"Captain Indira Lal Bihari, commanding UNN Samurai," she was saying. "Our intentions are peaceful. We trust they can remain so."
"Ghrul-Captain, master of Strong Runner." He would volunteer no more. If that piqued her, and if he could know it did, he would have won a tiny satisfaction.
Full lips drew back, upward. Ghrul-Captain had studied many views of human faces but never learned to tell whether a baring of teeth meant amusement, conciliation, or anger. "Apparently you prefer that I take the initiative. Very well. Your people announced they would send an expedition here like us. We were not quite certain of its nature or its timing. I am not much surprised that you arrived first. Kzinti are . . . quick to act; and our preparations have doubtless been more elaborate.
"We have ascertained that you have one large vessel carrying boats and probes. Our basic arrangements are similar. However, this ship has gone in advance of the civilian to make sure all is well, and will remain in her vicinity after rendezvous. I assume you agree it's wise to take precautions against possible contingencies." That smile again. "Do you wish to respond now, or shall I proceed?"
"We will not tolerate interference with our undertakings. That includes too close an approach to any unit or work of ours."
While the time lag hummed, Ghrul-Captain considered what else to say. He had better not antagonize her, for he did need information. Fortunately, humans were devoid of true pride.
"None is intended, Ghrul-Captain. Should any of you be in distress, we will gladly give assistance." He lashed his bare pink tail but held his ears up under the insult, realizing it was unwitting. "Otherwise we will keep as separated as feasible. Let us establish a few rules between us to this end. We can begin by spelling out our plans to each other."
"What are yours, then?"
She must have prepared the speech that followed the silence:
"While at hyperspacing distance, our civilian mother ship will unload a disassembled hyperwave transceiver, with radio relays to the inner system, and leave a gang to make it ready. The job should not take long, given their robots. They'll have a boat and rejoin the rest of us when they are done.
"Subject to change as circumstances warrant, the mother ship and escort will take ecliptic orbit around the sun at approximately three-fourths of an astronomical unit. The scientists will make observations from there, but naturally will also dispatch probes and boats on appropriate courses. These will include visits to the stable planets and their satellites, for survey, and landings if closer investigation seems warranted. We propose to notify you in advance of these, as well as any important maneuvers of the ships themselves.
"Early on, the scientists will put three small robotic observatories in polar orbit around the sun, at about the same radius, 120 degrees apart, to keep the inmost planet under constant study from that angle.
"We . . . request . . . noninterference, too. We will always be open to communication with you. Let neither party judge hastily. Correct, Ghrul-Captain?
"This is our basic plan. May I ask what yours is?"
Ghrul-Captain did not answer for a minute or two. First he must overcome his rage. He wanted to scream and leap. But he had nothing to kill, only this phantom of a monkey five million kilometers out of reach. Useless, anyway, for anything but one instant of release, which would bring down his mission and his dreams.
The humiliation, though! Her words had come like one whip flick after the next. Not that the she-monkey intended it. She was totally insensitive. It never occurred to her how she flaunted those capabilities—a hyperwave station brought along, a swarm of lesser craft, three solar watchposts—before his poor little expedition—wealth and power such as belonged to the race of Heroes, before her rabble overran and robbed them.
There would be a day of justice, a night of revenge.
Not for years.
Meanwhile, he remembered, and helped congeal his feelings thereby, meanwhile I may do a deed they cannot and dare not match, to shame them whether they know it or not—we will know, at home—and, possibly, bring back a prize they are also unaware of, which may possibly hold within it the making of some mighty weapon for their destruction. Yes, possibly I will.
First he must reach an accommodation with them, at least for immediate purposes. Grand Lord Narr-Souwa and he had developed some ideas about that back on Kzin.
"You may ask," he said, as the stranglehold on his throat slackened. "For the present, I deem it best that my ship take the same orbit as yours, 90 degrees ahead. That should be a safe distance, while leaving you able to communicate with me on short notice when necessary." And for us to keep an eye on you. "You understand that we will dispatch our own lesser craft as we see fit."
He cooled further during the time lag.
Bihari didn't seem to notice how she had been disdained. He didn't want to believe that she had noticed and simply didn't care. "A question, if you please. We have detected activity of yours at a certain satellite of an outer planet. May I inquire what the purpose is?"
"Supply operations," Ghrul-Captain snapped. He would give her no more. Let the monkeys discover the rest as it happened.
She didn't push the matter. Evidently she had been briefed on kzin ways. Or did she have direct experience? Had she fought in the war? Ghrul-Captain almost hoped so. One prefers an enemy for whom one can feel a trifle of respect. "I see. If you don't wish to speak further for the time being, shall we close?"
He replied by cutting off transmission.
5
Tyra had more and more enjoyed her voyage, until near the end. Everyone aboard was an interesting person. While not yet ready to do formal interviews, she took pleasure in cultivating their acquaintance, from Captain Worning on down. She had met some of the half-dozen crew before, but not all,
