She wasn't sure where she stood on that. If Pyanfar was right her boys had gone out in the outback and died for nothing. If Pyanfar was right — it still made problems. Because the kid was unattached, he had a face you wouldn't forget, particularly when he looked at you like that and stirred feelings that weren't maternal at all. She tried to think about her own boys, telling herself it was Pyanfar's new age and she was not supposed to think thoughts like that about lost, scared kids some clan had let stray out of a cloistered life to deal with people who hadn't had to exercise their moral restraint in a long, long time.
"Tell you what," she said, because she was ashamed of herself, "we got some mop-up to do, and if that fits your notion of work…''
"Anything that needs doing."
"You finish that breakfast. Door's unlocked, I'm right down the corridor, in the operations center. We're calc'ing trim and we're going to be taking on a fuel load. Sound familiar?"
"I can learn." The animation that had left his face was back, his eyes were bright, his whole being was full of anxious energy. He looked strung tight, probably so scared he hadn't been eating, scared now, too, of the word no.
"Eat your breakfast. Take a right and a left as you leave the room. You'll know it when you see it."
"Back again," the kifish guards observed.
Hilfy had no comment for them, except, "I'm here to see gtst excellency."
"Of course, of course, fine hani captain. This way, hani captain. We would never give offense to the great—"
"Shut up," she said. And regretted losing her temper that far. But she had a bad feeling all the way to the audience hall.
"Tlstimii," the secretary said, with a lifting of augmented, plumed eyebrows. It might not be the same secretary. The pastel body paint looked subtly different. But it was hard to tell. Gtst gathered the contract and the requisite gift into gtst long fingers and performed three increasingly deep bows.
"Tlistai na,"Hilfy said, bowing once. "I send it by your undoubtedly capable hands. There is no need to disturb the excellency."
"So gracious. Bide a small moment, most honorable."
She bided. She felt her stomach upset — felt an insane and thoroughly impractical urge to charge after the secretary and retrieve the contract before gtst passed the curtains.
But the deed was done. She thought after a moment that she might successfully escape back to the ship, but in that moment the secretary returned through the curtain to wave at her and to beckon her to come ahead. No'shto-shti-stlen wanted to see her, perhaps to hand the object into her keeping on the spot, for all she knew; and she was not eager to have the responsibility crossing the docks. An order to move the bank to action, on the other hand…
She had far rather the million on credit in her account, because there were cargo cans irrevocably destined for the Legacy's empty hold; while the Hoas cans, already on their carriers, were scheduled for Notaiji, a very happy, very grateful Notaiji, who could not quite believe the good fortune that had landed in their laps, from 'the good, the great hani captain.'
So they had stepped over the brink. Figuratively speaking. As she walked into the audience hall.
"We are exceedingly pleased," said No'shto-shti-stlen as she seated herself.
"We have concurred with your excellency. We are pleased at our agreement on the contract and look forward to continued association with your illustrious self."
"Your response is gracious. The elegance of your utterances and your circumspect behavior is a credit to your species."
Then why are you back to using kifish guards? occurred to her, but stsho had rather elegance than truth.
"I am honored by your confidence," she murmured instead; and bowed; No'shto-shti-stlen bowed, everybody bowed again, and No'shto-shti-stlen inquired whether she had time to take tea.
Two teas was a monumental sign of favor.
"Of course," she said, with lading piled all about the legacy's cargo bay, with transports in scarce supply, thanks to the Hoas load, with a mahendo'sat scoundrel and probable agent of some power swearing to her that the contract was a supremely bad deal, and offering, of course, his services.
A tea in full formality, in the audience hall, in the bowl chairs, with stsho servants this time, and No'shto-shti-stlen reciting poetry:
White on white.
The distinctions thereof are infinite.
Upon white snow the eyes dream in pink and gold and blue.
Nothing is. Everything might be.
Or something of the sort — in classical mode. Hilfy sipped tea and pricked up her ears and laid them flat in deference when it was done.
"Extraordinary view of a delicate perception," she said. "How extraordinary to be afforded such an honor. Are you the poet, excellency?"
No'shto-shti-stlen positively glowed… for a stsho. Painted lids fluttered over moonstone eyes and long fingers made wave patterns. "I have that small distinction."
"I am touched to the heart by such an honor. Would it be indelicate to ask your excellency for a copy?"
"Not in the least!" Fingers ripped at the aide, who fluttered off in a cloud of gossamer drape and nodding plumes. "You inspire me to thought. And., "
No'shto-shti-stlen produced the gift box from among gtst gossamer robes, and delicately lifted the lid, on a little item she had brought from Anuurn — from Haorai, a carved alabaster box, and within it a single carved ua stone ball. And within that — another ball and another and another.
No'shto-shti-stlen opened it; and gtst crest flattened and lifted.
"An oji of sorts. The ball and box have passed hand to hand for a hundred sixty-three years since it left the artist, of Tausa, in Haor, in Sfaura's eastern sept, on Anuurn. There's a small card that traces its provenance, if your excellency finds it of interest."
"Extraordinary!"
"Each is unique. One bestows the stone on ceremonial occasions. This stone came into the hands of Chanur and thus into mine as clan head — a Sfaura clan object, as the design indicates. Luran Sfaura had it made for her fifteenth birthday celebration; and it passed at her decease to her daughter, and so down to the end of that line in Haor; thus to Sfaura's western sept, part of the unsecured gifts — the explanation is on the card — which has gone back and forth between Sfaura and its tributaries at weddings, oh, a hundred years before it came to me, as a birthday gift from my prospective husband." It was white and it had a history, which she had written up in florid and dramatic detail. It had last been her late husband's, and such historical trinkets impressed the stsho.
Clearly No'shto-shti-stlen was pleased. The creature bowed numerous times where gtst sat. Hilfy felt constrained to bow.
And there was, necessarily, yet another round of tea, after which she bade farewell for the second time, and walked out with the kifish guards and out into the foyer and took the lift down to the docks.
Feeling rather pleased with herself, truth be known. She had scored with that gift. She knew the stsho, in a way most hani did not. The governor had given hersomething monetarily valuable and ceremonially valuable in the cases of tea. But she had given gtst something ceremonially and personally and historically valuable — so there, she thought, walking out onto the dockside. So there. Remember me, stsho, remember me and my crew.