Foreigner - Explorer. Part 36

He scrubbed. Furiously. And began to shift mental gears, began to trust his surroundings and get the shivers out of his system.

He hoped their guest had taken their intervention in his situation as a rescue, not a dive from frying pan to fire. He had no idea what they were dealing with, beyond that-whether they were dealing with an ordinary soldier, a ship's crewman, a belligerent warlord bent on conquest or perhaps some hapless scientist or maker of dictionaries who'd come in to learn what they were dealing with.

Who, among aliens, would would logically comprise a team sent aboard an apparently war-wrecked station, their own handiwork? Someone like himself would be most logical... to human beings of a certain era of humanity. But that certainly wasn't a given, here. For all they could know, it was a priest come to bless the event, a political activist who'd run aboard to stage a protest. Civilizations of advanced sort could be logically comprise a team sent aboard an apparently war-wrecked station, their own handiwork? Someone like himself would be most logical... to human beings of a certain era of humanity. But that certainly wasn't a given, here. For all they could know, it was a priest come to bless the event, a political activist who'd run aboard to stage a protest. Civilizations of advanced sort could be amazingly amazingly baroque. baroque.

And what would an individual of whatever original intent have been planning for six years of captivity in a gla.s.s cage?

In their guest's position, Bren thought, he'd try to learn something, he'd try to escape with what he knew, and being unregenerate terrestrial primate-he'd try to stay alive to get revenge, if nothing else. What would Banichi or Jago do? Attempt to return to their aiji, to their a.s.sociation, working mayhem only on what frustrated that aim, bearing personal resentment not at all, except as someone got in their way. Humans had jails. Atevi had the a.s.sa.s.sins' Guild. Neither side could understand the others' problem-solving.

And what was their guest thinking now? What frustrated instincts were they dealing with?

He got out of the shower and Jeladi helped him into his dressing-robe. His clothing was laid out on the bed, dignified, but not fussy. He approved Jeladi's choice: he had yet to report to the dowager, among other pressing matters. His good blue coat was an excellent choice, a soothing color.

Jago came in while he was dressing, Jago with not a hair out of place-nor ever had had, that he had detected, not even while wrestling with their rescuee in the pod. She had changed uniforms for one that didn't reek of fumes.

"No scratches or sc.r.a.pes, one hopes, Jago-ji. How is our guest?"

"Well enough," she said. "One should add, however, Bren-ji, this person has formidable teeth. He did attempt to use them, so Banichi advises us."

"He was bitten?"

"Not successfully," Jago said.

"Well, one is certainly warned," Bren said, tugging at a cuff, arranging the lace-in his experience, high civilization discouraged biting. Which might only say how stressed and desperate their guest had become. "One hopes an intelligent species has no natural venom, and that his native bacteria are not something either atevi nor humans may easily share." He had spent the voyage reading biological speculations, among other things, which now only made him nervous. "The difficulty with the air, nadi-ji. Have we resolved that to his comfort?"

"As best one can," Jago said. "He seems to tolerate shipboard conditions well enough, and evidences no current discomfort. We have shown him the thermostat, the shower, the accommodation. Narani has provided his own cabin-he has hesitated to provide blankets, for security reasons, but our guest has not adjusted the temperature. He has exchanged the station garments for one of Bindanda's robes, which was of sufficient size, and seems better pleased with that."

Temperature preference satisfied. Gift accepted. He absorbed the information, comforted, after all that had gone on, simply to hear the lilt of Jago's voice. Humanly glad, perhaps, in ways that didn't address man'chi and the sensible feelings that mattered to any ateva-though he doggedly thought his bodyguard was more than pleased to have gotten him back again: that somewhere in their impulse toward man'chi, they must be equally warm and happy inside. He could scarcely think about the dire outcomes possible in their raid into Guild territory, but now that they were all safely through and back again, he began to have flashbacks of smoke and fire.

And belated panic.

"Gin-aiji is safe in her office," Jago said smoothly. "But, as the paidhi-aiji may be aware, with less success. A robot is lost. We have, however established the location of guns guarding the fuel port."

"And now we have Jenrette as well. And will release him. You followed that."

"Yes," Jago said. "Jase-aiji has him in the medical facility now; and will not trust him. Wise."

His staff knew exactly what transpired on two-deck. He was occasionally astonished.

"I think his plan might even work," he agreed. "If Sabin-aiji isn't in Guild hands-or even if she is-Jenrette might act to save himself."

"Sigaiji," Jago said-an untranslatable word. An aiji no one would follow-born with the emotional makeup to lead, but not able to persuade followers to join him. Rogue Rogue leader was tolerably descriptive. leader was tolerably descriptive.

"I think he is," Bren said. "I think in his case, that's very apt."

"Does he think Sabin is higher than he?"

