Starbridge (41 page)
Rob nudged Mahree's arm, whispering, "The Simiu won't dare act up if they're under Mizari observation!"
"Yeah, but this is going to mean a tremendous loss of face for the Simiu. The Council may blame it all on Dhurrrckk," she pointed out grimly.
His face fell. "You're right."
With an air of decision, Mahree stood up and waited to be recognized. When Fys looked at her, she said: "There is one piece of evidence pertaining to the Simiu ability at initiating a successful First Contact that I did not tell this assembly. That was because, rightly speaking, it was not my information to offer. But Honored Dhurrrkk' has declined to speak, so I must do it for him. I know this assembly wishes to act as fairly as possible. I ask permission to present this evidence now."
The Drnian glanced at the Mediator, who said something softly. Then Fys warned, "The decision of the assembly will not be overturned in regard to the Simiu/Human First Contact, Esteemed MahreeBurroughs."
"I understand that, Most Esteemed Fys," she said. "What I wish you to know concerns a different matter."
"You may offer your evidence, then."
Mahree knelt beside Dhurrrkk' and whispered three English words into his small, furry ear. Then she turned to the Guest Liaison. "Esteemed Shirazz, will you please assist Honored Dhurrrkk'? Without your help, this would be difficult, but I know you will provide for all contingencies."
The Guest Liaison, though visibly surprised, agreed.
Together, Shirazz and Dhurrrkk' left, via the sinking platform.
Time went by as the murmuring assembly waited. Mahree sat hunched on the bench. Rob held her hand. They didn't look at one another as the minutes dragged by.
Finally, thirty minutes later, the lights suddenly dimmed and
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took on a reddish hue as the white light was leached away. The murmurs from the assembled League members grew louder.
Mahree glanced over at Rob; he gave her a thumbs-up.
The surface beneath her feet vibrated slightly as the platform began to rise; the floor irised open again.
Dhurrrkk' and Shirazz came into view as the platform drew level with the floor. The Simiu was draped in a glowing phosphorescent "cape" that shone a ghostly blue-white in the dimness.
Mahree and Rob walked over to stand on either side of their friend.
Together, they faced the Secretary-General. "Most Esteemed Fys, Esteemed Ssoriszs, Councillor Ahkk'eerrr," Mahree said. "May I present Doctor Blanket, the
second--
and eminently successful--Simiu First Contact. The first person to successfully speak with Doctor Blanket was my friend, Honored Dhurrrkk'."
The Avernian's edges rippled as it lay atop Dhurrrkk's mane; warmth and a gentle amusement brushed Mahree's mind with the most delicate of mental touches.
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Troubled Homecoming
Dhurrrkk' is too damn honorable for his own good. If he'd kept his muzzle shut about who was the
first
person to communicate with Doctor Blanket, the Simiu might have received full credit for the Avernian Contact. But that honorable so-and-so told the truth, so the Simiu, in a precedent-setting decision, wound up getting only
half the
increased CLS representation they wanted so badly.
Since they fully expected to get no additional representatives at all, getting half mollified them somewhat, and Dhurrrkk' is now a planetary hero!
How ironic!
The Esteemed Mediator told me that the human share in the Avernian Contact will count very favorably toward Earth being invited to join the CLS ... it may even give our worlds increased representation if we do join.
How 'bout that?
He also said that the CLS will place Avernus under protection, whether or not the Blankets join the League. The discovery of a species with such powerful telepathy is a momentous one. The coordinates of the Avernian system are to be considered TOP SECRET.
Doctor Blanket is fine. Shirazz and Ssoriszs seem captivated by the Avernian's wise, kind nature, and its gentle but whimsical sense of humor. It accepted Ahkk'eerrr's invitation to meet the members of the Simiu Council, on the condition that Dhurrrkk' will "interpret" for it, since it's still difficult for it to "speak" to new minds.
