Three days later she managed to lure Iol away from the other Rcyyt and to her office with a specific question on one of the planet’s insectoids. Since Iol seemed to be the local insectoid expert, it appeared to be a reasonable and rational request.
The best translator had been installed onto Kharmadi’s computer for just this occasion. With her computer up translating for both of them, and unknown to Iol recording everything they said and did, she had her question answered quickly. Then, wiping her sweaty palms on the knees of her pants, Kharmadi gathered her courage and asked, “What did you mean by no talk?” After listening to the translation, Iol looked down at its hands in its lap, so she quickly added, “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but if I don’t know what I’m doing I might.”
Iol nodded, but kept looking at its hands and sitting rigidly. It spoke very quietly, but the computer translated his words at a normal volume. “We don’t talk about them. It is forbidden.”
“The creatures? Like the one I caught?” Kharmadi bit her lip and winced, realizing she’d just broken a Rcyyt taboo with her questions.
This elicited another nod, but no other response.
“Okay,” Kharmadi said slowly. “But how do I keep other Terrans from making the same mistake I did?”
After a moment’s teeth grinding, Iol spoke. “Among us everyone knows, but no one speaks of it. Such a mistake could only be made at twilight, when the sun is on the other side of the planet. Terrans shouldn’t be out at that time. The Rcyyt are not.”
“The whole night?” Kharmadi asked. “You’re talking about a curfew covering the whole night?”
The translator sputtered through that translation, so Kharmadi knew that either it didn’t have enough Rcyyt words for what she’d said or it was having trouble reconciling certain concepts. Before Iol could respond, the computer announced, “There is no ‘night,’ ‘nighttime,’ or any related words in Rcyyt language, the closest translation is twilight.”
“They really don’t talk about this do they?” Kharmadi muttered, forgetting that she’d programmed the computer to translate everything either of them said. Which it promptly did.
Iol finally looked up as its hands clapped twice. “No, we do not speak of this.” Iol glanced at her, then held up its hand with all the fingers fisted except the middle finger. “Why should we not do this?”
“That is a rude gesture that stands as a symbol of a Terran insult.” Kharmadi noticed that Iol no longer seemed as rigid as a moment ago. Perhaps it would be best to go with a change of subject now. Even if she didn’t get all the information Uljana, Baxter, and Dr. Ayers wanted.
“I understand.” Iol nodded sagely. “I would not wish to imply that someone is stupid.”
“That’s not exactly what it means.” Kharmadi consulted with the translator to determine if it had the words for an exact translation, but it didn’t. However, as Iol listened with increasingly widening eyes and slowly paling face, she managed to convey the meaning in general terms.
“We will not do this rude gesture around Terrans ever again,” Iol assured her solemnly. The translator added his murmured aside, “And perhaps not among ourselves either.”
Kharmadi grinned. “Oh I wouldn’t go that far. You never know when you’ll need a good insult.”
Iol shook his head. “No. It is forbidden.”
“Is it now?” Kharmadi hesitated a moment, wondering if his word choice was deliberate or just a quirk of the translator, then asked, “Are many things forbidden?”
“Not many. We do have many laws covering many subjects, and those we must obey. But the things that are forbidden, more than just illegal also unthinkable, are of a related nature.” Iol slowly nodded at Kharmadi, watching to see if she understood him.
“Oh no.” Kharmadi scrubbed her face with her hands. “Great. Just great.”
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