at Alreldep?" Hrrestan asked, then turned politely to Second Speaker.

"Sir, you will wish to inform the Hrruban Council of this development.

"The Terran council will hear of this,' Barnstable said.

"Along with the rest of civilized space,' Ken said, shedding all trace of his previous aggressiveness now that the navy had acquiesced.

"Sometimes, Hrrestan, you exceed your authority,' Hrrto remarked in a taut voice.

Even as Hrrestan bowed low in apology, he wished that the old First Speaker was still alive, with his wisdom and forbearance available to help them through this tense situation.

"I thought you would not wish to be seen in the same light as that Hayuman Admiral,' Hrrestan said meekly.

Hrrto regarded him through slitted eyes and his tail switched just once. The Second Speaker pulled his nails through his muzzle whiskers and then dropped his jaw ever so slightly.

"A point, Hrrestan. A point."

"Shall I also give permission for Sumitral to use the grid for conveyance to Doonarrala? Aireldep has always been the most intelligent branch of the Hayuman Authorities.

Hrrto considered that a moment longer, then with a ffick of half-bared claws gave Hrrestan permission. It would do HIrto no harm in his campaign for the First Speakership to be seen to side with the Spacedep, always the nemesis of the conservative element of Hrruba.

Hrrestan turned to Castleton and swept her a graceful bow.

"Please let it be known in the Federazhon Building that we request the most immediate prrresence of Admiral Sumitral in the First Village complex. I am most grrrateful for your assistance."

"This way, folks,' Kiachif said, gesturing broadly towards the bay in which his shuttle was docked.

"I'm to be kept posted, do you hear me?" Barnstable shouted as Ken and the others swept towards the connecting link.

The security force drew back, hands convulsively closing on their weapons as he swung through.

"This way, gentlebears,' Jilamey said, skipping in front to lead the way. "Next stop, a fine little planet that I'm sure you'll adore." After a quick huddle with Captain Castleton and Admiral Barnstable, Greene followed the Second Speaker and the still apprehensive Milaba as they started to leave the bay.

"A moment, honoured sir,' he said in good Middle Hrruban, laying a hand on Hrrto's robed arm, "of your most valuable time."

"For what reason?" Second Speaker asked stiffly, glancing down at the offensive hand. Beside him, Mllaba let out a hissing breath.

"I beg your pardon,' and Greene snatched his hand back, bowing apologetically. "Honoured Speaker,' he went on in a humble tone, though Hrrto recognized in the Hayuman a warrior's bearing that showed he bent the knee to no one, "please let the shuttle depart without you.

Admiral Barnstable and Captain Castleton wish a few words with you.

About this new species. It will delay your return to Doonarrala only a few moments."

"Very well,' Second said, without inflection or expression. Greene nodded to the captain, who lifted her communication unit.

"The shuttle may depart now,' she said. The blast doors closed before anyone on board the small ship could question the absence of the Hrrubans.

The Hayuman glanced towards the brilliant light of the shuttle's exhaust port, fast disappearing over the curve of the planet. Second Speaker followed his gaze, then directed a curious stare at Greene.

"The Admiral thought that perhaps you are not so sanguine about the nature of these new beasts." The brown eyes searched the slitted green feline ones. "Perhaps you, too, believe that more caution should be exercised in regard to these Gringg."

"Perhaps,' Second said, very cautiously. "But why should you share these thoughts with me?" Greene moved closer to him, into uncomfortable proximity. Though he was shorter than the Hrruban, he seemed to loom.

"Because, honoured sir, you have power and influence here and on your own home world, and you are known for your sagacity in their use,' the Hayuman said in a low voice. "The arrival of these beasts complicates the equation that already exists between Hrruban and Hayuman and interrupts proceedings that have long been on the agenda.

Should this be allowed to occur? And at this critical point?

There is more to this than meets the eye.

Admiral Barnstable and the captain beg a few moments to discuss their views with you. Nothing official, or binding, certainly. Merely a friendly chat."

"You interest me, Commandrrr,' Second said, his pupils narrowing. He stepped away from the Havuman, restoring his breathing space. He found the commander almost more threatening than the Gringg. "Very well, so long as it is understood that this is only a small chat." Kelly Reeve fidgeted. When Todd and the company had departed to investigate the strange spaceship, Hrrestan's assistant had addressed the remainder of the delegates left in the dining room.