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But the news of the Avernian Contact came too late to save Rhrrrkkeet'--the Simiu Council, spurred on by members who supported Khrekk's "aunt," had already given her her walking papers. However, that turned out favorably, too, because Esteemed Ssoriszs was so impressed by what Uncle Raoul told him that he asked her to serve as the CLS liaison between the Simiu and Mizari during their mission to Earth. She accepted, and, I hope, thumbed her nose at her former bosses.
So here we are, aboard the Mizari vessel
Dawn Wind,
enroute back to Hurrreeah and
Desiree.
We've been traveling for ten days, and we'll be there in ten more. Mizari ships
are fast.
And
big--
so big that
Rosinante
is crowded onto the lifeboat deck. Rob and I have a suite all to ourselves, with a
bathtub
in it. What luxury!
I've gotten to know Ssoriszs during the voyage, and he's a real treasure. He always calls me "Esteemed Mahree," in his charming, formal manner. He's teaching me about the CLS member species and their cultures.
When he gave me back my journal cassettes, I asked him straight out if Rob was going to be offered that CLS position. He told me he didn't know, but that he planned to recommend him for it. He wouldn't give me even a hint as to what kind of job it is, though.
I'm having second thoughts about begging the Mizari to let me "
stay with Rob. I don't think I could stand watching
him
work with the CLS, and not doing it myself. I feel petty admitting that, but it's true.
Maybe they want him to be the Earth/CLS liaison. That makes sense.
They're going to need one.
It's hard, knowing what I know, especially after we're lying there after making love, and Rob talks happily about us being together, what we'll do on Earth, the places we'll go, the things- we'll see.
The other night we watched
Casablanca
together, and I had to excuse myself when M'sieu Rick tells lisa, "We'll always have Paris."
At least Rick and lisa were still going to be on the same
planet . . .
Mahree activated the portal and stepped through into her little cabin aboard
Desiree.
She leaned against the plas-steel bulkhead,
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wiping tears from her eyes. The jubilant greetings of her friends still echoed in her ears, and her shoulders tingled from all the bear hugs and back slappings.
It was blessedly quiet in her quarters, and she sighed with relief. She was happy to see everyone, she truly was, but ... her ears were ringing from the loudness of their voices. Human speech seemed so
noisy
compared to the soft, sibilant hissing of the Mizari! And she'd never realized that human beings moved so jerkily!
These are your people,
she chided herself.
You've been gone for two
months, that's all. No wonder it seems strange to be among humans again.
You'll get used to it.
But the thought of her room aboard the
Dawn Wind
stil made her swal ow, and she wished she could go back there.
Exhausted, Mahree sank down onto her bunk, looking around her
wonderingly.
So much has changed,
she thought.
And yet it still looks
exactly the way it did the day I left.
The big Mizari ship had docked at Station Three, not far from
Desiree's
new docking location. The Simiu had asked the humans to move their vessel to one of the berths in their "interstellar" station--part of their new open policy.
Mahree and Rob, escorted by Dhurrrkk' and Rhrrrkkeet', had toted their bags down the brilliantly colored corridors with their now-familiar flat-topped pyramid shapes, until they'd reached one of the featureless white connecting tubes they all had such cause to remember. Then Dhurrrkk' had activated the outer lock and waved them through. "I will see you soon, FriendMahree, FriendRob," he'd said. "Enjoy your homecoming."
Clutching their bags, the returning wayfarers started down the overly bright tunnel. They hadn't gotten halfway before
Desiree's
airlock had opened, and the crew, Raoul foremost among them, had come pouring out in a wave of yelling, exuberant humanity ...
Well, I can't just sit here,
Mahree thought, giving herself a mental shake.
Raoul said we'd all meet in the galley so we could tell everyone about our
adventures. But first, a change of clothes and a wash . . .
Minutes later, she came out of the head, clad in a fresh ship's jumpsuit.
"Mirror," she commanded absently, reaching for her hairbrush--
--and froze.
Who is that?
she wondered for a fleeting moment, before she realized that she was looking at herself.
