A Planned Improvisation (26 page)

“And I’ll bet it’s just plain fun to jump from the top and float down to street level,” Marisea commented, looking back one last time.

“I’ll bet it is,” Rebbert chuckled as two men in uniform held the doors open for them to pass through. “I’m sorry we still have a bit of a stroll ahead of us. The actual Chamber hall is at the center of this building and the building itself is a maze of corridors.”

“No doubt to keep the representatives from getting out in a hurry should the frustrations of a democracy get to them,” Park remarked lightly.

Rebbert looked thoughtful. “You’re making a joke, but that could well be the reason. That and most of us feel we have our dignity to stand on. Well, this will give us a chance to discuss how to introduce you to the Diet.

“Excuse me,” Sartena interrupted, “but I really do have to see my planetary rep immediately. I’ll meet back up with you as soon as possible.” She hurried off to the right while Rebbert guided the rest to the left.

“I believe it will be best,” Rebbert continued, “to have you, Park, speak for Earth and her peoples. Now, do you really want to be introduced as Black Captain McArrgh?”

“Not really,” Park sighed. “That’s more of a
nom de guerre
that I stupidly saddled myself with when I got sarcastic at the wrong moment.”

“Well, it is the Pirate name most known throughout the Alliance,” Rebbert admitted, “but perhaps it would be best to leave Captain McArrgh on his ship. Now, I think we also want to de-emphasize the Mer and Atackack presence while in the chamber.”

“No,” Park shook his head stubbornly. “I have to disagree with you on that. I’ll be happy to address the Diet should they want to hear from me, but my people aren’t the ones the Diet has wronged with millennia of neglect and ignorance. I will speak only after a Mer and an Atackack have had a chance to address the Diet.”

“You don’t understand,” Rebbert argued. “The Mer and Atackack are fine
 
and worthy people, I know, but…”

“Oh, I understand better than you think,” Park replied hotly. “There are people in that hall who see the Mer as abominations and the Atackack as filthy barbarians, right?”

“Yes,” Rebbert nodded reluctantly, “That is the case, so you must understand why it is vital we do not throw the existence of the Mer or Atackack in the faces of our allies or shove it down the throats of our opponents. The political atmosphere in there is a delicate and fragile balance, especially at this moment.”

“Wrong!” Park shot back bluntly. “And to Hell with your delicate and fragile balance. What we must do is show the Diet just who and what the people of Earth are. If we hide the Mer and Atackack away as a polite fiction we will only be postponing what must and should be done.”

“Park, this isn’t the time,” Rebbert told him seriously.

“It is precisely the time,” Park retorted, “and as the ranking official from Earth, I insist. Three years ago, you told me we had to return the ships
Turnabout
and
Fairplay
because our allies would not be comfortable with us running around loose in the Galaxy. Well, we’re loose now and if they cannot handle who and what we are, then they are no allies I care to have. The Premm are going to walk out the moment I walk in anyway. Anyone else who joins them because the Mer and Atackack are with me probably would not have stayed loyal in any case.”

“You don’t know that,” Rebbert insisted. “I’ve spent a lifetime building up allies and friends in the Chamber. It’s politics and sometimes you have to…”

“No!” Park shook his head emphatically. “It’s people and their lives. That’s more important than politics. Humans, original humans, that is, Mer and Atackack; we’re a total package and that’s the way we come. If your allies cannot accept us, if the Diet does not accept us, then we’ll be more than happy to leave you to your troubles. To date the Diet has done precious little for Earth, but Earth just rescued the Diet and the entire world of Owatino. This is going to be on our terms.”

“You’re making a big mistake,” Rebbert warned him.

“It’s hardly the first time,” Park replied.

“Oh very well,” Rebbert gave up. “Which Mer will speak.” He looked past Marisea at the two Mer males, both visibly older than her.

“Marisea will, of course,” the gunner, Buiner, replied instantly. The other Mer in the party, Marisea’s assistant communications officer nodded his agreement.

“Marisea is a remarkable young lady,” Rebbert remarked, “but…”

“Gender prejudice?” Iris asked angrily. “Even here?”

“Gender?” Rebbert echoed. “No, not at all. It’s just that she’s so young.”

