Part 64 (2/2)

”I know, Rachael.” She cradled the girl's head in her arms. ”We all could. We shared the pain it was feeling. But . . . rather it than us.” She reached back with a hand, pulled the neurophon over. ”They said

269.

they were delicate. They told us. All ma.s.s and no bite.” She winced, and the hand went to her head.

”No, not no bite. An indirect one. I'm afraid your in- strument is burned out. It saved our lives. I'll buy you a new one. The best.” She smiled. ”And you can play and practice all you wish, and I'll support you to the best of my ability and bankroll.”

”I don't know,” the girl murmured. ”So much hurt.

I don't know when I'll be able to play again. That pain will always be with me when I try to play.”

”The memory of the pain, and it will fade,” Cora corrected her.

”We'll work something out with them.” It was Hwo- s.h.i.+en. His body had not moved, but his head turned to face them. ”They have most of this world, most of the world-ocean to dwell in. We use only tiny, isolated patches of the surface. They're^just stubborn. We'll reach some kind of accommodation. They have no choice now.” He unfolded his legs, stood easily.

”We don't need the catodon.s' help. Neurophonic projectors much larger than that one will keep these creatures under control, will disrupt their power over the baleens. If they insist on fighting, we can dispose of them. The killing of any intelligent alien life-form is prohibited, except when attacked and no alterna- tive is available. We'll give them that alternative. If they elect not to accept . . .” He shrugged meaning- fully.

”But surely you wouldn't? ...” Cora began.

”I have several thousand people dead, many mil- lion credits of property destroyed. We require a mi- nuscule portion of this world. They and the Cetacea are welcome to the rest. I have no sympathy where such all-encompa.s.sing greed is involved.”

”I'm sure something can be arranged,” Cora re- plied. ”Mental s.h.i.+elding that will keep our thoughts from them, for example. If only they'd revealed them- selves and their problem to us earlier, peacefully.

270 CACHALOT.

They're unique, utterly unique, Hwos.h.i.+en. The first intelligent invertebrates we've ever encountered, pos- sibly the most evolved of their line in the universe.

They must be studied and learned from. Not fought

with.”

”That's only a last alternative I was outlining,”

Hwos.h.i.+en reminded her, the very tone of his voice indicating that he was merely being businesslike, not bloodthirsty.

”Most coelenterates are primitive, and these crea- tures are at the opposite end of that scale. It's almost as if they've skipped an entire chapter of evolution.

Their physical and mental structures are incredibly complex. What do they think about down there in the eternal dark? What is there to stimulate the develop- ment of such advanced minds at such depths? I doubt they possess vision as we know it. Possibly hearing.

They are true colony creatures on a scale undreamed of. They must be dealt with peacefully so that they can be studied!”

”You can study them if you want to.” Mataroreva was adjusting controls. ”We're almost up. Me for the light.”

”We will.” Cora suddenly saw where her thoughts had been leading, and was not disappointed in them.

”/ will. We can be friends.”

”Do you want to end up like poor Hazaribagh and his people? The CunsnuC were studying them,” he shot back.

”Would you care?”

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