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The woman who stared back at her from the mirror was almost a stranger--a lean, wiry stranger, with a confident set to her shoulders. Her cheekbones showed prominently, and her brown eyes seemed larger, because the face in the mirror had lost the last traces of rounded, unmarked girlhood. Stepping closer, Mahree could make out tiny shadowings in the skin around her eyes and mouth that would someday be lines.
Mon Dieu,
she thought, blankly, I
look as though I've aged years instead of a few months!
Hastily, she checked her hair for gray, but was relieved to find only the same brown.
Mahree tilted her head, studying her reflected features, and decided that she liked what she saw. I
don't look ordinary anymore,
she realized. I
look like a
person who has been places, done things. Distinctive. That's better than
being pretty.
At a sudden thought, she hastily turned sideways to examine her breasts.
Oh, well. I guess that was too much to hope for,
she thought, and the woman in the mirror gave her a wry grin.
She heard a tap on the door. "Mahree?"
"Come in, Rob!"
Hair freshly cropped and clean-shaven again (his beard repressor had worn off before they'd left Shassiszss), he walked into the cabin, Sekhmet in his arms. "Hi."
"Sekhmet!" Mahree exclaimed, going over to pet the cat.
"How are you, honey?"
"I'm fine," Rob said. "Felt good to get rid of that beard,"
He handed her the little animal.
"Not you," she corrected, "I was talking to the cat." She rubbed Sekhmet beneath her chin, crooning to her, and finally elicited a tiny purr. "How does she seem"
"Well, I'm not sure whether she knew me or not. Now I don't think she can decide whether to fall all over me with welcome or give me the cold shoulder."
"We'd better head for the galley," Mahree said reluctantly. "We're going to be the center of attention for a while, there's no getting around it."
"Guess so," Rob agreed, giving her a concerned look. Then he gently took the cat out of her arms and put the animal down on the bunk. He put a finger beneath her chin, holding her so she had to look straight at him. "Hang on a second . . . what's wrong?"
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She sighed. "I don't know . . . doesn't it feel strange to you to be back with humans?"
"Hadn't thought about it. Does it feel strange to you?"
She glanced away. "Some. It all seems so ... crowded. Noisy. And rather. . .
petty. I feel awful saying that, but I can't help it."
He smiled. "That's because you've been seeing aliens at their best, doing Great Things, making Profound Decisions. You haven't had to see the equivalent of Esteemed Ssoriszs bumping into the furniture before he's had his morning coffee."
She managed to smile at the image. "I suppose you're right. I'll get used to it.
But now humans seem so ... tame. Rather a letdown."
Rob grinned at her. "How you going to keep 'em down on the farm, once they've seen Shassiszss, eh? C'mon, cheer up. Let's go tell everyone
everything
we've been doing--in lewd, lurid detail." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
She grinned. "Even the time we turned the gravity off to see what it was like in no-weight--but forgot to drain the bathtub first?"
"Sure," he said, straight-faced. His eyes searched her features. "Feeling better?" When she nodded, he smiled. "Good. After our recitation, we can get some real food and have time to ourselves later tonight. Anything you'll need to move over to my quarters?"
She blinked at him, surprised. "Move?"
"I've got the double bed."
Mahree glanced over at her own small bunk. "Oh. I hadn't thought about that."
"Did you envision us sneaking back and forth in the wee hours, like kids in a co-ed dorm?" He gave her shoulders a little shake. "Hey, I want you beside me when I wake up each morning. I've gotten used to you being there."
Mahree thought of Ssoriszs saying,
"The decision is not final, but he has my
recommendation
..." and had to bite her lip. She forced a smile. "Okay. If you want me, I'll be there."
"Of
course
I want you," he said, his dark eyes very intent. "Matter of fact, I ...
uh ... well, this isn't the time ... but we'll talk about it later, okay?"
Puzzled, she shrugged. "Sure. Whatever you say."
"That's what I love, a complaisant female who always says 'yes,' " he said teasingly.
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"Real food!" Rob said contentedly, raising his mug of beer to Mahree in salute. "Did you approve of my selections?"