Twelve such units constitute a Band, commanded again by a Blood, though ofhigher rank. Twelve bands, again commanded by a Blood, of yet higher rank,constitute a March. Twelve Marches is said to constitute a People. Thesedivisors and multiples have to do with, it seems, a base-twelve mathematics,itself perhaps indexed historically to the six digits of one of the creature'sprehensile appendages."
"Why is the leader spoken of as a Blood? asked Samos.
"It seems to have been an ancient belief among such creatures," I said, "thatthought was a function of the blood, rather than of the brain, a terminologywhich has apparently lingered in their common speech. Similar anachronisms occurin many languages, including Gorean."
"Who commands a People?" asked Samos.
"One who is said to be a "Blood' of the People, as I understand it," I said.
"How do you know that one of these is a "Blood," asked Samos.
"The left wrist of the larger animal bears two rings, rings of reddish alloy," Isaid. "They are welded on the wrist. No Gorean file can cut them."
"He is then of high rank?" asked Samos.
"Of lower rank than if he wore one," I said. "Two such rings designate theleader of a Band. He would have a ranking, thusly, of the sort normally accordedto one who commanded one hundred and eighty of his fellows."
"He is analogous to a captain," said Samos.
"Yes," I said.
"But not a high captain," said Samos.
"No," I said.
"If he is a Blood, then he is almost certainly of the steel ships," said Samos.
"Yes," I said.
"The other," said Samos, "wears two golden rings in its ears.
"It is a vain beast," I said. "Such rings serve only as ornaments. It ispossible he is a diplomat."
"The larger beast seems clearly dominant," said Samos.
"It is a Blood," I said.
There was a broad leather strap, too, running from the right shoulder to theleft hip of the smaller of the two creatures. I could not see what accoutermentit bore.
"We have greeted them," said Samos. "Why do they not speak?"
"Obviously we must not yet have greeted them properly," I said.
"How long do you think they will remain tolerant of our ignorance?" asked Samos.
"I do not know," I said. "Such creatures are not noted for their patience."
"Do you think they will try to kill us?" asked Samos.
"They have already had ample opportunity to attempt to do so, if that were theirintention," I said.
"I do not know what to do," said Samos.
"The occasion is formal, and we are dealing with a Blood," I said, "Onedoubtless from the steel ships themselves. I think I have it."
"What do you recommended?" asked Samos.
"How many times have you proffered greetings to them?" I asked.
Samos thought, briefly. "Four," he said. "Tal' was said to them four times."
"Yes," I said. "Now, if one of these beasts were to touch the hand, or paw, ofanother, the hand, or paw, of each being open, indicating that weapons were notheld, that the touch was in peace, at how many points would contact be made?"
"At six," said Samos.
"Such creatures do not care, usually, to be touched by humans," I said. "Thehuman analogy to such a greeting then might be six similar vocal signals. At anyrate, be that as it may, I think the number six is of importance in thismatter."
Samos then held up his left hand. Slowly, not speaking, he pointed in successionto four fingers. He then held the small finger of his left hand in his righthand. "Tal," he said. Then he held up the index finger of his right hand. "Tal," he said again.
Then, slowly, the smaller of the two creatures began to move. I felt goosepimples. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.
It turned about and bent down, and picked up a large shield, of a sort adequatefor such a creature. It lifted this before us, displaying it, horizontally,convex side down. We could see that the shield straps were in order. It thenplaced the shield on the floor, to the side of the table, to their left. It thenwent back and again bent down. This time it brought forth a mighty spear, sometwelve feet in length, with a long, tapering bronze head. This, with two hands,holding it horizontally, across its body, it also displayed, lifting itceremoniously upwards and towards us, and then drawing it back. It then put thespear down, laying it on the floor, to their left. The shaft of the spear wassome three inches in diameter. The bronze head might have weighed some twentypounds.
"They honor us," said Samos.
"As we did them," I said.
The symbolism of the creatures action, the lifting of weapons, and then thesetting aside of them, was clear. This action also, of course, was in accordwith the common Gorean convention in proposing a truce. That the creatures hadseen fit to utilize this convention, one of humans, was clear. I found this awelcome accommodation on their part. They seemed concerned to be congenial. Iwondered what they wanted. To be sure, however, it was only the lighter colored,and smaller, of the two creatures, that with rings in its ears, which hadperformed these actions. It might, indeed, be, for most practical purposes, adiplomat. The larger creature, the Blood, had stood by, unmoving. Yet clearlythese actions had been performed in its presence. This, then, was sufficientevidence of their acceptance on its part. I noted, the sort of thing a warriornotes, that the spear had been placed to their left, and that its head, too, wasoriented to their left. It was thus placed, and oriented, in such a way that theBlood, which stood on the left, from their point of view, if it favored theright hand, or paw, as most such creatures do, rather like humans, could easilybend down and seize it up.
"I see they have not come to surrender," said Samos.
"No," I said. The shield straps, which had been displayed to us with the shield,the shield held convex side down, bad not been torn away or cut, which wouldhave rendered the shield useless. Similarly the shaft of the spear had not beenbroken. They had not come to surrender.
The lips of the smaller of the two creatures drew back, exposing the fangs.
Samos stepped back. His hand went to the hilt of his sword.
"No," I said to him, quietly. "It is trying to imitate a human smile."
The creature then detached, from the broad strap, which hung diagonally aboutits body, from its right shoulder to the left hip, an instrumented, metallic,oblong, boxlike device, which it placed on the table.
"It is a translator," I said to Samos. I had seen one in a complex; some yearsearlier, in the north.
"I do not trust such creatures," said Samos.
"Some of them specially trained," I said, "can understand Gorean."
"Oh," said Samos.
The smaller of the two creatures turned to the larger. It said something to him.
The speech of such creatures resembles a succession of snarls, growls, rasps andthroaty vibrations. The noises emitted are clearly animal noises, and, indeed,such as might naturally be associated with a large and powerful, predatorycarnivore; yet, on the other hand, there is a liquidity, and a precision andsubtlety about them which is unmistakable; one realizes, often uneasily, thatwhat one is listening to is a language.
The larger one inclined its huge, shaggy head, and then lifted it. The tips oftwo long, curved fangs, in the position of the upper canines, protruded slightlyfrom its closed mouth. It watched us.
The smaller of the two creatures then busied itself with the device on thetable.
Lowering the head is an almost universal assent gesture, in dictating submissionto, or agreement with, the other. The dissent gesture, on the other hand, showsmuch greater variety. Shaking the head sideways, among rational creatures, maybe taken as a negation of assent. Other forms of the nonassent gesture can beturning the head away from the other, sometimes with a gesture of the lips,indicating distaste, or even of ejecting an unwanted. Substance from the mouth,backing away, or lifting the head and extending the neck, sometimes baring thefangs and tensing the body, as in a variation on the bristling response.