Decision at Doona

Chapter XIV. THIRD MESSAGE

WHEN THEY REACHED the mess hall, they faced a silent, expectant group. Hu Shih gave his aides a shove toward their families. He stood by his wife for a moment, silently composing his thoughts. Reeve gave Pat's hand a quick squeeze as he seated himself, nodding to Hrrula where he sat by Todd.

''As you all know, we have had two messages today," Hu Shih began in his quiet way. "They are unusual." His wry smiled elicited a derisive snort from Lawrence. "In effect, we have already done what we are told not to do. And we have not done, with one exception, what we are told to do."

This was greeted by a ripple of nervous laughter. From the corner of his eye, Reeve noticed that Hrrula was watching him, not the metropologist.

“At any rate,” Hu Shih said, “we have established some communications with our Hrruban friends.” He bowed toward Hrrula. “In other matters, I fear we have bungled badly.”

“We've bungled?” a voice protested. It sounded like McKee.

“We were asked,” Hu Shih continued, “by Codep and Alreldep to send detailed reports. As you know, a full report of our actions of these past few days has already left.”

Reeve was astounded at the amount of humor Hu Shih was able to inject into a humorless predicament. It was a very subtle flavor for such a bitter pill. Still, Ken reflected, If a guy didn't lose his sense of humor when the world was knocked out from under him, he might just somehow drag triumph out of tragedy.

“We were advised by Codep to embark on our already departed transport.”

A grim mutter filled the hall.

“Our good captain has given us only a short reprieve from the inevitable, if you get what I mean.”

“Yeah, we get what you mean, Shih,” and McKee stood up “It means well leave. This morning, next week, next month. What does it matter? We have to leave. We have to go back to Earth and I don't want to!”

A chorus of ominous agreement rose in support of McKee's sentiment. As one, Reeve and Lawrence rose and went to stand beside Hu Shih. Lawrence held his hands out for silence.

«Ken and I feel just the way you do. And, in spite of what you might think Hu Shih does too. In fact, he's mad about it, if you can imagine Shih getting angry.» It was a deft redirection of mood. «Mistakes happen even in our all-to-regulated world. Only this time, we're suffering for it – not some other guy down the Aisle! Yes, we have got a reprieve. We have a big beautiful world to enjoy while we can. And we can help ourselves, not by wallowing around in an it's-a-mistake self-pitying syndrome but by enjoying every minute we're here – whether it's out souvenir hunting to improve our status when we're Earthside again, or getting to understand an alien psychology through our Hrruban friends.» Then Lee grinned with mischief. «Who knows? Maybe Codep and Alreldep will spend so much time trying to figure out who's at fault they'll forget to take us off.»

Hu Shih protested sharply but it occurred to Reeve that Lawrence's quip was not beyond the realm of possibility.

“I'd be glad to give it an assist,” McKee shouted good-naturedly.

“Hey, Ezra, can't we suddenly get contaminated with a deadly disease?” Eckerd asked.

«Gentlemen,» Hu Shih said severely. «I'm sincerely relieved that we can keep our sense of humor in this difficult situation but let us not speculate too vividly on future contingencies. We all have sworn to uphold the basic Principle of Non-Cohabitation. we cannot co-inhabit a planet with another intelligent species – and there is no doubt that our Hrruban friends are intelligent. We will leave when we must, because we must uphold these principles despite the terrible personal sacrifice. And,» here the metropologist paused, sighing heavily, «to leave Doona is a great sacrifice!»

Pat, who had been listening intently, leaned over to, Sally Lawrence and whispered something in her ear. Sally looked sharply at Pat and then smiled slightly in agreement Reeve reminded himself to ask Pat what that interchange was all about.

“In the meantime . . .”

«In the meantime,» Phyllis Hu broke into the pause that followed, «our breakfast is getting cold. And I really cannot see good food – real food – wasted, no matter what the crisis.»

She injected enough of the plaintive into her cajoling tone to rouse people from their dejection. The children who had been quiet now broke the spell completely with subdued complaints of hunger. The clink of tableware against pottery and plastic and mumbled requests for platters and the replenishment of emptied pitchers resulted in a surface noise that bore some resemblance to a normal mealtime.

''What were you saying to Sally?" Ken asked his wife when he resumed his seat.

Pat's face was the picture of innocent surprise. “Oh, nothing important,” she replied too blandly and filled her mouth with scrambled ssliss egg. “Oh, but this is heavenly food.”

Reeve's next question was forestalled by Todd who reached for berry jam and spilled his water all over the table. Hrrula swept the child up in time to save both of them getting wet. Before Ken could scold Todd, Dot McKee cried out that the message tower was lit.

“Another one?” Lawrence demanded, rushing to the window.

“Awh, for the love of little apples,” Reeve groaned in exasperation, “whose finger's in the pie now?”

"The Royal Egyptian Society for the Preservation of – " Aurie Gaynor began.

