“Rock-sibling, I am flattered that you feel the need of my counsel, but your commander is—”
“Esteemed Darzhee Kut, hear my song. This is not a military situation. If the human speaks truth, it is a diplomatic matter of the utmost importance.”
“Tell me, quickly.”
“While we were isolated from the Hkh’Rkh, a human approached us. He is not an Indonesian. He claims he is known to you as the emissary named Caine Riordan. We reasoned that—”
Darzhee Kut had stopped hearing. “Bring him. Immediately.”
The Arat Kur clattered out backwards. He returned with his partner, Caine Riordan walking between them.
“Speaker Riordan, I trust you are—” Darzhee Kut looked again. “Are you well?”
“I am in good health and unharmed. My return to this place has been, er, challenging.”
“Why did you not signal in advance? Why did you not return earlier?”
Caine smiled slowly. “Darzhee Kut, surely you have already guessed.”
Darzhee Kut bobbed. “You feared for your life if you did not come directly into Arat Kur custody. I understand. But I must ask that this time, regardless of the provocations you might encounter, that you give your word that you shall not attempt to flee—or mount attacks.” Darzhee Kut let his inner polyps twitch with amusement. “Not even against your own species.”
Caine obviously detected the humor. “That last may be the hardest of all promises to keep, Darzhee Kut. But provided I remain in the custody of the Arat Kur, I give you the parole you ask for, as is customary for an emissary.”
“And we receive you again, as an ambassador of your people. Although I fear the situation may have passed beyond the intercession of diplomats. Or common sense.”
“Perhaps, but one must still try.”
“We harmonize as one voice in this, Caine Riordan. I welcome you back, but you must also accept our close monitoring at all times. Many of our associates are profoundly suspicious of you.”
“That is an uncommonly tactful way of saying they wish to kill me.”
Darzhee Kut could not tell if the strange smile on the human’s revoltingly mobile face was one of mirth or rue. “We shall discuss your status among our allies later on. I regret that I am pressed for time. So I will ask you to accompany these two defense-technicians to suitable quarters.”
One of whom raised a claw. “Speaker Kut, if I may encumber you a moment longer. It is known that you have regular contact with First Delegate Hu’urs Khraam and I would plead that he hears the servants of the Wholenest in this one matter. Although the Hkh’Rkh are often too brutal and quick-tempered, I wish to ask Hu’urs Khraam to approve their requests for general reprisals against towns and neighborhoods that are known to harbor and support the insurgents.”
“Surely you cannot mean this.”
“Surely I do, and I must request it. Speaker Kut, we cannot separate civilians from combatants anymore. This leads to friction with our Hkh’Rkh allies. We are to work as their conduct officers, but as the guerilla activity grows and becomes more unpredictable and bold, we are constantly in contention with the Hkh’Rkh field commanders who wish to destroy sections of kempangs to which insurgents have fled. We are forced to argue with our allies more than we fight the humans, and most of us have come to harmonize with the Hkh’Rkh in this matter. We must make reprisals, if only to prevent the humans from using any refuge twice.”
Unshaded sun, has it come to this? Darzhee Kut adopted as patient a tone as he could. “We are on the humans’ homeworld. If we start destroying their communities in the way you suggest, they will see this as a prelude to genocide.”
“Speaker Kut, I only know this: in war, it is better that the enemy dies instead of your rock-siblings. Please, listen—and learn—from the songs of your grandmothers once again. We have no choice with the humans. We never did.”
Darzhee Kut started at the defense-tech’s unexpected slip, considering that he had not deactivated his translator. Kut looked at Caine, who looked more confused than elucidated. Hopefully, Riordan would not deduce the full significance of what he had just heard about the Wholenest’s prior knowledge of humans, but, either way, Darzhee Kut had to prevent any more unwitting disclosures. “Rock-sibling, I harmonize with your fear and frustration, but this is a tactical matter. I am a diplomat, a Speaker.”
“Yes, Speaker Kut, but all know that the sound-bristles of Hu’urs Khraam are attuned to your songs. I speak for many of us in this, and hope—”
“I will mention it to Hu’urs Khraam. He will decide if and how to proceed.” Darzhee Kut held up a claw to signal an end to any further entreaties, turned slightly toward Caine. “I regret that I may not accompany you, Caine Riordan, but I must meet with First Delegate Hu’urs Khraam. These two will escort you to quarters, provide you with opportunities to cleanse, clothe, and feed yourself. Then, when Hu’urs Khraam has no further need of me, I shall come and share roof with you. Is this acceptable?”
“It is an honor, Darzhee Kut.”
“The honor is ours, Caine Riordan. I wish you very well and shall attend you as soon as I may.” He turned to the two Arat Kur soldiers. “Apprise Thrice-Leader Oonvai Grek of this situation and make it clear to him that your deviation from protocols was warranted and blameless, and that he will be held personally responsible for the safety and proper treatment of Caine Riordan. Lastly, no humans or Hkh’Rkh are to have contact with this emissary. I speak for Hu’urs Khraam in this, and there are no exceptions.”
“And if the Hkh’Rkh violently object to these dictates, Speaker Kut?”
“Then you must violently insist that they be obeyed. You may use all methods at your disposal. You are dismissed.”
As they left through the rear door, Darzhee Kut heard a faint, even frail skittering at the high room’s other, larger entrance. He turned—and felt his polyps stiffen in surprise. “First Delegate Hu’urs Khraam! Apologies, I received no word that you were already waiting.”
“Harmonies, rock-sibling; I sent no word.”
“I have, this minute, a most interesting event to report.”
Hu’urs Khraam waved a relaxed claw, eased himself into one of the room’s six belly-couches. “I know of what you speak; this room has antennae which are extensions of my own.”
Shattered eggs! The old darkworm has fewer scruples than I thought…
Perhaps Hu’urs Khraam genuinely possessed his reputed power to read minds; perhaps he saw the stunned sag in Darzhee Kut’s manipulator polyps; perhaps he simply anticipated the younger Arat Kur’s surprise. Whatever the cause, he seemed to respond to Darzhee Kut’s reaction as though it had been spoken aloud. “Too much is at stake for me not to know all that transpires in this room, particularly since it is where you and Urzueth Ragh have had to be my proxies against the pressure of First Voice and his First Fist. You have my gratitude, particularly, Darzhee Kut.”
“It is my honor to echo your melodies in this place, Esteemed First Delegate. Regarding the Speaker Caine Riordan, I wonder if we should house him here, or in the fleet.”
“Why the fleet?”
“I fear for his safety from the Hkh’Rkh and from our human associates.”
Hu’urs Khraam settled his belly down lower into the couch. “Let us keep him here. Attend my reasons. First, he returns to us as an emissary, not for asylum, and so we must house him where we would other emissaries: here on this planet. Secondly, we may wish to speak to him, have his immediate counsel at this delicate juncture, and I wish to watch his reactions both as he speaks to us and hears what we say. He may reveal much to us this way.