"No one else can make themselves understood to these ruffians," Hafiz said. "They annoy my guests and they have the deportment of goats. They speak to you; therefore they are your responsibility." Hafiz crossed his wide brocade sleeves across his chest. He had spoken.
"Hey, that's not my fault! What am I supposed to do with them?" Becker asked, scratching his head.
"Must I think for everyone?" Hafiz demanded. "I don't know. Take them back to Terra, sell them to a slaver, but somehow or other you must"-he gave his hand a graceful twirl - "recycle them out of here. The red one had the audacity to make unseemly advances to my Karina. He advanced so rapidly, in truth, that had my wife's screams not alerted me and had I not rushed to her rescue immediately, accompanied by Commander Kando…" His voice dropped dramatically as he shook his head to indicate his shock and grief at what he had witnessed. "Well. It is only due to great speed on my part and great forcefulness on Commander Kando's that my delicate flower will not be bearing a barbarian baby in a few months."
Karina, wafting toward them, had caught Hafiz's remarks and did not fail to capitalize on her victimization. "So… coarse," she breathed, "and smelly. And thought patterns of an extremely rude and crude sort."
Nadhari Kando, just behind her, grinned. "Sounds to me as if they are perfect for your crew, Jonas."
"Sounds to me like you should put them through boot camp, Commander. Doesn't seem like it should take these boys that long to get religion if you put your mind to the task. Not to mention respect for the fair sex."
"You do me much credit, dear," Nadhari said. "And in fact they are warriors and might do well to train as such."
"I don't think it's a real good idea to arm them, since their idea of an enemy is the Linyaari," Becker pointed out. "And they can't come with us, since I already asked Acorna if she'd help us out while we're shorthanded."
Acorna was about to object when she picked up thoughts blaring from one of the Wats. (Go home. Back to our lord Bjorn. Away from these bewitched animals who walk like men and women. Away before they spit us on their horns and roast us like oxen.)
(We are vegetarians,) Acorna reassured them mind to mind. (Why would we do a thing like that?)
Both Wats looked at her as if she had hit them on their heads with an axe. Their brains were working on the concept of "vegetarians." She gave them a mental image of a rabbit eating leaves, a sheep eating grass, herself and her friends grazing along with them.
"We don't eat meat of any kind, especially not Wats," she told them aloud in a rough approximation of their language. "And your old master is many years dead by now. You have been brought forward in time. You must bring your ideas up-to-date, too. My people and I are descendants of the unicorns you once wrongfully hunted. We will look for a new home for you now, somewhere that may feel somewhat familiar to you. What is it like, your home?"
Asked a question, they resolutely folded their arms across their broad chests, now clad in ship suits instead of armor, and clamped their beards tight to their mustaches. Their beards and mustaches were now much shorter and far more neatly groomed than they had been when the Wats first appeared. Becker had, in the not-too-distant past, forcibly washed and barbered the Wats as a conversation opener.
But as steadfastly as they refused to verbalize their memories of their homes, their thoughts betrayed them. Acorna got images of vast dark forests of gigantic trees, rolling storm-tossed seas, and great smoky fortresses filled with clanking, clomping humans clad in metal and heavy leather garments. On their heads some of the men wore helmets embellished with a set of horns.
She smiled at the Wats, baring her teeth in an expression that was friendly for a Terran and hostile for a Linyaari-and just right for the emotion she felt toward these two misguided and misplaced human beings. "I think I know where they might feel at home, at least temporarily," she said.
"Indeed?" Hafiz asked.
"Yes. The Niriians are in need of help in rebuilding their planet since the Khleevi invasion. Their two-horned appearance very closely resembles some of the totems these people apparently used to worship. Perhaps these fellows could work off some of their aggressions by helping the Niriians rebuild their planet. And there is something about these men that reminds me a bit of Toroona and her mate, too, don't you agree?"
The Niriians were Linyaari trading partners of long standing, a peaceful, industrious, and sometimes overly conscientious bovine race. When the ravenous insectoid Khleevi attacked Nirii, Toroona and her mate had escaped their homeworld in time to seek help from Hafiz, and the Linyaari. Thanks to their actions, Nirii had not suffered anything like the degree of devastation the Linyaari planets, Vhiliinyar and narhii-Vhiliinyar, had. Before the Khleevi could destroy Nirii, Acorna and her friends had devised a strategy to lure the buglike aliens away from Nirii to another place. That plan had eventually resulted in an end to all Khleevi destructiveness forever.
"Good idea, Princess," Becker approved. "The cowboys and cowgirls will know what to do with these guys. And they're not fragile, graceful people like you Linyaari. These fellas give them any trouble, the Niriians will sit on 'em till they holler 'calfrope.'"
"Ye-es," Hafiz said. "Yes, indeed. I like it. Acorna, my dear girl, as usual you have devised a solution that is both convenient and kind. In this case, far kinder than these lecherous barbarians deserve. But… convenient. Captain, there is the solution to our problems. You and Acorna will deliver these two troglodytes to the Niriians. If they decline to accept our gracious gift of manpower, remind them please that they are deeply in our debt."
"No," Becker said.
"No?" Hafiz seemed puzzled by the word, as if it had no meaning for him and was spoken in a language he did not understand. The head (emeritus) of the fabulously wealthy House Harakamian did not often hear such a word. At least not in public.
"No. Acorna shouldn't have to put up with that stuff. I told you. These guys hunt unicorns."
Hafiz waved his objections away. "My dear Becker, you speak of our niece as if she were any Linyaari, or any female, for that matter. As you can plainly tell, she has already established even better communication with these barbarians than you yourself have, has read their minds, and has determined an agreeable and humane disposition for their offensive persons. They are like lambs with their shepherd. They would do her no harm. Think you that I would allow the daughter of my heart to be endangered? Besides, she has you and the estimable Mac to protect her should she require such protection!"
"Your faith in me is touching, Uncle," Acorna said dryly. It was amazing how competent people became in Uncle Hafiz's estimation when there was something unpleasant he wanted them to cope with because he didn't want to be bothered with it himself. "But I can't go that far. I only came for a short visit. As soon as I have seen Kaarlye and Miiri and some of my other friends, just as I have seen you and Karina, I must return to Vhiliinyar. We all have a world to rebuild there, after all."
Hafiz gave her a look. She knew it was meant to make her realize that they were able to rebuild it only because of his financing. But he had picked a fine time to nudge her-blackmail her, actually-into doing his will, when it involved a prolonged absence from Vhiliinyar, the time machine and possibly Aari. She didn't want to leave Vhiliinyar. But Hafiz was so besotted with his love he would do anything to spare Karina trouble.
Suddenly a pair of comforting hands landed on her shoulders and she turned to see Miiri, Maati's and Aari s mother, standing behind her.
(There, there, dear,) Miiri said to her in the mind-to-mind communication all adult Linyaari shared. (Uncle Hafiz is the soul of kindness, as we have good reason to know, but he is used to being spoiled and served by those around him, which has made him extremely self-centered. I imagine he has convinced himself that the solution to his problem will in some way ease your own troubled heart.)