“Aurie!” Kate Moody exclaimed, reminding her of Hrrula's presence.

Aurie was not the least bit abashed and handed her husband a couple of pieces of toast. “C'mon, Lightfoot. This'll give you energy, O Mercury,” and she pushed him out the door.

“I'll wager it's Spacedep,” Eckerd said to McKee.

“Naw, the Organization for the Prevention of the Suppression of Sentient Species,” McKee countered.

"I told you – it's the Royal Egyptian – " Aurie began, undaunted, until she caught Hu Shih's stern look. She giggled but subsided.

Gaynor, panting from the round-trip run, deposited the message capsule and the reader in front of Hu Shih. He stood there, both feet firmly planted, while Hu Shih broke open the container and held up the space-blue, star-marked tube.

“My bet,” Eckerd said with considerable malice in his voice.

Shih scanned the film, motioned to Lawrence and waited until the sociologist had read it.

“C'mon, Lee, forget the stupid protocol and read the stinking thing out loud,” McKee urged. “We can take anything at this point.”

Laughing softly, Lee lowered the reader.

"I was rather accurate when I suggested there'd be an interdepartmental wrangle over this. Spacedep's joined." He turned back to the reader and quoted in a stentorian voice: ''Soonest make survey determine alien landing site.'" He shrugged expressively. "That's a new way to evade blame, make our 'natives' 'aliens.' Ha!" and Lawrence bowed ceremoniously to Hrrula whose face was inscrutable.

“Hey, should he be allowed to listen to all this?” wheezed Gaynor, jerking a thumb at Hrrula.

“Why not? It concerns his future as much as ours,” Lawrence replied. “And I doubt if his command of Terran is sufficient to follow all this.”

As Lawrence continued to read the new message, Reeve watched the Hrruban surreptitiously. How much does he understand, Ken wondered. There was no tell-tale flicker of comprehension on Hrrula's calm face. He sat in polite silence, Todd nestled against him companionably. But, thought Ken, he is listening very hard.

''They forget, I guess," Lawrence was saying, "that we have only the one copter and not much fuel for an around-the-globe search. How long would you reckon, Eckerd, it would take to check on all continental masses for landing traces?"

Eckerd made a rude noise. “In a copter with an air speed of 150 miles top? Hmm,” and he laughed. “Months. Assuming, of course, that the craft these so-called aliens used leaves a burn-off.”

“What else would they use?” queried Ramasan.

“Hell, they could use magic for all of me,” Eckerd retorted derisively, looking sideways at the imperturbable Hrruban.

“A broomstick?” suggested Pat with a giggle. “For a clean sweep.”

“We're supposed,” Lawrence went on, raising his voice over the ripple that followed Pat's remark, “to institute a search, soonest, until such time as a ship can be detached to aid the 'indigenous personnel.' Now, which personnel shall be considered to be the 'indigenous' one?”

Lee put the reader down carefully and looked around the hall until he came to Hu Shih. With a little bow, he gave the floor to the metropologist.

“We are causing quite a stir,” Hu Shih remarked with a disparaging smile. “We certainly have had no clear orders from any of the departments interested in us. While we do know we must leave and Codep has so directed us, the only available transport refused to wait. Alreldep says stay and observe and now Spacedep tells us to beware of aliens.” Hu Shih smiled benignly toward Hrrula, who gave no suggestion of hostility as he grinned down at Todd beside him.

“All right, so what do we do now?” Gaynor demanded bluntly.

“I want to move into the house you built me and start enjoying apartness,” his wife said decisively.

Her feeling was unanimously seconded by all the women.

“I would like to know if there are more of these berries from which to make this jam,” Phyllis Hu remarked when she could be heard.

“The Hrrubans know where to get 'em,” Ramasan told her.

“Yeah, what do we do about them?” Gaynor demanded loudly.

“Why, we continue as we started,” Hu Shih replied, “in honest friendship. Always keeping in mind that we are visitors and cannot abuse their hospitality.”

Ben rose to his feet.

«Shih, we do have to make some provision for the animals. After all, there is a distinct possibility that we'll have to leave them here, which wouldn't be too bad a thing. It will keep their species from being extinct everywhere. And the Hrrubans may profit by it – call it a payment in kind for the rent of the colony estate. Hrrula has shown a keen interest in the horses and I'd say he would make a good stockman. I'd like to teach him what I can.»

“I see no harm in that at all, Ben. What about you, Lee?”

“Hell, I can't see any harm. They've already domesticated the urfa and they milk them. They could sure use the cows. Why not? We can't do any more harm than we've done already!”

“I'll need more than just Hrrula to help with the stock,” Ben announced, his deep voice filling the quiet room. “You, Ken, and Macy have just volunteered.”

“And I'll need volunteers for the KP details. These dishes aren't disposable,” Phyllis piped up in her clear light voice.