Sergei Greenberg joined Mr. Kiku in the retiring room behind the rostrum as the Hroshii delegation entered the hall. He looked worried. "I don't like this, boss."
Kiku looked up. "Why not?"
Greenberg glanced at the others present-Mr. MacClure and a double for the Secretary General. The double, a skilled actor, nodded and went back to studying the speech he was about to deliver, but MacClure said sharply, "What's the trouble, Greenberg? Those devils up to something?"
"I hope not." Greenberg addressed Kiku, "I checked arrangements from the air and they look good.. We've got the Boulevard of the Suns barricaded from here to the port and enough reserves on each side for a small war. Then I picked up the head of their column as it left the port and flew above it. They dropped off reserves of their own about every quarter of a mile and set up gear of some sort at each strong point. It might just be communication links back to their ship. I doubt it. I think it must be weapons."
"So do I," agreed Kiku.
The Secretary said worriedly, "Now look here, Mr. Kiku..."
"If you please, Mr. MacClure. Sergei, the Chief of Staff reported this earlier. I advised the Secretary General that we should make no move unless they try to pass our barricades."
"We could lose a lot of men."
"So we could. But what will you do, Sergei, when you are required to enter a stranger's camp to palaver? Trust him completely? Or try to cover your retreat?"
"Mmm.. . yes."
"I consider this the most hopeful sign we have had yet. If those are weapons, as I hope they are, it means that they do not regard us as negligible opponents. One does not set up artillery against mice." He looked around. "Shall we go? I think we have let them stew long enough. Ready, Arthur?"
"Sure." The Secretary-General's double chucked his script aside. "That boy Robbins knows how to write a speech. He doesn't load up a sentence with sibilants and make me spray the first five rows."
"Good." They went in, the actor first, then the Secretary, then the Permanent Under Secretary followed by his assistant.
Of the long procession of Hroshii that had left the space port only a dozen had entered the auditorium, but even that number made the hail seem filled. Mr. Kiku looked down at them with interest, it being the first time that he had laid eyes on a Hroshiu. It was true, he saw, that these people did not present the golliwog friendliness shown in the pictures of the Hroshia Lummox. These were adults, even though smaller than Lummox. The one just in front of the platform and flanked by two others was staring back at him. The stare was cold and confident. Mr. Kiku found that the creature's gaze made him uneasy; he wanted to shift his eyes. Instead he stared back and reminded himself that his own hypnotherapist could do it as well or better than the Hroshiu.
Greenberg touched his elbow. "They've set up weapons in here, too," he whispered. "See that? In the back?"
Mr. ICiku answered, "We are not supposed to know that it is a weapon. Assume that it is apparatus for their own record of the conference." Dr. Ftaeml was standing beside the foremost Hroshiu; the Under Secretary said to him, "Tell them what our Secretary General is. Describe him as chief of seventeen powerful planets."
'The Rargyllian hesitated. "What about the President of your Council?"
"The Secretary General embodies both of them for this occasion."
"Very well, my friend." The Rargyillan spoke in highpitched speech which reminded Kiku of puppies whining. The Hroshiu answered him briefly in the same tongue, and suddenly Mr. Kiku no longer felt the dread that had been inspired by the creature's stare. It was not possible to feel awe for a person who sounded like a lonesome puppy. But he reminded himself that deadly orders could be given in any speech.
Ftaeml was speaking. "Here beside me is . ." He broke into a multiple squeal of the strange tongue. "... who is commander of the ship and the expedition. She... no, perhaps 'he' would be better... he is hereditary marshal and..." The Rargyllian broke off and fretted. "You have no equivalent rank. Perhaps I should say 'mayor of the palace.'"
Greenberg suddenly said, "How about 'boss,' Doc?"
"A happy suggestion! Yes, this is the Boss. Her... his social position is not highest but his practical authority is almost without limit."
Kiku asked, "Is his authority such that he may conduct plenipotentiary bargaining?"
"Ah, yes, certainly!"
'Then we will get on with it." He turned to the actor and nodded. Then he spoke to the desk in front of him, using a hush circuit: "Getting all this?"
A voice answered his ears alone. "Yes, sir. The picture pick-up faded once but it's all right now."
"Are the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff listening?"
"I believe so, sir. Their offices are monitoring."
"Very well" Mr. Kiku listened to the Secretary General's speech. It was short but delivered with great dignity and the actor paced it so that Ftaeml might translate. The Secretary General welcomed the Hroshii to Earth, assured them that the peoples of the Federation were happy that the Hroshii had at long last found their lost sibling, and added that this happy accident should be the occasion for the Hroshii to take their rightful place in the Community of Civilizations.
He sat down and promptly went to sleep for all practical purposes, eyes open and face fixed in kindly dignity. The double could hold this Roman-Emperor pose for hours without really noticing the review, or ceremony, or whatever he might be chaperoning.
Mr. Macclure spoke briefly, seconding the Secretary General and adding that the Federation was now prepared to discuss any matters of business between the Federation and the noble Hroshii.
Greenberg leaned to Kiku and whispered, "Should we clap, boss? Somebody ought to and I don't think they know how."
"Shut up," Kiku said amiably. "Dr. Ftaeml, does the commander have a speech of formality to deliver?"
"I think not." Ftaeml spoke to the leading Hroshiu, then answered, "The reply is a serious comment on the two speeches made, rather than an answer of formality. He states that the Hrosliii have no need of other lesser... breeds and says we should not get to business without further, ah... trivia."
"If it is true that they have no need for other peoples, please ask him why they have come to us and why they have offered us presents?"
"But you insisted on it, my friend," Ftaeml answered in surprise.
"Thank you, Doctor, but I do not want your comment. Require him to answer. Please do not coach him."
"I will try." Ftaeml exchanged several sentences of the high whining with the Hroshij commander, then turned back to Kiku. "Forgive me. He says that he acceded to your childishness as the simplest means of accomplishing his purpose. He wishes to discuss now the surrender of John Thomas Stuart."
"Please tell him that the matter is not open to discussion. The agenda requires that we first settle the question of diplomatic relations."
"Pardon me, sir. 'Diplomatic relations' is a concept difficult to translate. I have been working on it for days."
"Tell him that what he sees now is an example of diplomatic relations. Free peoples, negotiating as equals, with peaceful intentions, to their mutual benefit."
The Ragyllian simulated a sigh. "Each of those concepts is almost equally difficult. I will try."
Presently he answered, "The hereditary marshal says that if what we are doing constitutes diplomatic relations you have them now. Where is the Stuart boy?"
"Not so fast. The agenda must be taken up point by point. They must accept an embassy and a mixed mission for cultural, scientific, and trade purposes. They must leave with us a similar embassy and mission. Regular travel between our two sovereignties must be planned. Not until these are disposed of can there be any mention of the Stuart boy."