Thariinye made a wry face. “Maybe you see her as being old, but when I’m around her, Liriili acts’ like a frisky filly. I don’t think narhiiVhiliinyar is big enough for both of us.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Maati replied, remembering her own troubles. She wouldn’t tell Thariinye about them, though. He’d get all adult and bossy on her if she did, she was sure. It was never a good idea to let him have the upper hand. She had figured that out because she knew several of those silly girls he’d been involved with. As long as they didn’t seem to notice him, he sought them out and was very polite, even humble with them. But as soon as they started to like him, he didn’t care for them anymore and went trotting off after somebody else. That was part of why he kept after Khornya even though the two of them basically didn’t get along very well.
Maati gave him a sly look, “I guess that’s what you get for being irresistible! So, all right, I’ll help you get rid of your gift if you’ll pass me one of those thiiifi). They’re my favorites.” He handed her one of the tender yellow-green grasses which smelled spicy and tasted sweet with a little tang to it.
He gnawed absently on one himself. “I should have known what she was doing when she wouldn’t let me go with Neeva and Melireenya. Now everybody who was anybody among the space-chosen has had a traumatic experience that will probably bond them forever, and because Liriili kept me planet-bound, I alone was left out.”
“I can see why you would be mad at her for making you miss being mistreated until you almost died,” Maati agreed.
“You’re far too young to understand,” he said loftily.
“Receiving transmission from the alien salvage vessel Condor,” a quiet computerized voice said from the corn set. “Please stand by.”
The lightning flashed again and again, the thunder crashing Just after. Thariinye turned up the volume on the corn unit.
“We have just recovered the wreckage of a Niriian vessel,” Aan’s voice said, sounding strange and flat. “Among the ship’s artifacts is a piiyi containing the ship’s log and several other messages. Please stand by to record the material you are about to receive.” There was no visual transmission, but Maati was pleased to hear Aari’s voice, no matter how fleetingly. This message -was evidently sent several hours ago, according to the time stamp, so that real-time exchange of communication now Wouldn’t be possible. Maati wished she could talk to her brother, but that clearly wasn’t going to be possible on this night.
“It is extremely urgent that the information on this piiyi be fully translated and interpreted immediately by an expert in the Niriian language. It contains evidence that the Niriian ship made contact with the Khieevi”-Aari’s voice faltered for a moment-“and prior to that perhaps discovered a Linyaari escape pod and survivors on an uncharted planet. Once translation is made, please respond immediately to the Condor.” Aari signed off and silence filled the comshed.
Maati jumped to her feet. “I’ll go try to find a specialist.” Looking out at the slashing rain, she hated leaving the warmth and dryness of the comshed.
“Where do you think you’ll do that?” Thariinye said. “The spacefarers are on retreat, remember?”
“This is important enough to call them off retreat. I mean, if the Khieevi are involved, we’d better let Liriili know right away. She can call them back.”
“I speak excellent Niriian,” Thariinye told her. “My first off-planet mission was to Nirii and I have always been good at languages.”
“Well, that’s good,” Maati said. “Get started right away on that broadcast. But Liriili will have my horn if I don’t let her know at once.”
“I’ll let her know. Just stay put for a naanye, will you?”
He switched to the domestic corn unit. “Vuzaar Liriili, this is Thariinye at spaceport communications. We have just received a message from Aari aboard the Conoor concerning a recovered Niriian piiyi with information about a probable recent encounter with the Khieevi as well as something or other about a Linyaari escape pod with survivors left stranded on an uncharted planet. We are being asked to translate and advise the Conoor of the contents immediately.”