Part 1 (1/2)

Crisis on Doona.

by Anne McCaffrey

For 25 years, humans and the cat-like alien Hrrubans have lived together on the unspoiled planet of Doona. But when their treaty comes up for renewal, someone tries to sabotage all that the two races have worked for by framing Doona's most worthy citizens for terrible crimes.

Anne McCaffrey was educated at Radcliffe College, Ma.s.sachusetts, and has a degree c.u.m laude in Slavonic Languages and Literature. She now lives in Ireland and enjoys riding, cooking and knitting. She is a past winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, and has written many novels, short stories and novellas, and various articles. Her most celebrated series is the world4amous DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN saga.

Crisis on Doona

MAYDAY, MAYDAY,' a voice repeated over and over again in Middle Hrruban through thick static on the audio pickup. ”Anyone who is within the sound of my voice, Mayday! We require a.s.sistance. Our s.h.i.+p is down and damaged. Mayday!” Todd Reeve and his friend Hiriss, at the controls of the Alien Relations Department scout s.h.i.+p Albatross, stared at one another in surprise. It was impossible to tell if the speaker was male or female, a Human like Todd, or a catlike Hrruban like Hiriss. The message repeated, sounding more panic-stricken.

”Where's that coming from?” Todd demanded, scanning the readouts on his control panel. They had just emerged from the second warp jump on their journey back to their home world of Doona from a diplomatic mission on the nascent colony world of Hrretha, and had not yet taken bearings on their position to initiate the third.

Hiriss's retractable claws extended as he reached for the controls. There was a low humming as the s.h.i.+p's benchmark program triangulated the distress signal and readings began to register. The readouts indicated they were positioned beyond the envelope of a star system whose blue-white primary glittered coldly on their screen. ”Not too very far away. It comes from the vicinity of this sssystem's fourth planet,' he said in a low, cautious voice that resembled a cat's purr.

”We've got to respond,' Todd insisted at once.

Firriss shook his head, his pupils widening over green irises.

”Todd, we cannot. We bear the markings of a Trran s.h.i.+p, your Alrrreldep, and this system is interdicted by the Hrruban exploration arm. It would be a violation of the Zreaty of Doona to enter this sssystem.”

”But it's a Mayday! You have to answer Maydays,' Todd insisted, staring at his friend in disbelief. ”The oldest naval laws on Earth required it.

s.p.a.ce laws can't be so rigid as to deny a.s.sistance in an emergency. Someone's in trouble! They need our help. Why is this one interdicted?” Todd demanded. ”What's so dangerous about it?” -”Explorers from my people have claimed this system, called Hrrilnorr, for mineral exploitation, but also perhaps for colonization,' the Hrruban explained.

In the Archives established on the Treaty Island back on DoonaiRrala, extensive records were kept of the status of various systems in each species' chosen sector of exploration. Though Doona was cohabited by Humans and Hrrubans, each race had committed to a Treaty spedfying separate territorial rights to all other claimed systems.

”There are trace radioactive elements on the inner, solid worlds,' Hiriss went on. ”The Byzanian Glow Stones of the fourth planet have a curious, milky glow, most beautiful to look upon. They had a strange, mesmerizing effect upon my people, but even more odd upon the a.n.a.lysis equipment they carried. The glow affects short-term memory of both people and things. Until the effects have been proved hrrrmless, no one may enter here.” Hiriss regarded Todd, his closest friend of either species anywhere in the galaxy. They both knew how Treaty Law read.

Violation of a system claimed by the other species was an overt act of hostility, which could end in war. The penalties for infractions started with grounding of the s.h.i.+p, and could end with them in prison on a hards.h.i.+p mining colony, or worse yet, remanded to Earth and Hrruba, separated forever.

Todd set his jaw. ”If we start ignoring fellow beings' cries for help, we're no better than Rralan snakes. Someone's in trouble. We heard it. The voice said ”our” s.h.i.+p. ”We” require a.s.sistance. So there's more than one of them! We have to help.” Hiriss shook his head slowly, clearly uneasy.

Todd took charge.

”Look, it's my responsibility. The ethics of my culture require me to act.” He prodded his chest.

”I'd never forgive myself for ignoring that call and letting people die. Besides, we're in this sector of s.p.a.ce and we could be in bigger trouble for ignoring a Mayday-if someone else comes by.” Hiriss regarded his friend somberly. ”This is not a very well travelled area and the system is interdicted.” Hrriss then saw how Todd's jaw was set and the implacable expression on his face and knew that his friend would not yield. So the Hrruban gave a slow nod of acceptance. ”We have both heard the Mayday. I will say that I insisted on answering though you argued that the system was interdicted!” The Hrruban dropped his jaw in his distinctive grin. ”It is better thus. The initial blame is mine, for this is a Hrruban system. I convinced you we must respond.” Todd's expression cleared immediately and he gripped his friend's shoulder in relief and approval.

”I'd rather acknowledge my own errors, Hrriss, but your idea makes too much sense in this instance.

