That was a possibility that hadn't crossed my mind. In the past, hostilities had sometimes dragged on for decades. "We've become diplomats," Alex said. "Nobody can touch us." Kassel laughed. "So I've heard. Well, that's good. In any case, we'll take charge of you as soon as you get in."
Our escort stayed with us. When we were an hour or so out we received a text message from the operations center: PLEASE TURN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OVER TO US. I complied, and Giambrey sucked in some air. "Isn't that a little dangerous?" "You want me to tell them we don't trust them?" "No." "It's okay. It's pretty much routine procedure at most of the bigger stations." Just before we passed between the launch doors into the docking area, another message came in, this one for Giambrey, from Salud Afar. It was encrypted, using a system that had been downloaded into Belle before we left Samuels. It was from Kilgore: GIAMBREY, GOOD LUCK. OUR PEOPLE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE CONFEDERATES, BUT TO DATE THEY ARE IMMOVABLE. EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON YOU.
The term Assemblage didn't describe the reality of the Ashiyyurean universe, which consists of a loose group of worlds, outposts, orbiting cities, and scattered settlements. It's as much a social as a political entity. But a threat to one is a threat to all, and they can react with lethal efficiency. Some people think they'll eventually evolve into a group mind. A few hold the opinion it has happened already. But nobody who's had a personal relationship with an individual Ashiyyurean, as Alex and I have, would believe it. A major part of the problem between us and them is that it's so hard for us to get to know one another. There are Ashiyyurean-Human friendship societies on worlds in both systems, but progress has been limited. At best.
We docked and, for the first time in my career, I received a text message granting me permission to leave my ship. Belle wished me luck, and we climbed out through the hatch and walked down the egress tube, and there was Kassel. The robe was gone, replaced by a shirt and short breeches gathered in at the knees. They were a favorite form of casual dress among both males and females on Borkarat, but there was something absurd in seeing a seven-foot Mute, complete with fangs, looking as if he was headed out for a day in the park. I've never been good at reading Ashiyyurean nonverbals. But it wasn't hard to pick up his mixed feelings on that occasion. He came forward and shook hands and squeezed my shoulder in a way that suggested however difficult things might get, he would support me. We did the introductions. Giambrey bowed and smiled, but all the charm was gone. He was trying hard to control his revulsion. Not to think about it. Not to look too closely at Kassel or at any of the other Mutes in the area. I'll confess that Mutes still gave me a chill. Still knotted my stomach. Even Kassel. But it was kind of a joke between us, and he glanced my way and touched his heart twice with a fist. It was his me, too signal. Circe did pretty well, as far as I could see. She shook hands with Kassel, told him she was pleased to meet him, and, I thought at the time, was amused at surprising me . You got any other challenges, Kolpath? "Selotta would have liked to be here," he said, "but her duties will not permit it. She asked me to say hello." "How is she?" I asked. "Doing well, as always. She is kept busy watching for aliens trying to penetrate the museum." That was a reference to how we'd met, when I was trying to get a flight record out of an interstellar that was on exhibit. "She says she will make sure to see you before you leave. Incidentally, you are all welcome to visit our house. We would like very much to have you."
