Hrrula debarked and stood, completely at ease, his eyes on the trio. Although Hrrula now had a clear view of the buildings, the experimental greenhouses, the park-like Common, he displayed no overt interest.
The guy's got innate manners, Reeve found himself thinking.
Hrrula, this is Gaynor, Reeve said slowly, pointing to Sam. Sam, this is Hrrula. They greet by touching palms, extend yours palm down.
«That character's got claws,» Gaynor said, returning the greeting. «I could get used to thatbut not the stench.»
If he likes you, I gather he keeps his claws sheathed, Reeve remarked drily.
Yeah, but when does he turn off that stink? And Sam turned his head away to sneeze lustily.
McKee hastily stepped forward and touched palms with Hrrula.
I've got a recorder full of their sounds for us to parse, Reeve told his colleagues, plus a walking language lesson on the dangerous flora of the planet.
Is that why this Ha-rula came?" demanded Gaynor, stumbling over the rolled 'r'. Before Reeve could answer, Sam convulsed again into multiple sneezes.
I couldn't prevent him from coming if we're keeping the friendly image intact, Ken replied.
''How long's he staying?"
Beats me.
McKee grinned at Hrrula. Well, let's get conjugating or declining or whatever is necessary to purr.
"Sounds more like growls to me," Gaynor remarked. ''I'm no linguist. I'll go feather my bed," and he jerked his forefinger under his nose to prevent another of his body-jolting sneezes. "You'd be smarter to come along, Macy. We haven't got that much time here, you know."
McKee waved him to go on and turned to accompany Reeve and Hrrula to the mess hall.
Late that night, when Ken Reeve decided to take a break from his language dissection and endless playback of the recorder, he found Lawrence holding the floor in the mess hall.
These Hrrubans are civilized, Lee was insisting vehemently, his argument directed at a glowering Sam Gaynor. And I don't mean stand-erect, thumb-opposed civilized. I mean, a mannered sophistication. You saw him at dinner; he knew the purpose of utensils and used his own knife to cut meat
He ought to. It was sharper, Gaynor retorted.
Speaking of knives, McKee put in, notice the work-manship on the handle of his knife? I wonder where he got the stones; that pink-purple one is a beauty. And I've seen nothing like it around here.
Must come from another section of the planet. They are nomads, Abe Dautrish said thoughtfully.
I wouldn't ask to see that private knife, not just yet, Lawrence cautioned McKee.
And let's be cautious in the gemstone field, Reeve suggested as he poured himself coffee. Some early tribes attach special significance to stones and metals belonging to their gods.
I just finished pointing out that their cultural level is considerably above rank superstition, Lawrence said with some asperity.
Ken, you didn't see a worship center in the village, did you? asked Ramasan.
Not a place obviously set aside as sacred, and Reeve scoured his memory of the quiet village. All the buildings looked residential, but then, how'd I recognize an Hrruban church from a proverbial hole in the ground?
Of them we got plenty, laughed Lawrence who had so recently been a fence-post hole digger.
Do they suckle their young? Ezra Moody asked.
Ken closed his eyes again to focus on the scene in the village but he had too many details doing a reel in his mind's eye.
"I'm sorry, Doc. I did see young ones, the kids with their balls and some older cubsI guess you'd call 'em cubswere playing some involved throwing game. I didn't pay it much attention, you understand, but it looked at a glance like a team game. I didn't see a small baby cub. Some of the women, though, wore garments draped from their shoulders-patterned materials. Some didn't. Difficult to notice mammary development through the fur. A couple of females had a sleeveless top, then the ornamental girdle and a skirt similar to the one Hrrula wears, only they didn't carry knives. So it's obvious that clothing is adornment rather than cover-up. And the women didn't take any part in the conference at the central fire. They came and went. They cook indoors; I did notice that.
Oh, and I saw a woman milking one of the deer-types in a pen by her house.
They can domesticate those deer, huh? Ben rumbled. I'd thought of trying it, once I could catch one, and then he shrugged. Deerhorns were once ground up as an aphrodisiac.
Good Lord! Ezra Moody exclaimed, staring at Ben Adjei in astonishment.
Everyone was used to Ben's dry teasing humor but occasionally he would succeed with the pragmatic medic. Now he shrugged again, but there was a certain gleam in his dark eyes as he replied. The wise merchant stimulates demand for his products and impotence is on the rise in our automated society.
