Freedom's Challenge (37 page)

“Can't you clear up the visual, Ray?” asked Matt.

“Tikso,” Ray ordered.

“We…kum…frum…Catten. Su-preme Emassi Kamiton. We…coleckt Catteni feee-males and male young.”

Ray and Matt exchanged startled glances. A Catten was addressing them in English…or trying to.

The visual flowed clearly on the screen. “This is High Emassi Captain Tiboud,” and there was relief in the Catten's voice for being able to speak in his own language. The man beside him had a sheet from which he had obviously been reading phonetic English. “All Eosi dead or gone. Catteni now own Catten…and all previously owned planets and installations…”

“He's making sure we got that…” Matt muttered sotto voce.

“With the exception of the Human planet, Earth and, of course, the impregnable Botany. Earth is gratefully returned to its rightful owners and inhabitants in view of the help given by Humans to end Eosi domination. Botany's extraordinary defense against the might of the
Eosian navy has been admired—if silently—by many. We Catteni honor bravery.”

“Damned white of them,” Matt added sotto voce, avoiding the kick that Ray directed at his shins to shut him up.

“That is very good news, captain,” Ray said with great poise and solemnity. “Has my home world learned of its freedom from Eosi domination?”

“The news was relayed by Supreme Emassi in person over a special com link.” Tiboud bowed respectfully. “Good news to you, I am certain.”

“Indeed it is, and thank you for relaying the message.”

“Is it possible to have speech with the Excellent Emassi Zainal?”

“He's not here,” Ray said, and his elation at the news of Earth's liberation evaporated. Matt looked shocked.

“Not there?” Then the short Drassi who had read the English message spoke a quick word into his superior's ear. “Ah, the Excellent Emassi Zainal was aboard the scout which does not have the speed this vessel has. He will doubtless arrive very soon now.”

“Then he…he is alive and well?”

“That is our understanding,” Tiboud said, again With a respectful bow. “We…all Catteni…owe our freedom to the Excellent Emassi Zainal.”

“We here on Botany owe him as much,” Ray said, returning the bow. Then added, out of the side of his mouth, “For God's sake, go tell Kris Zainal's alive while I deal with this.”

Matt nodded once, eyes round in his face, and departed at speed. Ray heard him shouting at someone in the hangar and then heard the tools dropping and the cheering as the good news was absorbed.

“We have the honor to collect the mates and offspring
of those to whom you gave sanctuary,” the High Emassi Captain continued.

There were shouts at the door now, which Ray turned to silence. This planet was run properly and wild demands for details would have to wait until he'd finished the interview with the incoming ship.

“Cool it, guys, I'm doing the diplomatic but tell the Council to get their asses down here on the double.” He turned back to the screen. “Do you need the coordinates of the landing field?”

“They would be welcome. We understand that the continent on which the original shipments were made is no longer available.”

“That is correct,” Ray replied with a wry twist to his lips and then supplied the landing field's coordinates. The appropriate protocols were being scrupulously observed.

“Received,” the captain said with another bow, “and course laid in. We anticipate touchdown in two of your local hours.”

The contact was broken. Ray felt the need to seat himself at the desk, wondering why success always weakened you whereas imminent defeat caused you to stiffen in protest. So Zainal's crazy plan had worked, whatever it had been. And Kamiton had snatched away the leadership. Well, perhaps Zainal hadn't wanted it. Not with a woman like Kris to come home to. But maybe he'd take her back to Catten. No, not with that sort of gravity to combat on a daily basis. Mitford had mentioned how she had coped, but only just. Mitford hadn't been too happy with the problem but marines could handle anything.

Just where in the new power structure, Ray Scott wondered, did an Excellent Emassi fit, if there was now a Supreme Emassi? He wondered what plums had gone to Kasturi, Nitin, and Tubelin. As Catteni went, they'd been pretty straight guys.

He had only those few moments before people once
again plagued him for details. He gave them what he knew and warned them of the impending arrival of a “friendly.” Beverly and Judge Iri arrived together, Rastancil close behind them, and the four had decided that first there would have to be some sort of honor guard. Now that Botany was liberated, it had the right to its own protocols.

