"I thought this ceremony was going to show us the real Rcyyt," Maddog complained later as he again fiddled with his report on Kharmadi's lab computer. "Instead they were as uptightly dignified as ever. If that was an example of the Rcyyt being wild, crude, and disrespectful, I'd be afraid to see them demure and polite."
"I thought they were rather clever." Kharmadi looked up from where she'd been tending a cage of insectoids, feeding them some of the sour-mint scented tendrils from a fuzz bush. "Truncating the whole thing and getting rid of us, so they could have their fun in peace."
"What?" Maddog spun around in his seat as the chair screeched and scuffed the floor beneath him. "What do you mean they got rid of us?"
"They got rid of us." Kharmadi checked the water dish, finding it three quarters full with no obvious dirt or chaff in it. "They gave us a bit of ceremony, enough to keep us happy, then sent us away so they could party the Rcyyt way without us."
"She's right!" Everest flung himself down in the straight-backed chair next to Maddog. "I didn't notice it until she pointed it out, but they did."
Maddog growled at his report on the computer. "I think I'll leave that part out."
"So why did they want your 'one name?'" Everest stared at Kharmadi. "I saw you corner Iol as he was sneaking away. What did he say?"
"He said they 'needed a one name and another name.' That's all I got. Make of it what you will." Having finished her evening check on her specimens Kharmadi sat on her camp stool to wait out Maddog and Everest, who seemed determined to take over her lab for their own purposes. Not that it was likely to do any good; most of the colonists had already started packing. A ship would be arriving shortly to transport them someplace else. Terra might consider co-colonizing a planet with another race, or competing to colonize a planet, but they wouldn't colonize another race's home planet. That would just be wrong.
Frowning at Maddog, Everest asked, "The one name Iol chose was Elari right?"
"Yes." Maddog pondered a moment, then looked up as if enlightened. "Then the other name must be for Elari's arachnoid."
"Yes." Everest grinned as he slowly stood up and faced Kharmadi. "You've got an alien named after you!"
"That is not fair!" Maddog scooted the chair to sit facing the computer display. "She kidnapped their baby - well, babies since they come in pairs - and they name one after her. Meanwhile, we who have harmed no one get pushed over and shoved aside so that someone else can hog all the glory and history." He glanced at Kharmadi apparently aware of her furious glare. "No offense."
Kharmadi shrugged. "I am not in charge here."
"If there was only some way we could get them to agree to negotiate with us, instead of the I.A. or the Terran reps." Everest looked pleadingly at Kharmadi from his seat in her office chair. "You have a way with them. Maybe you could-"
"The colonists want to stay. I can't arrange that either."
"Terran Dr. Oxana Kharmadi?" Iol called from outside Kharmadi's lab. He added something in Rcyyt, but Kharmadi couldn't understand it, and they didn't have the translator running.
Maddog opened the translator and recorder as Kharmadi opened the door, letting Iol and the last warm rays of sunset into the lab. She tried a welcoming smile, and asked, "What's the matter?"
Iol glanced back at the setting sun, and the sleepy Terran colony, before he shut the door. "I have a problem. Could you help?"
"We'll try," Everest said, as he positioned a chair for Iol. He motioned for Iol to sit. "What do you need?"
After opening and closing his mouth several times without saying anything; Iol finally sat with a quiet dignity. He took a deep breath, and said, "We are worried."
"About what?" Kharmadi asked.
After making a short speech, Iol waited patiently while the computer translated his words. "We are worried and since you came up with a plan to ease everyone through the naming ceremony, we hoped you might have some idea to help us."
"I don't get it." Maddog flung himself and his chair back away from the computer display again. "I just don't get it."
Everest, Kharmadi, and Iol all stared at Maddog. Iol asked, "What is it you don't understand?"
"Why would you come to her?" Maddog waved his hand at Kharmadi. "Why? She stumbles headfirst into your village, scaring everyone half to death, turns your world upside down, and kidnaps your baby. So why would you come to her?"
Iol wrinkled his forehead. "She didn't intend any harm, and she has assisted us in understanding Terrans. She's intelligent, patient, and kind. It was her idea to have the children play together to increase communications between our peoples."
Maddog slumped in his chair, glaring bulldog-like at Iol. "So why not go to the I.A. delegates or the Terran representatives? Or even the Colonial authorities? Why her? It makes no sense."
"It is true that normally such problems are brought to the Clan Elders." Iol twiddled his hands nervously in his lap. "However, whenever the elders have had problems communicating or," his head bobbled on his shoulders, "other problems, they have found her to be a good source to mine for potential solutions."
"Ah," Everest breathed. "But, they don't go to her. They send you. So, you are also a good source to mine for potential solutions."
Iol drew himself up straighter in his seat. "Yes. This is true." His hands lay still in his lap, with the four thumbs interlocked. "I have had, and offered, solutions to the elders. And my solutions have worked."
Filing his body language and facial expression away under Rcyyt smirking and gloating, Kharmadi grinned and said, "I suppose that doesn't hurt if you're trying to become a Clan Elder."
"Oh no." Iol shook his head solemnly. "Such actions are very helpful." He nodded vigorously.
