Journey Beyond the Sea - 13. Chapter 13

"Forty kilometers out, closing fast." Moira had the con, and her voice coming over the main deck speakers sounded tired. It was late afternoon, still part of her sleep period, but Master Terpin needed to be present at the landing to receive their visitors.

The afternoon was calm, the gray glow of the sky directly above streaked with darker clouds that occasionally disgorged brief, energetic showers of snow. Their course to meet with the flyer from Hennessy had led them south in addition to west, away from the pack ice and to less frigid climes, but that was just a matter of degree. It was still cold, with the winter here only slightly more mannered than what it was to the north. But it was still a beautiful day, by anyone's standard.

Jem and Nico stood on the working deck, just abaft the large doors that allowed their harvests to be lowered down into the catch room. The rest of the crew of Vespris were there as well, watching the gray skies south of the ship for the first signs of the approaching Raptor. Even Til majors had come out for the arrival, leaning on a cane, but appearing ready to meet the day. The man had made great strides in returning to full health, and had picked his moment carefully to get up from bed, by choosing to come out in support of Bzup.

It had somehow managed to be just above freezing this afternoon, and no one was wearing a face mask. Their breaths formed small clouds before their faces, looking cheerful and homey to Jem's eye, reminding him of the mountains of home. The cold air lacked even the faintest gasp of a breeze to multiply its chill factor, feeling invigorating against the skin rather than intimidating. Master Terpin had said they'd entered a brief convergence zone, where opposing winds met and soared skyward, leaving the ocean beneath temporarily becalmed. Such events were often to be measured in hours, only, before one pattern overpowered the other, and the zone moved on. Benteen's oceans were seldom places one could call still.

Beside Jem, Bzup stood silently, his large eye watching the humans with interest. Jem thought he had managed to convey to the little alien that the guests he had told Bzup about were now going to arrive. Having Bzup meet the two visitors from Colonial Administration on deck was Master Terpin's suggestion, his feeling being that Mikulsa's first impression of Bzup would be important. Taking their visitors to the catch room to view Bzup standing inside his tank would be too much like viewing a prisoner in a cage, the master thought. They might as well demonstrate from the start that Bzup was a guest, and not a captive.

Jem had also tried his best to let Bzup know that the alien was in no way bound to take commands from the new arrivals, and that he could say no to anything, and that the crew of Vespris would enforce that ruling. The alien's large eye had managed to convey some bit of surprise, and perhaps even amusement at what Jem told him, and the result had been that Jem now felt that Bzup already was of the view that his cooperation was willing, and not to be enforced.

"Slowing now," Moira's voice continued. "Visibility is about eight kilometers. They should be coming into view shortly."

Jem strained his eyes, trying to pick out the first distant speck that was not gray sky. On some level it was exciting, waiting to see such a storied craft from history as a Raptor. He and Nico had looked up the airship on their cabin's network interface, and viewed images of the Raptor, and read about its capabilities. But viewing pictures was not quite the same as being there.

"I see it!" Nico said then, pointing. Jem squinted into the gray sky, and could now see the tiny black dot, growing larger even as he watched. It neared with astonishing speed, soon to become the very craft they had seen on the display view in their cabin only hours before.

The arrival was attended by the very faintest of sounds, one like Jem had never encountered before, and one that seemed to resonate in his bones somehow. The almost-silence of the craft as it swung over the foredeck and began to descend was eerie, and somehow a little unnerving. The craft was a flattened ovoid, it's dark outer surface virtually featureless. Jem had seen the grav flyers that moved cargo around New Australia in operation many times, but they had not displayed the purposeful presence that this craft possessed. There was something dangerous about the appearance of the Raptor, something that promised a fierce reaction if tempted.

Jem glanced down at Bzup. The alien was watching the Raptor with an almost clinical inspection, and Jem wondered what the little alien thought of the craft. The Raptor was quieter than the black disc that had shadowed them before, at least at the point where that disc had fled the scene of its encounter with Vespris. Even Mister Sharples had not offered any thoughts on the possible motive power of the black disc, and Jem wondered now if Bzup was making comparisons in his mind, too.

The skin of the Raptor's belly opened as the craft settled towards the outline of the landing circle on the foredeck of the ship, and four sinewy metallic legs extended forth. The Raptor settled onto them without a pause, and the faint and unsettling sound faded away, leaving only the comparatively friendly tones of the sea around them. For a moment no one said anything, all eyes on the newly arrived craft.

"I think we'll let them come to us," Master Terpin said calmly, smiling faintly at the craft. "May as well set the standard right off."

Mister Sharples chuckled, but no one else said anything, and no one made a move forward.

In only moments, though, a doorway appeared in the skin of the ship, and landing stairs were deployed. A man came out, uniformed in the gray working clothes of a Colonial Administration pilot, and descended the stairs. He looked carefully around the deck of the ship, and then his eyes landed briefly on Bzup, and a smile broke out on his face. He said something into the nearly invisible headset he wore, and then there was further motion at the door.

