Carrearranis (Fourth Fleet Irregulars Book 5) by S MacDonald

Author:S MacDonald [MacDonald, S]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-26T21:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

By the following morning, shipboard time, the Fourth had made two significant steps from their data analysis.

The first was the confirmation of pathogens, endemic in the biosphere and to which the Carrearranians themselves were effectively immune.

The second was a revelation about the way in which the singing stones communication network functioned, and specifically, how it was powered. Considerable amounts of money were changing hands when it was confirmed, as some of the more tech-savvy had guessed, that the stones themselves were extremely simple solar-powered units operating as FM transmitters. Whatever tech there had been which had boosted that signal eleven light-hours out of the system in a matter of moments had vanished with the Guardian.

While the Fourth had been analysing this and the wealth of environmental data returned by the probes, the Carrearranians had decided that the Fourth’s attempt to tell them that they weren’t people was another situation like the storm, an incomprehensible idiocy on the part of the offworlders. It was, they’d agreed, obvious that they were human people too and they weren’t going to let anybody tell them otherwise. A lot of them were taking Silvie’s advice, too, and many an attempt to discuss the situation ended with the Carrearranians telling them ‘up yours’. Silvie found that highly entertaining. So, for that matter, did Alex. He had attempted to remonstrate with her for hijacking his call and interfering with official diplomatic matters, but Silvie just hooted derisively.

‘Come off it,’ she said. ‘You’re pleased. You agree with me, those rules are stupid!’

‘Emotionally, yes, and I won’t deny that that is my personal opinion,’ Alex said. ‘But neither my feelings nor my personal opinions matter when I’m speaking in my official capacity. I had to tell them what the law is, and it would have been grossly unprofessional for me to say that I don’t agree with it myself. I certainly could not have advised them to challenge that law and demand that we change it.’

‘Well, now you don’t have to,’ Silvie pointed out blithely. ‘Because I did it for you.’ She gave him a dazzling grin. ‘You don’t have to thank me; I know how grateful you are.’

‘Ohhhh.’ Alex groaned, but he was laughing, too. ‘All right – thank you.’

Silvie slapped hands with him in a matey fashion and went off to celebrate. She was, she remarked, really getting the hang of this ambassador thing.

Commander Mikthorn, predictably, was appalled. And he managed to get hold of Tan Ganhauser later that day, too, to tell him emphatically just how appalled he was.

‘This whole thing is a mess,’ he said, ‘a diplomatic disaster. The indigenous are up in arms and refusing to accept that they are not homo sapiens, and von Strada hasn’t a clue what to do about it. It’s clear they have no respect for him, which is hardly surprising given that he went on global broadcast just a couple of days ago and told them he’s an idiot!’

He broke off, taken aback, as Tan chuckled. The ambassador-in-waiting had been courtesy itself as he accepted an invitation to have coffee with him.

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