Way of the Pilgrim

by Matt

  "I'm listening," said Maria.

  "One of the things I made a mistake about was to assume the Aalaag were all alike—that if I found out something about how Lyt Ahn reacted, then every other Aalaag would react the same way. You remember when I came back to you and said that Laa Ehon was insane—that he'd asked me a question no Aalaag would ever ask another Aalaag's beast to answer?"

  She nodded.

  "Well, maybe he isn't insane—unwell, as the Aalaag put it—," he said. "Maybe Laa Ehon's one of a group of Aalaag who wouldn't be shocked the way Lyt Ahn was when I told him about it."

  "So you did tell him," said Maria.

  "Yes, but it almost wasn't necessary," said Shane. "Listen to me carefully now, and remember this. Lyt Ahn had already begun to have suspicions Laa Ehon was unwell—but there seems to be some reason he couldn't just declare Laa Ehon so and take away his authority. I think it's because Laa Ehon does belong to this other group of Aalaag on this world of ours I just talked about—a group that thinks like Laa Ehon and doesn't think like Lyt Ahn; and, more than that, includes individuals in high positions, probably even on the Council of Area Commanders—maybe even a majority on that Council."

  "You mean that Lyt Ahn might be agreeable to the Aalaag pulling away, off of Earth, but the others wouldn't go?"

  "I don't know," said Shane. "Somehow I think that whatever's decided, they'll all do it together. But maybe the others could have enough weight in any decision so that even if Lyt Ahn was ready to order all the Aalaag to leave, he wouldn't because the others were against it." Maria looked at him sharply.

  "I see now why you were so upset when Lyt Ahn suddenly decided to lend you to Laa Ehon," she said.

  "Yes." He nodded. "I had arguments I thought the Pilgrim might be able to make work on Lyt Ahn. Aalaag arguments, according to how I thought I understood the Aalaag thinking. But I'm not so sure now they'd work on Laa Ehon or one of the other aliens who think like him—if I'm right and there're others who think his way."

  "But if Lyt Ahn already thought Laa Ehon was unwell, why did he back this business of the Government Units, which was Laa Ehon's idea? More, why did he shove it forward even faster than Laa Ehon looked like he was ready to?"

  "I think," said Shane hesitantly, "he thought that the plan couldn't possibly work; and pushing it faster than Laa Ehon had planned would make its faults show that much sooner. You see, if it had worked, Laa Ehon would have gained authority in the Council at Lyt Ahn's expense. And, of course, the plan shouldn't have worked—only I had to tell the Resistance and others to make it look like it was working."

  "So now," said Maria, "the other senior Aalaag officers think Lyt Ahn's showed a failure in judgment; and he's lost authority because Laa Ehon saw things more clearly than he did. So that's the reason for all this."

  "It could be worse than that," said Shane. "What I'm afraid of is that Lyt Ahn himself actually believes he was wrong, and therefore he's less than he should be. It could be it wouldn't take much more for him to offer to step down as First Captain and let Laa Ehon take over. You have to look at it the way an Aalaag's mind would look at it. So what I'm really afraid of is that Lyt Ahn's taken a last-resort chance by sending me to literally spy on Laa Ehon, to see if I can find anything that will help him make up his mind if he should step down or not."

  "You just finished telling me Lyt Ahn was the honorable type of Aalaag; so how could he do that?" said Maria. "Or isn't it dishonorable to make you into a spy on a brother Aalaag?"

  "I'm not really sent out to spy. Lyt Ahn's just going to ask me questions when I come back for a visit to the House of Weapons. But, you're right, of course. Even that's not right —except that I gave him an excuse—deliberately. I told him what Laa Ehon had asked me. That brought out into the open the point that Laa Ehon may actually be unwell. If so, then it's not only a duty but a kindness—again in Aalaag terms—to establish the fact; and means that he couldn't in conscience use against someone he believed to be a well officer would be excusable to establish the fact of Laa Ehon's sickness."

  "I don't see anything in all this you've told me," said Maria, "that's so critically important to pass on to Peter and others if you couldn't. What is it you were going to tell me?"

  "What's important is just that I'm going to report Laa Ehon as unwell, whether he is or not," said Shane. "If I'm right about Lyt Ahn, at least, as long as he's First Captain, until he resigns or is voted out of his command position, he can give the rest orders and they'll obey. If nothing else, it'll create a leadership crisis that Peter and the rest can take advantage of; and it might stop Laa Ehon and his group long enough for me to play the issue out with Lyt Ahn the way I planned to."

  "You've never told me how you planned to."

  "Yes, I have," he said. "We set up a demonstration with thousands of pilgrims surrounding each Aalaag Headquarters and then the Pilgrim will tell him that we will die, if necessary, but we'll not serve the Aalaag anymore."

  "You mean you'll tell him." Her face was pale.

  "No, I really mean the Pilgrim will tell him—through me."

  "But it means you'll be there, facing him."