Another man descended, and Jem drew a breath of surprise. He and Nico had looked up Varin Mukulsa on the web, and so knew what his face looked like. The man had a thick head of dark hair streaked with gray, razor-sharp features, a full beard, and gray eyes that looked like they windowed a warrior's soul. But there had been no other images of him, and in his mind Jem had already formed a picture of Varin Mikulsa as tall, broad-shouldered and powerfully-built. The short, slight man that now descended the stairway from the Raptor totally threw him off guard!

Jem turned to look questioningly at Kel, who smiled knowingly and gave a little shrug. "My red hair and height come from my father's side," he whispered. "My mom's family are all runts."

Nico sighed out a tiny laugh, and leaned up against Jem's shoulder. Jem straightened his features, not wanting to look disrespectful. It would not do to immediately get off on the wrong foot with Mukulsa. But that the man was much less intimidating in stature then Jem had imagined was somehow reassuring.

The woman that followed Mikulsa down the stairs was a forehead taller than that man, and dressed in the same sort of rugged work clothing that Nita favored. Jem wasn't sure what he had expected, but from the way that Nita had talked about her superior, Jem had been imagining someone who would present more like a politician than a scientist. But Ana Barasesh looked like someone who knew they were on business, and that that business came first. Age was hard to tell these days, but the woman was mature and experienced-looking, and she carried a small, flat pouch that surely held a data pad and other working materials. Ana Barasesh had not come just to play at politics, it seemed plain.

The pilot's smile faded to something more professional as the two came down the stairs, and he fell in behind them as they turned and made for the waiting group. To their rear, the stairs immediately vanished, and the Raptor's skin closed and was once again unblemished. Master Terpin stepped to the fore of their group as the trio of new arrivals crossed the large deck doors above the catch room and arrived before them.

"I'm Varin Mikulsa," the bearded man said immediately. His voice was deep and a little gravelly, and sounded self-assured. "This is Ana Barasesh, from the Department of Exobiology, and our pilot, Hans Kim."

If their visitor was at all impressed by the height that the master of Vespris possessed, he didn't show it. Master Terpin virtually towered over Mikulsa, as he did just about everyone. Yet Ana Barasesh did not seem of a mind to notice this, either, as if she met with people of similar stature every day of the week.

Master Terpin nodded, and introduced himself in return. "And this is my crew, save for Moira Hatta, who has the con in my absence." He introduced everyone, starting with Mister Sharples and working around to Jem and Nico, and then stepped back and used a hand to indicate Bzup.

"And this is our visitor, Bzup."

"Bzup," Bzup said, as if in confirmation of the master's words.

One of Mikulsa's eyebrows climbed upwards, and then he squinted at the master. "Is this wise, to allow him the freedom of the ship?"

Master Terpin's expression hardened just the tiniest bit. But instead of answering the man, he turned instead to Bzup. "Bzup, this is Mister Mikulsa."

Bzup's large eye moved to examine the newcomer. "Miztermikulza. Pleazedtomeetchoo. Bzup."

Mikulsa stared at the alien a moment, clearly caught off guard. But he recovered quickly and simply frowned at Bzup, without responding.

Master Terpin leaned forward slightly then to speak, his voice calm, but with an edge to it that could not be missed. "In his culture, he seems to only acknowledge people he has been properly introduced to. If you don't greet him now, and say his name, he will ignore you after this point."

They weren't certain of that fact, though it had seemed true that Bzup had only started responding to everyone after they had been introduced. But it was evident that Master Terpin wanted Bzup to be acknowledged with courtesy.

Mikulsa turned his eyes briefly on the master, and then nodded, turning back to Bzup. Obviously, he had no intention of being ignored! "Bzup. I am pleased to meet you, as well."

Master Terpin held out his hand to the woman then. "Bzup, this is Ms. Barasesh."

"Mizbarazezh. Pleazedtomeetchoo. Bzup."

The woman smiled, just a trace of amazement apparent in her eyes. "Bzup. I am pleased to meet you, too."

"And, Hans Kim," the master finished, smiling at the pilot.

"Hanzkim. Pleazedtomeetchoo. Bzup."

That man looked at first to be surprised to be included, but then quite delighted. He smiled, and bowed his head slightly. "Bzup. It is a very great pleasure to meet you, too."

Mikulsa frowned then, things plainly not going as he had expected. But the man was obviously adaptable, and just as plainly used to being in charge. "Perhaps we can go somewhere we can all talk?"

Mister Terpin nodded. "We can use the ship's meeting room. This way."

They entered the ship's superstructure and moved to the meeting room abaft the bridge. Mikulsa seemed interested in his surroundings, and examined everything in passing, while Ana Barasesh had found Nita and the two were talking quietly. Bzup moved along between Jem and Nico, seemingly fascinated by everything that was going on. And Jem, himself, had already decided that his early notions about their two visitors might need revising. Varin Mikulsa was hardly the fire-breathing tyrant that Jem had been expecting - at least, not yet. The man even seemed surprised, himself, that Bzup was not what he had expected!

They found seats at the large table in the meeting room, except for Bzup, who came to stand between Jem's chair and Nico's. Til sat down next to Jem, and nodded to him. "Patience," he whispered. "This looks like it will be interesting."

