System to come under their control a hundred years from now, that would probably suit them just fine."
"It would do more than that--it would enhance their prestige as schemers, plotters, diplomats tremendously," said Brox. "It is what most of the other Elder Races half expect the Vixa to attempt. It is something close to one of your sporting events, with the other Elder Races watching eagerly to see how the game is played and who will win."
"Right now, no one has the Pentam System, right?" Jamie asked.
"Correct."
"What happens if, somehow, the Vixa convinces both our people and yours not to take possession?"
"How would they manage that?" Hannah asked.
Jamie shrugged at Hannah. "Maybe with some real subtle politics. Maybe with bribes or threats--or by intimidating both sides by flying around a starship the size of an asteroid." He gestured back toward Brox. "Never mind how," he said. "Just suppose they managed it. What would happen?"
Brox grimaced. "I am, like yourselves, mainly a police officer, an investigator. All of us have had to play other roles as well, at times--including that of diplomat. But that does not make me an expert at such matters. I merely happen to know certain items of information you haven't learned yet. My somewhat-informed guess would be that if, somehow, the Vixa managed to chase both of us away--then, at the very least, they would be in a very strong position to make and enforce their own claim to the Pentam System. Your question was astute, and on point. I am impressed that you thought to ask it."
"I don't get it," said Jamie. "All the Vixa I've ever met before today have been very friendly, outgoing. Quite pleasant. They aren't the sort of schemers you're describing."
"Vixan diplomats are quite a different animal from the Vixa we'll encounter," Brox said. "I speak literally. Vixa are--well, let me just say they are highly variable, and also remind you that you have met three different Vixa--or at least Vixa-related creatures--today, and they are quite different from one another."
"You have said enough!" Greveltra barked suddenly, in a voice loud enough to make them all jump. "You have completed briefing on those matters you are authorized to speak of before jump."
"Perhaps it was unwise to speak so much earlier in a language the SubPilot does not understand," said Brox. "It would appear to have made him suspicious. But, no matter. I have already given the main points. The rest can wait."
"People keep telling us that we can wait for the information in the middle of making us rush like mad," Jamie growled. "I don't suppose there would be any objection if we mere lowly humans discussed matters between ourselves? After all, if one thing is for certain, it's that we don't have any information."
Jamie and Hannah both looked toward Greveltra, but the SubPilot made no response. If anything, he was ignoring them as hard as he could.
"Silence equals consent," said Hannah.
"A dangerous assumption in general," said Brox. "But I think we can take it as such for the moment. Go. Talk. And, once again, my apologies for telling you so little. But I will feel much more comfortable if you arrived at the--ah--place we are going without having formed any preconceived notions."
Hannah and Jamie stood up and moved over to the corridor that led back to the hatch they had come through. They didn't know the half of it, not a quarter of it. Not yet. And the part they did know, the parts that they could guess at, were overwhelmingly big. But shaking all that off, pretending it wasn't there, wasn't just the professional way to act. In a situation like this, it was a survival skill. They simply couldn't afford to let their emotions kick in.
"Okay," Hannah said. "Evaluate. Cold and calm--and assume they can hear us, record us, translate later."
"We don't know anything secret," Jamie objected. "We don't know anything at all."
"Yeah, but let's keep good habits," Hannah said. "Maybe we know more than we know. Talk.
"It would do more than that--it would enhance their prestige as schemers, plotters, diplomats tremendously," said Brox. "It is what most of the other Elder Races half expect the Vixa to attempt. It is something close to one of your sporting events, with the other Elder Races watching eagerly to see how the game is played and who will win."
"Right now, no one has the Pentam System, right?" Jamie asked.
"Correct."
"What happens if, somehow, the Vixa convinces both our people and yours not to take possession?"
"How would they manage that?" Hannah asked.
Jamie shrugged at Hannah. "Maybe with some real subtle politics. Maybe with bribes or threats--or by intimidating both sides by flying around a starship the size of an asteroid." He gestured back toward Brox. "Never mind how," he said. "Just suppose they managed it. What would happen?"
Brox grimaced. "I am, like yourselves, mainly a police officer, an investigator. All of us have had to play other roles as well, at times--including that of diplomat. But that does not make me an expert at such matters. I merely happen to know certain items of information you haven't learned yet. My somewhat-informed guess would be that if, somehow, the Vixa managed to chase both of us away--then, at the very least, they would be in a very strong position to make and enforce their own claim to the Pentam System. Your question was astute, and on point. I am impressed that you thought to ask it."
"I don't get it," said Jamie. "All the Vixa I've ever met before today have been very friendly, outgoing. Quite pleasant. They aren't the sort of schemers you're describing."
"Vixan diplomats are quite a different animal from the Vixa we'll encounter," Brox said. "I speak literally. Vixa are--well, let me just say they are highly variable, and also remind you that you have met three different Vixa--or at least Vixa-related creatures--today, and they are quite different from one another."
"You have said enough!" Greveltra barked suddenly, in a voice loud enough to make them all jump. "You have completed briefing on those matters you are authorized to speak of before jump."
"Perhaps it was unwise to speak so much earlier in a language the SubPilot does not understand," said Brox. "It would appear to have made him suspicious. But, no matter. I have already given the main points. The rest can wait."
"People keep telling us that we can wait for the information in the middle of making us rush like mad," Jamie growled. "I don't suppose there would be any objection if we mere lowly humans discussed matters between ourselves? After all, if one thing is for certain, it's that we don't have any information."
Jamie and Hannah both looked toward Greveltra, but the SubPilot made no response. If anything, he was ignoring them as hard as he could.
"Silence equals consent," said Hannah.
"A dangerous assumption in general," said Brox. "But I think we can take it as such for the moment. Go. Talk. And, once again, my apologies for telling you so little. But I will feel much more comfortable if you arrived at the--ah--place we are going without having formed any preconceived notions."
Hannah and Jamie stood up and moved over to the corridor that led back to the hatch they had come through. They didn't know the half of it, not a quarter of it. Not yet. And the part they did know, the parts that they could guess at, were overwhelmingly big. But shaking all that off, pretending it wasn't there, wasn't just the professional way to act. In a situation like this, it was a survival skill. They simply couldn't afford to let their emotions kick in.
"Okay," Hannah said. "Evaluate. Cold and calm--and assume they can hear us, record us, translate later."
"We don't know anything secret," Jamie objected. "We don't know anything at all."
"Yeah, but let's keep good habits," Hannah said. "Maybe we know more than we know. Talk.
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