“I am an adult,” Marisea replied calmly but as she continued an edge appeared in her voice, “and a Mer of good family and upbringing. My father is the Ambassador to the Van Winkle humans. I think I can represent my people just fine, thank you.” Cousin stood up on her shoulder and growled softly in harmony.

“My apologies,” Rebbert told her with a sincere bow. “Perhaps it is because I have known you for several years now. And my apologies to you too, little Cousin,” he added and Marisea took the small primate into her arms and stroked her fur until the creature calmed down. “And which Atackack?”

“That would be Tragackack, our pilot,” Marisea replied, instantly.

“I’m not sure I could speak for all Atackack,” Tragackack told them insecurely.

“I’ll help you,” Marisea offered. “Just say that you appreciate their warm welcome and that all Atackack look forward to contributing to the benefit of the Alliance. Of course, that was going to be my speech, so I don’t know what I should say.”

“Just give them your graduation speech,” Park advised with a chuckle. “I doubt they’ll really be listening to any of us.”

“On the contrary,” Rebbert disagreed, “The historians are going to hang on your every word.”

“Oh good!” Marisea muttered nervously. “No pressure then.”

“You’ll get through it marvelously, my dear,” Rebbert told her gallantly as they reached the doorway to the Diet Chamber. “I shall introduce you and then you can say a few sweet nothings.”

“Pardon my intrusion,” Lord Rebbert a large furry man said from nearby.

“Pakha Grintz?” Rebbert recognized the speaker. “What may I do for you?”

“Did I overhear correctly, that young Marisea was to address the Diet?” Grintz asked without betraying his personal thoughts on the subject.

“Our friends from Earth,” Rebbert replied carefully, “have chosen her to speak first. Yes.”

“Then I must claim the honor,” Grintz told him formally. “By your leave I would perform the introduction.”

Rebbert hesitated, but saw no way to deny the Pakha’s wishes. “Very well, Pakha,” he said at last with forced politeness. “The honor is yours.”

“I thank you, Lord of Dennsee,” Grintz replied, “and will repay you as I can someday soon. I will enter the hall and gain the floor from Prime Speaker Munz.”

“That is very odd,” Rebbert remarked after Grintz was out of earshot. “I would have thought Grintz was the last person to want to have his name associated with Earth. His faction, while not openly hostile like the Premm has not greeted the possibility of Earth’s membership in the Alliance favorably.”

They stepped inside the hall in time to here, “The Pakha Grintz has the floor.”

The Earthling’s first impression of the hall was of its size. The hall was a tremendous, bowl-shaped room. It was brightly lit both from the natural light streaming in the windows in its high domed roof and artificial light that gleamed softly without any obvious source. Park decided the entire ceiling must be glowing although with all the windows up there it was difficult to tell. The representatives sat in clumps or various sizes around the bowl, indicating their individual factions within the Diet and there was a large balcony that while empty at the moment, was often filled with spectators.

“Honorable Prime Speaker,” Grintz replied formally, “I move we suspend our regular business for the purpose of greeting the representatives from Earth.”

“I second the motion!” over a dozen others around the huge chamber. A large contingent booed at the announcement, however.

“The Premm and friends,” Rebbert explained softly.

“It has been moved and seconded,” Prime Speaker Hargrits Munz intoned, “That we pause to greet the representatives from Earth. Votes will be recorded in the usual manner. You have thirty seconds to vote.”

“Do you normally vote that quickly?” Park asked Rebbert as they reached his desk.

“It depends on the matter at hand,” Rebbert explained, reaching out to lay his hand on a bright yellow spot on the surface of his desk. The spot, as well as a red one beside it, abruptly disappeared. “This is not a matter that requires debate so a quick vote is all that is needed.”

“Our admission to the Diet wasn’t debated?” Park asked.

“It was debated very hotly,” Rebbert replied, “but the right to speak before the Diet is not under debate,” he paused to look up at an illuminated tally board and added, “by most of us anyway.”

“The Diet has voted to suspend regular business,” Munz announced. “Pakha Grintz, will you introduce our guests?”