Jem smiled back, feeling reassured by having the older man beside him. Til could be counted upon to be on Bzup's side, Jem was certain now.

Master Terpin raised a hand for order, and the many conversations quieted as everyone turned to face him.

"Let this meeting come to order. Mila, I'd like these proceedings documented, if you will."

That woman nodded, offering her trademark smile. "Very well, sir."

When she didn't do anything after that, Jem realized that she had already been recording the proceedings, and that the master's instruction had just been to make their visitors aware that it was happening.

"Well," Mikulsa said immediately, staring at Bzup. "I have to say, I'm surprised."

Master Terpin nodded. "In a pleasant way, I hope."

The other man frowned, but didn't deny it. "Our visitor is not what I expected at all. Images alone certainly don't do him justice."

"And you will find he has made some friends here," Mister Sharples said pointedly. "I want you to know now that the law will be enforced in all dealings with Bzup."

Mikulsa's eyes locked on the engineer, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "I had no intention of behaving otherwise." His gaze moved on to land on his great nephew, and his smile broadened. "Good to see you again, Kel."

"Uncle," Kel said, his own eyes smiling. "Mother asked me to be patient with you."

Mikulsa's smile moderated to show caution. "I will not tempt your mother's ire, I promise." He sighed, his gaze returning to the ship's master. "Ms. Barasesh and I are here to assess the situation. Not to start the very war we fear."

That admission seemed surprising. Jem cast a quick questioning look at Nico, but the other boy simply shrugged. Too early yet!

"Your communications prior to your arrival sounded somewhat hostile," Master Terpin said gently.

Mikulsa seemed unsurprised by that comment. "Did they? I didn't intend that they should." But he sat back in his chair then, looking unapologetic. "A lot of people consider me curt, even nasty, Master Terpin. It's because I don't like to operate without complete information, nor upon preconceived notions, nor other people's opinions. And I do demand quite forcefully to be informed in every detail."

The master nodded. "Preconceived notions work both ways, Mister Mikulsa. One can decide beforehand not to give a situation the benefit of the doubt, as well."

"I'll grant you that. And I agree that I may have made a few suppositions about our visitor before arriving. I had decided to operate initially in this matter on the side of caution, and I will continue to do that for the time being. But I want to start now with a clean slate in reference to this situation, until I have enough facts to make a final decision." His eyes moved around the table. "Input from all of you is both desired and welcome, but know now that I tend to get annoyed when others try to sway my view with their own opinions before I have the facts I need."

Pora Unguda laughed at that. "We have some facts about Bzup, in addition to our opinions!"

"I know." Mikulsa gave a grudging nod. "I know you do. Ms. Barasesh and I, both, have pored over the extensive information that Ms. Frees and Ms. Stanper have forwarded to us. We have a good idea of the biology of our visitor, and some knowledge of his responses to being a visitor aboard Vespris. But you have to understand that we have been privy to none of the interactions with him that you have. I must first get to know Bzup before I can make up my mind about him."

"Bzup," Bzup said then, causing most everyone to smile.

Ana Barasesh sat forward then, watching the little alien. "I have been intrigued by the speedy evaluation you've made of Bzup as an A-Prime intelligence. A week is not much time to get to know a totally alien species, and I expected it to be a more difficult assessment to make than it seems it has been for you. Yet I already see I have some surprises in store." She canted her head towards Mikulsa. "But...I would prefer not to make any decisions, either, until I have more facts."

"Needless to say, the determination has been made," Master Terpin offered. "The law is clear on that subject."

"It is," the woman acknowledged. "And we will proceed with that in mind."

Mikulsa turned to examine Bzup again, and his eyes touched upon Jem and Nico. "It seems our visitor has an affinity for these two young men."

Master Terpin's eyes glowed with humor at that. "To say the least."

"How did this come about?"

Ms. Barashesh turned to Mikulsa then. "It was documented in the history we read. Some sort of resonance between Bzup and Mister Hanlon occurred early on."

If Mikulsa was annoyed at being reminded, he didn't show it. "Right. I recall that." The man nodded at Jem, surprise in his eyes. "And a friendship of sorts has been built, just upon that?"

Jem realized that the question was directed at him, and and cleared his throat before answering. "Yes, sir." He tried not to frown, but couldn't help himself. "You have to understand that it could not have happened had not Bzup invested as much energy in getting to know us as we have in getting to know him. Um--" His gaze moved to Master Terpin questioningly. Jem was not sure how much to offer just then.

The master leaned forward on the table top, his gaze moving between the two human visitors to his ship. "It's simply a considered notion at this point, but we have come to feel that Bzup deliberately came to us to learn about us - to communicate with us - even possibly against the wishes of his people. Or, against the wishes of some of his people. The idea has also been floated that Bzup's kind are not uniform in their feelings on how to deal with our kind here on Benteen."

Mikulsa mulled that a moment, and then grunted. "That split is to be found among our own kind, too. The majority want to approach this situation cautiously, and make a friend before an enemy. There are quite a few that want to at least arm ourselves in case of trouble. And, one or two that think we should strike back to show we are not weak, and then force a peace."

