“Akkukkak dead. Lot dis-arrangement, a?”
“We trust that he is dead. The knnn are unpredictable. Perhaps he will turn up in a bazaar in some trade – but let us assume he is out. Presently there is Akkhtimakt. Akkhtimakt styles himself hakkikt, holds Kita, disrupting traffic – ”
” – make lousy big trouble,” Jik said.
“Have you dislodged him?”
“I maybe do. Maybe not. Why you raid Kshshti dock?”
“Ah. Now, there you are mistaken. The Kshshti Personage has a traitor on the staff – ”
“Not got now.”
“Kkkt. You redeem my opinion of you. But this spy was Akkhtimakt ‘s operative, not mine.”
“Ummmn. You same got spy at Kshshti?”
“Not now. But then I did. When the human was crossing the docks – Akkhtimakt’s agents moved to seize him. And I, fortunately, foreknew it. So I was on the hunt as well. Kkkt. Would Kshshti have fared so well in that firefight if kif had not fought kif on that dock? Mahendo’sat have me to thank; I believe thank is the expression – at any rate I stepped in and gathered up the prize before Akkhtimakt’s agents could seize it. There was no negotiating there, at Kshshti, with everything astir, with every probability Akkhtimakt’s agents would presently report all this – I am discreet no longer. By this intervention at Kshshti I have challenged my rival openly. Now I contend with him. And I surmised correctly that you would follow me, hunter Pyanfar, as soon as your ship could move.”
“What’s the deal?” Pyanfar asked.
“You might, you know, put the safety on that thing.”
“Huh. Might. But I’m comfortable, hakkikt.”
The snout wrinkled in what might be humor. “You don’t trust my word.”
“The deal, hakkikt.”
“Ah. Kkkt. Yes. In simplicity: I have chosen Mkks as my temporary base. And my motives and yours coincide.”
“Do they?”
“Kkkt. There are fools at large. Many fools. Stsho seek a way to prevent humankind from going through their space. Stsho connive with hani-am I right, deputy?-against mahendo’sat, who would wish to bring humans through at our backs, for reasons not lost to us. How quickly Keia distracted me when I mentioned stsho negotiators! But we know. To gain a foothold at Meetpoint, mahendo’sat route humans through tc’a space. Unwise. Vastly unwise. Stsho will not tolerate this any more than the other-and the very possibility of a human route approaching their territory or even their neighbor and ally tc’a-agitates them beyond rationality. Akkhtimakt operates with the fist. I, with the knife. Akkhtimakt wishes humans barred. But I am, among kif, your friend. Our motives frequently coincide. Is this not a better definition of alliance than friendship?”
Jik let out a puff of smoke. “You wrong, friend. Human got own idea. Damn stupid. But they want come through.”
“They have urging. Do they not?”
“Who know? Tell you got number one serious thing, methane-breather upset. We got trouble. Kif got trouble. Not all profit, either side. A?”
“You are willing to deal.”
“Maybe.” Another puff of smoke. “What you got I want?”
“Mkks.”
Jik flicked ash. “A. Now we talk kif logic.”
” You understand.”
“Sure thing. You no trade. Maybe give gift. You give me Mkks. I then got plenty sfik. make good ally, a? Maybe do something more.”
“Take Kefk.”
Jik’s heavy brow shot up. The stick hesitated on its way to his mouth. Arrived. “So. Maybe.”
Take Kefk. Only take the only kifish gateway to Meetpoint, the one kifish channel to the biggest trading point in the Compact-a major station and probably the most sensitive spot in kifish space outside Akkht itself. Pyanfar kept her ears erect with the greatest of efforts, kept a bland look on her face; and counted the kif and her ally stark mad.
“You think it possible,” Sikkukkut said.
“I got allies. You got same. We go take Kefk.” Jik took a final drag on the stick and drowned it in the dregs of the drink. “Personnel this station take back jobs. Then I take Kefk. You want?”
“Wait a minute,” said Rhif Ehrran. ” Wait a minute.”
“I talk to her,” Jik said without a look in that direction. “Got same good friend Pyanfar, one tough bastard hani. You want Kefk, fine. You get.”