"Why, you wouldn'tyou don't mean" Moody stammered until someone's chuckle tipped him off.
A moment, though, Dautrish interjected. Ben has a point. No, of course I don't mean ground deerhorn, Ezra, but I mean, let us be sensible in what we plan to bring back to mother Earth. Let us not duplicate or undercut each other's treasure. I am very tempted to bring back some of those nicotine-rich leaves, Ezra, for I happen to know that there isn t enough available on Earth to treat those circulatory diseases for which nicotine is a specific.
You can't prepare enough to make its importation valid, Ezra replied. And can we protect it and Earth from a possible cross-infection? We have to be sure what we bring in can be adequately sterilized, you know, or it will be jettisoned.
True, true, Dautrish agreed, his enthusiasm waning abruptly.
Can you sterilize feathers? Sam Gaynor asked in alarm.
Yes, indeed. Ultra-violet'll do it. We can put them through an insecticide to remove the quill parasites.
Parasites? Sam Gaynor regarded the plastic bagsful of vivid feathers with obvious suspicion.
Hey, which weighs more? A pound of feathers or a pound of rocks? Lawrence asked with an all too sober face.
Huh? Gaynor was startled afresh. Oh, knock it off, Lawrence; he said when the sociologist began to laugh. He picked up his colorful treasure and left the mess hall, muttering under his breath.
Take it easy, Lawrence, Ken suggested. You know he's got a low boiling point and we don't need to fight among ourselves.
He may just find there isn't room for fine feathers on the Codep ship, Lee Lawrence replied, no trace of his recent amusement on his face. Mart's rings, Vic's plasticized towers, even Macy's stones make more sense than feathers!
Yes, but feathers don't have much mass and it's mass that a ship moves, Vic Solinari pointed out.
Yes but! Yes but! Lee cut in, his eyes restlessly darting from one face to another, his mouth distorted suddenly with his inner conflict. Yes, but why?
The anguished question hung unanswered in the tense silence that followed the sociologist's outburst. Each man must have been wrestling with conscience and conditioning, Reeve realized. Wrestling against the inexorable departure from Doona. They had accepted it, at least to the point of collecting items now unobtainable on Earth and therefore valuable; extraterrestrial products with which to buy a decent status. But the emotional shock was seeping past rationalization, past obedience, past all civilized compromise, and every man in the room was fighting to maintain mental balance in the face of this embittering disappointment.
«Why?» Ken heard himself saying. «Because history has shown that two civilizations cannot coexist on the same planet without competing to the point of aggressionand destruction. God knows I don't want to leave Doona either, but I goddam well couldn't live with myself if I stayedand the Hrrubans got wiped out like the Siwannese.»
"One can suddenly understand why our ancestors found genocide to be the easiest solution to their own problems in dealing with minority groups," Ben remarked in his imperturbable fashion. "It was Columbus wasn't it, who eliminated the Carib tribes completely? Of course, they had only spears, and swords, not rifles and" his voice dropped to a velvety whisper.
Are you mad, Adjei? Lawrence shouted, his eyes wide with horror at the big vet's soft intimation.
Not from you, Ben? Moody was stunned.
You're sick Adjei!
What's the matter with you?
Ben smiled as he leaned back in his chair. I just thought I'd say it and it would be said and could be forgotten.
There was no doubt, judging by the expressions in the room, that the thought had occurred to everyone; nasty, niggling, treacherous thought that it was. Ben was right. It was a relief to hear it spoken, to be able to discard it with honest revulsion.
But it rather forcefully points up why we have a Principle of Non-Cohabitation, doesn't it? he went on quietly. However, we have progressed. Your reaction proved that. So we will have the dubious pleasure of being recorded as the heroes of the Decision at Doona.
Ken put down his empty cup. He hadn't had enough coffee but he couldn't stay in the charged uneasy atmosphere of the mess hall.
Doc, spring me out some stay-awake, will you? he asked.
Why beat your wits out over that crazy purr, Ken? What good'll it do you now? Lawrence asked.
I don't know, Reeve answered honestly as he waited for Ezra to locate the stimulant, but it occupies my mind and gets me from today to tomorrow.