"Honorred frriends, we must postpone fertherr deliberations until the others have returrrned. We have zaken measurres to ensurre yrrr comfort while you are here, and we will keep you inforrrmed about the ship orbiting above us. Please do not dizcuss what you have hearrrd with anyone who does not have ze proprrr classificazhon.

Securfzy is vital." The financial agent from Hrruba was the amy one to voice a protest. "Our time is valuable. Zis interruption must not interferre with ourr negotiations,' she said.

"We have not a choice,' the assistant replied. "We may not continue in ze absence of ze honorred Second Speaker and half our membrrrs." Putting aside her nervousness, Kelly smiled at the Hrruban executive. "Perhaps you would care to return with me to my village? I would be delighted to make welcome one who is so invaluable to the High Council."

"Zonk you, no. I will remain on the Zreaty Island until the Speaker returns. I have calls to make zo ze home wrrrld,' the banker said in cold, if polite, refusal.

The delegates dispersed, muttering, to their guest quarters.

Seeing she could do nothing else to help, Kelly transported back to the Hrruban First Village, to Nrrna and the children.

It was still early morning on this side of Doonarrala.

Children, not yet summoned by the school bell, raced around the green of the sunlit common. Worried about Todd, Kelly forced herself to smile at the serene picture they made "Mizzis Rrev,' a Hrruban youngster shouted. "Where are Alison and Alec? Zey will be late zo school! It iz almoz time!" A crowd of children carrying books and tapes ran past them heading towards the Friendship Bridge.

"They're not coming today, Zhrrel,' Kelly said, fighting to keep from letting concern show on her face. "They're at Mrrva's, with me and Nrrna. Will you tell Hrromede I'll call him to explain?"

"Yes, Mizzis Rrev,' Zhrrel said, turning almost on his tail and racing for the bridge as the bell began to toll.

"Aiee! I'm laze!" Mrrva, lithe and graceful in spite of her sixty years, hurried to put Kelly at ease, and would not let her speak until they were all seated comfortably in the garden with hot morning drinks.

Perhaps, in spite of her importance as the head of Doonarrala medical services, she prized her reputation as a genial hostess, and she was as fond of Kelly as she was of her son's mate.

Nrrna appeared in the doorway, with two children in tow. She was a soft-furred female with pretty green eyes and pointed cheekbones that made her look very young.

"Gelli, whateverrr is wrrrong?" she said, in her soft voice.

She held her two younger children close as Kelly told as much as she could and still be discreet. Ourrh, only a year older than his newborn sister, silently watched the faces of the adults with no comprehension of what had upset those who loved and protected him.

Solemnly, he nestled close to his mother's chest and put one arm around the baby. Knowing that all the villages would have learned of its presence, Kelly could and did describe the awesome size and appearance of the strange ship.

"Then they just piled into Ali Kiachifs shuttle to go take a look at it. Sometimes, Todd Reeve is enough to drive a woman to miada!' Kelly finished, letting righteous ire dissipate some of her inner fears. "But, best of all, the pair of them went off together, Nrrna.

Just like always." The estrangement between the two best friends over the matter of the space port had been of great concern to their wives, and other discerning friends. It had seemed incredible that any matter could have strained the deep bond shared by Todd and Hrriss.

There had been tension even on the Double Bar Gemini Ranch which Todd and Hrriss owned in partnership. Even the children had become aware of some stress between the two adult males, though for the most part they continued their games and running in and out of the two ranch houses as always.

"If these aliens have brought about a reunion,' Mrrva said in Low Hrruban, "then they are thrice welcome in thts house. So don't fear, Gelli,' she added, patting Kelly's knee, "Hrriss and Zodd are resourceful. And never more so than when they face a mutual challenge.

I have earnestly wished to help, you know." She tilted her head to gaze into Kelly's eyes.

"I know you have, Mrrva,' and Kelly smiled and grasped the slender, furred arm. "It's just so utterly weird that those two could ever find something to quarrel about." She closed her lips then for she had to be loyal to Todd's principles even if, in her deepest thoughts, she didn't see why he so disapproved of the space port: Trade would expand and the Doonarrala economy would improve enormously. A space port would make it so much easier for everyone. "I just hope we don't have to wait too long to hear what that infamous pair are up to now." She brushed away a vagrant tear because they were once more up to something!