In atevi minds, a very telling question. They had asked a man who might think his own beliefs the highest law-to rescue someone who claimed authority over him. In that thought, he was even less hopeful of Jenrette than he had been.

"One believes he can accept it, nadi," he said to Jago, "unless he knows he has gone much too far to regain her trust. Then he has to consider whether he believes he can die, and what that life may be worth to him."

"One would not like to be Jenrette."

"One would not, Jago-ji."

"Even if he performs," Jago said, "he is what he is. Not a person to rely on."

"One agrees," he said, and knew that that item was decisive in Jago's mental files... decisive and a switch completely ticked over to foreigner foreigner. Not of our a.s.sociation.

"So Braddock-aiji has moved against Sabin, we have moved against Braddock; Braddock sends this person before he knew we were taking one of his a.s.sets away. Gin-aiji has lost a robot, but she urges another attempt, as soon as she can a.n.a.lyze what they saw. There are pictures."

"Very good news."

"One a.s.sumes that Braddock-aiji is taking other measures."

"One hardly knows how to predict the Guild," he said. "Their security has lost it one of its two prime a.s.sets. They would rea.s.sess, if they were wise. But if they follow true to form, certain subordinates will exert their energies to mislead the Guildmaster about their deficiencies."

"One has known lords of the a.s.sociation to do the same," Jago said dryly.

"One has known lords of the a.s.sociation to be completely paralyzed in such debates." Recalling the Transportation Committee, of, G.o.d! such tame, quiet days. "One wishes they would remain paralyzed, but one fears Braddock-aiji will not act like the Presidenta of Mospheira-more like one of the ship-aijiin, without consultation. If he lets pa.s.sengers board us, he will attempt to infiltrate his agents among them. I expect that, next. But the ship has foreseen unruly pa.s.sengers, and installed precautions. So that becomes a smaller worry." Crew had spent their voyage reorganizing systems and isolating those decks: granted anything less than a nuclear device, what happened on those decks should be limited to those decks. Switches governing air circulation, light, and temperature were all governed from the ship's bridge. "One hardly knows, Jago-ji, what Braddock-aiji will do. Or what that ship out there will do." He adjusted his cuffs. He had one of the most essential jobs of his life before him. "One a.s.sumes the dowager expects a report before I get to work."

"She says: Visit when you have ascertained the nature and quality of this foreigner. Her own bodyguard has reported to her."

Common sense and her own channels. Thank G.o.d. The dowager was a veteran of fast maneuvering and practical necessity.

"Shall we go with you to deal with this foreigner, Bren-ji? We both strongly strongly urge it." urge it."

"I entertain no other thought, Jago-ji," he murmured. His initial session with their guest might be lengthy and tedious, and he wished his staff might s.n.a.t.c.h a little rest; but they were, themselves, skilled observers, and they had the strength and size and foreignness to keep their guest focused on communication, not thinking he could overwhelm a small individual of the same species that had kept him caged for six years.

So, yes, he decided his staff's help might be a good thing.

Banichi joined them on their way down the corridor, Banichi and Jago neither one having yet found time to change to less businesslike kit, except to put away the heavier weapons and the heavy jackets. They They had likely gone straight to a debriefing with Cenedi, which might already have involved the dowager-he rather bet that it had. had likely gone straight to a debriefing with Cenedi, which might already have involved the dowager-he rather bet that it had.

"One can observe our guest by way of the security station," Banichi informed him, "should you wish to do that unnoticed, Bren-ji."

"Excellent," he said. Surprised that his staff had arranged surveillance? Not in the least. Narani's cabin, so graciously tendered, had given their guest adequately sized furniture, an atevi-scale bed-and by fairly fast and discreet work, had given them direct surveillance on a monitor in the security station, where Asicho kept faithful watch.

"He has paced out the room, nandi," Asicho reported when they stopped there to observe. "He has investigated the switches, tested the mattress, the chair and the cabinets, which are emptied, nothing damaged. He has bathed and dressed in one of Bindanda's robes and nightshirts." Tape accompanied this report, a quick skip through key actions, and a sequence of their guest in the bath, gray-skinned, with heavy folds that might indicate, unlikely as it seemed, given such a bulk, emaciation. Embarra.s.sing, perhaps, to observe an individual in such a state, but necessary for their collective well-being.

"One fears they didn't feed him near enough, nadiin-ji," Bren murmured. "Or perhaps the station food disagrees with his stomach. We shall endeavor to better that. Advise Bindanda."

"Yes," Asicho said smartly, and did that.

In subsequent scenes their robe-clad guest drank multiple cups of water, five cups, as Asicho commented, before testing the bed gingerly and lying down.