Mute body temperatures are about ten degrees lower than human, so their skin always feels cool. Add a bit of clamminess, and it's easy to imagine they're not delighted to see you. Toss in the fangs and the black diamond eyes located close together, predator style, and your instincts go to red alert. A crowd was forming around us, at a discreet distance. The reception area was absolutely silent, save for their clickety-clack music playing at a low level over the sound system. Public areas in Mute worlds are, of course, routinely quiet. One never hears a voice, and for a human that can be disconcerting. There was nevertheless plenty of communication going on, of course. I could see it as Mute eyes turned in our direction. Their expressions changed, eyes narrowed, and fangs became more prominent. Parents moved closer to kids. I tried to think happy thoughts, but what kept running through my mind was the conviction that maybe their telepathic abilities with regard to us were overrated. I did not get the sense, for example, that they could see that I would have liked very much to be somewhere else, and that as threats went, I was nowhere on the scale. They were disturbed at the sight of the creatures that had suddenly appeared in their midst. With the mayor, yet. Circe tried a smile and a wave. Nobody waved back. It struck me how difficult it must have been for Kassel to come personally to meet us. I gained new respect for him. He might have stayed in his office and sent an escort in his place. Instead, here he was. That meant, in his culture as well as ours, that this was a personal rather than simply a political event. "This way," said Kassel, speaking through his voice box. He said something about idiots as we walked through the crowd toward the shuttle launch area. Alex commented that he appreciated Kassel's presence, and Kassel remarked that "they" should all be locked up somewhere so they wouldn't be a danger to themselves or anyone else. "They" obviously picked up the thought because they all looked in his direction. "I'm sorry they brought you all the way in from Provno," said Alex. Kassel's home was located on that island, in the southern seas. "It's okay," he said. "They thought you would want to see me, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Besides, it gives me a chance to educate these morons." Giambrey asked whether Kassel had heard what was happening on Salud Afar. "I know about the hypernova. If you mean conditions on the ground, among the people, we haven't heard a whole lot. We don't have a direct connection with the media at Salud Afar the way we do with the Confederates. And the reporting in yours is sparse. Mostly they run reconstructed images of the hypernova and ask people whether they're scared. What kind of answer would they expect? I did hear this morning that one of the spaceports was destroyed." "Destroyed?" asked Alex. "How?" "Somebody with a bomb." We walked into an elevator and everybody else got out. "There was no additional explanation." He glanced in my direction and I read it in his eyes: Dumb-ass monkeys. Yep. That's us. I was used to cranks and nitwits. You have large populations, you're going to have a few nutcases. The Mutes had an advantage, of course: Among their own, they could spot lunacy right away-before it could get around to making a bomb. I stared back and made no effort to conceal what I was thinking: Two billion people were going to die even though the means to save them were probably available. But they'd die anyway because there really was no intelligent life in the cosmos. Not in the Confederacy, and not in the Assemblage. The Mutes and the Confederates would continue sniping back and forth, and the carnage would happen, and everybody would pretend it was inevitable. He touched my shoulder. "I fear you're right, Chase. I wish I knew how to help." Abruptly, out of nowhere, tears ran down my cheeks. Kassel wrapped me in his arms and held me.
THIRTY-SIX
We are each entombed within our skulls, Maria. We never really come to know each other. We do not feel the emotions of others, except superficially. Nor their fears or passions. The reality is that we are alone.
- Midnight and Roses
Giambrey was the only professional diplomat among us. He was accustomed to waiting upon the pleasure of whoever was in power. And of course, to him, Kassel was a representative of that power. Alex also understood the need for patience. As, I assume, did Circe. But to me, he was still simply good old Kassel. So, just as we were preparing to enter our suites, I broke protocol and asked when we'd get to see the Chief Minister. "Time is critical," I added. The reader will have understood by now that actually speaking in the presence of an Ashiyyurean was not necessary, save to let other people follow the conversation. Nevertheless, those Mutes who understood how to communicate with us were aware that, even in a one-on-one, it was smart to let us actually give voice to our thoughts. "For humans," Selotta had told me once, "the voice is more significant than the brain. How could it be otherwise?" She'd shown her diplomatic side by observing that I was, of course, an exception. "We are quite aware of the urgency," Kassel said, in unusually formal language. "The Chief Minister has arranged for you to speak to the Secretary of Naval Affairs tomorrow morning." Giambrey seemed satisfied with the answer, though he glanced my way to signal me to stay out of it. Nothing further of consequence was discussed other than where and when we'd handle dinner. "It would be best," Kassel added, "if I come and collect everyone. You don't really need an escort. But it might save confusion."