If you promise Todd Hrriss, he'll move mountains.
He has. He moved the High Council here. Now, do you men have more formal clothes than these? Hrrula asked, indicating their utilitarian coveralls.
I believe there are sufficient Alreldep uniforms for most of the men; Sumitral remarked, joining their conference. Will that suffice?
Red is an excellent choice, Hrrula said. Now, to save time, Admiral, may I continue? Someone can bring you up to date on the background. Now these are the things you must not do. The list was, as Sumitral agreed readily, not inconsonant with the highly circumscribed Hrruban culture.
But a damned bore and time-waster, Ken added with an apologetic nod to Hrrula.
We shall dispense with that here on Rrala, but remember, Rrev, there is much time to be passed and accounted for on Hrruba. Ceremony helps.
Coming directly to the nub of the matter, Hrrula, Sumitral broke in crisply, just what can we expect as terms of the treaty?
Hrrula's face and tail were still. I do not know. My people need time to think beyond themselves. We considered ourselves to be unique in the galaxy, you realize. Time is needed for them to learn to accept the startling concept of a race their equals if not their superiors to grow used to the sight of your bareskins, to understand that their comfortable apathy is not threatened, but enriched.
Sumitral gazed thoughtfully around, pursing his lips slightly and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. If he had a tail, Ken thought irrelevantly, it'd be a-twitch.
Do not press for any commitment that robs both our races of time to adjust. The rest will follow when the time is ripe for further change.
Sumitral nodded slowly.
You do realize, Admiral, Hrrula went on gravely, that you must speak through Zodd as he is the only one of you who can handle formal Hrruban.
Sumitral raised his eyes skyward, shaking his head ruefully.
Yes, I got that message loud and clear yesterday, but I somehow feel that that will improve the Treaty rather than hamper it. 'Out of the mouths of babes,' you know! By the way, that's going to be quite a strain on young Todd, Reeve. Is he up to it?
Just threaten him with no Hrriss, Ken suggested and was suddenly conscious that he hadn't seen Todd lately. Hrrula, Hrriss hasn't sneaked in, has he?
Probably. Anyone who understands Terran was ordered here.
By the time Todd and Hrriss were located, in the hayloft of the barn, Ken was ready to threaten Todd with a good deal more than the lack of Hrriss's company. For the Council was all set to convene and here was Todd, filthy with hay dust. He was unceremoniously dumped in the horse trough, roughly washed clean, and jerked into the pale red robes that had been supplied. He was scared and sullen by the time Ken manhandled him to the Common in time to see the Council arrive.
Soldiers from each race were interspersed at parade rest around the Common, brilliant with flags and banners. On one side the mass of Hrruban workers were now ranged; on the other, the Terrans and the original Hrruban villagers. The day was brilliant and clear, the air heady with the sweet smells of spring and cooking, and electric with excitement. The huge grid was wreathed with the familiar transmission mist. Solid forms coalesced within the mist, which suddenly dissipated. On the rectangle of the grid appeared an assembly as awe-inspiring as the most pagan heart could wish.
Centered on the rich pale blue rug which covered the metallic mesh was a magnificently carved table of a gleaming silvery wood. In equally ornate chairs sat seven male Hrrubans, dark-furred and heavily maned with age, their face hair grizzled. On their shoulders were clasped jeweled neckpieces holding colored capes in place. From the waist down they were clad in the long kilts of the Stripes, each man wearing a different shade. Regal they were as they appeared enthroned on their side of the gleaming table. Seven empty chairs faced them, each one as beautifully contrived as those occupied.
God, you guys set quite a scene, Ken whispered to Hrrula. The natives are awed.
Which ones? retorted Hrrula in a soft purr.
Who's Third? Sumitral whispered as he glanced down the row of Speakers.
Second from left, by Hrruna, and he's scared. See his tail? Hrrula replied.
Ken grimaced because he couldn't see from where he stood without bending, which he couldn't do. Todd's hand twitched in his and Ken suppressed the inclination to squeeze it admonitorily. The kid would have enough to contend with today.
At that moment the Hrruban herald called the meeting to order and, as rehearsed, the Terran delegates took their places in front of their chairs: Lawrence, Landreau, Shih, Chaminade, Sumitral, Todd and Ken. Hrrula stood beside Todd, Hrrestan by Shih, for they would act as auxiliary interpreters. Todd, however, was the only one who could address the Hrruban Speakers. He seemed to know the Hrruban directly opposite him at the table, and even to Ken the man looked slightly familiar. Todd tried not to fidget during the long peroration in Hrruban announcing the background and circumstances of this momentous occasion. He squirmed a little during the monotonous recital of the previous day's popular vote. Then everyone was allowed to sit down. Sumitral rose immediately to give a resume of Terran's history on Rrala which he kept to short sentences for easier translation by Todd.
Ken began to relax a little as he realized Todd was handling the narrative beautifully, including a polite but boyish preface of his own, begging pardon in advance for any mistakes. Several of the Hrruban Speakers smiled at that. The Third Speaker stared expressionlessly ahead of him during both summations.
Hates the whole bit, Ken thought, and he isn't even listening; afraid he'll hear something good.
Hrruna then proposed that the meeting consider a joint tenure of Rrala, and the hassling began.
It went on and on, particularly because the Third Speaker now roused himself to join battle, complaining, protesting, objecting to every constructive thought uttered. Despite his obstructionism, a framework emerged, with Sumitral obviously bearing Hrrula's words in mind, and suggesting waiting periods, tentative arrangements, options on everything except the coexistence of the two races on Rrala. Each time, Sumitral took the sting out of the Third's violent restrictions.
Time and again it was Todd, growing more and more weary, stumbling occasionally on complicated phrases, who channeled the discussion back to coexistence on Rrala. He was simply unable to translate the subtler tricks of such trained politicians as Sumitral and Third.
You aren't saying what you mean, and I wish you would sir, Todd said once to Sumitral We'd get through faster.
Although Sumitral's patience was strained as compromise and concession were whittled or discarded, he also realized that Todd was performing the same curious veto with the Hrrabans and that the Third Speaker's designs suffered far more than his. As it became obvious to the other Hrrubans that the Terrans were acting with great candor and understanding compared with the fierce suspicions and covert aggressiveness constantly underlying Third's objections, Third began to lose control of his supporters.
At that point, Todd helped Sumitral win a very important concession. The admiral particularly wanted a transmitter station from Terra to Rrala to facilitate communications. He had specifically stated the grid need be no larger than would accommodate six men, that it ought to be manned by Hrrubans at all times, and that all transmissions would be cleared through the Hrruban colony chief. Third had ranted on and on about the dangers of such a concession, then glared at Todd to make the translation of ten minutes of rebuttal.
Noble gracious sir, Todd had replied with a deep bow, I will tell Admiral that you are afraid that we shall send big weapons to Rrala and forbidden things and all that. But it's silly. And I guess you think our scientists are smart enough to look at those grid posts and figure out the whole idea of transmission from them. But that's silly too. I'll just tell him you don't like the idea at all and see what he says.