"The most difficult part will be for you, waiting until they return! You are both welcome to stay here since they must come through the village grid from the Treaty Island."

"Thank you, Mrrva,' Kelly said. As long as Todd and Hrriss were together, perhaps they'd also find a way past this space port difficulty, too. "It'll be like old times,' she added, making her smile as genuine as possible.

Outside the house, she could hear the yells and hoots of her twins and Nrrna's two oldest children. They were accustomed to their fathers jetting off on special trips or being involved in colony business at Treaty Island. As Kelly had also been involved, she had left her pair with Nrrna and Mrrva in First Village. So, totally unconcerned and giving their all to this extra day of leisure, they raced around their Mrrva's front garden, playing out their notions of what was going on.

Kelly sat on the stoop watching them, reassured by their carefree presence.

Her twin children were tall for their eight Standard years, and skinny as a pair of saplings. Early muscular development and plenty of exercise gave Alec and Alison such innate grace of movement that they resembled a pair of young Hrrubans, hence their nickname, the Alley Cats. Alec had his mother's red hair, but had inherited intense blue eyes from Todd. Alison was a more exotic combination, with shining black hair, and eyes with golden hazel irises rimmed with black.

Except that they were obviously male and female, the twins' faces were extraordinarily similar in feature and form, though Alison's was slightly rounder than her brother's. Often friends would remark on how glad they were that they had different colour hair. In a losing battle to keep their locks from being eternally tangled messes, Kelly clipped both of them short.

Also eight years old, Hrrana was slight and very shy like her mother, Nrrna. Hrrunival was a chunky six year old with wise eyes. He was the youngest of the four on the lawn, but tended to be the ringleader in games and feats of daring. The children had, of course, heard of the appearance of the strange spaceship in orbit.

"Zoddandhrriss will burrrst into the alien vesssel,' Hrrunival said, punctuating his phrases with zooming motions of his hands, "and drrrag out ze aliens and say "What are you? Where do you come from?"

" He was wild with excitement, dancing around on light toes. His elder sister, Hrrana, grabbed him by both ears to hold him still. He spat and batted at her.

"Then they will find out everything there is to know about the aliens,' Alison said, calmly releasing Hrrunival from his sister's grasp and fluffing up the fur between the offended aural appendages.

The Hrruban boy's eyes slitted pleasurably at Alison's fussing, and he wrinkled his nose at Hrrana. Unconcerned, the female pirouetted and threw a boneless somersault, to land lightly on her feet again.

"And what happens then?" Kelly asked, distracted from her dark mood by the children's fancies.

"They'll make friends with them,' Alec said, triumphantly spinning toward his mother, clapping his hands like cymbals, "like in the story where they brought all the Rralans together. Don't you think that would be nice, Mommy?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Hrrunival.

Kelly sighed. The story of how Doonarrala was founded had become almost a legend, with "Toddandhrriss' the heroes whose names were always spoken together until they became an undistinguished mass of syllables. She hadn't been born when that had happened, but if Alec was anything like his father had been, it was no mystery how the boy Todd had insinuated, or rather, cannoned himself into the midst of a delicate situation that could have had disastrous repercussions for both races. The unexpectedly deep bonding between the young Todd, so out of phase with Earth social protocol, and Hrriss, had surprised and touched both Havuman and Hrrubans. It was this friendship, and Todd's determination to enjoy it without adult-conceived hindrances, that had been the cornerstone between the two species. Which had resulted in the Decision at Doona.

The true adventure gave the children of Doonarrala heroes of their own age to admire and emulate. It prompted the occasional outbreak of rope tails attached to the trousers of Hayuman youngsters. If, being the sons and daughters of legends made things a little tougher for the Alley Cats and Nrrna's brood, they never acknowledged the problem.

Possibly their peers never connected the Todd and Hrriss of the stories with the two very accessible adult males, fathers of their friends, who played with them daily and who led the annual Snake Hunts.

Those Occupations, Kelly reminded herself, were adventurous enough for eight and six year olds.

In the meanwhile, two hours had stretched into five, and from then into nine. Worrying about Todd, Kelly ate a lunch and dinner she didn't taste. She tried to tell her self that the long delay was because things were going well, not because there'd been problems.