"Ridiculous!" Mister Sharples said. "It would seem that both our kind and Bzup's kind were stranded here by the shift in the Righoff lines." He repeated the same story that Til had told Jem and Nico, about the long-ago drones having found that the shift had left no habitable systems linked to Benteen. That story had made the rounds now, and caused new trends in thinking. "Our best course of action is to work together for survival. Or, at the least, not hinder each other in that pursuit. This is a big enough planet for both species to coexist peacefully!"

"No one wants a war," Ana Barasesh said immediately. "Certainly, not Colonial Administration."

"I'll agree with that," Mikulsa said. "I was told explicitly not to take any actions that might be interpreted as aggressive while visiting here." He stared at Bzup then. "Unless we were attacked first, of course.'

"We weren't sure of your intent," Kel hazarded, smiling. "Your reputation precedes you."

His great uncle laughed. "No doubt you've shared your opinion of me with your crewmates. I can be mean and stubborn when it comes to the wildlife threatening our settlements, Kel, but that's a matter of safety and survival. I can be rude and abrupt with people, too, when they get in the way of me keeping our settlements safe from that wildlife. But this--" His gaze strayed to Bzup again. "This is a different matter. A first contact situation with a new, intelligent species. This is something that must be handled very carefully."

Master Terpin stared at Mikulsa a moment, and then turned to Mister Sharples. "Opinion?"

The engineer frowned, his eyes studying the two new arrivals. "They sound on the up and up. I'd say we give it a whirl."

The master nodded slowly, and turned back to Mikulsa. "Then I believe you will have our full cooperation."

Mikulsa frowned in return. "You were prepared to be uncooperative with me?"

"Certainly. As I said before, your communications were scarcely encouraging. We were not going to allow you to march in here and treat Bzup in any way that was less than courteous. And we were prepared to refuse to allow you to take him back to Hennessy by force, as well."

Ana Barasesh looked stunned. "We had no plans to do that!"

Mikulsa scratched at his beard, looking a little unsettled, himself. "No. In fact, we were told not to bring Bzup back, unless he in some way demanded a meeting with the government. It's simply too early to be inviting these people into the heart of our civilization."

Jem simply stared at what he was hearing, realizing now that they had misjudged the purpose of the visit from the two Colonial Administration people from the start. "We thought you intended to take Bzup away from us," he managed to say. "That you might refuse to believe he's a person just like us."

"You'd study him," Nico accused, then looked surprised that he had done so. "And make him a prisoner."

Mikulsa gave his head a quick shake, looking surprised now. "You people really should spend more time on land when you come to port. You sound as ornery as the orx you hunt!"

That brought some surprised looks, and Mister Sharples rapped the tabletop hard with his fingers and laughed. "Now, there's the man we expected to show up here!"

Master Terpin held up a hand for attention. "If we misjudged what you had in mind, it was due to the terse nature of the communications we received from you, and the somewhat belligerent tone perceived therein."

Mikulsa nodded. "Alright, I apologize for that. I simply didn't want you people swaying me in any certain direction before I had a chance to look things over, myself. I cannot make decisions based solely on the views of others."

"Nothing we sent along was designed to do anything but convey what we had learned about Bzup," Nita said then. "It was science, not opinion."

"You made a number of interesting conclusions," Ms. Barasesh returned. "Perhaps some I would not have made myself, with the information at hand."

Nita smiled patiently. "Everything I suggested as theoretical or circumstantial was clearly marked as such. It is the nature of scientific inquiry to draw conclusions from the facts and then test them to see if they hold up."

"You had not tested some of your conclusions, though."

"I couldn't. Not without better equipment, and more cooperation from Bzup. Neither of which I had at the time. That's why I clearly marked any conclusion I drew entirely from our observations here as untested. But I did want to preserve the original thinking among the people here on Vespris regarding what we were experiencing. Some interesting ideas and observations have emerged out of our knowing Bzup."

Master Terpin nodded. "Bzup has told us that Chregar was not sunk. It seems his people detained the ship and crew lest the knowledge of their presence here get out prematurely."

Mikulsa's eyes widened. "Chregar is still afloat?" He leaned forward on the tabletop. "And the crew?'

"Bzup said the crew had been detained aboard the ship."

"What about the blood in the lifeboat?" Ms. Barasesh asked. "That was identified as belonging to one of that vessel's shotsmen. And the debris scattered on the sea?"

"The man may have resisted being detained," Mister Sharples injected. "We're not certain. And we're not saying that what Bzup's people did was right. They used orx they had already compromised with riders to capture the ship. These have to be considered brute-force tools, allowing for little finesse. But it seems it was a spur of the moment reaction, a reaction to being discovered. Bzup's people did not intend to start a war."

"We'll see about that," Mikulsa said, sounding irritated. "We haven't a single fact to go along with that idea."

Nita shook her head. "We suspect that they went aboard Chregar and removed a great deal of material from within the vessel, and spread it upon the sea, to make us think the vessel had foundered. To keep us from really searching for her. That doesn't sound like the act of a people wanting a war."

"It doesn't sound like a prelude to peaceful contact, either," Ms. Barasesh returned.

