Doona Trilogy Omnibus

by neetha Napew

  “So was this marine’s illegal entry. You may be under the Admiral’s orders, but by all that’s holy, while you’re on this planet, you are also under mine as planetary leader,’ Todd went on, his fury unabated. “The next time, mister, you overstep yourself, you’ll be subject to my authority.”

  “And mine,’ Hrrestan said with equal threat.

  The marine kept his face carefully expressionless.

  “Have we made ourselves clear, Admiral?” Todd added, turning to Barnstable but looking at Greene, too. “We’re trying to forge an alliance with these beings and there are to be no more juvenile wargames during the proceedings.”

  “Has it never occurrrred to you,’ Hrrestan went on, “zat ze Gringg will likely tell you morrre zan you could ever discoverr by spying?”

  “With all respect, leader,’ Greene said, “I doubt that very much.”

  “I wish zo know morrre about ze Gringg zen zey have told us,’ Hrrrv muttered sulkily. “As yrrr prrrecious Hayumans say, “Know yrr enemy.”’ “Better, recognize who is your enemy,’ Todd said to the Hrruban captain, and swung a fierce gaze towards the Spacedep officers. That gave Todd the satisfaction of momentarily startling Hrrrv. He did catch the odd glint in Hrrrv’s eyes but he couldn’t interpret it. “If you’d realize there are no enemies here at all, we could progress on all fronts!” He eyed the Spacedep officers with the same fierce gaze, but clearly, he’d taken much of the wind out of their sails. He allowed his temper to cool. He’d said enough, and to the point, for one day. He’d best withdraw.

  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.” With a bow to the assembly, Todd left the dining hall.

  “A little strong, was that not?” Hrriss asked, mildly, following Todd toward the grid. His naturally quicker pace kept him abreast of the Hayuman who was still dissipating his anger.

  “Aargh!” Todd said, stopping and twining his hands into his hair.

  “I wish they’d all pack up and go home, and let us handle the diplomatic relations. We’d achieve fair terms and a treaty, and they’d never have to leave Terra!”

  “Or Hrruba,’ Hrriss said, thoughtfully. “I don’t know how zings went with ze trade discussions, but ze space port talks were constantly interrupted by Barnstable’s objections. I zought he was an advocate.” Todd grinned. “Only if Spacedep’s allowed its little bureaucracies. And with the Gringg a new factor, he’s likely to insist on a heavy Spacedep presence.

  Hrriss shook his head. “No, it’s somezing else. We know zey do not trrrust the Grringg but zeir paranoia is worse zan just mistrrust.”

  “And probably all a part of why Greene had an agent infiltrating the Gringg shuttle.” Todd flattened his lips into a grim line. “I shouldn’t have been so glad to see Greene leave our trade talks where, I might add, he and that Markudian lackey of his were doing their damnedest to mess things up.”

  “He objected to selling zem food?”

  “As much as Hrrto ornaments from Hrruba The two old friends grinned at each other.

  “Greene had a notion that perhaps they wanted us for food,’ Todd said, with a shadow of distaste at being reminded of that incident.

  “Ho! So long as you promised zem Rraladoona snake, y6u skinny creatures are safe,’ Hrriss said with a laugh.

  “All fooling aside, Hrriss, I think the Spacedep personnel bear closer watching. But come on,’ he said, with a sudden lightening of mood. “We’ve got to get the lists of teams drawn up for the Hunt, or you’ll see a hell of a hullabaloo when the snakes swarm!” He grinned at his best friend. “I wonder if the Gringg would like to participate.

  Not that we’ve a horse up to such weight.”

  “Ze way zey move, zey don’t need a horse,’ Hrriss replied.

  Todd’s eyes twinkled. “Speaking of moving, c’mon!

  Race you to the grid!” Forgetting for the moment that they were adults, with children and responsibilities, the two abandoned themselves to the familiar contest of their childhood. Todd was laughing by the time he caught up with Hrriss at the pillars.