Knowledge is never useless. Dautrish said, riffling the pages of his careful botanical drawings. I think I'd like to have a list of those Hrruban equivalents of all these. For my records, you know, and, he favored Ken with a wry smile, my own personal satisfaction.
Say, is Hrrula going back to his village tomorrow? asked Solinari. I mean, I'd kinda like to look around it.
Ken scrubbed wearily at his face, waiting for the pep pill to take effect. Hrrula didn't indicate any length of stay. I'd like to get one more good session with him on the tape before he goes.
«You know,» Lee mused, an trace of his previous disgruntlement gone, «I rather like thatwe learn his language.»
I, too, approve, Ben concurred. For once, the native gets the linguistic upperhand. Unusual too, probably unique in contact history. Hmmm. When you've got the glossary, Ken, I'll learn it with you.
The giant veterinary rose languidly, stretched until his joints cracked and, with a step unusually noiseless for one of his physical bulk, walked out of the hall.
Well! Dautrish exclaimed, looked around until he saw Reeve grinning at him. An astonishing man. One never knows what to make of him. Anyone else want to grasp the golden opportunity of learning a real live alien language?
Fleeting opportunity, you mean, Lawrence said, then added, I'd give my sociological left arm to know what's been happening tonight at Hrrula's village.
Chapter VI. REACTION
WHEN THE FILMS and tapes reached Exploration, the Chief, trusting no one else, personally brought them to the First Speaker in the Executive Cube. To his intense gratification, he was asked to remain as the First Speaker ran through the records of that initial contact with another intelligent species.
After the last scene faded, the Chief watched the First Speaker meditate until the silence was unbearable.
"Sir," he all but stuttered in guilty uncertainty, "the Prime Rule is in jeopardy. We will withdraw our people.
The First Speaker regarded him with a deceptively blank expression.
On the contrary, Chief, we must remain and observe.
"Observe?'' The Chief was surprised-and relieved. One of the few pleasures he had in his position was the opportunity to visit that planet.
Of course we must observe. Surely, Chief, you of all our people have realized that a contact of this sort was only a matter of time. You know how often your Scouts have discovered traces of other space explorations.
"Indeed I do, sir. But considering our wretched history" he hesitated, arrested by a minute change in the calm face.
Chief, it is time we stopped making that 'wretched history' an excuse for racial cowardice. The gentle voice in no way lessened the shock of the statement.
Ssssir?
«That planet is ideal for a confrontation. It is also obvious that this species intends ours no harm. Indeed, the film is witness to their very earnest attempt to meet us with friendship. Notice, also, the willingness to learn our languagesurely no easy task for them. No, Chief, I regard this incident as extremely providential. Extremely.»
The First Speaker rose and walked to the windowed wall, turned off the opacity in order to look out at the endless panorama of structures.
All those people and so few interested in more than the fare on the view and food panels. Something must snap them out of this crushing lethargy. What they need is a good fright! Yes, a blood-stirring fright!
Gone was the gentle-voiced Speaker. The Chief sucked in his breath at the vibrant ring as he felt his heartbeat accelerate.
Nothing gets a man more than a threat to his very existence!
Sir, the Chief began tentatively, it will provoke another wave of suicides and our young adults . . .
A growl deep in the First Speaker's chest paralyzed the Chief completely.
"A suitable end for those unable to face any sort of challenge. No, Chief," and the First Speaker paced energetically, his eyes gleaming with excitement, ''this crisis will be the making of usor the end. And if it's the end, then good riddance to a species that has outlived its purpose. Now, here are my orders for . . ."
A discreet tap on the door was instantly followed by a muffled oath as the door swung open abruptly, framing an apologetic aide trying to restrain the Third Speaker from forcibly obtaining entrance.
"First Speaker, I demand" the Third Speaker began over the aide's protestations.
The First Speaker raised a reassuring hand to his aide before beckoning the Third in. The moment the door closed behind the aide, the angry intruder erupted into accusations, barely able to enunciate in his rage. The Chief wondered who was the spy in his office. Or had the Third, in his zeal to end the whole project, managed to place an adherent in the colony?
Aliens on that pet planet of yours. I told you that worthless place would be more bother than use. Pastoral, indeed! With who knows what else running around loose. Call 'em back. Call 'em back before another moments loss of time. Before irrevocable damage is done. Never should have permitted this ridiculous experiment, First. Never. Doomed from the beginning.