Pora Unguda made a sound of disagreement. "They seem to be one ship, stranded upon a world far from home, and a world that has been colonized by an alien race that outnumbers them hugely. That they might react badly to that does not mean they want a war."

Mikulsa held up a hand. "Alright." He looked around the table. "It's clear that you people have developed opinions on this matter, and that you at least feel that Bzup's kind deserve the benefit of the doubt thus far. As I have already said, we didn't come here to start a war." He shook his head. "But we have no intention of allowing any further attacks on our personnel, either. If we are going to develop a plan to deal with this situation, I need my own view of it first, do you understand? I am not prepared to simply absorb yours."

"I think that's fair enough," Master Terpin said quickly. "Our primary concern was that Bzup be treated fairly and according to the law. If we agree to proceed from that point, I think we can get on with this project."

"I have no designs against Bzup," Mikulsa said. "I simply want to get to know him before I do anything else."

"Seems fair enough," Mister Sharples said. He turned to Jem. "Can you ask him if that's okay with him?"

"A good idea, Jem-lad," Master Terpin agreed. "Let's see what our guest has to say on the matter."

Jem turned to the little alien and smiled. What Bzup must be thinking now was anyone's guess. Jem had no real idea how much the alien understood of what was happening around him, but that his progress with the human language was accelerating all the time seemed to have been demonstrated.

"Bzup?"

"Jem?"

Jem pointed over at Mikulsa and Ana Barasesh. "Bzup learn about Mister Mikulsa? Bzup learn about Ms. Barashesh? So that Bzup know them?"

"Bzup learn, zo Bzup know." Zzzz.

Jem nodded. "Mister Mikulsa and Ms. Barashesh learn about Bzup, so know Buzp, and Bzup-kind, too."

Bzup's eye settled on the newcomers, and he offered a pleasant-sounding buzz. "Bzup learn. Miztermikulza learn. Mizbarazezh learn. Learn all."

Mister Sharples smiled at that, and fixed the visitors from Colonial Administration with a pleased look. "By the denizens of the deep, I do believe you have a deal!"

* * * * * * *

Vespris turned about and headed northeast again, albeit slowly, cruising along on her turbines at slightly better than half her top-rated speed. Mukulsa had simply shrugged when Master Terpin had announced his wish to return to better hunting grounds more removed from the coast of New Australia. Orx favored the ice, and the slow southern movement of the winter pack ice had been left behind as the vessel had moved to meet with the Raptor. In retrospect, Vespris leaving the scene of their recent encounter with Bzup's kind had been unnecessary. The Raptor could cover most any new distance they might place between themselves and Hennessy in very little time, so distance from the mainland mattered little to the Colonial Administration people. Those back in Hennessy had apparently wanted Vespris to leave the area where they had encountered the alien flyer before meeting with the Raptor.

The crew had moved the bulk of their extra things from the spare cabin, and that berth was given to Varin Mikulsa. Ana Barasesh took the extra bunk in Nita's cabin, and the pilot, Hans Kim, was offered the second bunk with Kel. Kim said he had a sleeper on the Raptor, and would spend his nights there, so as to better keep in touch with the mainland, and to be on top of any security threats that might arise.

Jem was most worried about Nita having to live with Ms. Barasesh, as it had seemed pretty clear earlier that Nita did not like the other woman. But Nita acted as if it were no big deal, and Jem soon decided that she could take care of herself. Professional scientists navigated a world of peers with reputations to uphold and egos to be dealt with, people that were often viewed privately with mixed feelings. Yet professionalism was still the rule of the day, and one learned to keep personalities out of the pursuit of science, where possible.

It had also been decreed by Master Terpin that Bzup needed a better place to stay than the tank in the catch room, now that he had officially graduated to the role of representative of his kind. Something more appropriate to the visiting ambassador of a foreign power, Master Terpin said. Quarters, not a cage. Nita was certain now that Bzup did not need the water in his tank, as long as he had access to fresh water to drink. So it was safe to move him to someplace more homey.

An ice hut was pulled from stores and set up beside Bzup's old tank home. The dome was a simple shelter meant for use on the pack ice, but it was roomy enough inside to house five humans, so plenty roomy for Bzup. There were fittings on the outside of the dome that were supposed to be connected to a portable environmental unit that would normally provide heat, power for lighting, and water to drink in an ice pack setting. Mister Sharples handily connected those fittings to systems in the catch room, which would provide water and power to the interior.

The little alien was allowed to look inside, and buzzed with interest at his new surroundings. Jem showed him how to use the water tap, how to turn off the lights and turn them back on again, and provided Bzup with a cup from the mess he could drink from.

"You like?" Jem asked, smiling down at the little alien. "Bzup new home?"

"Bzup new home," Bzup repeated, looking up at Jem. "Jem like?"

Jem laughed. "I think it's better than that smelly old tank. Yes, Jem like."

Bzup turned to Nico. "Nico like Bzup new home?"

"Yes. Nico like."

Bzup turned about, moved to the center of the softly lit dome, and then turned to face them. "Bzup new home. Bzup rezt."

"I'd say that's the word then," Jem said. He turned to Mister Sharples, who was standing just outside the doorway, looking in. "Good job. He likes it."

