Méridien (The Silver Ships Book 3) (51 page)

Two more shells were under construction, the females crawling over the unfinished edges. Leader O’Shea broached the subject that had been on his mind. “Ser de Guirnon,” Devon said, “if the Swei Swee are citizens, how do you compensate them?”

“We are still working on that, Ser,” Renée responded. “The Swei Swee could request many things for their labors, and they would be granted. Presently, they’re focused on returning to a normal life. They fish, build dwellings, and … procreate. The egg domes have tripled since they’ve arrived. The shells they build are a tribute to the Star Hunter First,” Renée added, indicating Alex.

Maria sidled next to Eric. She had found that the Ambassador often offered her valuable and insightful advice, allowing her to glean helpful impressions of first-time contact with Alex and the Harakens.

“Have you greeted the Swei Swee First, Ambassador Stroheim?” Maria asked.

“Fortune forbid, President Gonzalez! Only President Racine has received that … that honor,” Eric replied, shuddering at the thought of consuming the ceremonial offering.

“Do you have any suggestions for me, Ser?” Maria asked.

“Ser President, when entering uncharted territory, I advise it is always wise to follow the leader,” Eric replied.

Maria’s mouth twitched as she controlled her desire to laugh at Eric’s reference to the children’s game, but a glance at the Ambassador found him staring at Alex. Maria had made preparations for this moment in concert with Julien and hoped Alex would be pleased by her request. Now it struck her how serious the event was for the Swei Swee and the Harakens. The realization wouldn’t change her plans, but it changed the emotional overtone.

Alex motioned Maria forward. After crossing half the distance to the travelers under shell construction, Alex’s harness cut loose with a loud whistle. A large Swei Swee male burst from the swim tank and raced toward them. Maria’s footsteps stuttered to a halt at the furious rush of the alien creature. Vids had not prepared her for reality. She felt Alex’s hand firmly grasp hers and was grateful for the contact.

When the claw-snapping First skidded to a halt in front of them, Maria felt too petrified to move. A series of whistles and warbles were exchanged by the creature and Alex, and Maria’s harness and ear comm followed their simple greeting. When the Swei Swee’s four eyestalks focused on her, she felt lightheaded. She was in the presence of an alien … a true alien. Alex sat cross-legged on the ground. Eric’s words returned to her, and she followed Alex’s lead. When the First lowered himself to the ground and stopped snapping its claws, it mollified her somewhat and she worked to recall her plan. She watched Alex extend his hands in claw fashion, and the First placed his claws below Alex’s in greeting.

The First’s eyestalks flicked from the Star Hunter First to the large entity seated next to him. The First hoped he was to greet the Star Hunter First’s new mate. His people had been saddened that the leader of the Star Hunter had only the one mate and a puny one at that.

Before Alex could introduce her, Maria triggered her belt harness via her ear comm to issue its initial phrase. “World First greets Star Hunter First,” whistled forth, and Maria held out claw-like hands to Alex, who extended his hands to her in greeting. But where Alex sought to touch fingertips to fingertips, Maria lowered her hands below his. From the corner of her eyes, she saw the Swei Swee’s eyestalks train on the relative positions of their human claws.

Maria turned to the Swei Swee and triggered her second phrase. Her belt whistled, “World First greets Swei Swee First.” Maria waited until the First’s claws were fully extended before she reached out and touched fingertips to claw tips—not above and not below. She held her hands still while the First’s eyestalks flicked from their touching appendages, then to Alex and back.

The First pulled his claws back. He had identified the entity in front of him as female, and she was not a mate but a leader … a female leader. It seemed confusing, but the female had been brought to him by the Star Hunter First. There was no time to dwell on the oddities … Ceremony was required. He whistled his needs, and a large male shot out of the swim pool and hurried to the feeding tank. With a small fish pinioned in a claw, he scurried to the First, lowering himself to the ground to offer the tribute.