“Why didn't you just tell them where those bitches were and just get them away from here?” Beverly said, his brows knitting with displeasure. “When I think what a rough time they've given Kris…ah, Kris,” for she was standing in the doorway, looking white as a sheet. Behind her, Matt was making all kinds of incomprehensible gestures at him. Warnings, Ray realized, and noticed that Kris was dressed in her Emassi uniform. But the look on her face…He strode over to her.

“He's all right, Kris. He survived. He's on his way back. The cruiser that's going to land here was just faster and came on a direct line…”

Her hands, when he took them, were freezing.

“Kris, he's all right,” he repeated and, without thinking what he was doing, he embraced her, patting her shoulders and stroking her hair as she burst into tears. Ordinarily tears were enough to drive Ray Scott as far away as he could take himself, but this was Kris. The long and difficult wait was over. “He did it, Kris. He did it and Earth is free. Botany, too.” He held her off. “Do you understand? Earth is ours again as well as Botany.”

“Botany, too?” She'd taken a deep breath as he started to cajole her.

“Botany, too. And they asked…
asked
…for permission to land, which is damned well the first time they've done that.” He wondered if Zainal had traded rank in the new government for the freedom of the human colonized planets.

“That's a change,” she replied with a crooked smile. And burying her face in her hands started to weep again.

“Come, Kris, my dear.” Dorothy Dwardie took her off to one side, giving Ray Scott the dirtiest look he had received since he got his junior grade bars.

•   •   •

SO THERE WAS TIME TO PLAN A PROPER CEREMONY when the cruiser landed. Drums, pipes, and two bugles were assembled, and the Council put on their best clothes since they now had some from the same shipment of purloined materials that had gone to clothe the Catteni exiles. Kris decided to keep on her Catteni uniform since she would officially hand over that duty to Captain Tiboud. And relieved to do so.

The cruiser was so new that there was not so much as meteor gashes on its side, and it bore a much different design on its prow than vessels had displayed under Eosi management.

Not very artistic, Kris thought, but probably the Eosi hadn't encouraged the arts and at least the runes used were in different, bold colors. She just ached to be able to ask Zainal what they meant.

When the crew, Captain Tiboud leading the formation, drew up in front of the Botany deputation, Ray embarrassed her somewhat by introducing her first. High Emassi Captain Tiboud startled her when he bowed with unexpectedly deep respect to the female introduced as Zainal's life companion.

“Excellent Lady Emassi,” Captain Tiboud said, his eyes keenly inspecting her. Then, with an unexpected show of Catten amusement, he pointed to her shoulder tabs. “These are incorrect.” He snapped his fingers, rattled a command to the aide who jumped to his side and then bounded off to the cruiser, almost hitting the top of the hatch he had so misjudged his stride. “Zainal is on his way here or so the Supreme Kamiton himself told me when he dispatched his fastest ship to retrieve all those you were good enough to protect.”

Kris couldn't stifle her reaction but hoped Tiboud would not see that relief was the main one. “We secluded them in the safest place on Botany but I fear that the accommodations could not meet what they are used to.”

The aide was back, bowing as he opened and presented a large box with many pairs of fancy rank tabs. But the pair he selected was the most lavish in terms of the use of platinum, gold, and a fine dazzling diamond.

“I was ordered by the Supreme Emassi as well as High Emassis Nitin, Kasturi, and Tubelin that you, Kris Buyorzen (which was near enough for a Catteni trying to enunciate a Scandinavian name) be the first to receive the honors which I have brought.”

With a quizzical look for permission, he stepped forward and made a quick job of replacing her shoulder tabs. The new ones sparkled with the diamonds that capped the platinum half-spheres. She saluted, feeling that was an acceptable gesture. He bowed very low and she followed suit though did not bow as low. After all, she figured, an Excellent was higher in rank than a High Emassi.

Then he stepped to Ray and frowned slightly as he realized that Ray was not wearing a uniform-type tunic on which it would be easy to affix the rank tabs. But Ray held up one hand before the Captain could start any presentation speech.

“One small matter, Captain Tiboud,” Ray said, clearing his throat. “You mentioned that Earth has been returned to its rightful owners and governments and that Botany has independence. There are three other Human settled worlds that we know of. What disposition has been made of them?”

High Emassi Captain Tiboud managed an expression of amused understanding.

