I could now, the angle of the lighting being different, see them, blinking, asthe large, deep orbs they were. I could see the pupils contracting. Suchcreatures are primarily nocturnal. Their night vision is far superior to that ofthe human. Their accommodation to shifting light conditions is also much morerapid than is that of the human. These things have been selected for in theirbloody species. When the eyes of the creature had reflected back the light, thelight, too, had suddenly reflected back from its fangs, and I had seen, too, thelong, dark tongue move about on the lips, and then draw back into the mouth.
The creatures seemed to continue to grow before us. Then they stood erect beforeus. Their hind legs, some eight to ten inches in width, are proportionatelyshorter than their arms, which tend to be some eight inches in width at thebiceps and some five inches, or so, in width at the wrist. Standing as theywere, upright, the larger of the two creatures was some nine feet tall, and thesmaller some eight and a half feet tall. I conjecture the larger weighed aboutnine hundred pounds and the smaller about eight hundred and fifty pounds. Theseare approximately average heights and weights for this type of creature. Theirhands and feet are six digited, tentacle like and multiply jointed. The nails,or claws, on the hands, are usually filed, presumably to facilitate themanipulation of tools and instrumentation. The claws, retractable, on the feetare commonly left unfiled. A common killing method for the creature is to seizethe victim about the head or shoulders, usually with the teeth, and, raking, todisembowel it with the tearing of the clawed hind feet. Other common methods areto hold the victim and tear away the throat from between the head and body, orto bite away the head itself.
'Tal,' repeated Samos, uneasily.
I looked across the table at the creatures. I saw intelligence in their eyes.
'Tal,' repeated Samos.
Their heads were better than a foot in width. Their snouts were two-nostriled,fattish and leathery. Their ears were large, wide and pointed. They were nowerected and oriented towards us. This pleased me, as it indicated they had noimmediate intention of attacking. When such a creature attacks the ears flattenagainst the sides of the head, this having the apparent function of reducingtheir susceptibility to injury. This is a common feature of predatorycarnivores.
'They do not respond,' said Samos.
I did not take my eyes from the creatures. I shrugged. 'Let us wait,' I said. Iwas uncertain as to what alien protocols the creatures might expect us toobserve.
The creatures stood upright now but they could function as well on all fours,using the hind legs and the knuckles of the hands. The upright carriageincreases scanning range, and has probably contributed to the development andrefinement of binocular vision. The horizontal carriage permits great speed, andhas probably contributed, via natural selections, to the development ofolfactory and auditory acuity. In running, such creatures almost invariably,like the baboon, have recourse to all fours. They will normally drop to allfours in charging, as well, the increased speed increasing the impact of theirstrike.
'One is a Blood,' I said.
'What is that?' asked Samos.
'In their military organizations,' I said, 'six such beasts constitute a Hand,and its leader is called an Eye. Two hands and two eyes constitute a largerunit, called a 'Kur' or 'Beast,' which is commanded by a leader, or Blood.
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.
