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unsettling question. How much more advanced are they?"
Ken started to chuckle, he couldn't help himself. In the light of
Lawrence's remark, the irony of the past weeks of association with the
Hrrubans struck him as enormously funny.
"You know," he said, suppressing his amusement as a more important
consideration occurred to him, "it might just be possible that they are
advanced enough, ethical enough, sophisticated enough not to feel the need to
absorb, dominate or manipulate us." Ken caught the dawning comprehension in Hu
Shih's startled eyes. The metropologist seemed to expand as he grasped at the
implication. "Wouldn't it be a relief to know that we," and Ken included all
the colonists jammed into his living room, "that we can also be big enough,
intelligent enough, maybe even wise enough to accept them for what they are
without trying to question or change or pose our values on them? Can't we have
learned enough from the terrible tragedies of history, from the Siwannah
incident, to cohabit the universe? Mutually at peace with each other?"
"And I'm supposed to be the socio-psychologist," Lawrence remarked in quiet
awe.
Hu Shih embraced Ken, his dark eyes brimming, unable to speak. His action
released the others from their stunned reflections and everyone began
jabbering at once.
"You believe that this is what the Hrrubans have in mind?" asked Ben
Adjei, his deep voice cutting through the chaos. "They want peaceful
coexistence with us?"
"I don't know what they have in mind, Ben," Reeve answered honestly.
"Oh, but it is now obvious to me that they do," Hu Shih interjected excitedly.
"They have shown us no hostility, although our presence on Rrala was
undoubtedly a shock to them. Immediately they began to help us; even against
our better judgment, as witness the bridge. They insisted that we learn their
language even as they willingly learned ours. Even when they offered to --
excuse my bluntness, Ken -- help with the care and protection of
Todd And the fact that they would not abandon him, alone, and frightened, far
from his own people in a dangerous forest simply adds further weight to this
theory." Hu paused for a split second and then rushed on. "In fact, I
shouldn't be the least bit surprised if the Hrrubans have not been testing us
in adroit ways to judge our cultural ethics and maturity. Truly, Ken, your
hypothesis is valid."
Ken looked startled. "For Christ's sake, peaceful coexistence is not new!"
"Yes, but never was it more applicable," Hu Shih beamed.
The night was cut by the crackling roar of a take-off ignition. A moment later
the sound was augmented. The tail flames of two ships punctuated the dark
spring evening and the colonists watched until the fiery columns had dwindled
to a star spark in the sky.
"Ah, but will we be allowed time enough to find out if this is what the
Hrrubans had in mind?" Lawrence asked softly.
"God, I hope so," Ken murmured, thinking of Todd.
Chapter XXII
DELAYING TACTICS
KEN AWOKE the next morning, sore and stiff. Gradually he became aware of
the unusual silence at a time when Pat should be bustling about. He slid
carefully out of bed and padded quietly down the short hall to the kitchen.
Pat was sitting at the kitchen table, her shoulders sagging in an attitude of
hopelessness.
Suddenly he regretted yesterday's rebellion and the bright hope of
coexistence. He wondered how many others were uncertain in the clear light of
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day. Then he pulled his shoulders back. Damn it, he'd've been a coward to
knuckle under either to Landreau or Chaminade. If he'd believed in himself --
and the Hrrubans -- last night, he had better not vacillate today.
He cleared his throat to give Pat a chance to collect herself.
She turned with a smile of determined cheerfulness. Ken bent to kiss her and
her responsiveness communicated her pride in him.
As he straightened up, he caught sight of a familiar figure racing up the
path.
"Oho, here comes our little harbinger of bad news," he declared as Bill
Moody skidded to a stop at the door. "You'll make a long distance runner yet,
Bill!"
"Mr. Reeve," Bill gasped, trying to grin, trying to grab enough breath to get
his message out. "Snakes!"
"Oh, Christ, not before coffee," Ken groaned. "Where?"
Pat was already galvanizing into action, handing him her full coffee cup,
sliding a dish of bread his way.
"You're going to eat something first," she scolded as she picked up the dish
of brna eggs and made for the stove.
"Mr. Eckerd spotted giant snakes on the plain beyond the valley," Bill panted
out, slipping into the empty seat.
"On the plain? Then the snakes aren't close enough to stampede the urfa?"
"Mr. Adjei wants to herd the urfa across the bridge to the other side of
the..."
Bill broke off, gawking at Ken's black expression.
"Across the river? Christ!" Ken swore savagely. "Ben ought to know better!"
Even if he had to straddle a horse -- Ken shuddered at the thought --
and herd the urfa himself, they were not going across that river!
Bread in one hand, coffee cup in the other, Ken stormed down to the barn, his
rapid strides jolting sore flesh and muscle.
"Ben, what's this about crossing the river?"
Ben turned, eyes wide with surprise.
"We can't have the urfa stampeding through the grain. The horses'll need it
next winter."
"And we can't encroach on the Hrruban's domain. Not one jot or tittle.
Particularly now!"
"What's the matter?" asked Gaynor, appearing from inside the barn. "Why can't
we move the herd across the river? It's mutual defense against a common enemy
-- those snakes."
Ken groaned but the veterinary nodded slowly with comprehension.
"I understand. We will move the herd far down the valley. The prevailing wind
sweeps away from there and they will be unable to smell the snakes."
"Well, I don't get it," Sam replied sourly.
Ben put a restraining hand on Reeve's arm as he began to answer Gaynor hotly.
"Sam, it has been understood that across the river is Hrruban territory.
Ken is right when he believes that it is an act of aggression for us to cross
the river with our possessions."
"Hell, we don't own the urfa."
"It's the principle of the thing," Ken exploded, slopping half the coffee out
of his cup with his emphatic gesturing.
"Not another goddam principle to foul things up?"
"The urfa stay on this side of the river," Ben said in a flat non-arguable
voice. "Besides, the grass is better on our side." The big
veterinary waved his team out of the stable yard.
Ken watched Lawrence, taking his place for the day, awkwardly hunching in the
unaccustomed saddle, bouncing ignominiously as the mare's gait accelerated.
For Lee's sake, he hoped the horses were adjusted to the sight of urfa today.
Unfortunately, the other cattle and Socks, who remained in the corral, were
not downwind of the snakes. And Socks had had enough experience with that
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scent to become hysterical. She raced round and round the high corral,
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