Problems were usually heard about as soon as they occurred. But she couldn't completely discount her nagging premonition of "trouble', however nebulous it was.

After the early evening meal, Mrrva retired into the back garden to leave the two younger women alone.

Nrrna dandled baby Hrrunna on her lap, playing with the small cub's perfect little hands and feet. The baby's fur was a light gold with a mahogany-brown stripe down her back, a contrast to her mother's tawnier pelt. The cub fussed a little, and opened a little pink mouth to emit a weak mewling sound. Nrrna, reclining on to one side to expose the four gentle swellings nearly hidden in her fur, put Hrrunna to a nipple. The child began to suck, settling its little rounded ears back at an absurd oblique angle: a peaceful tableau, if not for the presentiment of danger plaguing Kelly.

Unable to sit still, she thought of calling the Federation Centre again to see if they'd had any word from Todd and the others. Arms crossed over her chest to keep her fingers from twitching, she paced over to the console, wondering if it was too soon after her last call.

"What time is it, Nrrna?" she asked, tightening her fingers on her arms.

Nrrna shifted to her other side and nestled Hrrunna in the crook of her other arm so she could look at her wrist chronometer. "Only half past six."

"Hmm,' Kelly mused. "That means it's nine thirty on Treaty Island. Do you think there's anyone in the Space Centre office?"

"There was not half an hourrr ago, Gelli. Why do you not try to relax?" Nrrna settled the nursing cub, peering at the concentrated little face with its tight-shut, shell-like eyelids.

"I don't see how you can stay so calm!" Kelly said, ffinging herself out of her chair and pacing around. "Hrriss and Todd could be in great danger." Nrrna let out the low, musical growl that was a Hrruban laugh. "I must stay calm or this tiny one gets gas through my milk,' she said. "It is an exercise in self-control. I myself do not think of danger to Zodd or Hrriss! You could go to the Treaty Island?"

"What good would that do?" Kelly grumbled, arriving at the window as the other end of her pace way.

"I am glad you do not,' Nrrna said, jaw dropped in a gentle smile.

"I prefer that we are together and not alone Kelly glanced down affectionately at the Hrruban woman. "Me, too. I guess that's why I didn't go. I'd get that "useless female" reaction and be acidly asked what I thought I could do about anything. That lot at Treaty Island don't worry about people: they worry about treaties and agendas and .

. . things! Besides, it'd be unfair to leave my two monsters here!

Look at them out there!" The Alley Cats were in the midst of a rough and tumble with Hrrana, Hrrunival, Ourrh, and a group of the neighbourhood youngsters, freed for evening games until darkness. As Kelly watched, Alison was pulled to the ground by a couple of Hrruban cubs and shrieked happily, coming up dusty to drag her friends over with her.

"Where do they get the energy?" Mrrva asked with a sigh as she gazed at their spirited racings.

"It's not fair, is it?" Kelly said, shaking her head. "Ooops, there goes Alison's shirt. Well, it was an old one,' she added. "Once they knew they weren't going to school today, I had to fight the two of them into clothes, and now they're half naked anyhow. "If Hrrana and Hrrunival don't have to wear anything but belts, then why can't we?"

" Kelly piped, in a flawless imitation of Alec at his most difficult.

Nrrna chuckled again. The baby squirmed and let go of the nipple, licking her tiny chops. Her mother repositioned her and, eyes still closed, she placed her head on her front paws and went to sleep.

"Take joy in the differences, that is what I think they should do,' Nrrna said in Low Hrruban.

"Try telling them that,' Kelly said, wryly, then shouted out the window at the children. "You're playing too rough!

Look out for Heeranh's nose! Augh!" she exclaimed, and started pacing again. "I don't know where they get the idea that they're indestructible."

"From their fathers, no doubt,' Nrrna said. Hrrunna twitched in her sleep, and gave a squeaky little moan which brought a loving smile from her dam. Nrrna glanced up at Kelly, who was biting her own thumb. "They will be all right, you know that, Gelli. They always are when they are working together."

"I guess so." Kelly got up again to glance out the window, and recoiled in shock.

"Mrrva!" she shrieked. "Get the snake rifle!" The Gringg stepped off the grid in the midst of the Hrruban First Village and looked around them with great interest. First they had been landed on this new world in full dark: now they had entered twilight. But this was not a strange phenomenon for they often had to travel long distances on their home world and were used to such time dislocations. They were as glad to be able to see where they now were.

