Decision at Doona

Chapter XXIII. INTERVENTION

THE DUTY OFFICER, Hrran, who was monitoring the closed-circuit screens on Rrala happened to be acquainted with Hrrula. He was not a Barred Stripe himself, but he had great respect for that clan. Furthermore, the poignancy of the Terran's faltering plea made an impression on him. The moment he was relieved of his watch, he disobeyed stern directives and trotted over to Hrrula's quarters.

When Hrran had finished recounting the events he had witnessed but not completely understood, due to lack of language, Hrrula began to pace the floor, his tail twitching in wide, snapping arcs.

“Yes, it was only a matter of time before the reptiles finished laying their eggs on the plains and sought the river route to their swamps. However, the Terans have the means to blow up the Pass and protect themselves.” His tail gave a long lash.

“You know how some parties will construe that development,” Hrran remarked discreetly.

Hrrula's tail gave a vicious swipe through the air.

“Hrran, why did you breach security? You are Thirds appointee!”

Hrran nodded slowly. "I am – I was, I should say – because I find there is much to be said for the honorable conduct of these creatures. Oh, I do not understand the half of what is said but when this Rrev spoke of leaving Rrala without his cub – " Hrran shrugged his shoulders expressively. "I have cubs of my own. And I have met the young Zodd with his rope tail!"

Hrrula purred deep in his throat and his eyes moved restlessly, his nose and ears twitched, signs of deep perturbation for the usually composed Hrruban.

“How soon before these latest tapes are reviewed and translated?”

"They'll be in processing now, but as to when the Speakers will schedule viewing in their so busy days – " Hrran shrugged again, his expression ironic. "Third has many ways of deferring issues."

«He fouls his own lair with obstructive indecision's – oh, my pardon, Hrran. I have no right to insult your patron.»

Hrran stood, his jaw dropping in a reassuring smile, His tail tip idly curled this way and that.

“There comes a time when the larger loyalty must be considered. I believe I see a way in which this matter may be put before Third immediately. I'll do my best.” He rose.

“Hrran?” Hrrula stopped the officer on the point of leaving. “Who is duty officer now? Will he have wit enough to report an evacuation? We cannot let Rrev and the others suffer from the timid vacillations of lair loafers and we cannot in conscience separate Zodd permanently from his own kind.”

“The duty officer is Hrrirl of the small mind but the technician is one Mrrim who, I hear, actually knows some Terran from close study of the screens.”

When Hrran had left, Hrrula immediately changed into formal attire. He was determined to bring this news to the ears of the First Speaker. For such a crucial message, Hrrula would not trust public sources of communication. As he trotted quickly through the traffic on the Concourse, he wondered if he should stop for Hrrestan. No, he couldn't face Zodd at the moment and the sooner he got to the First Speaker the sooner action could be taken.

Yet what action could be taken until Council had deliberated? There had been uproar enough when Hrrestan had returned with Zodd, although Fourth had mitigated that by monopolizing the cub with his tests and intensive language training. And Zodd himself was his own enchanting advocate right down to the tip of his frayed rope tail. He also insisted on wearing the mda jacket and loincloth – though mda fur was shades darker than even the oldest Hrruban's. The cub's grasp of Hrruban was nothing short of miraculous, and his willingness to purr and growl with Hrruban intensity and accuracy won him many adherents.

However, they were bound by the Laws and the Laws said that all Speakers must be unanimously agreed on major policy changes. And this Terran incident definitely was a major change – no, upheaval. And that was the problem.

Hrrula, in the heat of his thoughts, was inexcusably rude in passing a lagging group of dark stripes and, but for his excessive speed, might have been severely detained. However, he reached the Great Compound safely and, once inside the Executive Shaft, used his security card to get him transmitted to First's suite.

Fortunately for him, not only was First in residence, but a personal friend was duty officer and Hrrula was ushered in at once. He began the proper ritual of entreaty, only to be cut off by a peremptory wave of First's hand.

“You would not importune me with nonsense. Come to the point, young Hrrula.”

Quickly recovering from the surprise of such a compliment, Hrrula outlined the new developments, adding Rrev's pleas at the village site and in the hall. For a long moment First sat deep in thought, even his tail still. Finally he signed.

«I was afraid of just such an occurrence,» he murmured with a sad smile and sadder eyes. «These Terans are so much like ourselves. So much, even to the fear of change and the prevalence of petty ego-centricities. And yet – in honor what can I do?» The last was a bare whisper, heard only because Hrrula was breathless, every sense alert.

Suddenly First propelled himself from his couch and paced to the window wall, flipping off the opacity and gazing sadly down at the gleaming miles of structures that marched up to the horizon itself.

«If they leave Rrala, we are not positioned to follow. Even if they leave Rrala, we shall not be able to continue the reeducation program there; not with Third and Sixth in their present fog. We are no longer programmed to act quickly,» First growled. «Nowadays even dire emergencies take time! However,» and he spun back to his control panel, tapping out sequences with a deliberate claw ticking against the metal keys, «we can at least set all in motion – slow motion, that is,» and Hrrula was unsure of whether he should have laughed in response to that or not, although First did not seem to take offense.

Then he realized that First was staring at him intently.

“There must not, young Hrrula, be any incidents of violence among the Terans; that would certainly prejudice the uncertain. Yet, as you describe the events, Rrev has already evaded custody.”

“Only to be sure that no one will be taken from the, planet until Zodd returns,” Hrrula added hastily.

“No matter. There can be no violence.”

“And what of Zodd?” Hrrula pressed anxiously. “What will become of the cub if his people do leave without him?”

First's grizzled head came up sharply and the old Speaker looked intently into Hrrula's eyes.

“You are right, my clever stripe. It is a question of honor! A delicate question of honor. And on that rests our case, I believe.”

First ushered Hrrula with hasty ceremony to the door, offering his open hand to the scout, an unexpected civility from such an august personage.

“There must be no violence on Rrala among our new friends, Hrrula,” First said, his voice charged with excitement. “Do nothing rash but proceed.”

Hrrula found himself outside the suite, the Speaker's peculiar farewell ringing in his ears. “Do nothing rash but proceed?” Hrrula murmured. “Proceed-where?”

“This film is proof,” Hrrula heard Third's truculent voice down the corridor, “that all their fine talk is windblown. They do not respect each other. They will not respect us. They are landing ships in force on Rrala.”

Hrrula jumped for the transmitter pad, slapping at a random station to avoid being seen by Third. When he emerged at the Transmitter Base, deep below the sea, he was startled by that coincidence to his subconscious desire. Even as he cleared the pad and approached the floor officer, he knew where he was going. 'They are landing ships' – Third had used the plural. He had to know if that second ship was Alreldep or Codep, and since Mrrim was on duty, fortune was favoring him. Mrrim would know what to do.