“Hail Ashanome,” said Thiane. “Are you satisfied?”
Chimele arose and inclined her head in reverence to the eldest of all iduve. “You are punctual, o Thiane, long-living.”
“It is the hour, o Ashanome,hunter of worlds, and Priamos still exists. We have seen ships rejoining you. I ask again: are you satisfied?”
“You have then noted, o Thiane, that all of our interference on the world of Priamos has ceased ahead of the time, and that all equipment and personnel have been evacuated.”
Thiane frowned, nettled by this mild vaikka.“There is only one being whose whereabouts matters, o Ashanome.”
“Then see.” Chimele looked to her left and extended her hand. Another projection took shape, a man in dark clothing, seated. His eyes widened as he realized where he was: he arose and Arle began an outcry, stopped by Isande’s fierce grip on her arm.
“This person,” said Chimele softly, “was once of Ashanome.We have him among us again, and we are capable of settling our own internal matters. We give you honor, Mijanothe,for the propriety you constantly observed in harathos.And, o Kharxanen of Tashavodh,be advised that Ashanomewill be ranging these zones for some time. In the interests of the ban on vaikkawhich the Orithanhe set upon us both, it seems to us that it would be proper for the nasul Tashavodhto seek some other field. We are in prior occupation of this space, and it is not proper for two orith-nasulito share so close quarters without the decency of akkhres-nasuliand its binding oaths.”
There was a silence. Kharxanen’s heavy face settled into yet a deeper frown; but he inclined himself in a stiff bow. “Hail Ashanome.We part without vaikka.These zones are without interest to us; we delight that Ashanomeis pleased to possess them. It seems to us an excellent means of disentangling our affairs. I give you farewell, Chimele.”
And without further courtesy, his image winked out.
It seemed, though one could not be certain, that a smile touched the face of Thiane, a smile which was no longer present as she turned to stare at the being who stood in the shaft of pale light. Then she inclined her head in respect to Chimele.
“Honor is yours, Ashanome,” declared Thiane. She set both hands on her staff and looked about her at all the assembly, the confident attitude of a great power among the iduve. Chimele resumed her chair, easy and comfortable in the gesture, undisturbed by the harachiaof Thiane.
And Thiane turned last to the image of Tejef in its shaft of light, and he bowed his head. All threat, all strength was gone from him; he looked far less imposing than Thiane.
“He is near,” said Chimele softly. “He is not held from joining us in the paredre:it has not been necessary to restrain him. Perhaps to honor you he would come to your summons.”
“Tejef,” said aged Thiane, looking full at him, and he glanced up. A low murmuring came from the nasul,the first sound and an ugly one. Suddenly Tejef tore himself from the area of the projection and vanished.
He was not long in coming, tangible amid the multitude of projections that lined the paredre.Isande’s mind went cold and fearful even to look upon him, but he passed her without giving her notice, though her fair complexion made her most obvious in the gathering. He stopped before Chimele and Thiane, and gave Thiane a bow of courtesy, lifting his eyes again to Thiane, as if the action were painful.
“Tejef,” said Thiane, “if you have a message for Tashavodh,I will bear it.”
“No, eldest of us all,” answered Tejef softly, and bowed again at this exceptional courtesy from Thiane.
“Was it properly done?” asked Thiane.
Tejef’s eyes went to Aiela; but perhaps to blame a m’metanewas too great a shame. There was no anger, only recognition; he did not answer Thiane.
“You have seen,” said Chimele to Thiane. “ Harathosis satisfied. And hereafter he is Ashanome’s and it is the business of the nasulwhat we do.”
“Hail Ashanome,ancient and akita.May we always meet in such a mind as we part now.”
“Hail Mijanothe,far-seeing. May your seekings be satisfied and your prosperity endless. And hail Thiane, whose honor and chanokhiawill be remembered in Ashanome.”
“As that of Chimele among us,” murmured Thiane, greatly pleased, and flicked out so quickly that her echoes were still dying.
Then it broke, the anger of Ashanome,a murmuring against Tejef that sent him to the center of the paredre,looking about at them and trying to show defiance when they crowded him. Two dhis-guardians, Tahjekh and Nophres, drew their ghiakaiand rested them point-down on the priceless carpets, crossed, barring his way to Chimele.
An iduve hand caught Aiela’s arm and the idoikkheistung the three of them simultaneously. “Out,” said Ashakh. “This is no place for m’metanei.”
Isande took a step to obey, but stopped, for Daniel was not coming, and Aiela stayed, terrified for what Daniel was likely to do.
Get the child out of here,Aiela appealed to him. But there was chaos already in the hall, iduve bodies intruding into the projection area, seeming to invade the paredre,real and unreal mingling in kaleidoscope combination. Tejef shrank back, less and less space for him. Someone dealt him a heavy blow; bodies were between and the kamethi could not see.
“Hold!” Khasif’s voice roared, bringing order; and Chimele arose and the iduve melted back from her. An uneasy silence settled.
“Tejef,” said Chimele.
He attempted to give a hiss of defiance. It was so subdued that it sounded far otherwise.
“There is a human female who claims to be your mate,” said Chimele. “She will have treatment for her injuries. It was remiss of you to neglect that—but of course, your abilities were limited. The amaut who sheltered in your protection have realized their error and are leaving Priamos in all possible haste. Your okkitan-asGerlach perished in the lifting of your ship: Chaikhe found no particular reason to clear him from beside the vessel. And as for karshGomek in general, I do not yet know whether we will choose to notice the inconvenience these beings have occasioned us. It is even possible the nasulwould choose not to notice your offenses, Tejef, if you were wise, if you made submission.”
The oppressive feeling in the air grew stronger. Tejef stood among them, sides heaving, sweat pouring down his indigo face. He shook his face to clear the sweat from his eyes and seemed likely to faint, a creature sadly fallen from the whole and terrible man who had faced them onworld. To yield,Daniel had heard from him once, is to die; morally and physically, it is to die;and if ever a man looked apt to die from such a cause, this one did, torn apart within.
Tejef’s wild shout of anger drowned all the rising murmur of the nasul.Iduve scattered from his first blows, voices shrieked and hissed. Isande snatched Arle and hugged the human child’s face against her breast, trying to shut out the awful sight and sound, for the ghiakaiof the guardians faced Tejef now, points level. When he would try to break free of the circle they would crowd him; and by now he was dazed and bleeding. With a shout he flung himself for Chimele; but there were the guardians and there was Khasif, and Khasif’s blow struck him to the floor.