More Rroobvnnns had met them in the orbiting ship, including one very quick-moving male clad in black, and many more Ayoomnnns. From the ship, they had been transferred to a larger shuttle, flown by an engaging Ayoomnnn with black-and-grey hair who showed his teeth frequently and spoke in a poetic cadence. Once this vehicle had reached the surface of the planet, they had been ushered into a large, white-stone cube of a building and down a corridor which echoed when one trod on the floor. The Gringg had been obediently foLlowing their guide to a small platform with pillars at each corner. When they stood upon it, the room became misty. Suddenly, they found themselves here.

Eonneh was impressed. This form of transport was much more effortless than any he had previously encountered. The Gringg had much to learn from the Rroohvnnns.

A second group of four emerged from the mist. Genhh gestured to Eonneh and Ghotyakh to be patient and wait.

By some of the scents, the Gringg decided that Rroobvnnn Rreshtanh lived here. The smell of the green groundcover and some of the flowers had been in his fur.

To one side, a high escarpment bounded the valley in which they stood, which was rich with trees and flora.

Like the life-forms they had seen so far, even the trees seemed less substantial here than on the Gringg world.

But it was a beautiful place, and the air smelled good.

In the distance, they could scent the musky odours of wildlife.

One creature, which must be a service animal, unlike the Ayoomnnns or Rroobvnnns, stood tethered, calmly eating long strands of yellow herbage. It had not noticed them, but many more Hrrubans had. They were coming out of the little houses, staring and pointing at the Gringg. Most of them did not react with fear, but with interest.

Eonneh found that to be heartening. Much more reassuring than the emotions he had perceived on the large orbiting ship.

The Rroobvnnn Rreshtanh was much honoured here.

Most of the Hrrubans spoke to him before circling around to look at the two aliens. Eonneh returned their gazes for a while, then because there was little variation between one tawny-gold face and another, became more interested in the scenery. There was much greater variation in colour among the Ayoomnnns.

"Act as if there was nothing unusual in the way we were just transported,' Eonneh said to Ghotyakh. "Though we have only seen a small part of this world, I am relieved that we seem to have been taken into the living places of these people. Even in the place where we first stopped, we have seen nothing of the weapons carried by the guards on the ship. Accept anything they do with padded claws. Let us be sure not to frighten them."

"Observe the shapes of the domiciles, Eonneh,' Ghotyakh said, turning a slow circle. "Square roofs, as had that building into which we were first taken. Everything is built using flat planes, and nearly all of them above ground. Curious.

"It is so. They do not build as we do, in echo of the natural shelters of the motherworid." Eonneh stared at one dwelling. "I would guess they have better ventilation than our homes. Perhaps their seasonal changes are not as drastic as ours. A very pleasant place." His tail wagged slowly. "I shall enjoy our time here.

The gesture seemed to interest his hosts. Genhh had no caudal appendage, as Eonneh had already observed. The angry male in black, who appeared to be subordinate to the male wearing an ornate red robe, both of whom had remained behind in the ship, had long, flexible tails that switched back and forth all the time.

"What interesting creatures these are, he said, glancing at the Rroobvnnns. "There is so much variation among the members of one sex.

And do you notice that all the males seem to live on one side of this place and the females on the other? Look how many Ayoomnnns are coming from that direction. None live here."

"Reh. It is most curious. Is there water about? I'm thirsty, but a swim is even more necessary."

"I hear some running over there,' Ghotyakh said, peering in the direction from which the Ayoomnnns were coming. "There is a bridge." Curious to see a Doonarralan river, the two ambled towards the sound.

A shout from behind reminded them that they were not alone.

"Oh, I apologize, Genhh,' Eonneh said, politely, turning to the Ayoomnnn female. Her thin, nearly hairless skin was reddened from the effort of running. Eonneh noted again how small and weak the creatures of this world were. The tall being showed her teeth, and spoke. The Gringg listened, catching a word here and there, but comprehending more from the accompanying gestures.

"We will follow where you go,' Eonneh said agreeably.

"They speak so quietly, Eonneh! I will be so glad when we work out what it is they are saying,' Ghotyakh said.