Evolved in conditions of more water, rather than less. More vegetation rather than minimal, one might then guess. High water need. Heavy skin, the evolutionary value of which eluded his meager study. He wished he'd borne down just a little more on the theoretical end of his biology cla.s.ses, back in his monofocussed youth. If a fact hadn't applied to atevi, in his youthful arrogance, he hadn't been interested. Now he was extremely sorry.

"Narani-nadi has discreetly estimated his size for better tailoring, nandi," Asicho said sotto voce. "Bindanda is attempting to construct suitable clothing as quickly as possible."

"A very good idea," Bren said, with a mental image of their guest in atevi court attire. But who knew? Being dressed like his hosts would surely be a psychological improvement over the prison garb, an evidence of better fortunes.

"He seems in many points like us, nandi."

"That he does," Bren said. Four limbs, a similar musculature to move them, an upright stance and the spinal curve and gait that kept a bipedal creature from falling over. A not exclusively vegetarian dent.i.tion, Banichi informed him: meat was likely, then, on his menu.

And jaw curvature and fine control of tongue and throat for articulate speech? In that broad face, yes, likely so. In that large head and that ship waiting out there for six years, definitely a brain and a sense of purpose, however he communicated.

Eyes, two. Nose, useful to any species, short, broad, positioned above, not below, the mouth, a sensible design, in a human's estimation.

A bullet head that sat down onto huge shoulders. Broad grasping hands, flat, broad feet that certainly weren't going to fit into any boots they owned-nature of the toes wasn't clear.

Huge rib cage. One a.s.sumed it protected the breathing apparatus and that digestion fit rather lower into the frame, the finish of that process as far from the intake as anatomy could manage, simply to give chemistry as much time to work as feasible... again, a reasonable arrangement, as seemed.

s.e.x indeterminate in folds of skin, if the location of the distinction was involved neither with respiration nor digestion, and the young, connected with that process, had to get out of the body somehow: again, design seemed to follow gravity. He He as a p.r.o.noun was a convenience, not a firm conviction. as a p.r.o.noun was a convenience, not a firm conviction.

And while gravity and the need for locomotion, perception, and manipulation of the environment (wasn't that what his professors had said?) might make biological ent.i.ties look rather more alike than not-gravity had nothing in particular to do with the mind, the language, or the att.i.tudes of a long cultural history, which could be d.a.m.nably soft, mutable, and difficult to predict.

His professors would be highly useful right now. He wished he had the whole resources of the University on Mospheira, and their labs and their committees, to back him up.

He wished they were safely back in orbit around their own planet and he could take years doing this.

But they weren't, and he couldn't. He gathered himself up with a deep breath. "Do not hesitate to notify us, Asi-ji," he said to Asicho, "if there should be any word from Jase or the dowager on any account."

"One will be closely attentive, nandi," Asicho a.s.sured him softly.

He left, Banichi and Jago close on his heels...

And outside, he discovered Cenedi. So the dowager was was interested, and not entirely patient. interested, and not entirely patient.

And with Cenedi and his two men came a very unofficial presence, Cajeiri, tagging the dowager's men at a safe distance, looking as inconspicuous as possible. And-one should note, who hoped for quiet and sanity-Cajeiri stood eavesdropping, toy car in hand.

"The dowager inquires," Cenedi said.

"I am proceeding immediately," Bren said.

Cajeiri noted that look. "Might one just see see this foreigner, nand' Bren?" this foreigner, nand' Bren?"

Cenedi bent a stern look aside and down.

But, it flashed across Bren's mind-in the naivete of that question: in the extreme pressure of time, to convince another species that one was not a warlike, ravening enemy-dared one think?

Dared one remotely think a child might be useful?

"Perhaps the dowager might permit him, Cenedi-nadi. What if we were to work on this foreigner what we worked upon Becker-nadi? What if this foreigner were to see we have young children and elder statesmen aboard?"

His own staff looked at him, appalled. Cenedi looked decidedly uneasy. "Hurrah!" Cajeiri cried.

Yet was it not the case, the paidhi asked himself? The fragile, troublesome side of every intelligent species must be its young-young in an intelligent species requiring a prolonged learning phase. Young who were apt to do any d.a.m.ned thing. Young who routinely made naturally forgivable mistakes.

How best, without words, to demonstrate one's pacific intent, than to show one's softer side? The dowager had rarely come under that that description. But she could manage a grand graciousness. The ship's crew venerated her. description. But she could manage a grand graciousness. The ship's crew venerated her.

"Perhaps, Cenedi-nadi, we shall invite our guest to the dining hall for refreshments-tired though our guest may be, he would surely like to know his situation, and perhaps we can demonstrate our hospitality. Perhaps the young aiji might indeed come and bring his toy. Though it is a very very adult business, and the young aiji must bear extreme tedium with extraordinary patience. Perhaps the dowager herself would come and observe." adult business, and the young aiji must bear extreme tedium with extraordinary patience. Perhaps the dowager herself would come and observe."

