A discreet tap on the door was instantly followed by a muffled oath as the door swung open abruptly, framing an apologetic aide trying to restrain the Third Speaker from forcibly obtaining entrance.
"First Speaker, I demand " the Third Speaker began over the aide's protestations.
The First Speaker raised a reassuring hand to his aide before beckoning the Third in. The moment the door closed behind the aide, the angry intruder erupted into accusations, barely able to enunciate in his rage. The Chief wondered who was the spy in his office. Or had the Third, in his zeal to end the whole project, managed to place an adherent in the colony?
Aliens on that pet planet of yours. I told you that worthless place would be more bother than use. Pastoral, indeed! With who knows what else running around loose. Call 'em back. Call 'em back before another moments loss of time. Before irrevocable damage is done. Never should have permitted this ridiculous experiment, First. Never. Doomed from the beginning.
On the contrary, Third, the older man replied calmly, indicating a chair for his unexpected visitor.
What do you mean? On the contrary, First? Clear case of Prime Rule. Clear case. No discussion necessary. Call 'em back.
It is not that simple, Third, nor can we call them back.
Why not?
"I believe that you have scarcely had the chance to see the film tapes that were taken of the first encounter,'' the First Speaker remarked suavely and firmly pressed the Third Speaker into a chair. "If you would be kind enough to start the film, Chief . . ."
A flash of repulsion mixed with curiosity crossed the Third's face and he subsided with a show of reluctance.
During the replay, the Chief kept surreptitious watch on the Third's reactions and tried not to be pessimistic as he realized that the film clearly did not reassure the conservative.
If you think First, that I will let any member of our species stand in danger from those those . . .
We stand in considerably more danger from our own species, the First Speaker interrupted with such fervor that Third stared at him in stunned silence. Another race, as intelligent as we ourselves, co-inhabits this galaxy. Prime Rule notwithstanding, contact has been made on a neutral world. It is my intention to make the most of this fortuitous confrontation to pave the way to a peaceful alliance.
"Peaceful alliance? With creatures like that?" Third was apoplectic with indignation. "You overstep your authority, First Speaker. I am calling an emergency meeting of all Speakers. We shall determine if you have not also overstepped the borders of sanity.'
Before the First Speaker could reply to the insult, the other man had swept from the room.
Sir, what will happen now? The Chief was aware of the cold slowing of his heart.
Why, the Third Speaker will convene a meeting, just as he declared. And then we shall indeed see what we shall see. However, and First's smile was characteristically benign, since it will take a few days to drag the Speakers back from their various retreats, let us make a few plans of our own. Let us determine what sort of people our new acquaintances are, and what they have in mind for that lovely world.
Chapter VII. BRIDGE
FOR THE HUNDREDTH time, Ken wondered just how it had come about that they were learning the Hrruban language instead of the other way round.
It must have been my fault, he said out loud. I made the initial contact. How did I goof? Or did I? Hell, all I did was learn some plant and tree names, he defended himself. And I did get a language tape. Somehow we've lost the first round. Or maybe maybe we've won it.
It was now four days since he had trod into the Hrruban village. No homing capsule had arrived from Amalgamated Worlds with instructions. Nor had the colony ship arrived with their families. This caused a good deal of unrest among the men. Ken forced his mind away from that insidious thought.
He wondered what kind of a flap their report of natives on Doona had created in the ultra-conservative Executive Block. It would be like them to reply that indeed there had been a mistake; there couldn't be natives on Doona. None had been reported by Spacedep, Alreldep or Codep. He thought of the films and tapes which closely followed the first message: films made by concealed camera of every step of the second day, starting from the instant Hrrula rose, and indicated that he wished to return to his village, and that he wanted Ken and Hu Shih to accompany him. Ken had pointed to Vic Solinari and Hrrula had not hesitated a moment to include the storemaster.
There had been a little pantomime on Hrrula's part when they were preparing to embark in the little raft. Ken, thinking Hrrula was concerned over the capacity of the skiff, tried to reassure him. Hrrula watched the pantomime, lowered his jaw in what was evidently his approximation of a smile, and got in.
No sooner had Hu Shih and Vic been presented to the village chief, Hrrestan, and four of the other older natives, than Hrrula began to speak in quick syllables. He hunkered down on the ground and with one claw delicately drew the outline of a bridge, spanning water. Grinning widely, Hrrula looked up at Reeve.
God, he wasn't scared of the river or the skiff sinking, Vic cried in astonishment. He was planning a bridge!
Ken and Hu Shih immediately protested but their arguments, embellished with violent gestures and charades, had run into the language barrier. The vocabulary which Ken had struggled to learn was all too insufficient to express such intangibles as aggression or isolation, much less the fact that the colonists must leave as soon as they could obtain transport.
The Hrrubens met every attempt to dissuade them with bland insistence on the bridge.
Do you realize what this means, Ken? the slight colony leader had finally whispered to him. They do not resent us.
Now, wait a minute, sir. Don't you realize what a bridge . . .
No hostility at all. Really I am most heartened. And their grasp of architectural concepts is quite sophisticated. Have you noticed the dovetailed joints on the window frame of that house?
Shih, Ken gripped the man's shoulder and gave him a little shake. We mustn't build that bridge!
Why ever not?
In the first place, that bridge is the first step toward possible aggression of our race against theirs.
You refine too much . . .
For another, Ken went right on, why waste time building a bridge we'll never get to use?
The animation left Hu Shih's face; his dark eyes were thoughtful.
You're right, of course, but it is difficult not to take a hand offered in such open friendship. They do seem to want to get to know us.
And how often has our race turned the hand of friendship into a martial fist?
Hu Shih nodded solemnly and they turned to renew their opposition to the bridge, trying to get the Hrrubans to understand that the colony would not remain long enough for the effort required.
Hrrula, his eyes half-lidded, tapped the diagram of the bridge. He held up two fingers and spoke the Hrruban word for day.
Impossible, Ken protested and stretched out his hand to erase the dusty sketch in conclusive denial.
A furred hand, talons politely sheathed, slipped adroitly under his, preventing the erasure.
Yesssss, and the Hrruban hissed the Terran word softly.
Ken regarded Hrrula solemnly, determined to his course. Two other fur-backed hands joined Hrrula's to keep Ken from reaching the drawing. Ken looked at Hrrestan who nodded slowly, to the other Hrruban who dropped his jaw and smiled.
If you knew how silly you looked, Ken, Vic remarked ironically. They want a bridge. Okay. We've tried to explain it's a waste of effort. But what harm will a bridge do, Reeve? As you pointed out, we know we're not going to be here long enough to mush it. And if it means that much to them, let's be polite. They obviously know how to build one, so we're not giving them a premature cultural shock.