"They give every indication that they wish to learn our words, although it is also clear they want us to learn their language. I am glad we at least are no longer being watched by Ayoomnns carrying weapons, but this is in its own way a threat."

"I, too, still worry that they do not trust us. It is vital that they see us as harmless.

Let us continue to shield our reactions and walk among them to reassure the small ones.

If Grzzeearoghh commands that to speak their language is the best thing for Gringg to do, we shall do so, as we will deal with whatever else befalls us,' Eonneh replied, following Ken into the heart of the Hrruban Village. "For myself it is worth the risk, I am delighted to learn an alien language. It is easy to master other Gringg dialects, for they are all based upon the one mother language. This this is genuinely different, and challenging. I have been waiting for a chance like this all my life." The Gringg, gliding along in the midst of their escort, seemed fascinated by their surroundings. Ken pointed out objects, attaching names to each but they paid scant attention to him.

They did seem to be taking everything in with all their senses.

Occasionally, Eonneh or Ghotyakh stopped to touch a tree or the wall of a house, feeling its substance with the sensitive pads of their handpaws.

A crowd of Hrrubans had gathered and, as word spread of the visitors' presence, Havumans came over the Friendship Bridge to watch; at a respectful distance, having noted the aliens' size, teeth and claws. The Gringg noted them placidly, and went on.

"What are these monsters? They look like giant mda!" demanded Anne Boncyk, riding up on a skittish horse.

She was a dainty woman with a decided chin and large, fringed brown eyes.

"Our latest visitors,' Ken said affably. At times, one didn't know which way Anne would jump. "They call themselves Gringg. Their ship is in orbit around Doonarrala." The horse stretched out its neck to sniff at the Gringg.

It sneezed once, but didn't shy away. Anne looked surprised.

"What about that? I'd've thought he'd be off across the compound,' she said. "They don't scare him. Good lad!" And she gave her mount an affectionate slap on the neck.

"I find,' Jilamey said, mischievously, "that horses do not tend to judge by appearances.

"All ze children are still here, Hrrestan noted, sorting out the whirlwind of small bodies that whisked back and forth across his front garden. "Our sons' mates are waiting together." The older Hrruban paused. "You are certain that Zodd and Hrriss are safe?"

"Have you ever known a situation where they were at a loss?" Ken said lightly.

"Except that dratted space port issue. Seriously, old friend, I wouldn't have left them if I felt them to be endangered. I have a gut-strong reaction that these fellows are peaceful. Otherwise, they wouldn't send the captain's own archivist with us, and that's what I judge Eonneh here to be." Then he grinned, poking Hrrestan in the ribs.

"Let's see what the grandkids think of our new friends! If I remember rightly, Todd trusted you on sight and he's never been righter." "You'rrre not inzending to let zese strangers near childrrren, are you?" Hirro, Hrrestan's nearest neighbour, was shocked.

"The advantage's on the kids' side, Hirro,' Ken said, patiently.

"This is open ground, and you must know how fast Hayuman children can move if they have to."

"Who are zey?" Hrrula, one of Ken's oldest friends, shouldered his way up to walk beside Ken. The Hrruban's big, green eyes were shining.

"Gringg,' Ken said, grinning.

""We arrre not alone,"' Hrrula quoted, dropping his jaw so far it nearly dislocated. "Mrrrvellous!" The Gringg, largely ignoring their escort, caught sight of the cluster of children. Eonneh's ears seemed to perk up when Hrrana let out a shriek of mock fear, and ran away from her brother who was stretching out a hand to tag her. Her tail, streaming out behind, whisked out of the way just in time when he made a grab for it. Fascinated, Eonneh and Ghotyakh moved closer to watch.

"Beep-beep!" shrieked Hrrunival, poking his sister in the belly, a sneak attack when she twisted around to avoid running into a rosebush.

"Now you have to say that!" The other children dodged away from the Hrruban female, who finally caught Alec up against the pillar supporting Hrrestan's porch.

"Beep-beep!" she cried, and changed the symbol by tugging Alec's ear lobe. "Mrow!"

"Uh-oh!" Alec yelled, and ran around, trying to catch someone else to be It.

"Uh-uh!" Alison cried, as Alec made a dive for Hrrunival.

"Not fair grabbing tails!" The pudgy Hrruban boy rolled away just in time and ran behind Alison.

