“Kkkkt.” From a forgotten source behind them.
And station was ahead. Meetpoint, with three hundred thousand stsho and a handful of hani citizens. With kif closing in on them with declared intent to dock.
“Transmit:” Pyanfar said. “The Pride of Chanur to all hani on station: prepare to assist in docking for incoming ships. Join us. This is your greatest hope of immediate safety.”
Offer a hani an overlord, a master, a foreign hegemony-
They would spit in Sikkukkut’s face. And die for it. That, beyond doubt.
But if they heard the reservation in that message, if they keyed on the nuances of safe-shelter-in-storm and all the baggage that went with it-even if the kif did, it was no more than kif expected, even if it was something no kif dared say: until we find a better.
“Repeat?” Hilfy queried.
“Repeat.”
“Still braking,” Geran said.
And the brightness on the amber lines that was their own position crept closer and closer to their own brake-point for station approach.
“Harun’s Industry; responds,” Hilfy said, “quote: We take your offer enthusiastically.”
It took awhile, for ships to reduce V.
It took awhile for outbound kifish ships to go their way, leaping out into the dark, toward Hoas Point and Urtur System, toward Kshshti and Kefk and Tt’a’va’o and V’n’n’u and Nsthen. Seven ships, to follow right down Akkhtimakt’s tail in a second strike after the first one; and right down the throats of Goldtooth and humans and mahendo’sat and whoever else might be coming in if they could find them.
It was, Pyanfar reckoned bleakly, both ruthless and effective.
“Kkkkt,” was Skkukuk’s comment. “Kkkkt.”
“Kkkt,” said Skkukuk. “He is challenging you all. Kkkkt. But his throat is unprotected. You are here. He thinks to daunt you. Surprise him, hakt’.”
She spun her chair about to face the kif who sat at the aft of the bridge. And there was not a hair on her unbristled. “What has he in mind for us?”
“You are part of his sfik. You increase him. Kkkkt. His move is very good. He has penned you all in with his main force. Any attempt to exit toward your territories of resource are blocked first by his enemy and then by his own ships, whose capacities you do not know. It is a fine move, hakt’. But I have faith in you.”
“Faith.”
“Inappropriate word? Sgotkkis.”
“Call it faith.” She laid her ears back and stared at her private curse with coldest, clearest threat. “Since you don’t have an idea in a mahen hell what I’m likely to do about it. But / am still here. And my resources have not diminished.”
“Kkkkt, kkkt, skthot skku-nak’haktu.”
Your slave, captain.
“Captain,” Hilfy said. “Communication from Harukk. Quote: You have made a proposal to hani ships. You will gather these captains for my inspection on-station. End message.”
Second move. It’s going too fast. 0 gods.
“Acknowledge,” she said, cold as routine. While they slogged their way at a sedate pace through a system laced with kif, toward a station which was going to be under kifish occupation. “Sikkukkut’s going into dock. Cocky son’s going to bring that ship in.”
If Goldtooth and the humans have stopped short and the kif pass them by in hyperspace, we could get hit here.
Hilfy and Haral have got it figured. All of us do.
If Akkhtimakt’s set up to dive in here again-an attack could be poised at system’s edge right now. Or already inbound. Not saying whether the kif are onto that trick of stopping a jump. They could well have it. Maybe and maybe. It’s not saying all their ships can do it.
“Transmit,” she said. “Honor to the hakkikt: beware system edges. I fear more than spotters.”
“Done,” Hilfy said.
We help the bastard we’re with. While we’re with him.
We take whatever they want to do. And maintain our options. Ehrran’s lost all hers. We got hani on that station and gods know how many fluttering stsho. Keep a cool head, Pyanfar Chanur. It’s by the gods all the chance you’ve got.
“We’re getting docking instructions,” Hilfy murmured finally. They turned up on screen, where kifish ships were already well toward touch with station.