The older man smiled. "So I gathered."

Jem and Nico stepped out of the hut. As an afterthought, Jem showed Bzup how to close and open the door. "Bzup want door open? Or closed?"

"Jem. Bzup want door open."

"He wants to know he can come out," Mister Sharples said, with an approving grunt. "I wouldn't want to be shut away, myself."

Jem nodded, smiling. "Bzup? Jem and Nico come back one tomorrow. Bzup go to mess with Jem and Nico, eat stonefish?"

Zzzzz. "Jem. Bzup go one tomorrow with Jem and Nico, eat ztonefizh!"

Mister Sharples chuckled. "He said, 'see you at breakfast!'"

The three of them left Bzup to his rest. Or, one side of his brain to rest, if Nita was right about Bzup's brain always having one side on guard. Jem smiled at the notion of only sleeping with half a brain! Bzup was endlessly fascinating.

"Bzup's going to rest," Jem told Deera, as they passed by her desk. "I don't think he'll come out of his hut before morning. Nico and I will be down to pick him up for breakfast."

The catch supervisor nodded. "I'm about done here for the day, anyway. The drones will keep an eye on things here throughout the night. I'm sure it will be fine."

Jem nodded. The lead drone knew to call him as well as Deera and Master Terpin, should Bzup decide to go for a walk. But Jem was certain the little alien was settled in for the night.

He looked around the large room one more time, and then turned back to Deera. "Nita's gone already?"

The older woman's eyebrows went up, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "She said she was going back to her cabin for the night."

"Uh oh," Nico said, grinning. "If we hear a lot of yelling and screaming, we'll know why."

Deera laughed. "Oh, that won't happen. Nita has been very professional with Ms. Barasesh thus far. I don't think there will be any problems."

"You hope," Mister Sharples said, sighing.

Jem and Nico laughed at the way the older woman rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. I hope."

They said their good nights, and parted company with Deera.

"You know, I'm hungry," Nico said, as they climbed the staircase to the cabin deck. "I wonder if there's any of that pie left?"

"Eating before bed will make you fat, lad," Mister Sharples said. He patted his quite-lean belly, and smiled. "So, I think I'll join you."

Nico turned his smile on Jem. "Coming?"

"Of course!"

They made their way to the mess, and heard voices within as they approached the doorway. Jem was surprised to realize it was Nita and Ana Barasesh inside. The voices were conversational, though, and in no way threatening.

"Sounds safe enough," Mister Sharples whispered. "Come, lads."

They entered the mess, and the two women looked up at them. Each had a slice of pie and a cup of coffee before them. Their pads were laying on the table by their hands, each displaying data on the screen, and it seemed apparent the two had been talking science before the men had come in.

"Hi, guys," Nita said, smiling their way. "Snack time?"

Jem laughed, and pointed at the half-eaten slices of pie on the table. "We're not the only ones, I see."

Nita nodded at that, and canted her head at Ana Barasesh. "Do you mind some more company?"

"Not at all." The older woman smiled at them as they took seats at the table. "I have a feeling it's been a long and tiring day for everyone, and the urge to relax a little is setting in."

"That's about the weight of it," Mister Sharples agreed. "Now that we know you and Mister Mikulsa are not here to devour us all in our sleep."

Nita looked surprised, and then emitted an embarrassed laugh. "Our chief engineer is quite the kidder."

Ana Barasesh gave a little shrug. "I think we all made the mistake of prejudging each other, a little." She turned to look quizzically at Nita. "We weren't certain back in Hennessy that Bzup hadn't in some way taken you people over, or something."

Nita's smile vanished. "You're not serious?"

"I'm afraid I am. Once Master Terpin filed his motion declaring Bzup A-Prime, and requiring for him the rights of a citizen, there was quite a lot of speculation on the matter." She frowned. "You have to understand how this situation is viewed back home. The sudden realization that we are not alone on Benteen has been a shock to a lot of people."

"We're not taken over," Jem assured. "We've gotten to know Bzup, is all." He smiled. "We like him."

Ana considered that for a few seconds, and then returned Jem's smile. "I understand that now. I've only talked with Bzup briefly as yet, but...I like him, too. His intelligence comes across clearly, as does his desire to be friendly and learn about us. That can't help but to be disarming."

"We feel he is here to try to find a way to allow his people and ours to coexist peacefully," Mister Sharples declared. "We don't think he's a threat to us."

Ana nodded, looking cautious. "Probably not. Not intentionally, anyway."

"He's our friend," Nico announced, with a small shrug. "We look out for our friends here."

Ana sat back in her seat and sighed. "You don't have to convince me. I am ready to give Bzup the benefit of the doubt, for the present."

Nita frowned at that. "That's...I wasn't really prepared for you to be so agreeable."

The older woman's eyebrows rose in response. "We're in the same field, you and I. Studying the life we find here - even the life that seems not to have originated here. I fail to see how you would expect me to be anything but as excited about Bzup as you are!"