The Gringg stood entranced by the children, ignoring the adults' efforts to move them along. Eonneh let out pleased little mutters at seeing younglings in play.

Suddenly Alec caught sight of the Gringgs. "Look at them!" he shouted, standing stock still and pointed. "Are they bears, Granddad?"

"What are bears?" Hrrana asked, swivelling and then standing as rigid as her friend.

"Earth animals and these are not really bears,' Ken said, "but close." All the children had paused in their noisy game of symbol tag and turned to look. They stared with open eyes at the Gringg, who stared back. Shock held the children immobile for a moment. Hrrunival was the first to recover. Nose a-twitch and tail straight out in defiance of his own uncertainty, he squared his small shoulders.

"Who are you?" he demanded, walking up to Eonneh.

The child wasn't quite as high as the Gringg's hip, but size wasn't going to deter him. The Alley Cats and Hrrana, holding Ourrh firmly by the hand, followed in close support. The baby's tail wrapped and unwrapped one hind leg and his yellow-green eyes were huge, the pupils outspread across the irises.

"Totally unafraid,' Frill muttered, watching this exchange.

"What do you think of that?"

"Amazing,' said Jilamey. "Unless you know Ken's family."

"Doonan children,' Ken said, shaking his head.

"They don't even know they're supposed to be afraid."

"Mrrva, hurry!

Where's that rifle?" Kelly shouted again, as the children, aware of the beasts staring at them, stopped their play.

"Why?" Hrriss's mother came running, her tail lashing.

"Where's the peril?" The baby woke, crying. Nrrna snatched her up, holding her protectively to her chest.

"There are two absolutely gigantic mda out there looming over the children!" Kelly exclaimed. "They might attack at any minute. The kids are just standing there, frozen.

Oh, my babies!" she followed Mrrva's pointing finger toward a closet, and was on her knees loading shells into the chambers of Hrrestan's powerful snake gun. "Call my brother at the animal hospital. Call the colony buildings.

See if there's anyone in Animal Control!" Nrrna ran for the commlink.

There was a rap on the door behind them. "Anyone home?" Ken called, then pushed the door open, aware of agitated movement within.

"Oh, no, Kelly!

No, wait!" She looked up at the sudden appearance of her fatherin-law, her hands moving as if of their own volition.

"Ken! Where's Todd? There are two huge mda out there!

They never come so close to villages. These must be killers. I have to protect the children." She snapped the gun shut.

"They're not mda! They're our new friends. They're from the strange ship." He put one hand on the rifle barrel and deftly relieved her of it.

"From the ship? The one that came in out of nowhere?" Kelly swallowed hard, trying to grasp his statement as he unloaded the heavy bore rifle. Behind him, Nrrna, green eyes huge, still clutched her baby.

"These fellows are peaceful. Their ship isn't even armed,' and Ken grinned reassuringly. Had all Kelly's training in Alreldep gone down the drain since her marriage? She'd done well enough with Hrrubans a time or two, to his relief. He smiled more broadly before he said, "Todd and Hrriss are staying aboard their ship. In exchange, we've got a couple of visitors. They really are friends, Kelly, Nrrna." "Friends?" Kelly asked, her voice sounding unsteady even to her. Her hands were shaking, and she didn't seem able to focus. "And you left Todd and Hrriss on board that immense ship?"

"They volunteered but I wouldn't have agreed, dear, if I didn't truly believe it's the right way to deal with this unexpected situation. After all,' and he winked at her as he helped her to her feet, "your father-in-law's had some practice in this sort of "unexpected" encounter." Not quite certain, Kelly gave him a shallow grin. "So come on out and meet the Gringg. Even mda'd stay away from something that sizeable!"

"Are you bears?" Alec wanted to know, confronting Eonneh but standing far enough back so that she could still see his furry features. "Why are you wearing belts?

That's a very beautiful belt. I didn't think bears wore belts like Hrrubans. They have pockets in their belts, too. What have you got in your belt pockets?" Eonneh seemed delighted that this red-topped Ayoomnnn seemed unafraid of him. It appeared to be asking about his belt, for the slender little finger was pointing at his chest.

But courtesy came first. "Eonneh,' he said, pointing at himself.

"Honey?" Alison asked, joining her brother in a semiprotective fashion. "Is that your name? Honey?"