The Kif Strike Back by CJ Cherryh

Jik came panting up and caught her arms, at the end of his breath. “You come-got go-other way. Got no go ship, no go ship-”

“What happened over there?”

“Got trouble. Got Vigilance-I think she blow dock. I think she go-go Meetpoint.”

“Where’s Mahijiru? What’s Aja Jin doing, for godssakes? You got contact? Clip a vane off her! Stop her!”

Jik blinked and gasped. “I lose contact Aja Jin-Mahijiru power up. Mahijiru-Vigilance-go.”

“He’s after her.”

“He no shoot, no shoot. Pyanfar, I not know what he do-Get off dock, we got get off dock! My partner-he-he not shoot!”

“You mean he’s going with her? He’s going out with Vigilance?”

“A,” Jik gasped, shaking at her. “We got-problem-”

“Kkkt,” said Skkukuk. “Understatement. The hakkikt will not be pleased with mahendo’sat or hani today.”

“Shut up!” Pyanfar snarled; and Skkukuk lowered his head between his shoulders.

“Look about you,” said Skkukuk.

“Uuhhhnn,” Haral said; and Pyanfar looked.

Shadows appeared throughout the smoke-haze, robed shadows converging on them from all sides, with caution and deliberation. And leveled rifles.

“These will be the hakkikt’s,” Skkukuk said. “Since they aren’t shooting. They will get us back to your ships. Or not, at the hakkikt’s pleasure. Kkkt. I trust you did not offend him in your interview.”

“Beware of Goldtooth,” Pyanfar muttered distractedly. “Beware of Ismehanan-min.”

“What say?” asked Jik. “What talk, Pyanfar?”

“Not me. Stle stles stlen. The stsho warned me at Meetpoint. From the start. I paid a lot for that advice. A whole lot.” She shoved her empty gun into its holster and stared bleakly at the narrowing circle of kif. “Everyone stand easy. Let’s just hang onto the guns if we can.”

“Kkkkt. Parini, ker Pyanfar?”

“Appreciated, hakkikt.” Pyanfar reached out a sooty, blood-caked hand as an attendant brought a cup to her side, there in Harukk’s dim hall.

Back to starting-point. The blood and stink of the docks still clung about them. They bled from wounds. The hakkikt elected to have his nose offended; or delighted in the sweat and discomfort of the opposition.

All of them were there-Hilfy, Tully-seated at Sikkukkut’s low table, on insect-legged chairs: Haral; Dur Tahar; Jik; the others of all three crews, hani and mahendo’sat alike, were back in the shadows along the wall, among armed kif-except Haury Savuun. The kif had taken her over objections as violent as they dared make. To no avail. It was surely mockery that set Hilfy and Tully as guests at Sikkukkut’s table; with Dur Tahar: and unsubtle mockery that set Skkukuk to crouch on the floor near the hakkikt’s chair, robed knees up near hooded head, arms tucked out of sight, a very, very quiet Skkukuk, as small as he could make himself.

Sikkukkut sipped his own cup. It was not parini. Dark eyes glittered. “Should I wish a dockside destroyed in future,” Sikkukkut said, “I will only invite my friend Pyanfar. First the stsho, then the mahendo’sat, and now the kif. You are an expensive guest.”

“I’d like to contact my ship.”

“Of course you would. Kkkt., Chur Anify has stayed aboard. Wounded, you say. But perhaps still capable at controls. Who knows? While, Keia, the complement you left on Aja Jin-virtually complete. Except yourself and the four with you. You and Ismehanan-min withdrew your crews from the docks simultaneously with those of Vigilance. To put it directly-why?”

“A. Because-” Jik fished in his pouch for something and came up with a smoke and a light. He carried the stick to his lips and lit the lighter.

“No,” said Sikkukkut definitively, and Jik paused and looked his way, fire burning and smokestick unlit. “No,” Sikkukkut said again.

Jik froze a moment as if undecided, then deftly snapped out the lighter, palmed the smokestick and returned both to the pouch.

“Well?” said Sikkukkut.

“Number one sure thing Vigilance got make trouble.” Jik hooked a thumb toward the company over by the wall, and gestured loosely toward Tahar immediately at his right. “Ehrran go out, they think maybe they get hands on Tahar. Want bad. No good try. Pride don’t let. Things go bad quick, shooting start, those hani they get recall order. Pride crew, they try find captain, a? Try cross dock-they same time save Ehrran hides all by accident. They run like hell, board ship. When I see Vigilance crew go off dock, I get quick nervous.”