Well, as a matter of fact, Reeve answered after a moment's rapid consideration, they advanced on me, not me on them, and he grinned, remembering the headlong dash of the two cubs in pursuit of their ball.
All right then, Lawrence said briskly. They found us. Particularly if this puts a different complexion on our culpability.
Yes, yes, it does. Or does it? asked Hu Shih, rising briefly to hope before plunging back into despair, washing his hands. Oh, why, why? he cried, rising wearily from his chair. We had made a good beginning here in spite of that terrible long winter. He crossed to the window to gaze wistfully out at the vividly green Common, down to the river with its backdrop of the great mountain range. A prospect, a sweeping view no longer to be found on Earth even in the dozen carefully preserved Square Miles. We must leave. And it would have been a better, cleaner break to have left this morning. Now, each day will make it harder.
He saw the rebellious expressions of his aides and shook his head sadly.
And we must leave, gentlemen. If we cannot, in this difficult situation, uphold principles we have sworn to respect, then we are not one jot better than those barbaric, genocidal ancestors whose action toward minorities we have always deplored. We solved our own inter-racial problems only by Amalgamation. We solved the domination and destruction of alien species by the Principle of Non-Cohabitation. This is the first time that Principle has come to the test. This is the first time since the Siwannese Tragedy that we have come face to face with another sentient species. And our decision here on Doona is critical. We cannot fail this test.
Reeve and Lawrence stood silently before the little colony chief. Never in their three years of association with him had they doubted his qualities of leadership or disregarded his gently given orders. But that had been as much due to conditioned respect for authority as for the man himself. Now they saw the inner firmness of moral rectitude that unmistakably marked him both man and leader.
''It has been said,'' Hu Shih continued, ''that there is always a solution to every problem but not necessarily an agreeable one. One asks for wisdom and courage to accept the difficult solutions. For us, that is to return to Earth, stifling vain regrets, terrible disappointment, wrapping ourselves in the knowledge that, by our fortitude, we are redeeming the noblest aspirations of all mankind."
The metropologist took his aides by the arms.
"I look to both of you to support me as you always have done. We shall have trying days ahead of us. Both among ourselves and," he nodded toward the two messages, "with the departments that interest themselves in us.
Lawrence grunted but he gripped the metropologist's hand firmly. Yeah, but I don't have to like it.
Reeve managed to nod and Hu Shih smiled wanly just as the air whistle blew the call to a belated breakfast. Silently the three went to join their peers.
Chapter XIV. THIRD MESSAGE
WHEN THEY REACHED the mess hall, they faced a silent, expectant group. Hu Shih gave his aides a shove toward their families. He stood by his wife for a moment, silently composing his thoughts. Reeve gave Pat's hand a quick squeeze as he seated himself, nodding to Hrrula where he sat by Todd.
''As you all know, we have had two messages today," Hu Shih began in his quiet way. "They are unusual." His wry smiled elicited a derisive snort from Lawrence. "In effect, we have already done what we are told not to do. And we have not done, with one exception, what we are told to do."
This was greeted by a ripple of nervous laughter. From the corner of his eye, Reeve noticed that Hrrula was watching him, not the metropologist.
At any rate, Hu Shih said, we have established some communications with our Hrruban friends. He bowed toward Hrrula. In other matters, I fear we have bungled badly.
We've bungled? a voice protested. It sounded like McKee.
We were asked, Hu Shih continued, by Codep and Alreldep to send detailed reports. As you know, a full report of our actions of these past few days has already left.
Reeve was astounded at the amount of humor Hu Shih was able to inject into a humorless predicament. It was a very subtle flavor for such a bitter pill. Still, Ken reflected, If a guy didn't lose his sense of humor when the world was knocked out from under him, he might just somehow drag triumph out of tragedy.
We were advised by Codep to embark on our already departed transport.
A grim mutter filled the hall.
Our good captain has given us only a short reprieve from the inevitable, if you get what I mean.
Yeah, we get what you mean, Shih, and McKee stood up It means well leave. This morning, next week, next month. What does it matter? We have to leave. We have to go back to Earth and I don't want to!
A chorus of ominous agreement rose in support of McKee's sentiment. As one, Reeve and Lawrence rose and went to stand beside Hu Shih. Lawrence held his hands out for silence.
Ken and I feel just the way you do. And, in spite of what you might think Hu Shih does too. In fact, he's mad about it, if you can imagine Shih getting angry. It was a deft redirection of mood. Mistakes happen even in our all-to-regulated world. Only this time, we're suffering for it not some other guy down the Aisle! Yes, we have got a reprieve. We have a big beautiful world to enjoy while we can. And we can help ourselves, not by wallowing around in an it's-a-mistake self-pitying syndrome but by enjoying every minute we're here whether it's out souvenir hunting to improve our status when we're Earthside again, or getting to understand an alien psychology through our Hrruban friends. Then Lee grinned with mischief. Who knows? Maybe Codep and Alreldep will spend so much time trying to figure out who's at fault they'll forget to take us off.
Hu Shih protested sharply but it occurred to Reeve that Lawrence's quip was not beyond the realm of possibility.
I'd be glad to give it an assist, McKee shouted good-naturedly.
Hey, Ezra, can't we suddenly get contaminated with a deadly disease? Eckerd asked.
Gentlemen, Hu Shih said severely. I'm sincerely relieved that we can keep our sense of humor in this difficult situation but let us not speculate too vividly on future contingencies. We all have sworn to uphold the basic Principle of Non-Cohabitation. we cannot co-inhabit a planet with another intelligent species and there is no doubt that our Hrruban friends are intelligent. We will leave when we must, because we must uphold these principles despite the terrible personal sacrifice. And, here the metropologist paused, sighing heavily, to leave Doona is a great sacrifice!
Pat, who had been listening intently, leaned over to, Sally Lawrence and whispered something in her ear. Sally looked sharply at Pat and then smiled slightly in agreement Reeve reminded himself to ask Pat what that interchange was all about.
In the meantime . . .
In the meantime, Phyllis Hu broke into the pause that followed, our breakfast is getting cold. And I really cannot see good food real food wasted, no matter what the crisis.
She injected enough of the plaintive into her cajoling tone to rouse people from their dejection. The children who had been quiet now broke the spell completely with subdued complaints of hunger. The clink of tableware against pottery and plastic and mumbled requests for platters and the replenishment of emptied pitchers resulted in a surface noise that bore some resemblance to a normal mealtime.
''What were you saying to Sally?" Ken asked his wife when he resumed his seat.
Pat's face was the picture of innocent surprise. Oh, nothing important, she replied too blandly and filled her mouth with scrambled ssliss egg. Oh, but this is heavenly food.
Reeve's next question was forestalled by Todd who reached for berry jam and spilled his water all over the table. Hrrula swept the child up in time to save both of them getting wet. Before Ken could scold Todd, Dot McKee cried out that the message tower was lit.