"Captain," Skkukuk said.
Tully had turned in his seat, just once and briefly. Something had touched his face—wariness, surely. Maybe something else. But he was eyes-to-the-scope again, his back turned to the kif. Pyanfar noted it, and her estimation of the human went up another notch with that.
"You all right, Skkukuk?" Politely posed.
Skkukuk lifted his bound hands and let them fall. His dark, red-rimmed eyes wept tears of eyestrain in the light. "This is stupidity," Skkukuk said. "Behind the neck, hani, is far more effective. We can bite through wire."
"Thanks. We'll remember that next time. Do you know where we are?"
"Kefk, I suppose."
"Why do you suppose that?"
Yet another shrug. "It was the hakkikt's intent."
"Sikkukkut's."
"That hakkikt. Yes."
"He took you into confidence, did he?"
"It was well known among his ships."
"Were you—among his ships?"
Skkukuk ducked his head.
"You were Akkhtimakt's, huh?"
"I am yours now." The dark head lifted, the jaws worked. "I lend you my sfik. I am formidable, even now."
"You lend me confidence. Tell me, Skkukuk. Do you know Kefk?"
"Yes. Thoroughly."
"Why do you suppose Kefk hasn't launched a defense?"
"You want my assistance."
"I'm asking you, kif."
Skkukuk gave a kifish shrug and lifted his hands toward the scan posts, miming request. "Show me the situation."
"Haral, put the scan image up on main."
It arrived. The kif’s face lifted to the overhead, where the big screen was.
"What we've got here," Pyanfar said, "is Vigilance and Aja Jin and Harukk out in front, headed into Kefk with several other ships. Kefk guard ship've gone inertial now. No great hurry on them. Beyond that interval, ourselves. A tc'a beside us. The rest of the kif with a ship named Ikkiktk in charge of the rest."
"A tc'a."
"That ship's named So'oa'ai."
Another small gesture of joined hands. "This is ominous."
"Why?"
Skkukuk's eyes went to her and Hilfy. The stink of unwashed hani and human was already on the bridge. Now there was a strong ammonia scent. "The methane folk are unpredictable."
"Have you got reason to say that? They've been stirred up. Haven't they?"
"Yes." The ammonia reek was very strong. Kif sweat. "I advise caution. Don't offend this thing. Don't speak to it. Let it dock."
"That's what the station seems to be doing."
"That's the wisest thing."
"We conduct our little disagreement in a crowded house, is that it?"
"Kkkt. That's adequate. Yes. We do. There are always the methane folk."
"What were you—before you offended Sikkukkut?"
"Skku to him. Subordinate."
Her ears went back. She pricked them up again. "Friend of Akkhtimakt's, huh?"
"Skku to him also."
"You have one chance, kif, to tell all the truth in terms I understand. You play games with me and I'll serve you back to Sikkukkut for dinner. After I give you to the human and my niece for their amusement. Hear?"
The kif’s head drew subtly lower between his shoulders. The hands lifted and fell. "I hear, hani."
"Then tell the gods-be truth!"
"I've offered you my weapons. I will give you your enemies. Name them to me. Or let me hunt them out. I will lend you sfik. Hani can be fools."
"So can kif, friend. What about that invitation from Kefk? Those ahead of us are going in. Sikkukkut says come in. Is it a trap, kif?"
"Of course it's a trap!"
"Whose?"
"Sikkukkut's. And theirs. No one is to be trusted. Keep your speed, blast all and run." Thin hands spread as best they could. "Perhaps the station and its defenses would take out the rest. But strike Aja Jin and cripple him; Nomesteturjai would pursue you to the death. Harukk would be the lesser danger in those circumstances. Kif would desert the hakkikt in such an attack. But strike him if you have time, the same with Vigilance. Still—" The hands fell, the shoulders hunched. "Your ship lacks weapons; and hani would not respect your sfik. Do these things and go to the hakkikt Akkhtimakt. Bring him your weapons and he will welcome you."
"Gods be," Pyanfar said. Her fur bristled down her back. Her ears had lain down.. She got them up again. By the kif’s shoulder, Khym stood with ears still flat. And Hilfy—
"He would," Hilfy said. "Our kifish ally would do that. What's he waiting for?"
"Shall I answer this person?"
"Answer her," Pyanfar said, "and respect my crew, rot your guts. You belong to all of us."
Again a hunch of the shoulders, a sinking of the hooded head. "I answer. Sikkukkut thinks he has sfik enough to lure Akkhtimakt to a place of his choosing. He thinks he has sfik enough that Kefk will offer him its weapons—"
"—meaning what?"
"—that. They will be part of his sfik. He will hold Kefk temporarily, beyond doubt. Possibly he will take it completely."
"Make sense," said Khym.
"It's truth." Skkukuk turned that way and theirs again, opening his narrow hands before him. "Am I to blame that Sikkukkut is a fool? And you lend him sfik. I nourish hope this is a stratagem."
"You hate Sikkukkut, huh?"
"I would spit him from my mouth."
Her stomach turned. "How are we doing, Haral?"
"Steady on. Transmission from our lead still says come ahead. Other situations unchanged."
Maybe there was time to put this atrocity safely back in its confinement. Maybe not. "Get him to a seat," Pyanfar said to Khym and Hilfy: "Move. We don't know what we're into. Belt it in real tight."
"There is no need. I tell you I could free myself."
"See he doesn't."
"Don't be a fool," Skkukuk said, straightening as Khym took him by one arm and Hilfy moved to take the other.
"One moment," Pyanfar said.
Motion stopped.
"Question," Pyanfar said. "Is there a hani ship named Moon Rising with Akkhtimakt?"
"I've met them. Several times. Kif know this ship. They are—kthok kakatk kthi nankkhi sfikun—of diminishing sfik. They brought some of the sfik of Akkukkak to Akkhtimakt, but it wasn't much by then. They've been of use. Ktoht-sfik. A good knife has that. But without ornateness. One values it. One can take another."
Gods, the logic. "Go sit down. Trust me, kif."
"The captain jokes. Further, I am hungry. I protest this treatment."
Pyanfar hissed and sank into her chair.
"I wish to tell the captain—"
"Sit it down. And hurry it up." Her back was still bristled; she looked back again, to see Hilfy and Khym drop the kif into observer four and jerk the restraints tight over his arms.
Tully looked her way. There was stark fear in his eyes. . Observer four was a non-working post one* seat removed from him—much too close, by Tully's evident reckoning.
"I don't blame you," Pyanfar muttered. "Me too—" And louder: "You've got a job, Tully. Do it, huh? Work."
"Aye," Tully said, and swung about and glued himself to the scope. Chur muttered something to him. He muttered something back.