Because of that more than because of Regeya, whoever the individual behind the messages under the name might be, Ttomalss did send a message of his own to Security, asking what was known about the American space station.
Nothing that can be released to unauthorized personnel. The answer, sharp and stinging, came back almost at once.
It infuriated Ttomalss, who, unlike Kassquit, wasn’t used to being ignored. He did what he almost certainly would not have done otherwise: he wrote back, saying, Are you aware that a possible Tosevite under an assumed identity as a male of the Race is also seeking information about this space station?
Again, the response was very prompt. A Tosevite? Impossible.
To his bemusement, Ttomalss found himself using with Security all the arguments Kassquit had used with him. And Security was little more impressed with them than he had been. Tell me the individual named Regeya is demonstrably a male of the Race, and I will be convinced there is no need for concern here, he wrote.
This time, he waited a long time for an answer. He waited, and waited, and waited, and no answer came. At last, when he’d almost given up, he did get one last message. Your continued interest in the security of the Race is appreciated, it said: only that, and nothing more.
He stared at the screen. “Well, what does that mean?” he asked. “Did I make them think of something that had not occurred to them before, or are they just trying to get rid of me?” The words displayed gave him no answer.
He did not get long to wonder, for he had just turned away to try to do some other work when Felless telephoned. He guessed that meant she’d been tasting ginger; otherwise, she would have come to his office. “Those idiots!” she exclaimed. “Those treacherous, lying, double-dealing idiots!”
“What have the Deutsche done now?” Ttomalss asked. He did not think the Race could have infuriated her so.
He turned out to be right. “They have released from imprisonment the ginger smuggler Dutourd,” she blazed. That incensed reply almost made him laugh, considering how fond of the Tosevite herb she was. She went on, “They promised he would stay imprisoned for a long time. They promised, and they lied.”
“This is unfortunate, but hardly unique in our experience on Tosev 3,” Ttomalss said. “Big Uglies, I sometimes think, lie for the sport of it.”
“So I gather,” Felless answered. “Rather more than the sport of it is involved here, however. The Deutsch minister of justice, a male named Dietrich, all but said-I thought he did say-to Ambassador Veffani that this Dutourd would remain imprisoned for a long time to come. I was there. I heard him.”
“Ah,” Ttomalss said. “That does put things in a different light.”
“I should say so!” Felless said. “The ambassador is furious. He has already begun composing a memorandum of protest to the justice minister and another one to the ruler of this not-empire: to Himmler, whatever his title may be.”
“Reichs Chancellor,” Ttomalss supplied.
“Reichs Chancellor, General Secretary, President-what difference does it make?” Felless said impatiently. “All these titles are only fancy names pasted over emptiness. But this one has the nerve to defy the Race. I cannot believe his duplicity will stand.”
“Is making Himmler and, ah, Dietrich change their minds worth a possible nuclear exchange with the Reich?” Ttomalss asked. “That is the question the fleetlord will have to answer for himself before proceeding.”
“If we do not persuade the Big Uglies that they must keep their word, they will promise us peace one day and then begin a nuclear exchange themselves the next,” Felless said.
“This is likely to be truth,” Ttomalss agreed. “It is also my point: we should not let their lies take us by surprise.”
“They yielded on all other matters pertaining to this incident,” Felless said. “They released the American Tosevites who were acting as our agents. Despite protests, they even released a Tosevite in some way related to a Big Ugly who advises the fleetlord of the conquest fleet. And then they defy us about this smuggler-defy us after saying they would not.”
“As I said, they are known to be devious. Competing against one another has made them so,” Ttomalss said. He wondered whether the Big Uglies really were devious enough to impersonate a male of the Race on the computer network. As he’d told Kassquit, it was possible, but he still had trouble believing it.
Felless said, “I will be laying my eggs soon. I would like to think my hatchlings will become adults on a world where the Race is able to hold the natives in check, if nothing more.”
“Will all be well for the hatchlings if you stay here?” Ttomalss asked. “I know Slomikk was considering sending females away, to reduce the risk of radiation damage to their eggs.”
“The risk is relatively small, and my work is important to me and to the Race,” Felless replied. “I have considered, and have decided to stay.”
“Very well,” Ttomalss said. Few Tosevite females, he judged, would have made the same choice. Because of their biology and the unique helplessness of their hatchlings, their females developed stronger attachments for them than was usual among the Race. Ttomalss had discovered that after taking the female Liu Han’s hatchling and beginning the attempt to raise it as a female of the Race. Her revenge still made him shudder after all these years. Perhaps most frightening of all was the knowledge that she could have done worse.
Felless came back to what was uppermost in her mind: “How can we properly punish these Big Uglies when they flout our wishes?”
“If I knew that, I would deserve to be the fleetlord,” Ttomalss answered. “No-I would deserve to be above the fleetlord, for no one has yet found any sure answer to that question.”
“There must be one,” Felless said. “Perhaps we should start smuggling large quantities of drugs into the Reich and let the Deutsche see how they like that. I know Ambassador Veffani is considering the scheme.”
“I hope he decides wisely,” Ttomalss said, which let him avoid stating an opinion of the idea. Thinking of opinions made him ask one of Felless: “Do you believe, Senior Researcher, that a Big Ugly could impersonate a male of the Race well enough to deceive other males and females on our computer network?”
Felless considered. “I would doubt it,” she said at last. “Surely a Tosevite in close electronic contact with the Race would betray himself before long.”
“This is my belief also,” Ttomalss said with considerable relief. “I am glad to hear you confirm it.”
“Why do you ask?” Felless inquired. “Have you any evidence such impersonation may be occurring?”
“Kassquit has found enough to be thought-provoking, at least,” Ttomalss replied.
“Oh, Kassquit,” Felless said dismissively. “Being a Big Ugly herself, she doubtless looks to discover others, even if they are not there.”
“You could be right,” Ttomalss said. “That had not occurred to me, but it may hold much truth.” For all his efforts to make Kassquit as much a part of the Race as he could, biology dictated that she remained in some part a Tosevite, too. Would it be any wonder if she thought she found other Big Uglies on the computer network whether or not they were actually there? Yes, Felless’ words must indeed hold a good deal of truth-he was sure of it. He assumed the posture of respect. “I thank you, superior female. You have done much to ease my mind.”
Monique Dutourd wished with all her heart that the world would simply return to normal once more. The British Jew who’d been after her brother on behalf of his ginger-smuggling pals was gone. So were the Americans who’d been after Pierre on behalf of the Lizards.