"Tenth, in light of the fact that Thebes will be allowed no military forces, the Terran Federation shall guarantee the security of the System of Thebes against external enemies.
"Eleventh, Thebes shall not be required to pay indemnities or reparations to any star nation. However' - Anto-nov's voice hardened - "the government of Thebes shall be required to acknowledge, formally and for the record, that the attack by its armed forces on the Tenth Destroyer Squadron, Khanate of Orion Space Navy, was made without provocation under the guise of an offer to parley. And the government of Thebes shall further acknowledge that this attack was made on the express orders of the then Prophet."
Ivan Antonov leaned forward and spoke very quietly.
"Twelfth, Theban personnel responsible for atrocities on planets of the Terran Federation shall be held personally accountable by the Federation."
He met the Prophet's eyes coldly.
"I do not care why this war was launched, Prophet, but there will be no question, now or ever, of who fired the first shot and under what circumstances, nor will we permit criminals to escape punishment. The Federation will return its Theban prisoners of war as rapidly as possible, but individuals who, while in occupation of Terran-populated worlds, committed acts which constitute criminal offenses under the laws of those worlds, will be tried and, if convicted, sentenced by Terran courts. We did not attack you. We have suffered far higher civilian casualties than you. Our legal system will deal with those who have committed atrocities against our people."
He held the Theban's gaze unwaveringly, his face carved from granite, and it was the Prophet'seyes which wavered.
"The terms I have just enunciated are those of the Terran Federation. They are not negotiable. You have one standard week to accept or reject them. If you choose not to accept them by the end of that time, my forces will move against Thebes in whatever strength I deem appropriate.'
He rose, his staff standing behind him, and his voice was frozen helium.
"This meeting is adjourned."
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO Khimhok za'Fanak
This time Francis Mulrooney felt no surprise when the kholokhanzir's herald led him into the guarded apartment, yet tension more than compensated for its absence. The aged Orion on the dais seemed not even to have moved in the thirty-two standard months since their last meeting, and his bright eyes watched the Terran ambassador's approach.
Mulrooney stopped and bowed, then straightened. Li-harnow'hirtalkin's nand rose. It held the formal parchment document, signed by the Prophet of Holy Terra and sealed with the sigil of his faith.
"I have received your message and your document, Ambassador," the Khan'a'khanaaeee said. "Your Admiral Aantaahnaav is to be commended upon his understanding of the Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee and the demands of our code of honor." The Khan's ears twitched. "Perhaps he had also some small assistance from Kthaara'aantaah-naav," he added dryly, and Mulrooney felt an icicle of relief at his tone. Then Lihamow's ears straightened more seriously, and he sat fully erect.
"Neither the Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee nor the Federation read the original events in Lorelei aright, Ambassador. Had we done so, much suffering on the part of your people might have been averted. Yet even after the truth was known, the Federation honored its responsibilities. This" - he twitched the parchment - "shall be placed among the state records of my people and of my clan to serve the Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee forever as an example of a khimhok's fidelity. We have received shirnowkas-haik from the oath-breakers who slew our warriors, and in the name of the Zheeerlikou `valkhannaieee I now renounce all reparations. There has been khnarma. I am content, and I declare before Hiranow'khanark and my clan fathers that the Federation is khimhok za'fanak."
Despite decades of diplomatic experience, Mulrooney exhaled a tremendous sigh of relief and bent his head with profound gratitude.
"In the name of my people, I thank you, Hia'khan," he said softly.
"Your thanks are welcomed, but they are not necessary," the khan replied just as softly. "The Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee themselves could not have more honorably acquitted themselves. There will be no more talk of cho-faki among my fangs. You are not Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee, yet we learned to respect your warriors' courage as allies against the Rigelians; now their honor makes the differences between us seem as nothing. And that, Ambassador, is what truly matters to us all.'
Mulrooney bowed once more, touching his fist to his chest in silence, and the Khan rose with fragile, aged grace. The Terran's eyes widened as the Khan'a'kha-naaeee stepped down from his dais and performed an unthinkable act. He extended his hand and touched an alien ambassador.
"It is time to present this shirnowkashaik to my fangs," Liharnow said, leaning upon the human's arm for support, "and I would have you present when they receive it." He smiled a wry, fang-hidden smile as the Terran moved with exquisite care, supporting his weight as if it were the most important task in the Galaxy. "For today, you shall be Fraaancis'muuulroooneeee, a hirikrinzi of the Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee, and not the Ambassador of the Terran Federation, for ambassadors are not required between warriors who have bled for one another's honor."
All the other farewells were over - but for one - and for now Antonov and Kthaara had the small lounge in Old Terra's Orbit Port Nineteen to themselves. They stood side by side, human and Orion silhouetted against the transparent bulkhead as they gazed at the breathtaking blue curve of the world they had left only hours before.
Kthaara had accompanied Antonov back to the home world that was, in part, now his. He had wanted to see it. and he had stoically endured the ceremonies in which humanity loaded him down with decorations and promoted him to captain, a rank he would now hold for life. And now he awaited the liner that would take him on the long voyage back to Valkha'zeeranda to become again a small claw of the Khan and resume the life he would never again see through quite the same eyes.
He finally broke the companionable silence. "Well," he said mischievously, "has the new Sky Marshal settled into his duties?"
Antonov snorted explosively. "They couldn't give me more rank," he rumbfed, "so they created a new rank. And they've decided they need a clearly defined military commander in chief. especially now that they won'thave Howard Anderson to tickle their tummies and wipe their butts for them! Of course," he smiled thinly, "they don't really believe they'll ever need the position - or the military - again. Every war is always the last war!" His smile grew even thinner. "Well, the politicians may think they've put me in a gilded dust bin, but until I finally take Pavel Sergeyevich's advice and retire to Novaya Ro-dina, those vlasti aren't going to forget I'm here! I'm going to use the position to make sure the Navy is ready when it's needed again - as it will be!" He sighed deeply. "There is much we can learn from the Orions, Kthaara. such as seeing the universe as it is."
"There is much the Zheeerkou'valkhannaieee can leam from your race, as well," Kthaara replied quietly. "And before you depart for Novaya Rodina - where I expect you will be terribly frustrated, since a young colony cannot afford a surplus of politicians for you to growl about! - I plan to hold you to your promise to visit Valk-ha'zeeranda and meet the other members of your clan." He grew serious. "You are right, of course. Dangers which we cannot foresee will threaten our two races in the future. But whatever happens, the Federation will always have a friendly voice in the councils of the Kha-n'a'Khanaaeee. Clan Zarthan is now linked to your people by bonds of blood, for we are vilkshatha." He gave a carnivore's smile in which Antonov could recognize sadness. "My ship departs soon, so let us say our farewells now. Vanya."
He had never heard anyone call Antonov that (in fact, the mind boggled at the thought), but he'd looked up the familiar form of Ivan and practiced until he could produce a sound very close to it. Now he waited expectantly. and saw an expression he'd never seen on his friend's muscular face. He even - incredibly - saw one droplet of that saline solution Human eyes produced for any number of oddly contradictory reasons.
"You know," Antonov said finally, "no one has called me that since Lydochka." He couldn't continue.
"You never speak of your wife. Why is that?"