  "Yes," he said. "You knew that."

  "You never really said it, until now."

  "There's no other way," he said as gently as he could. "When I say we'll all die rather than go on being cattle to the Aalaag, I have to be ready to do it, too."

  She did not say anything for a moment.

  "So this is what you want me to tell Peter," she said, and her voice was bitter. "You should tell him yourself when you see him in Milan."

  "I will—if l can."

  She stared at him.

  "He'll be here in a day, two at most—and you say you're practically certain Laa Ehon will let you come to see me."

  "I am. But there's always the possibility..." He let the sentence end itself.

  "What you mean," she said, "is that when you leave me in Milan to report for the first time to Laa Ehon, it may be the last time I ever see you."

  He took a deep breath

  "Yes," he said. "There's that chance."

  They sat looking at each other; and after a moment he put his arms around her and held her closely to him. But it did not help.

  27

  "So," said Laa Ehon, "you were unable to tell me how well you liked your master because you had only had one and had no basis for comparison. Perhaps you can tell me now how you feel about being on permanent loan to me, Shane-beast."

  Shane stood at attention before the office desk at which Laa Ehon sat. It was his third day in Milan and he was seeing Laa Ehon for the first time since his arrival. They were alone in the Aalaag's office, which was furnished much like the one in which Shane had been used to having his talks with Lyt Ahn. But Laa Ehon had made no move toward any of the more comfortable furniture that would signal an "unofficial" mode to the interview.

  Shane was grateful now that Lyt Ahn had refused to let Maria be lent to Laa Ehon as well as himself. Maria had no experience with this sort of Aalaag, no experience at standing, if necessary, for hours while being questioned.

  "I am very interested to find myself lent to the immaculate sir," he answered now.

  "Yes," said Laa Ehon, "it was both kindly and generous of Lyt Ahn to make you available to me. You mirror your master's nature, as a good beast should. But of course, now, you must come to mirror mine. I understand you were also allowed to bring your assistant and mate-to-be to this city with you. I take it you have established it in quarters not too far from here, so that you may see it with the least possible difficulty when I give you freedom to do so?"

  "Yes, immaculate sir."

  "Such an arrangement is agreeable to me, as well," said

  Laa Ehon reflectively. "I am interested to see what kind of offspring you will sire. But of course, your main interest will be in the work I wish you to do."

  "Of course, immaculate sir."

  "Indeed, you will find it most interesting. I will not, of cou
rse, rank you first in the Corps I wish you to build—and which will bear some resemblance to the Corps to which you belong with Lyt Ahn. It is far too soon for me to decide who should have first rank in that. But you may consider yourself in this Corps which I now create as one of second rank, acting as First Officer until further notice. If you satisfy me that such a promotion is deserved, it could be that rank will become permanent for you. But that remains to be seen. Have you any questions?"

  "I should prefer to think before putting questions to the immaculate sir, so as not to burden him with things I might find out otherwise."

  "That is intelligent of you," said Laa Ehon. "Nonetheless, I am interested in hearing now what you might wish to know. Say whatever questions come to your mind, even if later you find that they were unnecessary."

  Shane's mind, in fact, was racing. He had achieved his first objective, which was, effectively, to be commanded to enter into open conversation with Laa Ehon. The next step would be harder. What he dreamed of doing was to lead Laa Ehon into some statement that could possibly be reported to Lyt Ahn as evidence of instability—in Aalaag terms.

  "I am grateful for the consideration of the immaculate sir," he said. "Perhaps I might ask then if the sir foresees all Commanders eventually having their own Corps of courier-translators?"

  "I see no need for that," said Laa Ehon. "My own need for such a Corps is all that interests me at the moment. But—I did invite questions from you, so I will answer this one, somewhat frivolous as it is. No, I do not see other Commanders needing such a Corps. I am one whom events might bring to become First Captain, sometime; therefore there is a use to me in the experience of having such. I am curious that your first question was not where the other potential member-beasts that would work with and under you might be found."

  "The immaculate sir is entirely correct. That should have been my first question."

  "But was not. I will recall that," said Laa Ehon, "when the time comes for weighing your merits as First Officer. To answer that question, I have had a search going on for some time to find teachable beasts with abilities; and that search has so far produced eight of them. You will be directed to the place where they are even now waiting to be examined by you, on leaving me."

  "I am grateful to the immaculate sir. Is it the wish of the sir that I immediately begin to test them as to these abilities, so that I may report to the sir my opinion of them as future Corps members?"

  Laa Ehon's expression, of course, gave nothing away; but Shane was certain he had scored a point by coming up with the exact question the other had wanted him to ask next.

  "Yes, you may do that, Shane-beast," Laa Ehon said, "and report to me with your findings as soon as you have them on all candidates."

  "May I then ask the sir what sort of use those qualified among them are to be put to first?"