“Gladly,” Grintz replied. There had been ninety-three votes against suspension of business, although as Grintz stepped forward, only the Premm faction, some thirty-seven representatives and their staff members got to their feet and left the hall.

“We knew that was coming,” Rebbert remarked.

“I would have thought they might have wanted to see what we had to say,” Park commented, “if only to use it against us later.”

“This is all being recorded and broadcast live,” Rebbert replied. “They’ll hear it in private, I’m sure.”

Grintz waited for the Premm faction to leave the hall and for the rest of the representatives to give him a respectful silence before he spoke. “My fellows of the Alliance of Confederated Worlds,” he began, “No one can be more aware than I that my home world’s
Code of Behavior
is a source of perennial amusement to some of my colleagues here in the Diet. Whereas on most worlds such a code might simply read ‘Don’t be rude,’ On Felina a printed copy of the
Code
can fill several book shelves. So complex is it that even a lifelong devotee to the
Code
such as I must consult those books several times over the course of a day in order to be assured that one’s behavior is proper.

“But we of Felina take pride in our
Code of Behavior
and hold it out as a guide to moral and equitable conduct with all the varied peoples of the Galaxy,” Grintz continued. “We know the
Code
is difficult to live with, but in most common cases it really does come down to ‘Don’t be rude,’ in spite of all the details. However, there are certain key tenets of our
Code of Behavior
we hold to be of highest importance. Courtesy and hospitality to guests is our most important rule and I was greeted with courtesy and hospitality beyond measure on Earth.”

Several members of the Diet could be heard chuckling at that and to Park’s surprise, Grintz joined them. “I do not mean some of the obviously manufactured celebrations and oddly contorted jokes that were played on me. Some of you have heard of those, I know. But, as I said, I am aware that the strict
Code of Behavior
is a source of amusement among those of you from more relaxed cultures and in a sense I found it flattering that the people of Earth would go to such lengths when they might simply have ignored me and gone about their normal business.

“However,” Grintz went on, “while I have studied the
Code of Behavior
for all my life, I never learned as much as I did the evening I first met the lady I wish to introduce to you. Marisea Waisau of Earth was still a teenager at the time and yet she had taken on an adult’s job when she chose to teach a class of Atackack students. It was at a formal banquet that she brought her students forward to introduce themselves. I had arrived on Earth with many prejudices and pre-conceived notions of what I might find there. I could hardly have been more mistaken.

“The Atackack in their native lands, you may know, are not a civilized people. I mean no disrespect by that, merely that they do not build cities and their technology is primitive compared to that of the other peoples of Earth, but they are not stupid and some of their best were sent to learn from the Mer and the Pirates.

“We humans are incapable of speaking the Atackack language properly,” Grintz explained, “and they do not have the vocal equipment to speak ours. Normally they use a communicator locally called a torc to do so, but on that occasion the Atackack students wished to honor me by presenting themselves as pure Atackack and not as people reliant on the technology of another and so it was Marisea Waisau who translated their greetings. I expressed my approval that a people should be themselves and not as others might make them and one student replied, “Your approval honors us all.”

There was a soft gasp from the area where Grintz’s faction members sat. “Yes,” he smiled. “You have all heard me say variants on that repeatedly. You know it is another of the key tenets of the
Code of Behavior
, so perhaps you can understand how awestruck I was by the fact that it is also an oft-quoted proverb among the Atackack. There I was, dozens of light years from home, and yet a Stone Age barbarian knew and agreed with the basic teachings of the
Code
. It was in that moment that I understood that Felina is not alone in understanding courtesy and hospitality. I finally understood that we all understand those basic parts of the
Code
even if we each demonstrate it in our own ways.

“And it is because of this remarkable woman, Marisea Waisau, who through her own gentle behavior and unobtrusive translations and introduction taught me of courtesy even as her students reminded me that the
Code of Behavior
is truly universal. I owe this woman a debt that can never be fully repaid, but I make a partial down payment by sharing her with you today. Marisea, the Diet is yours.”

Marisea hop-stepped forward almost hesitantly and then realized she was still holding Cousin in her arms. “May I hold your pet, dear?” Grintz asked, holding his hands out while the Diet applauded politely.