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from tomorrow. I am much gladdened for you both."
"Thanks again. We've been ready to leave for months, though I suppose we
can find a few last-minute things to take care of."
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"If you will excuse me." The thranx officer released her iron grip on the
support pillar and slowly backed clear of the closed bay doors. She looked
much happier after she had moved well away from the potential gap.
Deep in conversation, Etienne and Lyra returned to their quarters.
Working smoothly they began packing a motile with personal belongings and
other last-minute items. They were going to be away from civilization for a
long time and there would be no returning for a forgotten chip or bit of
clothing.
At least they could consume native foods. That left a lot of room on
board for other equipment, extra medical sup-plies, and tridee cubes.
Stowed in one of the bottom compartments was their cold-weather gear,
untouched since its arrival on Tslamaina. They would need the suits when they
entered the north polar lat-itudes. After the relentless heat of the lower
Barshajagad, both looked forward to some cheerful freezing.
Two days passed before the ambassador's ship appeared. His retinue was as
modest in size and appearance as the vessel which bore them. Ror de-Kelwhoang
looked disap-pointed when he was informed he could not bring any of his escort
onto the station, but accepted the determination with diplomatic grace.
In its own modest way the ambassador's official craft was impressive
enough. Hired rowers held their double-bladed oars at attention as the
ambassador debarked, though they were unable to keep their eyes from wandering
toward the strange alien castle that stood high above the water on mas-sive
metal legs.
The meeting took place on a deck that encircled the station's lower
levels. Etienne and Lyra waited in their briefs and tops. Tslamaina was no
place for formal wear.
The ambassador wore little more than the curious hu-mans. His cache du
sex was opaque, as was the custom, and his upper garment of silver and
copper-colored threads concealed little despite covering him from neck to
ankles. It made for a very flashy nonexistent costume. As Lyra had explained,
the composition of the material as well as the intricate weave told a
knowledgeable onlooker much about the wearer's status, as well as the time of
year and what holiday it might be. A good Mai tailor could make much out of
little.
Lyra found such details of native life fascinating. Etienne bore her
enthusiasm stoically. He was interested in minerals, not millinery.
The Mai ambassador spread his arms wide and turned a slow circle. The
movement was fluid but slow, reflective of his advanced age. Porlezmozmith,
who had met him before, performed the formal introduction. Her Mai was
competent but could not match that of the Redowls; that was due to the thranx
larynx, not a lack of linguistic talent.
"Ror de-Kelwhoang, our visitors who would travel your lands, Etienne and
Lyra Redowl."
"It is our pleasure to greet you," Lyra added. "We look forward with
endless delight to exploring your magnificent country. We are endlessly
grateful for the permission to do so granted by your Zanur on behalf of your
most powerful and respected city-state."
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The ambassador acknowledged the elegant tribute, which Lyra had rehearsed
unto boredom, with a slight gesture signifying acceptance. His soft,
perceptive eyes seemed fixed on Lyra. That was understandable. She stood eye
to eye with the ambassador, which made her tall for a Mai female but not a
grotesque scarecrow of a giant like her husband. It was the first time the
ambassador had set eyes on the new aliens and he was evidently entranced by
the similarities. Etienne had to stifle his amusement at the ambassador's
unabashed preoccupation. By Mai standards Lyra's pro-portions were nothing
short of awesome.
"It is with delight that I bring greetings and good wishes from Najoke
de-me-Halmur, Moyt of Po Rabi. It has been decided after much careful
discussion and agreement on a contract of exchange for certain materials to
permit you free passage throughout all the vast territories controlled by our
city-state."
"I'm glad everything's worked out," Etienne replied. His Mai was more
colloquial than Lyra's, but the ambassador didn't seem to mind the informality
of the alien's speech.
"What route will you be taking?"
Etienne smiled disingenuously. He and Lyra had debated the possibility of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]