On the contrary, Third, the older man replied calmly, indicating a chair for his unexpected visitor.
What do you mean? On the contrary, First? Clear case of Prime Rule. Clear case. No discussion necessary. Call 'em back.
It is not that simple, Third, nor can we call them back.
Why not?
"I believe that you have scarcely had the chance to see the film tapes that were taken of the first encounter,'' the First Speaker remarked suavely and firmly pressed the Third Speaker into a chair. "If you would be kind enough to start the film, Chief . . ."
A flash of repulsion mixed with curiosity crossed the Third's face and he subsided with a show of reluctance.
During the replay, the Chief kept surreptitious watch on the Third's reactions and tried not to be pessimistic as he realized that the film clearly did not reassure the conservative.
«If you think First, that I will let any member of our species stand in danger from thosethose . . .»
We stand in considerably more danger from our own species, the First Speaker interrupted with such fervor that Third stared at him in stunned silence. Another race, as intelligent as we ourselves, co-inhabits this galaxy. Prime Rule notwithstanding, contact has been made on a neutral world. It is my intention to make the most of this fortuitous confrontation to pave the way to a peaceful alliance.
"Peaceful alliance? With creatures like that?" Third was apoplectic with indignation. "You overstep your authority, First Speaker. I am calling an emergency meeting of all Speakers. We shall determine if you have not also overstepped the borders of sanity.'
Before the First Speaker could reply to the insult, the other man had swept from the room.
Sir, what will happen now? The Chief was aware of the cold slowing of his heart.
«Why, the Third Speaker will convene a meeting, just as he declared. And then we shall indeed seewhat we shall see. However,» and First's smile was characteristically benign, «since it will take a few days to drag the Speakers back from their various retreats, let us make a few plans of our own. Let us determine what sort of people our new acquaintances are, and what they have in mind for that lovely world.»
Chapter VII. BRIDGE
FOR THE HUNDREDTH time, Ken wondered just how it had come about that they were learning the Hrruban language instead of the other way round.
«It must have been my fault,» he said out loud. «I made the initial contact. How did I goof? Or did I? Hell, all I did was learn some plant and tree names,» he defended himself. «And I did get a language tape. Somehow we've lost the first round. Or maybemaybe we've won it.»
It was now four days since he had trod into the Hrruban village. No homing capsule had arrived from Amalgamated Worlds with instructions. Nor had the colony ship arrived with their families. This caused a good deal of unrest among the men. Ken forced his mind away from that insidious thought.
He wondered what kind of a flap their report of natives on Doona had created in the ultra-conservative Executive Block. It would be like them to reply that indeed there had been a mistake; there couldn't be natives on Doona. None had been reported by Spacedep, Alreldep or Codep. He thought of the films and tapes which closely followed the first message: films made by concealed camera of every step of the second day, starting from the instant Hrrula rose, and indicated that he wished to return to his village, and that he wanted Ken and Hu Shih to accompany him. Ken had pointed to Vic Solinari and Hrrula had not hesitated a moment to include the storemaster.
There had been a little pantomime on Hrrula's part when they were preparing to embark in the little raft. Ken, thinking Hrrula was concerned over the capacity of the skiff, tried to reassure him. Hrrula watched the pantomime, lowered his jaw in what was evidently his approximation of a smile, and got in.
No sooner had Hu Shih and Vic been presented to the village chief, Hrrestan, and four of the other older natives, than Hrrula began to speak in quick syllables. He hunkered down on the ground and with one claw delicately drew the outline of a bridge, spanning water. Grinning widely, Hrrula looked up at Reeve.
God, he wasn't scared of the river or the skiff sinking, Vic cried in astonishment. He was planning a bridge!
Ken and Hu Shih immediately protested but their arguments, embellished with violent gestures and charades, had run into the language barrier. The vocabulary which Ken had struggled to learn was all too insufficient to express such intangibles as aggression or isolation, much less the fact that the colonists must leave as soon as they could obtain transport.
The Hrrubens met every attempt to dissuade them with bland insistence on the bridge.
Do you realize what this means, Ken? the slight colony leader had finally whispered to him. They do not resent us.