So, just this once, I'll let you carry the can for one of my bright ideas. Anyway, the s.h.i.+p's recorders are. . . Wait a minim . .

.” He tapped the small illuminated dial on the panel between them.

”Log's not recording, Hrriss. No movement whatever on the VU meter.

Those flaming Hrrethans. . .1 told them the Albatross had been serviced before we went out on this jaunt. . .” As he grumbled, he lifted himself out of his chair. ”I'll go see.”

”That recording is important, zOdd.” Hrriss called after him.

”Don't I just know it?” Todd hurried down the narrow companionway to the engineering compartment, growling Hrruban curses under his breath.

Duplicate meters to those on the pilot's consoles were attached to the front of each panel in the rear section. Todd dashed past the standing cases that operated s.p.a.ce drives, life support, landing gear, food service to a blue and pipeclay cabinet. The feed switcher in the center of the panel was on the correct output. The dials were jumping, following the audio of the Mayday call still blaring over the speakers.

Obviously the power was running. Only one set of dials wasn't working, the one attached to the holographic log recorder at the foot of the panel.

”Wouldn't you just know? Those Hrrethans aren't worth the leather they belt with!” Todd groaned. Every system had been in perfect working condition before the Hrrethans insisted on the mechanical-overhaul courtesy.

Frustrated, Todd kicked the front panel of the device and turned to look for the toolbox. With a wowing sound like a bear waking up from hibernation, the recorder started to move again, its disk turning and needles moving. Surprised, Todd glared at it and stalked disgustedly back to the pilot's chair.

”The good ol' reliable correcting kick. Try it again, Hrriss.”

”A-OK now.”

”Them and their ”courtesy,”' Todd muttered, watching the VU activity as the Mayday was now obviously being recorded. That ”courtesy' had been yet another delay when he was fretting to get back aboard the Albatross and out of the tight uniform he had to wear on such occasions. Sometimes the courtesy appearances that he and Hrriss had to undertake as representatives of their respective cultures' were unredeemed boredom as well as too much spit, polish, and restricting clothing: this latest jaunt to open a new transportation facility at Hrretha being an excellent example. ”Wonder how long that Mayday's been bleating?” From his training in s.p.a.ce flight, he knew the fate of s.p.a.cers whose life support ran out. Recorders on pa.s.senger liners kept on until power was exhausted. Others ended when no more activity was recorded by the life support systems. ”I'd hate to think we'd jeopardized everything for a cargo of corpses.”

”We will a.s.sume rescue is required,' Hrriss said.

He transmitted a reply. ”Stranded s.h.i.+p, this is the Albatross.

We meceive your message and are coming to help. I will make the course correction,' Hrriss added, working without looking up.

As they pa.s.sed through the heliopause, a wild wailing made the cabin speakers vibrate unpleasantly. Hrriss's ears flattened against his head, and his eyes narrowed.

”Perimeter buoy,' he said, wincing. ”I knew we ought to be close to one. Can never dodge them.

Good engineering. Records even the most fleeting pa.s.s,' he said, reading the control panel, ”and our entry. It will also broadcast a rrrecord of the intrusion to the Zreaty Island beacon,' he reminded Todd, his tone gloomy.

”So? It's not as if we didn't expect one,' Todd said, his eyes on the screen. ”We're committed now.” His remark was more statement than a request for agreement.

The blue-white sun was a dwarf, much the size of Sol in the Earth home system. The Albatross had come out of its jump directly above it, so that the computer-plotted ellipses of its seven planets spread out below the s.h.i.+p like ripples in a pond.

The Mayday originated from the fourth planet from the sun, a small, solid sphere with a ring of eight small and irregular satellites. The triangulation crosshatches appeared on the viewscreen and closed down on a point near the planetary equator, and just pa.s.sing into the night meridian. Anxiously they watched the blip disappear around the planet's curve.

Todd adjusted the Albatross's course to meet its...o...b..t at the earliest possible moment.

Though it took a long time for the scout to cross the distance to the fourth planet, neither Todd nor Hrriss moved. Todd leaned forward, elbows on knees, watching the planet and its moons grow on the viewscreen. Unconsciously he rubbed at his neck where the tight formal tunic had rubbed the skin. Even though he was now in the comfortable one-piece s.h.i.+psuit, he still felt the constriction.

Another reason he loathed these formal occasions.

Why they never made the collars or sleeves with sufficient material to encompa.s.s one's neck or biceps Todd could not figure out.

Hrriss sat, apparently at his ease in his impact couch, but his tail tip switched back and forth, revealing tension.

”That buoy was alive and kicking, so no smart marauder has tried to blank it and get in for a quick decco. Of course, if any of those stones turn up on the market, the vendor's in real deep kimchee,' Todd said, shooting Hrriss a mischievous grin. ”Or maybe they'll try to tell us that their equipment's malfunctioning and they didn't ”hear” the buoy.” His grimace was mocking as he shoved a finger in his ear, pretending to clear it of a deafening obstacle.