The First accepted the fish, snipping off its head and tail and stripping its skin. In the meantime, the Swei Swee females had stopped work and closed around the leaders to observe the greeting ceremony. The oldest and largest matrons crowded close to Maria, their mouth parts smacking as they tasted the air. Warbles and tweets passed between them. The new leader had been identified as female and presented as an equal to their First, which made this a momentous occasion.

“The females are impressed, Maria,” Alex said, his voice soothing her. “It’s an important event for them to discover a female leader.”

When one of the matrons inadvertently bumped Maria, the eyestalks of the First flicked toward the offender, and his shrill whistle pierced the air. The matrons obediently retreated several meters.

Maria watched the Swei Swee male efficiently strip the fish. He spread his claws to enable him to come close to Alex. Maria could scent the odors of the sea from his body. One fillet of the fish was offered to Alex, who immediately bit into it, chewing noisily. The First whistled softly in response, bobbing up and down. Maria understood the action as excited approval. When the Swei Swee stripped the second fillet, his eyestalks focused closely on the piece of flesh, and he carefully divided it in two. He offered both pieces to her.

“You have presented yourself as equals, Maria,” Alex said quietly. “Choose one.”

Maria took one of the pieces and held the cool flesh in her hand. While she gathered her courage, the First’s eyestalks flicked between her offering, her face, and Alex. She glanced at Alex. In response, he bit a large piece of tissue off his fillet and continued to smack and chew. Maria put the flesh in her mouth, her stomach roiling, but as she bit down a light, sweet flavor covered her tongue. As she chewed, a refreshing flavor filled her mouth. She concentrated on the taste and tried not to think of the creature she was eating. A bit late, she realized her eyes were closed. She opened them to find the Swei Swee First’s four eyes staring at her. Maria heard Alex chewing noisily and grunting, so she played “follow the leader” and began smacking her lips and chewing noisily.

The First whistled shrilly, which nearly had Maria bolting back to the shuttle, but she maintained her place. He stuffed his portion of the fillet in his mouth, smacking and chewing on the flesh. The host of Swei Swee burst into a raucous celebration of whistles and snapping claws.

“When is the ceremony concluded, Alex?” Maria asked. She felt she was depending on a younger brother to guide her through treacherous waters.

“When all have finished their share, Maria,” Alex replied.

Maria looked at the portion of her share that remained. She glanced to Alex and then to the First. Both were licking their hands, having finished their ceremonial offerings. Maria took a breath and let it out. Then she concentrated on biting, chewing, and swallowing, as if she was in a TSF training regimen. She hadn’t made Terran Security Forces General by possessing a mind unable to focus.

When Maria was finished, Alex stood up, but Maria found it difficult to stand. She felt lightheaded again, and her legs were shaky. Alex helped her up, which she greatly appreciated. The Swei Swee extended his dangerously pointed and edged claws to Alex, who formed fists and smacked down on the claws. Then the First extended his claws to Maria, and she tapped them lightly. The claws stayed in place, and the eyestalks swiveled between her and Alex. “Follow the leader,” echoed in her mind, and she thumped the colorful blue-green claws with her fists, which felt like striking stone.

The First loosed an earsplitting whistle and the assembly joined in. Maria watched Alex raise his hands over his head, spinning around and snapping his fingers. Maria shrugged her broad shoulders and copied Alex. It had been years since she had danced, although she had loved to as a young girl. The more she spun and snapped, the better she felt. Soon she realized the laughter she heard was coming from her. A great many concerns as President of New Terra fell away as she participated in the ceremony’s conclusion. Completing a rotation, she saw that Alex had stopped, and she did the same. Her grin was an echo of the one Alex wore.

Alex was ready to return to the traveler, but as the First backed away, the eldest matrons, those most heavily scarred of shell and claw, came close to Maria. Alex stepped back to clear room for the females since they were intent on Maria. The matrons stopped a half-meter away from her, lifting their claws in the air and bobbing slowly.

“Alex?” Maria asked nervously, her concern returning.

“I believe you have created a new concept for the Swei Swee—a female leader. The matrons wish to share in the moment.”