  After Todd had stalked out, most of the other delegates found excuses to leave. Jilamey Landreau collared Admiral Sumitral and led him away, talking excitedly about the tons of fish and snake which the Gringg would need. Hrrestan was deep in discussions with the craftsfolk about the availability of large quantities of well-tanned leathers and they all left. Only Castleton, Barnstable, Greene, Second Speaker, Hrrrv, and Mllaba remained.

  Greene spoke to Bouros. “You’re dismissed, man.

  Report back to Earth.” He turned to Barnstable. “We can’t use him again now that Reeve and the others have seen him.”

  “Stupid way to be caught,’ Castleton said with a halfsmile. “Especially after we saw them use their olfactory senses to differentiate between us.”

  “Bouros is not a clumsy operative,’ Greene replied, annoyed at her comment.

  She shrugged.

  “Well, Castleton, see what your specialists can do to overcome that problem,’ Barnstable said, giving her a sour glance. That startled her but she nodded her head in acceptance of the commission.

  “Somehow or other, we have got to gain more evidence against the Gringg that will hold up in World Court. Grace, have we gotten anything new from the exploration ship?”

  “Nothing yet, Admiral,’ Castleton said. “I renewed the request with an urgent tag on it through secured transmission again this morning.

  “Confound it, we need that data. Barnstable pulled a chair away from the dining table and sank into it.

  “Trivia!” Second Speaker burst out suddenly. Grace stared at him, wondering if he was accusing them. The Hrruban began to pace, showing all the agitation he had concealed while S1mitral and the others were present. The Speaker’s tail lashed back and forth. “The Gringg ask us for trivia. What does it mean?”

  “It means,’ Barnstable said, “that they intend to keep up this charade until the last minute. The pretence is wearing my nerves to a nubbin.” He sat back in his chair and wiped his face with a handkerchief. Castleton knew predsely how he felt. After weeks of maintaining the Hamilton in a continual state of yellow alert, she was tired. Shore leave to the surface of Doonarrala was limited, and the crew were taking it hard. Frail Frill, one of her most loyal officers, had asked to be released from his duties planetside because it was causing jealousy among the personnel who had been denied permission to downside. Grace had been grateful for the presence of Jon Greene, who had lent her his deep well of strength. He was the most zealous patriot she had ever met. All his actions and decisions were considered in the light of what was best for Humanity.

  Grace admired him, but found herself unable to agree completely with him about the treachery of the Gringg. Still, she watched the computer scopes every day, tracking the approach of the Spacedep squadron. It was still too far away to be picked up on sensors. Nor was anything else, which took care of the notion that the Gringg were waiting for reinforcements.

  “What are the Gringg waiting for?” Mllaba asked, her yellow-green eyes wide.

  “A display of physical aggression?” Castleton suggested.

  “They don’t act, they react. If we don’t press them, they might never attack us.” Barnstable waved away the notion. “How far off is the fleet now?”

  “Six to seven more days, sir.”

  “Right. From now on, tighter security. But I still want a look at what they’re hiding on that ship!” “I have an idea how to accomplish that, sir,’ Greene said, “if you’ll allow me a free hand.”

  “What? All right, Greene. Carry on.

  Castleton paused, wondering how to phrase her feelings. “Sir, after having listened to them today, I hesitate to admit it, but I . .

  . I like the Gringg. Hearing them talk, it’s hard to believe that they caused the destruction of an entire planet. Their behaviour differs so greatly from what appeared on that tape. If I hadn’t seen it, I’d never be convinced that they are dangerous.

&n
bsp; “Besides that, they are so big!” Hrrto exclaimed. “And so loud!’ Barnstable planted a firm finger on the tabletop. “Cunning, too. All that openness and charm right up to the moment they’re ready to take over this planet!” Such an emphatic pronouncement silenced the others.

  “Only a week, maybe less,’ Hrrrv said in a tone of some desperation, “and we’ll have a superior force in Rraladoonan skies.

  Zen we will have ze authority,’ he paused and drew his lip back from his teeth, “zat will supply ze zruth from these “bears”!”

  “Reeve and Hrrestan can he removed as planetary leaders,’ Barnstable said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, “as unfit to govern. .

  .

  since they’ve allowed hospitality to so clearly a menacing species, endangering the citizens of both species.”

