Chanur’s Legacy by C.J. Cherryh

“Most excellent hani, it is age. To attempt to sustain the energies will take years from my life, yet I am motivated to do so. Paehisna-ma-to has conspired within stsho space itself to create disaffections and hesitations, which have threatened gtst excellency of Meetpoint, whom I most ardently have admired. I overestimated my endurance. I underestimated the persistence of the agents of Paehisna-ma-to. I can only hope to find the strength.”

“Your excellency, gtst excellency of Meetpoint has sent a representative, one Tlisi-tlas-tin, as custodian of the Preciousness and arbiter of propriety. The Preciousness rests within gtst cabin and in such tasteful surroundings as we could best create.”

“Take me there! I must see the Preciousness. Please assist me!”

She was apprehensive. She had visions of fragile bones breaking in the mere attempt to walk, of a stsho circulatory system failing in the effort.

But the will to live was important too. She looked at Tarras, who hovered in the neighboring surgery, ostensibly taking inventory, but watching. Tarras walked to the small screened area and Fala turned up with her.

“’Gtstexcellency wants to go to Tlisi-tlas-tin,” she said. “I think it’s important. Can gtst do it?”

“I don’t know,” Tarras said. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but following the book. I … just don’t know. We can see.”

“Try,” she said, and Tarras and Fala came in and helped gtst to gtst feet, very gently, very carefully. There was no other transport but a gurney, which would undoubtedly offend gtst dignity. And calling down na Hallan . , . gtst excellency Tlisi-tlas-tin would surely advise Atli-lyen-tlas that na Hallan was not an unusually tall crewwoman.

Which might be too much for gtst heart, or the system that passed for one.

The lift engaged, upward bound. And it might be the captain coming back topside, or it might be Tarras or Fala; but Hallan, polishing the chromalic of the galley to a fine gloss, paid attention, paid heart and mind and hope of finding it was Chihin.

And maybe it was the way the whole day had been going—it was. Ker Chihin came wandering onto the bridge by the outside corridor saying to Tiar something about a rest break, could she monitor downside ops; and Tiar saying—he eavesdropped shamelessly— that that was all right, everything was quiet, there wasn’t a need for her down there, and why didn’t she get a sandwich or something and take a break and then relieve her?

KerTiar knew he was topside, ker Tiar knew he was here, oh, gods, he wasn’t quite ready to think and talk …

But Chihin walked in, did this little flick of the ears as a hello and looked into the fridge.

“Can I make you something?” Hallan asked in a small voice.

“I thought you weren’t speaking.”

“I don’t—I didn’t—I never meant you should think that.”

“Oh?” Chihin said.

He was totally desperate. He said, “Ker Chihin, were you joking or not?”

“No,” she said plainly. “Not really.”

“I wasn’t,” he said.

Chihin’s ears did a back and forth and finally didn’t know where to settle.

His didn’t.

“I really like you,” he said desperately. “I really do.”

He’d rather have faced his father with that intimacy. And that was the most dangerous hani he personally knew.

Hilfy pressed the button, signaled her presence, said, to the intercom: “Your excellency, I have the honor to present gtst excellency Atli-lyen-tlas of Urtur, would you kindly cause the door to be opened?”

There was silence.

“ Yourexcellency?”

Gods rot the son.

She pressed the button.

On a nestful of pillows and cushions, covered with a sheet, which showed—

One preferred not to think.

“What is this?” asked Atli-lyen-tlas.

There was movement beneath the sheet. She had given, she was sure, adequate time for whatever was going on decently to cease.

But Dlimas-lyi’s head popped up. Gtsto went wide-eyed; and gtst head popped up beside, in a blossoming eruption of pillows.

While Atli-lyen-tlas fell back into Tarras’ arms, murmuring, “Oh, the beauty, wai, the elegance of this appearance…”

Shefound no elegance. But gtsta breathed, “This is my offspring. This is my offspring. I have no further to see, I have no further to know. Wai, what ambition have you? Wai, the magnificence of this nest you have made!”

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