Now, wait a minute, sir. Don't you realize what a bridge . . .
No hostility at all. Really I am most heartened. And their grasp of architectural concepts is quite sophisticated. Have you noticed the dovetailed joints on the window frame of that house?
Shih, Ken gripped the man's shoulder and gave him a little shake. We mustn't build that bridge!
Why ever not?
In the first place, that bridge is the first step toward possible aggression of our race against theirs.
You refine too much . . .
For another, Ken went right on, why waste time building a bridge we'll never get to use?
The animation left Hu Shih's face; his dark eyes were thoughtful.
You're right, of course, but it is difficult not to take a hand offered in such open friendship. They do seem to want to get to know us.
And how often has our race turned the hand of friendship into a martial fist?
Hu Shih nodded solemnly and they turned to renew their opposition to the bridge, trying to get the Hrrubans to understand that the colony would not remain long enough for the effort required.
Hrrula, his eyes half-lidded, tapped the diagram of the bridge. He held up two fingers and spoke the Hrruban word for day.
Impossible, Ken protested and stretched out his hand to erase the dusty sketch in conclusive denial.
A furred hand, talons politely sheathed, slipped adroitly under his, preventing the erasure.
Yesssss, and the Hrruban hissed the Terran word softly.
Ken regarded Hrrula solemnly, determined to his course. Two other fur-backed hands joined Hrrula's to keep Ken from reaching the drawing. Ken looked at Hrrestan who nodded slowly, to the other Hrruban who dropped his jaw and smiled.
If you knew how silly you looked, Ken, Vic remarked ironically. They want a bridge. Okay. We've tried to explain it's a waste of effort. But what harm will a bridge do, Reeve? As you pointed out, we know we're not going to be here long enough to mush it. And if it means that much to them, let's be polite. They obviously know how to build one, so we're not giving them a premature cultural shock.
Vic, don't you see the principle that's involved? Every single instance of territorial aggression began . . .
Don't sweat history now, Ken, the storemaster suggested rudely. I don't want to think about it. I just want to take each day on Doona as it comes, enjoy the planet as much as I can . . .
And find out where the Hrrubans mine those stones? Ken asked cynically.
That, too, Vic admitted. Besides, I'd like to see what they intend to use to span that river. Can you find out?
Victor's argument is valid, Hu Shih said.
Thus dies noble principle, Ken thought as he glared from colony leader to storemaster. And yetwe won't be here long; it does not use a cultural concept they don't already graspand what the hell!
Hrrula, Ken said aloud, pausing in fascination at the way the native's ears twitched. He pointed to the suspension beams which Hrrula had scratched in the dust. Rla? and he enunciated carefully, wondering if he'd swallow his tongue one day getting out that rolled 'r'.
Hrrula nodded gravely, gesturing toward the rla-wood tree behind him.
They use that porous wood? asked Vic eagerly.
Rla, Ken corrected him.
"Errla," Vic growled out. Hrrula shook his head patiently and repeated the sound which Victor dutifully tried to mimic. "I can't get that 'r' sound, Ken," he groaned under his breath. "But that wood wouldn't bear enough weight. It's too damned porous.''
Ken rubbed his temples, trying to drag appropriate words from his small Hrruban vocabulary. Shaking his head at his limitations, he knelt down again at the drawing. Carefully he drew a wide band to indicate the river. He then sketched the footings on both sides of the river, well back from the verge. He tapped the vertical elevation, showing the suspension, pantomiming the height of the trees with the length required to span the gap. Hrrula nodded solemn understanding.
Hrrubans, Hrrula said softly, indicating the adults present, hayumans, he said carefully, tapping Ken and Vic, jerking his head over his shoulder in the direction of the colony, rla i zamat; rrigam.
Rrigam means build? asked Vic.
Guess so, Ken answered. Verb falls at the end of the sentence near as I can figure. I still don't think we should agree, he muttered under his breath and looked around to see Hrrestan pointing vigorously to the bridge sketch, nodding his head emphatically.
Um zamat rrigam. La!
After one last attempt to explain that the Terrans would not be staying, Ken gave in.
The bridge was planned. And planned, according to Sam Gaynor's truculent opinion, with a sound knowledge of engineering principles, until he found out that rla wood was to be used.
That damned porous wood . . .
Rla, Ken corrected automatically.