  “Speaker Hrrto and Captain Hrrrv, you would of course support this move for any doubting Hrrubans,’ Greene put in. “With an intelligent and dedicated administration, we’ll soon put things to rights. We might even consider removing the Reeve family from Doonarrala as subversive to the well-being of the colony since they seem to be forever leading-it into dangerous situations.” Just thinking of that possibility gave Greene a certain measure of satisfaction. Grace Castleton regarded him with shock. She had no idea his dislike of the young planetary administrator went that deep.

  “And Hrrestan with him,’ Mllaba said, “since he also espouses zese same courses.”

  “I do most respectfully suggest that you act only on provocation,’ Grace Castleton said. “This is an independent and autonomous planet. We still don’t have proof that these Gringg pose a threat to the planet or either of our worlds.”

  “I don’t like hearing such sentiments from you, Castleton,’ Barnstable said, eyeing her fiercely.

  She inclined her head a moment. “I am, of course, required to comply with any orders you may give me, Admiral,’ the captain said in a colourless voice, “but I would not be acting in your best interests if I do not play devil’s advocate.”

  “Oh? Well, there’s that,’ Barnstable said, mollified.

  “The Gringg protestations of their pacific nature are hypocritical,’ Barnstable went on, “and the basis for trade with them ludicrous. Only consolidates my distrust of “em.

  I’ll have conclusive proof all too soon that they’re dangerous!

  Why, the size of them alone makes them physically superior . - I mean - - - well, you know what I mean!

  We’ve got to make these fool Doonarralans see that these bear types are the most dangerous species Mankind has ever encountered.

  Why, they could dominate the known galaxy. That cannot be allowed!”

  “It will not, sir,’ Greene assured him.

  By the time Todd reached home that evening, he was tired and wanting nothing more than a quick dinner and enough time to review the day’s tumultuous and astonishing incidents. He could smell the dinner but, as soon as he swung in the door, he felt the atmosphere crackling.

  “Oh, Lord, what’ve I done wrong now?” he murmured.

  The house only felt like this when Kelly was ready to scalp him.

  “AH!” and she leaped from the kitchen and stopped abruptly in the middle of the room, fists dug into her hips. “”Would you mind entertaining Captain Grizz and her son, honey?”

  “ She did a good imitation of him and that further warned him of being in deep trouble with her.

  Oh, all I have to do is entertain them this afternoon, show them how we live?”

  “ She said, mimicking her own wifely reply. “But,-‘ and now she advanced on him, her head down, her glower intense, “does my beloved husband drop me one little word of the essential difference between the bears I’ve met and our noble Captain Grizzly? No, nary a word does he say!” With a practised flick of her hand, she caught his outstretched hand with the hard edge of a whipped tea-towel. It stung and, even as he began retreating, she flicked the towel again, catching him even harder on the leg.

  “Now, honey “Don’t “now, honey,” me!” She cast the towel again and this time he ducked because she was aiming at his neck and she’d had too much practice at that art. “Only one phrase just one phrase was necessary. “Honey, the females are bigger than the males.”

  “But you knew that,’ Todd said, reaching the door to put it between him and her attack. “You knew that! We told you she was immense . . . that the males are tercels.

  I know we said it.”

  “But you didn’t say it then!” With unexpected force she jerked the door free of his grasp and he stood there, feeling vulnerable.

  “Honey, you’re good at remembering details - he began. Then panic swept through him. “Nothing happened, did it? With Orizz and Weddeerogh?” Surely someone would have got word to him about that.

  Kelly turned on her heel. “No, nothing happened except Nrrna, Mrrva and I were paralysed with shock for five minutes. Even the grid operator was affected . . .” And then Kelly couldn’t maintain her angry pose any longer.

  She burst out laughing, doubling up with the strength of her spasms.

  “I don’t think Grrirl will ever forgive us,’ she said, wiping her eyes on her former weapon, “because he really did lose it. . . even if Nrrna and Mrrva pretended he hadn’t.

  Even if you’d said something in your message, we still would not have been prepared by the size of Grizzly and Teddy.” Her phrases were less interspersed with giggles.

  “He’s adorable! All I could think of was “a Bear of Very Little Brain .