"Well--" Nita looked doubtful a moment, but that look immediately morphed into one of daring. She narrowed her eyes as she inspected the older woman. "Your history to date shows a marked prejudice against the study of life in the sea. You have used your, um, political weight in the past to divert funds from the study of Benteen's sea life into studies of the life of the continent."

Ana looked surprised, but then nodded. "Naturally."

Nita raised a hand, her expression showing consternation. "That's scarcely fair to those of us studying the life of Benteen's oceans. Especially considering how important those oceans are to us as a form of sustenance."

A light dawned in Ana's eyes. "Oh. You think I deliberately stole away study finds from the aqua-studies groups to enhance my own specialty?"

Nita looked triumphant. "You said it, not me."

Ana breathed a small sigh. "You aren't the first to accuse me of that. I'm sure you won't be the last."

"So it's true?" Nita demanded, the tension level in her gaze rising. She was clearly ready to argue now.

Ana nodded. "It is true, but not for the reasons you think. I am not pulling away funds simply to enhance my own studies. I am pulling the funds needed to help us better understand the life we have to deal with daily on the continent."

"The life of the sea is important, too," Nita responded tightly. "We have to eat."

"Yes. We have to eat." Ana leaned forward for emphasis. "But we have to survive, first, in order to eat."

Nita squinted at that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that there must be priorities. The two towns in the northeastern corner of New Australia, Nocksic Bay and Port Kenney, are the two safest towns on the planet to live in. With the Barrier Range between you and the inlands, you are not required to deal with the dangerous life forms the rest of the continent has to face. You don't have to live behind walls of ironwood, and even then, watch those walls keenly. Nature has created for you an even better wall, one unbreachable by the beasts that live beyond." Ana sat back in her seat. "Understanding and dealing with the lifeforms that immediately threaten the daily lives of eighty percent of the human race on Benteen must take precedence over studying the life of Benteen that lives in the seas."

Nita blinked at that, frowning. "The sea life here can be dangerous, as well."

"Yes, but it is not coming ashore to threaten us. At least, not yet." Ana shook her head. "You aqua-studies people will get the funds you need to master your understanding of the life of Benteen's seas, but only after our people are secure here on the continent. Even after five centuries, our hold on New Australia is still to be considered somewhat less than absolute."

Nita looked up at Jem then, and Jem could clearly see that the woman had had her assumptions rattled. "I guess I didn't consider it in that light."

Ana nodded. "The feeling among the senior staff at the department is that we know enough now about the life of the oceans to safely hunt and eat what we capture. There will be adequate time ahead to better understand the life of this world's oceans, but we must first be safe on the land."

"Ironwood isn't going to be breached by any animal," Mister Sharples pointed out. "I thought the walls around our southern towns were impregnable."

"They are, on their own," Ana agreed. "But those walls have to move outward in order for our kind to claim more of the continent. There are population and economic pressures to be considered. New living space, new manufacturing space, and new agricultural space is needed. That's an extremely dangerous proposition. The building crews don't just go out and erect new walls beyond the ones we have now, and then tear the old walls down. People cannot just move into the new space the very next day. Before that dismantling of the old walls can be done, the land between the two walls has to be rigorously investigated, almost like a minefield in some old Earth war, so that no surprises are left within the new walls. Every year, we find hundreds of new species we did not know about the year before. Those species have to be understood and dealt with before newly claimed land can be opened for use. And you multiply that effort by eight towns in eight different locations, and it's an incredible - and incredibly expensive - task to keep up with."

Nita sighed. "It's never been explained to me that way."

Ana nodded, her eyes displaying sympathy. "Don't feel badly. You're not the only aqua-studies person I have had this talk with. As a high-profile proponent of land-studies, I'm used to it."

Nita smiled. "You've published some excellent papers, I will admit."

Ana's eyebrows raised pointedly. "So have you."

For a moment, then, there was silence.

"We were hoping there was some pie left," Nico said into that void, nodding is head at the women's plates. "Tell me that's not the last of it."

Nita smiled, the tension in her gaze now gone. "There's plenty more. Help yourselves."

Nico bounced to his feet again, grinning at Jem and the engineer. "What do you want to drink with your pie?"

Jem waved a hand and stood up. "You're always doing the serving. I'll get it this time."

"We'll both do it. Mr. Sharples?"

The engineer's gaze moved between the two boys. "I'll just have a glass of water with the pie, thanks. Caffeine keeps me awake."

Jem and Nico went to the counter to get plates and cups.

"I understand we are returning along the route you took to meet with us," Ana said to Mr. Sharples. "North and east again."

"Yes, we are. We still have room for a few more orx. And, I believe Master Terpin is interested in learning more about Chregar."

The woman nodded. "Aren't we all."

"Where is your partner tonight?" Mister Sharples asked. The look in the engineer's eyes was both curious and a little demanding.

Ana smiled at that. "I've known Varin for some years now. We have to work together quite a bit." She gave a little shake of her head. "But I'll tell you now that he isn't the sort that lets others in on his plans too early. I have no special privilege with him in that area."

"He went to his cabin, I think." Plainly, Mr. Sharples was not about to be put off.

Ana picked up her coffee mug and took a sip, watching the engineer over the rim. "I would guess he is on the view, catching up with events back home, comparing notes with others. Planning his next moves."