Cenedi looked worried. "One will certainly relay this invitation, nandi."

An invitation unwritten, testing the limits of atevi courtesy: but Cenedi clearly had no doubt the dowager would be amenable, and laying her own schemes on her next breath.

"Shall we speak to this foreigner, nadiin-ji?" Cajeiri asked.

"Perhaps," Bren said, "we may convince him even our youngest are civilized and polite."

"A subterfuge," Cajeiri said with restrained excitement. "A subterfuge, Cenedi-nadi?"

"His new word," Cenedi said, and to the offspring: "If mani mani agrees, you may be present and you may speak, young lord, but agrees, you may be present and you may speak, young lord, but judiciously judiciously, and one does not believe the paidhi-aiji intends civility as a hollow subterfuge."

"Yes, Cenedi-nadi!"

"We shall ask your great-grandmother," Cenedi said-indeed, ask the dowager, who thought a headlong ride down a rocky mountain was sport, at her age. Cajeiri worshipfully tagged Cenedi down the corridor toward the dowager's door.

Bren looked at Banichi and Jago, knowing-knowing that he was about to test the limits of reasonable risk and his staff's resources. He would a.s.suredly have his own fragile neck at risk, and if he showed a potential enemy their softer side, he also showed that enemy a softer target-not even figuring it might go all wrong and he might offend or disgust the individual they had to reach. There were no certainties. The fact was, there that he was about to test the limits of reasonable risk and his staff's resources. He would a.s.suredly have his own fragile neck at risk, and if he showed a potential enemy their softer side, he also showed that enemy a softer target-not even figuring it might go all wrong and he might offend or disgust the individual they had to reach. There were no certainties. The fact was, there were were no facts to work on: they had the what, but not a shred of the why. no facts to work on: they had the what, but not a shred of the why.

"Safeguard the dowager and the heir at utmost priority. I insist, nadiin-ji. They They would be the soft target, if I make any mistake. You will give me an opportunity to retreat. And I a.s.sure you, I promise you, I promise you twice and three times-I shall run." would be the soft target, if I make any mistake. You will give me an opportunity to retreat. And I a.s.sure you, I promise you, I promise you twice and three times-I shall run."

"One agrees," Banichi said-viscerally as hard for his own bodyguard, that promise to abandon him, as a leap off a cliff. All instincts warred against leaving him. But they were not slaves to those instincts. They understood him. "Yes," Jago said flatly.

"Nadi-ji." A little bow. He trusted word was already pa.s.sing, from them to Asicho, from Asicho to both staffs. Information flowed, swirled about them, a constant bath of attention and preparation.

And he walked calmly toward that other door, bent on testing the waters before he committed their more fragile elements. He rang for admission, as if their guest had any control over his own door, before Banichi reached out to the b.u.t.ton and unceremoniously opened it.

Their guest, dressed in Bindanda's blue bathrobe, met them on his feet, apprehensive, to judge by the rapid pace of the nostril slits. The room smelled of hot pavement.

"Good afternoon," Bren said in Mosphei', showing empty hands and making a small bow-aversion of the gaze was a fairly reasonable, though not universal, indication of quiet intent. He laid a hand on his own chest, avoiding a rude stare in this formal meeting, experimenting shyly with eye contact. A glance seemed accepted, maybe expected, though met with a stony stare in a face that held little emotion.

"Bren. Bren is my name." A flourish of a lace-cuffed hand toward his staff. "Banichi. Jago." An expectant, hopeful flourish toward their guest.

Who simply turned his back.

Well. There There was a communicative gesture. was a communicative gesture.

"Be respectful," Banichi said in a low voice, in Ragi; but Bren made a quiet, forbidding gesture.

"Have patience, nadiin-ji. His treatment by humans was hardly courteous. It's a very small defiance. Perhaps even a respectful dispute, in his own terms. Let me see." He walked over to the corner of the room, gaining at least a view of their guest's profile, a precarious proximity, though he had Banichi and Jago looming at his left.

"We would like to take you to your ship," he said quietly, soothingly, to that averted shoulder. "We wish to take the occupants of the station onto this ship and leave this station. We are here to help, not hurt."

It was a lengthy speech, in Ragi, certainly pure babble to alien ears. But it won a direct gaze, sidelong and, dared one think, perhaps reckoning that that was not not the language, and therefore not the culture, he had met before. the language, and therefore not the culture, he had met before.

"We hope you will be comfortable aboard until we can arrange your return to your ship," Bren said in a low, talking-to-children tone, still in Ragi. "Narani, the senior director of my staff, has disarranged himself to provide you this comfort, giving you his own bed. Do treat his cabin with respect. He's a very fine gentleman, and offers you the use of objects which he greatly values."