“Your altruism is only to be expected of a Human, Ray Scott. It is not in my authority to deal with that issue but, since so much is owed to Humans in general, I would anticipate
a similar courtesy of independence may well be granted those three.”

“Thank you,” Ray said, barely heard above the cheers and shouts and whistles from the crowd of settlers.

“You are welcome. But to the matter at hand, Admiral Scott, for your assistance to the Supreme and High Emassi in their bid to overthrow Eosian domination, please accept these and the honorary title of Highest Emassi.” The Captain then handed Ray a splendid set of tabs, crowned by rubies that flashed in the sun.

The rest of the presentations went all the way from High Emassi Leon Dane for saving Kamiton's life down to Emassis Sally Stoffers and Beth Isbell for their translations and to Emassis Dick Aarens and Peter Snyder for jury-rigging the com sat on the wreckage of the Catteni array.

By then, everyone welcomed the drinks and other refreshments, which the cooks had managed to make and serve on the two hours' notice.

“They don't seem in a very great hurry to get those bitches and leave, do they?” John Beverly said in Kris' ear.

“Do I have to do the bloody honors there, too?” she asked.

Beverly grinned down at her. “Oh, I think you should, Excellent Lady Emassi. Duty before pleasure.” Then his grin faded, and he gripped her shoulder firmly, his expression reassuring. “If everyone says Zainal lived through it and even got promoted, he'll be here soon now.”

“How soon is soon? Damn it.”

•   •   •

KRIS WAS NOT GIVEN AN OPTION, EXCEPT THAT she was escorted on board the cruiser with Leon Dane, Ninety, Ray Scott, Dorothy, and Judge Iri Bempechat who would make the journey with her. Raisha followed
in the KDL, using a quickly assembled skeleton crew to take the Botanists back to Retreat. Captain Tiboud had requested permission to launch on his return flight once he had the refugees safely aboard.

“I trust you have suitable accommodations for the Emassi ladies,” Kris couldn't resist asking.

The Captain's yellow eyes glittered. “They will be made comfortable, I assure you. They will find their new quarters on Catten all, or even more than, their fondest dreams.”

“Have you a mate, Captain Tiboud?”

“I have,” and there was that in his eyes that suggested to Kris that perhaps all Catteni women were like those he was required to restore to their men.

They, especially Sibbo and Milista, did not wish to be collected, even after repeated assurances, and handwritten rune messages from their respective male partners. They were terrified that it was some kind of Eosian trick.

“Is your com link strong enough for direct contact with Catten?” Kris asked, thoroughly fed up with these antics. “Then call…High Emassi Nitin and have him confirm your orders to Milista. She's the one who has to be convinced.”

Milista said nothing when High Emassi Nitin, annoyed at being interrupted and taken out of an important government meeting to reassure his mate, gave her what had to be a tongue-lashing. She blanched almost ecru and began to bow apologetically, her bows getting lower and lower to exhibit her willingness to comply. She said several short, sharp, low-voiced phrases to the other women which Kris thought she must have misinterpreted. Did Catteni women know such language?

As soon as they were boarded and being led to their quarters by obsequious junior ranks, Kris signalled to her companions that their duty was done. Perhaps Zainal had
made it home while she'd had to dally here with the wretched ungracious Catteni females.

The captain, however, paused, looking out over the valley, once again tranquil, despite bits and pieces dropped or discarded en route to the cruiser ramp.

“I do not think the females will have appreciated the beauty of this valley,” he surprised her by saying. He sighed. “But I would. Good-bye, Excellent Lady Emassi Kris.”

They exchanged bows, she keeping hers to the shallow dip that indicated the difference in their ranks. Then she went down the ramp. Maybe the Farmers had used the valleys as vacation spots for corporeal enjoyments. That wasn't such a wild notion. Raisha was circling above in the KDL because there wasn't room enough for two ships to land without knocking down either the houses or the lodge-pole groves. The cruiser lifted over the retaining wall and discreetly sped up, allowing the other ship to land. That was when Kris noticed that someone had painted new ID letters on its prow: BSS 2. Was Baby to be BSS 1? And where was Baby? Her momentary lapse into amusement at the newly styled ship quickly dissipated.