The engineer watched her back a moment, and then sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. We are all very concerned about what happens next, I guess."

Ana nodded, and set down her cup. "It isn't just you. The whole of humankind here on Benteen is waiting for what happens next."

Jem and Nico returned to the table and set down the plates and glasses, and then took their seats.

"How is it to fly in a Raptor, Ms. Barasesh?" Nico asked, his eyes filled with curiosity. "I heard they were very fast."

The woman smiled. "I wouldn't know one flyer from another, I'm afraid. I've traveled in the other grav flyers, and this one feels much like them."

Mr. Sharples suddenly looked interested. "Do you happen to know what sort of sensors your ship is equipped with? One working array of the old Earth sensors, and we'd find Chregar in minutes."

"No, I don't. But I don't believe the old sensors work. Or, at least not fully. I recall a discussion about the parts needed to repair them." Ana smiled. "Our pilot, Mister Kim, is one of the ones that worked on getting the Raptor flying again. He would know much better than I."

The engineer sighed. "I'm sure if Mister Mikulsa had a fully working sensor array, he wouldn't be lounging about with us. It's a shame that so much of the old tech lacks the parts to make it workable."

Ana nodded. "There have been some changes in that area, I do know. Mister Kim said that there were some new facilities up and running in Hennessy that would eventually return some of the old tech to use."

Mister Sharples rapped the tabletop with his knuckles, displaying a hint of excitement. "Well...I'll have to get with him on that!"

For a moment no one said anything, and Jem let his gaze tiptoe around the table, gathering impressions. Nita seemed lost in thought, perhaps reviewing some of her notions on Ana Barasesh. Jem felt that was justified. He had already done some revising of his own, having learned the perils of prejudging events to come. Neither of their visitors had displayed any of the peremptory sort of conduct that the crew of Vespris had much expected of them. They seemed to be quite normal, in fact. It sort of made one think about the revised set of human cultural ethics that Til Majors liked to talk about. Their current situation clearly showed that humans had not totally progressed beyond tribal thinking, and that preconceived notions were still a danger.

Mister Sharples wore curiosity plainly in his eyes now, but there was an equal determination there not to allow it out to hunt. Nico gave every sense of being possessed by the same sort of subtle excitement that Jem was feeling, and Jem gently pushed his shoulder against his friend's, as if that would allow them to share. Which it did.

And then he sighed, not unhappy at all, and took a bite of his pie. It was very good.

Ana smiled at him. "It must be wonderful, Jem, to have made a friend out of Bzup."

"It was a surprise, more than anything," Jem replied. He turned to smile at Nico, before letting his gaze go back to the biologist. "But it's been absolutely amazing, really."

Nico nodded. "I sure never expected my first trip to sea to be this exciting!"

Nita surfaced from the depths of her thoughts enough to laugh. "It's certainly been that!"

"It's been a momentous voyage," Mister Sharples agreed. "In more ways than one. I almost hate the idea of just going back to hunting orx."

"It could become a sideline for you, actually," Ana returned. "The crew of Vespris seems to have become a pivotal part of current events. I very much suspect that Master Terpin will be asked by the Colonial Council - if he hasn't already been asked - to loan his ship and his crew to the job of attempting contact with Bzup's kind."

Jem had been about to take another bite of his pie, but stopped, the fork midway to his mouth. "Do you think?" A sensation of absolute excitement coursed through him at the idea!

"Actually, I know." Ana looked around the table. She frowned then. "I'm probably out of line mentioning it here. I would wait for your master to give you the word before taking it as fact. I'm just here to assist with things, after all."

Nita looked surprised. "I rather thought you would take over the biological studies from me."

Ana's eyebrows went up at that, and she laughed. "Of course not! You're the scientist on-scene." Her smile spread. "I am actually here to help you, while providing the Council science people with a liaison."

Nita gaped a moment at that idea, but quickly shut her mouth. Jem grinned across the table at her. "How about that!"

Nita shook her head in wonder, but then smiled at Ana Barasesh. "Yes. How about that!"

Mister Sharples frowned at what they had been told. "Shouldn't a first contact situation be left up to people trained to deal with it? Not just a bunch of orx hunters on a sailing ship?"

Ana gave a gentle sigh at that. "Mister Sharples, we have no one trained for a situation like this. We have been one people since first landing on Benteen. Our towns are unified. There has been no need of the types of professional negotiators you suggest, not in hundreds of years. We have science people, and administrative people, and a great many good people. Out of those distinctions, we have some of each now aboard this vessel. We are currently as well-equipped to deal with a first contact scenario as anyone else that Colonial Administration could get together for the job." She shrugged. "And, we are already out here, at the very heart of the action. So, I think we are it."

Jem and Nico looked at each other, unable to conceal their delight. "I'm ready," Nico said, smiling across at Ms. Barasesh.

"I guess I am, too," Jem supplied. "What will we be doing next?"

Ana smiled at them. "I can't speak for your Master Terpin, or for Mister Mikulsa. But it does seem to me that in order to contact Bzup's kind, our first move will be...to go and find them."