Thenthe police transport pulled up, with yellow-flashing emergency vehicles, ambulances, civil vehicles … repair trucks. She put the gun away, out of sight, and looked at Chihin, who had gotten a knee on the decking, na Hallan still holding on to her with both arms. Chihin shoved her gun into her belt, out of sight of the police, she had that much presence of mind, as they began swarming around the vehicles. Hilfy started to get to her feet to deal with them, safely behind the cover of the slightly tilted truck.
A shadow turned up next to her, around the truck’s back end: Haisi reached for her arm to help her up. She snatched the arm back and got up herself, glaring.
“I try warn you,” Haisi said. “I say, watch you back, I say don’t deal kif. You got be damn big hurry…”
“Big damn help, mahe!”
“You want help? Easy deal. I help carry …”
“No!” She barred his path to Chihin, who was bleeding on Hallan. “We got enough help.”
“You number one stubborn hani.”
“Get away from my ship!”
“Also crazy.”
“I said leave! This is our business!”
“Maybe better you ask stsho, ask, You want die, you want take ride with kif? Maybe you listen somebody know who friend and not friend.”
“Police!”
Haisi cast a look over his shoulder. Police were moving in.
“You got answer their question. You got answer, Hilfy Chanur? I got.”
“Like you gave me an honest warning! —Officer, this mahe is a gods-be nuisance! I want him off my dockside! Now!”
Haisi said something in dialect, the police officer said something back, put a hand on his shoulder, and the two of them stood in close conference for a moment.
Maddening. But it was what you got, in another species’ port. The medics were looking confused, and she motioned them toward Chihin. “There’s a surgery on my ship. She goes there! Fala, Hallan, stay with her.’‘
“We got regu-lation.”
“I got a surgery. There. Go, gods rot it! No argument!”
“Captain?”The com had been nattering at her for the last few seconds. “Captain? Are you all right?”
“All right,” she said, glumly watching the medics confer with the police and Haisi Ana-kehnandian.
“We’re coming in. Just keep monitoring.”
The Personage of Kshshti to the hani ship Chanur’s Legacy, attention captain Hilfy Chanur.
We not responsible this fool incident. We do investigation high priority. Hope you not take us do this. Hope well soon your crewmember. We do no charge medical service.
Bill for truck and loader arm attached. Also store sign and panels. You sue party responsible recover damage.
The hani ship Chanur’s Legacy, captain Hilfy Chanur, her hand, to his honor the Personage of Kshshti,
We thank the police and emergency services for their response. We assure the Personage we took all precautions against endangerment of bystanders, and urge that the party responsible when discovered be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
We accept the bill for damages and request that, when responsibility is fixed, the suit be lodged by proxy by your office and monies forwarded to us.
Like your honor we are very glad that no bystanders were injured and ask your honor to extend our personal apologies to affected residents. We did not seek or provoke this assault.
Thehakkikt Vikktakkht an Nikkatu to captain Hilfy Chanur, the hani merchant , at dock: Our congratulations for the damage inflicted on your enemies and may you eat their hearts.
Tahaisimandi Ana-kehnandian, mahen shipHa’domaren, at dock, to captain Hilfy Chanur, .
You one damn stubborn hani. See what kif do if you not got respect. They try make you scare. I make guess. They tell you go Kefk, yes? Damn stupid. You go Meetpoint. You can do Meetpoint if you carry no cargo. I escort you Meetpoint.
You friend try look out for you, you all same got arrogant mouth.
You deal with kif you got kif problem. How good now?
Repeat same offer. You want ally, you ask. Number one good friend. You call say help, I do.
Chihin called it a patch job. The mahen surgeon, operating in the Legacy’s small medical station, called it a close call and wished Chihin would check into hospital.