Part 29 (1/2)
First's eyes, under fluffy frontal crests which served the catlike race for eyebrows, were kindly and wise.
Kelly felt quite shy under his scrutiny, but she knew immediately that she could trust him. So she fell to her knees, threw back her cloak, and deposited the precious pouch of doc.u.ments on the floor before him.
As Nrrna appeared to be speechless, Kelly began in her best High Hrruban. ”My name is Kelly Solinari. This is Nrrna, daughter of Urrda.
We came from Rrala seeking an audience with you. We apologize most profoundly for disturbing you in the privacy of your retreat but we had no option save an appeal directly at your feet.” The old Hrruban's jaw dropped with pleasure.
”That sort of posture is all very well for formal occasions, young Kelly Solinari,' he said, responding in Middle Hrruban, ”but this is not an official visit or I should have been informed of it by the appropriate underling. Please, raise yourself and walk as a Hayuman should, tall and proud. And be welcome in my home.” This was evidently the dayroom, furnished in a fas.h.i.+on similar to that of the Treaty Controller's apartments on Doona. A translucent panel gave onto a terrace, open to the sky and surrounded ol all sides by high walls.
The rarefied air had the chil of the mountains, though none could be distinguished because of the walls. If Hrruba wa!
anything like Earth, many of its original heights hac been terraformed into plateaus, to provide solic building bases for residences and factories. All th( view Hrruna had was an unending plain of buildings. No wonder the Hrrubans were as desperate a the Terrans to find suitable colony worlds on whic to expand.
Someone (and quite likely, Kelly thought1 Hrruna) had filled this little s.p.a.ce with colorful flowering plants from the hydroponics laboratorie deep inside his planet, and from the wild plains ol Rrala. The effect was the equivalent of a miniature Square Mile park. Overhead, though neither heard nor seen, a forcescreen kept out the choking pollution that stained the air above a sickly gray.
The atmosphere inside the conservatory was sweet with the scent of the plants.
Hrruna beckoned to the girls to sit down in the garden. Kelly hadn't been born yet when he accompanied Todd back to Doona to save the Human colonists from deportation, and to negotiate the Treaty of Doona.
She had no idea how he would receive the information she had for him now.
”So what is it that makes two lovely young ladies risk safety and freedom to visit an old man?” Hrruna asked. He glanced warmly at Nrrna, who was made somewhat uncomfortable by his openly ardent expression.
With a deep breath1 Kelly began. She had rehea.r.s.ed what she would say to Hrruna, if they got to him. ”It is of the greatest importance to us, sir, that the Treaty of Rrala is renewed in two days. To cohabit and cooperate with your people on that world a joy to all us Hayumans is,' Kelly said.
Despite Hrruna's use of Middle Hrruban, she couldn't switch from what she had so carefully memorized. And she was certain she had the right rhythm, the pitch and inflection to say what was needed in High Hrruban, which was as difficult as singing opera. ”There may be a difficulty to the Renewal of the Treaty. We come to you to prevent that difficulty. The First Speaker Hrruna is the only, personage to prevent rapidly approaching disaster.
”You are perhaps a friend of the young Zodd?” Hrruna asked in his kind young-sounding voice. ”I seem to have had several visits from and on the behalf of that young man. What is it this time? And do not worry about the form of address. We speak as friends.” With great relief, Kelly lapsed into the more familiar idiom to relate the events of the past several weeks. When appropriate, she handed him the relevant doc.u.mentation. He read through Hrriss's translations, sheet by sheet. Although not all Dalkey's lists had been done in Hrruban, there was more than enough in Hrruban script to show First Speaker sufficient proof of illegal payments out of s.p.a.cedep funds. That is, if he chose to believe that neither Todd nor Hrriss was guilty.
The First Speaker was skilled at posing questions in a natural progression, making the conversation a comfortable chat instead of a headlong plea for help. Kelly hardly felt she was speaking to him of planet-shaking matters in which the safety of her friends and her home was at stake. He considered everything she told him with a gentle gravity, nodding as she pointed out items that had seemed to Todd to be the most important.
”Why are you emissaries of Zodd?” Hrruna asked at last, his jaw dropping in a smile. ”Why did he not come himself?”
”He and his father have disappeared. They are not the sort of people who run from trouble,' Kelly said, once again feeling her crus.h.i.+ng worry for Todd's safety.
”Neither son nor father is craven or thin-striped,' Hrruna said encouragingly.
”We're afraid they've been abducted.” Saying that aloud in Hrruna's presence made it sound so horribly true that Kelly burst into tears.
She was exhausted and worried. Nrrna sat beside her, holding her hand and muttering soothing phrases. Hrruna offered her a small gla.s.s of clear water and she sipped it, determined to control herself. This was no time to show weakness. The water helped. Then she could tell Hrruna what Todd and Hrriss had learned at the Launch Center, what Kiachif had discovered about the incriminating tapes, and if the tapes had been falsified, that neither Todd nor Hrriss could have stolen anything they were accused of stealing, including that awful Byzanian Glow Stone.