“Do you have a suggestion, Alex?” Maria asked.

“You are the leader of a world, Maria,” Alex replied. “Follow your diplomatic instincts.”

Maria looked at the heavy, blunt pair of claws directly in front of her. The female’s claws and carapace were a torment of scars and scrapes across what probably had been a beautiful shell. Her heart reached out to the female and what she had endured throughout her life, mining for the Nua’ll. In her mind, she was a General again, and a trooper who had been injured in the line of duty now stood in front of her, waiting to be decorated. Maria’s fists closed tightly and she smacked down on the blunt claws in front of her. The elderly matron warbled softly and briefly lowered herself to the ground before scuttling backward. Another female took her place.

Alex watched female after female stand before the World First, anxious to share in the moment. He would have interrupted, knowing what the constant impact was doing to Maria’s hands, but she wore a determined look and was smacking claws with vigor.

Alex sent.

Terese returned.

When the last matron received Maria’s greeting, Alex guided her back toward the traveler. She was breathing heavily and the edges of her hands bled from the nicks on the females’ claws, but she wore the most beatific smile. “I have new friends,” Alex heard her say. When they reached the traveler, Terese applied the nanites ointment to Maria’s hand.

Tatia stepped up to the two Presidents and handed them small cups. “Perhaps the Presidents would care for a palate cleansing after your ceremony?”

As Tatia filled the two cups with amber liquid, Alex thought to admonish Maria to swallow, not swish and spit while they were within sight of the Swei Swee, but he needn’t have bothered. Maria slugged down the ship’s brew of cactus alcohol and held her cup out for a refill. It appeared the two ex-TSF officers had shared drinks more than once.

Back at the Haraken facilities that had been used for negotiations, the House Leaders and Maria approved their agreements as recorded by the SADEs.

Katarina Pasko took the opportunity to ask Alex for a moment or two of his time in private. Alex indicated a small office, and they retired behind a closed door. The Ambassadors regarded each other as did the remaining two Leaders. Renée, however, stared at the closed door.

Once inside the office, Katarina resorted to her implant. She stepped close to Alex, cutting into his personal space, seeking to take advantage of her similar appearance to Ser de Guirnon. The two might have been mistaken for sisters.

Shades of Lina
, Alex thought. Alex said, holding his ground and putting on what he hoped was a disinterested expression.

Katarina sent, stepping so close to Alex that her delicate features filled his vision.

Alex shrugged his broad shoulders in a show of apathy and reverted to voice. “Personally, I have no desire to explore the effect, Leader Pasko. Thank you for your interest and your offer,” Alex said politely and then turned and exited the office. With no more business to conduct, Alex led the way out of the facilities to their traveler.

Renée and Terese were focused on the office doorway, intent on gauging Katarina’s expression following her conversation with Alex.

Terese sent to Renée.

Renée sent back.

As the two women turned toward the exit lock, employed to trap oxygen-rich air inside, their evil grins of satisfaction remained unseen by Katarina Pasko. Renée hurried to catch up with Alex, sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow. His hand covered hers without missing a word in his conversation with the visitors.

Gino had deliberately sought a seat on the traveler next to President Gonzalez for the trip back to their respective ships. He chatted amiably with her for much of the journey.

“Leader Diamanté,” Maria said, in a lull in the conversation, “we will be landing soon. My intuition says you have something to say or ask.”

“Your instincts are correct, President Gonzalez,” Gino replied. “I’ve been deciding how to encourage an invitation. In Méridien society, one is required to wait till one is asked.”

“Then it’s probably good you’re not talking to a Méridien, Leader Diamanté,” Maria replied.

Gino desperately wished he was communicating via implant. It was easy to understand an individual’s true intent when it came from their thoughts. Too much opportunity for change existed when thoughts traveled the pathways from mind to mouth, as evidenced by his observations of children. Then again, the Haraken President was an example of a New Terran who was most direct in his speech, and it was obvious he and President Gonzalez were close compatriots.