  Once again, Shane had the feeling that he had scored with the right question in the right order. Laa Ehon sat for a good two minutes without answering; but indications too fine for Shane to identify individually in the other's face and attitude made Shane suddenly sure that the delay was mere show, that the Milanese Commander had had his answer ready for a long time. If he had been a human, he would have adopted a thoughtful pose.

  "That is, of course, something to be decided," said Laa Ehon, "and I will be interested in your own ideas on the subject, when the time for that comes. Perhaps you might be thinking about uses for these candidates, yourself."

  It was abruptly very obvious to Shane that he had not been the only one trying to bring the other to say certain things. Laa Ehon had also been leading Shane to utter words that, if said by Shane, would justify what he, as an Aalaag, might safely reply. Shane decided that the best way to handle this was to walk directly and openly into the trap.

  "If I am to do that, immaculate sir, it would be of considerable help to me to know under what conditions the immaculate sir foresees this Corps being used."

  Again, Laa Ehon went through the motions of taking time out to think.

  "That is difficult to say right at this moment, Shane-beast," he answered finally. "The future is always full of possibilities."

  He fell silent abruptly; and his gaze, which had been on Shane, was suddenly not seeing him anymore, but looking through him to something apparently visible only to his own alien thoughts.

  Laa Ehon sat, wordless. To Shane, who had lived through so many Aalaag conversational silences that he was by way of being a connoisseur of them, there was a difference about this one, following as it had upon a speech, oddly interrupted. It was, he thought, as if Laa Ehon had been about to say something more, but had not. Aalaag did not trail off their voice as a human might, on leaving a sentence unfinished. All speech ended on an emphatic note that was an effective period to whatever was being said. But there was a clear feeling in Shane that the Milanese Commander had suddenly changed his mind about putting whatever it was into words. Shane was searching his mind for possibilities of what that unspoken thought would have been, when Laa Ehon unexpectedly returned his attention and voice to Shane at once.

  "I am, of course," Laa Ehon said, "thoroughly in agreement with Lyt Ahn's stipulation that you be allowed to return to the House of Weapons at any time you feel it necessary; and I have given orders that you be allowed to arrange transportation through the Officer of the Day without notice. But it could happen that some inconvenience might be produced at this end by one of such trips without notice. Have you any idea when you might need to so travel?"

  "None, I regret to say, immaculate sir," answered Shane. "Possibly not for months, but perhaps even within the week. I came immediately I was notified that I had been lent to the sir. My sudden departure could have left unattended to some matter that might call me back, as I say, within a week or two. I regret that I have no way of knowing so that I could notify the sir in advance."

  "It might be inconvenient," repeated Laa Ehon, in a tone so low it was the Aalaag equivalent of a muttered aside to himself. His gaze, which had once more become unfocused, refastened itself on Shane. "We will not concern ourselves with that now, however. You are clear about your immediate duties?"

  "Forgive this beast, but I am not, immaculate sir. You wished me to examine these candidates for a Courier-Translator Corps that you mentioned. What beyond examining them does the sir wish me to do?"

  "Teach them, of course." Laa Ehon's gaze sharpened on a point between Shane's eyebrows.

  "This beast understands. They are to be taught what the duties are of a courier-translator."

  "Not at all. What you are to teach them is the true tongue, teach them to speak it well as you are speaking it now. For what other reason would I have borrowed you from the First Captain?"

  "Forgive the stupidity of this beast, immaculate sir. Not everyone can be taught—"

  "I think such failure unlikely in this case. These are all beasts who speak a number of beast-tongues, already. Granted that there is more to the true tongue than any beast-noises, they should all be able to learn it. If there is one—or even two—who actually does not have the capability, you can reject them. You may go."

  "I thank the immaculate sir and obey."

  Shane turned and left the office, his mind whirling. The odds that any of the human linguists he was about to meet would be capable of learning to speak Aalaag even at median level for Lyt Ahn's Corps, let alone at Shane's level, were minuscule, to say the least. Lyt Ahn's present Corps members represented a beginning body of students from all over the world that had been nearly two hundred times their number. Almost all the rest had failed because of their inability to speak—not a failure to understand, but to speak the alien tongue. As Shane himself had explained to Maria, the human vocal apparatus was simply not capable of forming certain of the Aalaag speech sounds; and those like himself who gave their masters the impression that they could speak "the true tongue" with some facility did it by linguistic trickery and imitation of the stumbling pronunciations of the very young Aalaag, who
were equally in process of learning to speak it.

  At any other time, Shane would have been in deep shock at this order to do the impossible. But it happened that he had other and greater things to think about at the moment—also, he should be well away from here before Laa Ehon had a chance to check on whether the candidates selected had been successfully taught, to the extent the Milanese Commander clearly expected him to teach them. Maria had called him over the local phone lines into the Headquarters building to say that Peter had gotten into Milan the night before. But Shane, required by Aalaag custom to wait on the spot for Laa Ehon's arrival, had not been able to leave the building since early on the day when he had first reported in to that Command.