Chanur's Homecoming

“I think b’gods sure he is. That ship’s equipped. Lots of com equipment. I’ve never been onto that bridge, but I got the idea it’s not a small place. Lot of crew and techs. Ability to short-jump. Goldtooth’s Mahijiru has a lot more facilities, but I don’t think it gives much to Aja Jin in abilities. We lost track of more than one ship in that flurry out there, and I’m not sure any of ’em are dead. Kif have this concept. Pukkukkta. Revenge. Destruction. That kif Sikkukkut has launched ships down all the lanes. Into all sorts of space. He’s prepared to take civilization out. He says. He gives the impression it’s no use to him. I think otherwise and I think he knows it, but I don’t want to put it to the proof. We’ve lost track of kifish ships too and it worries me. I want a count if anyone can get it.”

“Maybe they met each other out there. Maybe that’s where Aja Jin is.”

“If we were lucky.” She tightened her mouth. Headache still bothered her. “If we were real lucky. But whatever happens we’ve got to handle what’s coming in from Meetpoint, whoever survived that set-to back there. If it’s the kif we’re dealing with it’s got to be one voice talking here. One.”

“I understand you.” Sirany’s hand trembled on the arm of

the chair, jerked in a small tic. She gripped the chair arm till the tendons stood out.

“You want to bring the captains aboard?”

“We got no room in dock. Have to stack ’em in lower main. No. I’m going outside and hope to all the gods I live through this. I’d be expensive to lose. Real expensive. I can talk to that kif. My kif can talk to those bastards out there. Where is he?”

“Lowerdecks. Well-fed, I might add. I wonder he can move.”

“Gods.” She walked over to the com console and punched in the number. “Skkukuk. What’s this you want to tell those kif out there?”

“Is this you, hakt?”

Hani voices. Different voices. “Godsrotted sure it is, skku of mine.”

“Kkkkt! I am delighted!”

“Worried about me, were you?” Gods, a change of captains aboard, possibility of mutiny in the air, the kif like a lit fuse and she had never picked it up. “I told you hani are a peculiar lot. You asked contact with the kif out there. What were you going to do, in particular?”

“Call them in, hakt’, to take this ship.”

Gods, gods, and gods. Perfectly logical. Her own crew exhausted, in his eyes perhaps acquiescing to this threatening change of authority on the bridge. Ships were moving and threatening everywhere. And here was one little constant light of kifish loyalty, a kif who knew no other hani would tolerate him and who planned to serve her interests through his.

“I’m in command here. No problems. What do you think ought to be done, regarding those kif out there?”

“Kkkt. Put me in command over them. That is your best action, hakt’. I am a formidable ally.”

“Skkukuk. What rank did you hold? Is it proper to ask that?”

“Kkkkt. Kkkkt.”

“Not proper. All right. Let me point out something to you, Skkukuk. Sikkukkut is a bastard, a real bastard, with a sense of humor. I think if he ever did get his hands on you again you might never get out with a whole hide. Despite your

cleverness. He’s too clever not to know you’re clever. Do you understand me?”

“Hakt, you are completely correct. What will you do?”

“Why, I’m going to give you all those kifish ships out there, and a treaty with the mahendo’sat and the hani, skku of mine, and tell you that if you will take my orders very closely you may fare very well. But first you have to take those ships and hold them.”

“You will see, you will see, mekt-hakt’.”

She leaned over the First’s panel and unlocked doors. “There you are. You can just go down to ops, down to the auxiliary command right down the corridor to your left, and you can use com in there. You call yourself one of those ships for transport, and you pack up your Dinner and any weapons you think you need, and you get yourself out there and remember how far you are from kifish territory, and who your friends are. Hear me?”

“Kkkkt. Kkkkt. I will give you Sikkukkut’s heart!”

“You take orders! Hear me?”

“What you will, what you will, Chanur-hakkikt.”

Promoted, by the gods.

There was a deep, gnawing cold at her gut. Raw terror.

Just made my will and testament. To Sikkukkut, should some fool stationer pick me off out there. To my beloved enemy: a new and kifish problem.

Enjoy it, bastard.

She looked at Sirany, who was staring at her in dismay. “One thing about the kif. When they’re on your side they’re on it. And they’re on it as long as they’re profiting by it. That’s a real happy kif down there.”

“I hope to the gods you know what you’re doing.”