“I don’t know,” Benita admitted. “Though I think Chiddy was leaning in that direction. I’ll have to talk fast, but if they will . . .”
By the time all four of them had agreed on a plan of action, Chad and Benita were exhausted, though the president seemed remarkably energized by the whole thing. Chad drove Benita home, asking if she wanted him to come in.
“No, Chad. I’ve got things to do, and so have you, and best we get at them as soon as we can. If we pull this off, it’ll be the coup of the century, and we’ll never be able to tell a soul.”
Upstairs, she stayed in the elevator and screamed loudly, “Chiddy, I need you and Vess!”
The buttonhole opened in the back of the elevator and they came out in their natural forms.
“Have you heard,” whispered Chiddy. “The Shalaquah has returned. They had a spy on Pistach-home . . .”
“And his name was T’Fees,” said Benita. “T’Fees has been working with the predators. It’s as clear as your . . . mandibles on your face.
T’Fees couldn’t have mounted that campaign on his own. He needed help. T’Fees is a rebel against Pistach order, and so are the predators. They want to do what they like, when they like, and the predators want to hunt what they like, where they like. They’re all in it!”
“I never thought of that,” cried Vess, in a voice that was stridently shrill, like a cricket chirp in the middle of the night. “But you’re right. He couldn’t have done that without help . . ,”
Benita said firmly, “Vess, now is not the time to discuss it. We have an emergency on our hands, and we need you to round up the Inkleozese and bring them to my apartment, this afternoon if possible, or tonight, or failing that, tomorrow morning.”
Chiddy started to argue, but she took his pincers in her hands and looked straight into all his eyes. “Chiddy, you came here to help us. You were helping us. You are good people, and you were doing a good thing. Now your help is being threatened, and despite what you believe you can or cannot do, Chad and I have an ethical imperative to do what we can to prevent harm to our people.”
“But, our people…” murmured Chiddy.
She interrupted, “What is happening to your people should not determine what happens to ours, and you’re too ethical a person to interfere with our efforts. The predators found us originally by following you here, which means you’re responsible for the trouble we’re in. I’m not blaming you, but you have a responsibility to cooperate in solving the problem. Now, please, do as we ask. Chad and I have talked it all out, and we think we have a plan.”
Chiddy stared at his feet, as though marshaling arguments, but Vess pulled him away, muttering, “Geflssit moltplat gom,” which sentiment Benita recognized. She and Chad had discussed just that point.
She figured she had a least an hour before Chiddy would manage to get the Inkleozese moving, assuming they would move at all. She took fruit juice from the freezer, made a pitcherful and put in the fridge. That left her time for a shower and hair wash, a change of clothes, time to run the clothes she’d worn on Pistach-home through the washer. Every time she put them on, she felt iglak crawling out of the seams!
Chad called twice, to ask what had happened. The first time, nothing had. The second time she told him that Vess had called to say the Inkleozese were on their way.
“Do you need my help?” he asked.
“Better not, Chad. They might take one good look at you and decide you’d make a good brooder.”
He laughed, not an amused laugh, and remarked that he was glad to be relieved of the duty, as the rest of his phone calls would keep him busy for hours.
Benita set out little glasses for the fruit juice, the Inkleozese beverage of choice. She heard movement in the elevator hall, and Chiddy and Vess came in, escorting ten of the tall, angular Inkleozese.