”But Mr. Reeve was taken from his house, and Todd from the Launch Center, by Commander Rogitel. They were taken by aircraft to the Treaty Island to go by the grid to speak before the Amalgamated Worlds panel and they never got there.” Kelly forced back tears. ”They wanted to clear their reputations. But they didn't even get that chance!” And then she stuck her fists against her mouth so she wouldn't disgrace herself with more tears.
”I do not like what you have told me,' Hrruna said, his voice suddenly sounding very old.
”It is the truth, most honored Speaker,' Nrrna said, speaking for the first time.
Kelly hiccupped back her sobs. ”You're the only one we know who can demand an investigation into their disappearance. No one on Earth even cares what happens to them!” she added bitterly.
”Please, please, most honored First Speaker, help us! Help Rrala!” Nrrna's voice was low but so sweetly imploring that Hrruna leaned down to pat her cheek.
”I must a.s.sist you,' Hrruna said, his voice kindly but firm. ”I have known much of what you related, but you have also brought me the proofs which were withheld, or falsified, or conveniently misplaced.” Hrruna chuckled, a series of throaty grunts.
”I was truly unable to interfere until now. The continuation of the Rralan colony is far more important to me, as Hrruna, and as First Speaker.
than I am willing to let any of my colleagues realize.
If, however, I tried to interfere, that would give leave to others who are less altruistic to meddle in their own fas.h.i.+ons and for their own reasons, which would not be as benevolent as mine. So I sheathe my claws to give others no excuse to sharpen theirs.
They are compelled to show restraint, or suffer censure. A subtle means to an end but sometimes a more potent weapon than it first appears. When reputation and honor are more important than life, it becomes a greater lever.” He sighed. ”Perhaps not long enough a lever, for it does not appear to have unbalanced Rrala's greatest foes. I have been watching this contest from a distance. The players are not only fearful Hayumans. Some are very powerfully connected Hrruban xenophobes, including ones living on Rrala, who are trying to abort the Treaty.” ”You know all this?” Kelly asked, and then bit her tongue for such impudence. ”I beg your pardon, honored sir,' she said humbly.
She hadn't learned quite enough at Alreldep. She really had no business dealing at such a level.
First Speaker took no offense. ”I have my sources,' he said.
”Young Hrrula has not been idle throughout all this, reporting directly to me. He is intelligent and most discreet. I value his observations enormously. He is devoted to Rrala, as well as to his world of birth.
If you had asked him, he might have been able to bring you directly to me.
Hrrestan knows of my trust in Hrrula.” Kelly and Nrrna looked at one another in amazement. ”I didn't know that. Neither of us knew that. And with Hrriss gone . . .” She broke off.
”Exceptions have been made before now,' Hrruna said enigmatically.
”But someone has lowered himself to the dishonorable practice of kidnapping. I see the ramifications of that clearly.
If Zodd and Hrriss do not appear in court with the proofs you have shown me, they are guilty by default. One more tool has been used by the hands of those without honor who would see Rrala fail.
The involvement of Admiral Landreau, Commander Rogitel, and Codep Varnorian is known.
The dishonorable Hrruban is not.”
”It's the Treaty Controller working under Third Speaker's orders,' Kelly said, and then closed her eyes because now she had to admit to her own dishonorable sins. ”I, urn, I sneaked into Treaty Controller's rooms to look for that doc.u.ment box Nrrna and I knew he had received and which he was so fussed about.
Well, we had to know what he meant by the days being numbered,' she said, defending herself, but Hrruna merely looked amused. ”I couldn't unlock it, but it had been sealed by Third Speaker's personal sigil.” ”There is no crime in his receiving such a package,' Hrruna reminded them. ”Third is his sponsor, after all.”
”Yes, but why did he feel it necessary to hide that case in a specially made place at the bottom of a chest instead of putting it in the safe in his office or in the Archives? If the doc.u.ments were innocuous, why didn't they arrive in a courier pouch?”
”You took out all the drawcrs in his bureau?” Hrruna asked, chuckling merrily. Kelly turned red.
”I am not judging your actions, child. But I do see the point of your suspicions. Third may indeed be involved in this conspiracy. It is not beyond him when he feels thwarted. Yes, I am sure he is not uninvolved. Rrala is a nightmare to him. If the Treaty is not renewed, he would be unimaginably relieved.”
”Please, honored sir.
Don't let them scuttle the Treaty! Surely you can keep Treaty Controller from listening to the pessimists on Hrruba?” Kelly begged.
”Rralans are no threat to Hrruban society,' Nrrna said. ”We want to live our own life in peace.” Hrruna nodded his approval. ”I think it would be best if Rrala continued as it is, I agree. But there are those who feel that once we unleash the ocelot, we will cease to be master of the hunt, and one day may even become prey. An all-Hrruban colony will behave as any Hrrubans will anywhere else. When you add in the Hayuman factor, behavior becomes more uncertain. I prefer to trust, but others cannot.
It is not in their natures. I must not interfere in the negotiations or decisions of the Council, or it would not be a genuine agreement. It would be forced.
But I will see what I can do to keep others from meddling so deeply.” With some difficulty, First Speaker rose stiffly to his feet.