Demands of Honor by Kevin Ryan Page A

and the human language. Gorath had as many of his people as possible learn Human. Someday, they would come back, or the green-skins would, or the Klingons, or some other people. Gorath was determined to keep that day as far in the future as he could, but when it came, he and his people would be ready. They would have the means to defend themselves, and they would have crystals of value to trade.
    Before that day came, there was much to do. Already they had repaired the damage done to the facility in the last battle with the green-skins. All of the nine clans had sent people to help, as they had all sent people to fight the Orions—well,
almost all of the clans
had fought. Gurn’s clan had been the only one who had not joined the combat. Gurn and his warriors had arrived a full day after the battle was won and their world saved.
    Of course, they had had to travel the farthest, soGurn’s claim that they had come as soon as they could might have been true—the only problem was that Gorath had seen the lie in Gurn’s eye. Gurn’s people were not all sniveling cowards, and Gorath had seen that a people could be better than their leaders, but not often and not by much.
    A good leader could make his people stronger, better, and achieve more than they knew. Watching his son instruct the others, Gorath knew that they would have that sort of leader in the future.
    For now, of course, Gorath was the leader of the largest clan, and the clan on whose land the green-skins had built their mine. So he had ended up in charge of the facility. For now, that meant mostly scheduling time for people in each clan to learn the green-skins’ equipment.
    There had been some disputes in the beginning, as different clanspeople jockeyed for more time, particularly with the Orion weapons. Not surprisingly, most of the disputes had involved people of Gurn’s clan, and Gorath had suspected Gurn’s hand in some of the other disputes. Gorath had settled all matters immediately, remembering that
an open wound festers quickly.
No one, not even Gurn, had dared to question his judgment openly.
    Gorath was considered a great hero among most of the clans because he had led the first raids on the green-skins that had captured many of their weapons. He had also led the final battle that had destroyed their enemy. Gorath knew that most clan leaders would have done no less, but he found that the respect the other clans showed him was actually useful in keeping the groups from setting against one another. And they had to remain unitedfor the day that they joined the rest of the galaxy outside their world.
    â€œFather,” Adon said when he saw Gorath. Then Adon lifted a hand to show that he would be a moment and leaned down to resume the instructions he was giving to the man sitting at the computer terminal.
    Adon had taken to the human language quickest of all of their people. He was also best at talking to the computers and had an almost instinctive understanding of the machines. In all areas, he was ahead of his father. Well, not all. In the races they had devised with the Orion flying-weapon platforms, Gorath could still beat his son, barely. In time that too would change, but that would not be for a summer or two, at least.
    Finished with his pupil, Adon said, “We are almost done for the day.”
    â€œThe warp reactor?” Gorath said.
    â€œWe are still running at only a fraction of its power. Enough to move air and water and power the smaller equipment.”
    â€œHave you tried
increasing the power?
” Gorath asked.
    â€œNot yet. I want to make sure that it will not blow us all up first.”
    â€œWise.”
    â€œWe still have much to learn about how these machines work,” Adon said, waving his hand around the reactor room.
    â€œThere is no one better for that job, my son, than you.” Gorath’s compliment was sincere.
    Adon gave him an embarrassed shrug. “The computer does most