Erla, then, snapped Gayor, are too pulpy to hold any weight at all, not to mention a span. Damn fool notion.
They treat the wood, Sam, Vic Solinari explained. Don't know with what, although Harrula tried to explain. But he showed me the coating on the house timber and I couldn't crack it with a ball-peen hammer.
And the house's owner politely requested him not to chisel it, Ken added with a grin at Vic's embarrassment.
I hope they know what we're doing, Gaynor said, for he could not remain long in Hrruban company without titanic sneezing. Moody had treated Gaynor empirically with massive antihistamines but could not isolate the specific factor without examining an Hrruban. Such an occasion had not yet presented itself.
It worked out by the end of that day that the Terrans would cut timber for the footings on their side of the river, the Hrrubans on theirs; the Hrrubans indicated they already had sufficient timber cut for the span.
The foundations had been dug on both sides when two Hrrubans arrived with a large wooden tub full of a hot gray viscose liquid.
Taking paddle-like brushes, Hrrula and Hrrestan began to coat the footing logs, working quickly and taking care not to splash the hot liquid on their bodies. The logs for the footings were lifted into position by Hrrubans wearing protective hide gloves. More liquid was sloshed on the now upright pilings. After an arbitrary pause, the Hrrubans filled in the dirt around the footings and turned to the first of the span logs. Again they worked swiftly, coating the log and then easing it out across the rapid flow of the river until it was in its assigned place. It was rapidly anchored with tough vines which were also painted. The Terrans watched as, after a second pause, Hrrula tested the log with a judicious claw. Apparently satisfied with the hardening of the paint, Hrrula astonished everyone by leaping up and racing down the length of the log to prove its firmness. He then indicated that the Terrans should examine the Hrruban workmanship and duplicate it on their side of the river.
It's the same transparent stuff, Vic assured Gaynor after he had poked and scraped, and made no mark. Tough as a plastic.
Seals the wood and strengthens it, huh? Gaynor murmured, sniffling constantly as he examined the span and the coated footings. By God, we could use that wood for pretty nearly all our building needs and not have to wait for a plastics extruder. Find out how they make that, will you, Ken? And the rest of you guys, c'mon. Let's build our end just the way they did.
Good? Hmmm? asked Hrrula, grinning at Reeve as the skiff took the first load of men back to their side.
Very good, Ken agreed. What is it by you called? he asked carefully in Hrruban.
''Rlba,'' Hrrula replied and Reeve groaned.
The 'l' became liquid but the 'r' took a savage roll and the upward accent fell on the final vowel.
Hrrunka, another of the Hrrubans whom Ken could now recognize on sight, was stirring the rlba, which had been placed over a small fire to keep it at boiling point. The smell was pungent, reminiscent of the scent exuded by rla bark when sun-warmed. Hrrunka gestured Ken over, pointed to the rlabans behind him, pantomimed boring a hole, the sap running out, heating the sap to boiling point, brushing it on, waiting an arbitrary time; then, Hrrunka indicated, the sap hardened completely.
By the end of that day, the bridge was completed, twenty-six feet long, seven feet wide, sturdy enough for the colonists' power sled, constructed of native materials and with native ingenuity.
Chapter VIII. INTERFERENCE
"IF" AND THE First Speaker's voice projected sharply through the startled hubbub caused by Third's empassioned peroration, "we abandon the planet now, with no logical explanation for the disappearanceand I see no logical explanation short of killing our people outright and leaving their bodies to be found . . ."
«Really, sir,» and Third was on his feet with indignation, «that solutionyour solutionis the most . . .»
Then let me continue!
The stern disapproval in First's voice effectively quelled Third's brashness.
"By leaving the planet without logical explanation for such a retreat," and he delicately emphasized that word, stirring long forgotten pride in many chests, "we invite trouble to come to ushere! At the moment, we can contain it there" he pointed to the star map and the red-flagged planet under discussion, it was obviously at a safe distance from the home system. "And we can probe, observe and, above all, think deeply on which course to pursue."
The Prime Rule already states every single contingency . . .
The Third Speaker's reliance on that Rule struck the Chief as totally inconsistent. For a person who constantly quoted platitudes and proverbs, he showed a remarkably different stripe in a crisis which he couldn't explain with a trite phrase.