"You forgot the translator doesn't do irony," Everest said to Kharmadi.
Once glance at the strange look Iol gave the translation of that sentence made Kharmadi shrug. "Perhaps the Rcyyt don't do irony either."
"We understand the concept," Iol responded, "but irony isn't generally used in formal conversation."
"Is this a formal conversation?" Everest leaned toward Iol. "What would make it informal?"
"This is all very much beside the point," Maddog shouted before Iol could answer. "Kharmadi kidnapped a Rcyyt, uh, you-know, complete with near term infant - his infant, no less - and yet here he is fawning all over her."
"I don't think he's fawning." Everest leaned back in his seat.
Kharmadi sighed. "Let's not bring that up again. That wasn't what I intended, I'm not real proud of it, and I'm sorry it ever happened." She glanced at Iol, wondering about his reaction to Maddog's outburst.
Iol had been watching Maddog. He moved his hands up, placing them over his pot belly like a pregnant woman. "If you disapprove of her actions so strongly, why are you here, using her equipment and resources?" Iol leaned toward Maddog. "And going to her for solutions to your problems?"
While Kharmadi only grinned, Everest actually snickered. "Well, Maddog. Why are we here?"
"Got me there." Maddog grinned. "I guess it's because she makes us laugh."
"She makes you laugh?" Iol wrinkled his forehead again. "This is an acceptable reason?"
"Certainly." Maddog grinned bigger. "Terrans use that excuse all the time."
"I see." Iol nodded once, before turning to Kharmadi. "We are worried and since you came up with a plan to ease everyone through the naming ceremony, we hoped you might have some idea to help us."
"I'll do my best." Kharmadi nodded, trying to look wise and thoughtful. "What seems to be the problem?"
Iol glanced out the window, at the increasingly dark outdoors.
"Are you afraid of the dark?" Maddog asked.
"No. I have permission to be out."
"You need permission to be out at night?"
"Maddog," Kharmadi said warningly.
"Yes." Iol seemed unperterbed.
"Why?" Maddog asked.
&n
bsp; Iol blinked, and looked again out the window. "Because it is twilight."
"Can he just tell us what the problem is before you interrupt him again?" Kharmadi didn't bother to keep the irritation from her voice, knowing it wouldn't come through the translation. She tried again to look wise and thoughtful. "So what is the problem?"
"We are worried." Iol stared intently at her.
"Ah!" Everest also seemed to be trying to look studious and intelligent. "But what is it that is worrying you?"
"You, Terrans, and the I.A., are very powerful." Iol paused, seeming to be gathering himself for something. "Your equipment can tell you how to talk to us. You can do things we can not do. You know things we do not know. There are many different kinds of people in the I.A., we are only one kind."
"We only want to be your friends," Maddog said.
"Maddog, hush!" Kharmadi glared at him, before nodding at Iol. "Go on."
Iol spread his hands palms up away from his sides, as if in surrender. "You say you wish to be friends, but we are to you as the insectoids. You could crush us without even noticing. What could we do?"
"You're not that powerless." Kharmadi imitated his gesture, hoping it was the appropriate thing to do. "But I can understand what you mean, and how you might feel that way. What can we do to help?"
"We do not wish to lose our home." Iol wrapped his arms around his pot belly protectively. He ground his teeth and looked down at his arms.
"Of course!" Kharmadi began.
"We understand completely," Everest interrupted. "And you've come to the right place. We can help you there." He glanced at Kharmadi, as if trying to keep her quiet. "If your elders will insist to the I.A. delegates and the Terran representatives that you, the Rcyyt, will only negotiate with us," he motioned to himself and Maddog, "and the colony's elders, we will guarantee you that this entire planet will be yours. We'll guarantee that the planet will legally belong to the Rcyyt. You will govern it. You'll decide who can stay, and who has to leave. How people must behave; we'll even help you enforce your laws. If you will negotiate with us, we promise that you will keep your homes, your traditions, your laws, your planet, everything."
Iol blinked as he looked intently at Everest. "Everything?" Everest nodded. Iol turned his earnest gaze on Maddog, who appeared to be holding his breath. Finally, Iol turned to Kharmadi. "Is this true? Can he do as he says?"
Kharmadi bit the inside of her lip. She didn't need to check to know Everest had his best pleading look on for her. The simple answer was "yes," but it was incomplete. The Rcyyt would get the same agreement from anyone and everyone on the planet. Anyone trying to take over another species home planet would find themselves facing the combined wrath of the rest of the universe. That was one thing every species agreed on. Still, Kharmadi didn't want to ruin her chance at staying and learning all she could here. She nodded slowly. "Yes. It is true."
Maddog blew out a long breath. Everest allowed the corners of his mouth to turn up slightly, as he nodded sagely at Iol. "Do we have a deal?"
Smoothing his outer toga as he stood, Iol said, "I will speak with the elders."
After he'd left, Everest grinned at Maddog. "We did it. We're going to land the Rcyyt."
"Yes!" Maddog began messing with his report.
When Everest smiled at her, Kharmadi said, "You owe me."
"Now, now. You get what you wanted, too. You and the rest of the colony can stay. For a while at least."
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