Chanur's Homecoming

Down to the docks again, herself and all her company, and no kif but Skkukuk with them. Pyanfar drew one great breath of burn-tainted air and drew a second, and ventured a glance about her as others overtook her at the bottom of Harukk’?, ramp. Jik and Tully, Harun, Tauran, Vrossaur, Faha- The faces blurred and hazed: she went lightheaded in the change of air. “Did what we could,” she muttered. “We got a chance. Whatever we got to argue among ourselves we do it on the way. Jik, Jik, my gods-” She bit it off, with the sight of the kif in the tail of her vision and remembering Skkukuk’s interested ears. “Come on. Let’s move it. We got to clear this dock.” The departure light was flashing on the wall over their heads, Harukk preparing to move out. Across the dock, stsho huddled in forlorn panic- foolhardy of their kind. The prudent were locked in other levels, hidden deep in station interiors.

Where kifish crews searched for records and raided central in search of names and data.

“We’re ready to move,” Harun said. “We’ve been ready, waiting the chance for months. And we’ve got questions, but I’m not going to ask any. Any way we can get out of this godsforsaken place I’ll take the ticket.”

With an ears-down, troubled look. No fools in this group. Oldest to youngest.

Though Munur Faha looked at her with her anxieties plain and the whites showing round her eyes.

What are you doing? What kind of deal are you making? You were lying but how often and where and for whose sake?

As for Dur Tahar, she walked along in her own world, her scarred face grim, never looking at other hani. Scars were everywhere about her. Inside and out.

Skkukuk brought up the side and clicked and muttered to himself; Tully walked along with his hand on his gun the same as the kif.

And Jik asked Kesurinan quiet, rapid questions, the two of them talking dialect as they walked.

Do what about it? Jeopardize his life and everything else? Pyanfar fretted and gnawed her mustaches, and walked along near the pair, her heart speeding as she saw other departure lights start flashing all down the row. Their own ships.

“Word’s out,” she said, and glanced at the hani walking on the other side of her. “We do it the way you heard it. Adjustments and amendments when we clear Urtur. We’ve got to clear Urtur. We’ll be thanking the gods for that kifish escort and I hope to gods Urtur is as far as Akkhtimakt gets, but I doubt it. We have a long run and a hard one ahead of us. We’re fast enough to keep pace with the hunters. We’ve had some modifications: say we’ve been running courier for the mahendo’sat and we’ve got a hunter-rig. There’s a lot been happening, but you heard some of it in there. What I’m worried about is getting us through systems fast enough and holding together long enough to get home in time. I can slow down; so can Aja Jin; and I can argue the kif into it; but nothing’s going to slow Akkhtimakt down, and they’re all hunters. Days can count in this. We’re bypassing Hoas Point. What’re your unladed caps on the Urtur jump and what on the brake and cross to Kura vector? Who’s low?”

A low mutter of stats and capacities. Industry was far and away the strongest; little Starwind was fast enough, engines large enough with its light mass to send her right up into Industry’s rating. Shaurnurn’s Hope put them only a little down, and Pauran’s Lightweaver only a shade under that. But The Star of Tauran was far under. Likewise Vrossaru’s Outbounder.

“You know,” Pyanfar said, “Tauran, Vrossaru. We can slow down and make your rate; it’ll cost us. You understand what we’re facing. I’m going to ask you-I got to ask-”

“We’ll get there,” Sirany Tauran said. “Our own way.”

“No. Power down. Mothball at dock. I know it’s risking your ships; so’s the trip home. Listen. My crew’s blind tired, strung out. Tahar’s little better. I can take Tahar on The Pride-" Instant glower from Dur Tahar, but no word. “Or one crew can go with me and work alternate; other with Tahar. Get us all there alive and precious days faster.”

Work alternate with a pirate? Bloodfeud and outlawry. She all but heard the scream. But:

“You can keep an eye on us,” Tahar said in a low voice. “Split shift or whole. Whatever suits you.”

“All right,” Vrossaru said. “We’ll take you on.”

Tauran looked at Pyanfar’s direction. Thoughts went throughher eyes. Aliens. Gods know what. And maybe on the other side: That Chanur ship’s got priority protection from the kif. And it’s fast. It’ll get us there alive. And we’ll be sitting where we can do some good if they’re lying, won’t we?

“All right,” Sirany Tauran said. “Soon as I can get my crew off. We got seven. You got berths?”