There was a long pause. Stavros’ mouth worked in an expression that Hulagh could not successfully read, no more than the other: perplexity, perhaps, or displeasure.
“We are,” said Stavros at last, “attempting to trace the extent of the mri. We have found a record which is pertinent. Bai Hulagh, the extent of the record is entirely disquieting.”
Hulagh drew in air, held his breath a moment. Truth: he knew Stavros well enough to rely on it.
“Part of it,” Stavros said, “may lie within regul space, but only part.”
“Abandoned worlds,” Hulagh said. He had neglected to translate in his distress: he amended his omission, saw shock register on the faces of his other elders. “Nisren, Guragen but it is true that they have ranged far. A mri record, is it so?”
“They do write,” said Stavros.
“Yes,” said Hulagh. “No literature, no art, no science, no commerce; but I have been in the old edun there, on the slopes. I have seen myself what may have been writings. But I cannot provide you translation, not readily.”
“Numerical records, in great part. We have understood them well enough to be concerned. We are pursuing the question. It may prove of great concern to all regul. We are concerned about the size of what those records may show us. And about possible overlapping of our researches with regul territory. Marginal intrusion. Not troublesome to Alagn; but others ”
“Holn.”
“Yes,” said Stavros. “We are concerned about the path of that probe. Yet it had to be done.”
Breath fluttered from Hulagh’s nostrils; his hearts beat in disturbing rhythm. He was utterly aware of the frightened eyes of his elders upon him, reliant on his experience, for they had none to offer. He became agonizingly aware that he was faced with something that would have repercussions all the way to Mab, and there was no way to delay the issue or seek consultations.
Alagn had power to speak for the docha, had done so in negotiations with the humans before. Hulagh gathered himself, called for another drink of soi, and the other elders likewise took refreshment. He sipped at his, deep in thought, paused for a look at Sharn, whose counsel was welcome, if not informed; Sharn gave him a look that appreciated his perplexity, agreed with him. He was gratified in that. The other elders looked merely bewildered, and Karag did not well hide his distress.
“Bai Stavros,” Hulagh said at last, interrupting a quiet consultation among the humans, “your… intrusion could be somewhat dangerous in terms of relations with the docha. However, with Alagn support, such an expedition might be authorized from here. The record of which you speak, I understand, extends farther than regul territory.”
“Our understanding of your extent in certain areas is vague, but we believe so.”
“Surely our interests are similar here. We are not a warlike species. Surely you judged this when you launched the probe and perhaps the great warship would have followed. Surely ” A thought struck Hulagh: his nostrils relaxed in astonishment. “You prepared that probe as an excuse. You let it ahead deliberately, to claim right of pursuit, to excuse yourself a rebel mri craft. Am I right?”
Stavros did not answer, but looked at him warily: the faces of the others defied reading.
“Yet you held the warships back,” Hulagh said. His hearts slipped into discordant rhythm. “For our consultation, bai Stavros?”
“It seemed useful.”
“Indeed. Beware a misjudgment, reverence bai Stavros. A regul in home territory is much different from a regul in distant colonies. When a doch’s survival is at stake attitudes are very hard.”
“We do not wish any incident. But neither can we let the possibilities raised by that record go uninvestigated. A mri refuge among Holn is only one such.”
“We have similar interests,” said Hulagh softly. “I will sanction passage of that warship in a joint mission, with sharing of all data.”
“An alliance.”
“An alliance,” said Hulagh, “for our mutual protection.”
CHAPTER Ten
THE HUMAN slept.
Niun, warm against the bodies of the dusei, his mind filled with the animal’s peace, watched Duncan in the half-light of the star-screen, content to wait. There was in Duncan’s quarters a second bed; he refused it, preferring the carpeted floor, the nearness of the dusei, the things that he had known in the Kel. He had slept enough; he was no more than drowsy now in the long twilit waiting, and he fought the impulse to slip back into half-sleep, for the first time finding acute pleasure in waking to this new world. He had his weapons again; he had the dusei for his strength; and most of all Melein was safe, and in possession of the pan’en and the ship.