  “Huh?”

  “You know, Winnie-the-Pooh.” She stared at her husband.

  “My mother read me those stories when I was a kid and I read them to ours . . . don’t you remember?

  Eeyore “And the tail that’s all he’s got,’ and Todd now remembered the charming stories. “What name did the kids give Weddeerogh?”

  “Teddy,’ Kelly said firmly, “Not my idea. Winnie ought to have been obvious but those kids of yours latched on to Teddy Bear and there was no arguing them out of it.

  My word, but he can eat. “Sing ho for a Bear, sing ho for a Pooh”,’ she sang, “”I’ll have a little something in an hour or two”.

  He can move in here any time his mother’s away Swims like a dolphin.

  So does she. . .” Another burst of laughter, and tears were now streaming down Kelly’s face. “Thank goodness you dredged the lake last year or it wouldn’t have been up to her knees and she does so love to float, flat out. We’ve got to go to the seashore next time she’s free or perhaps demonstrate how we shoot the river rapids.” Kelly collapsed back into the couch; then patted it for him to sit beside her “Sorry, love, but I had to get it out of my system. I mean,’ and she shook her head in remembered amazement, “I didn’t think the grid could take anything that big!”

  “That particular grid, as you well know, can handle a whole village. So, what was the captain’s reaction? She wasn’t offended?”

  “I believe she thought we weren’t sure how to greet her appropriately and instructed us,’ Kelly said, snuggling up to him now which is what he’d wanted all along but he didn’t feel quite like responding to her just yet. “And Teddy was no problem at all especially after he saw Hrrunna. After that, when he wasn’t in the water, he was rocking her. Thank goodness they eat anything, and almost everything. I’ll have to do a major resupply tomorrow. Another thing, Grizz wouldn’t come in here she figured our floors weren’t up to her weight .

  but she looked in through every window. On tiptoe she could even see into the dormer rooms.” She stifled another bubble of laughter.

  “She seemed to approve - but mainly of the lake. Thank goodness you and Hrriss dredged that lake!” And Kelly tittered. “How did your day go?” “Well, now that you mention it, I am glad we dredged the lake,’ he replied at his most casual. If she had seen fit to take her own turn first, he’d make her wait for his report. “Gringg love water sports.

  There’s the ocean, too.<
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  I’m not sure they have tidal seas “Yes, but what do they want to trade?”

  Todd affected a very serious expression. “Not what we expected at all.” He wondered how long he could play this one out before he told her the “awful truth’ Once the details of trade items became public knowledge, there was great competition to show the Gringg what Rraladoon craftfolk and farmers had to offer. Since the old Hall would be even more inadequate than ever with even a few Gringg within, every village offered its green as marketplace. Nearly half the Gringg on board the Wander Den wished to participate actively in trading so that no village had a chance to feel deprived or neglected.

  Other Gringg were interested in other facets of life on the planet. Their wishes were accommodated despite continued vehement protests and ominous warnings from Spacedep. Gringgs were “adopted’ for a day by people in every line of work. With scrupulous impartiality, Kelly and Nrrna acted as secretaries for such engagements. So it was not surprising that, when Shhrrgahnnn asked to see more closely some of the four-footed beasts which were in such continuous use by Hayuman and Hrruban that Kelly asked her brother to oblige him.

  “Only if the smell of a Gringg doesn’t freak my patients out,’ Mike Solinari replied.

  “The Gringg smell pleasant,’ Kelly remarked, a trifle sharply, “and my house pets and our horses have exhibited no reaction to their presence.” She didn’t add that dogs pretended the mountain of flesh wasn’t there and the cats remained well beyond the range of even Teddy, but they hadn’t exhibited a “physical’ reaction.

  “Well, sick stock doesn’t respond normally. That voder contraption unnerves me,’ Mike said, “and I understand its purpose.

  However, Kelly did agree to wait and be sure that the Gringg didn’t freak out his patients. So, early on the scheduled morning, Kelly Reeve delivered the guest at the hospital.

  “Now, Bra,’ Kelly said, introducing the Gringg, “your niece and nephew have renamed him Cinnamon.