Freedom’s Choice by Anne McCaffrey Page B

I’ll growl a whisper. How’ll they know the difference?”
    â€œThey might.” Then he held up his hand. “What was it that Leon did to sound hoarse?”
    â€œGrabbed his throat,” and doing that, she repeated the phrases once again, hoping she wouldn’t accidentally strangle herself.
    â€œThat’s it,” Zainal said, bringing both hands together in a clap of approval. “Now, listen…” and he rattled off a sentence of which she understood three words, “report,” “dead,” and “land.”
    She told him what she understood.
    â€œYou may be asked. You must know what to answer to any question.”
    â€œWhat about ‘I don’t know’?”
    â€œYou must sound as if you do know all. So, say first, ‘Chouma’—‘quiet’—as if you can be overheard. Then ‘Schkelk’…” and Kris sat upright with surprise because she knew what that meant.
    â€œâ€˜Listen’?”
    Zainal grinned with surprise as he nodded. “Say it as harsh as you can because you are dealing with a stupid person.”
    â€œI heard it said that way often enough on Barevi,” Kris said in a rueful tone, and then spat the word out with appropriate venom. Zainal laughed and gave her hand an approving squeeze.
    â€œJust use that tone with all the words and they will not argue with you. You sound almost Emassi. After ‘Schkelk,’ you repeat the original message to be sure they heard you right the first time. Next you say, ‘Kotik?’ in the way which means they are not to question you again.”
    â€œGot it.”
    He drilled her and drilled her until her voice became hoarse enough without a need to strangle herself. She was surprised to see that First Moon was bright and high when he finally said she was good enough.
    He took out the unit and held it up. “Now!”
    â€œNow? You mean, we do it tonight?” She panicked. She wasn’t ready yet. “But Bert and Raisha…”
    â€œThey are here. I saw them drive in. I brief them, too. So we send message now. All is fresh in your mind. And mouth.”
    He pressed the finger pad and, much too quickly for Kris’ peace of mind, a voice responded. Kris gulped and began her well-rehearsed message, overriding one question with as harsh a “Schkelk” as she had ever been given. Zainal nodded assurance, wagging his hand to reassure that the interruption meant nothing. She said, “Chouma,” as nastily as she could, and went right into the prepared speech again. By this time she was so scared that her final “Kotik?” came out every bit as savage as the worst Catteni guard’s.
    An almost meek “Kotik” plus two syllables shedidn’t understand was the response and Zainal depressed the disconnect button.
    â€œBaby, you were great!” And Zainal tousled her hair and pressed his cheek against hers with great affection. That had become his special caress for her.
    â€œBut what was that last bit?”
    â€œYour name. You are, or were, Arvonk.”
    Kris made a face. “Awful name.”
    â€œUseful to know.”
    â€œThey answered awful fast.”
    Zainal considered that. “They want Zainal bad. They are there till they get me.”
    â€œIn a bigger ship?”
    â€œThe scout is ship enough for this errand.”
    â€œThey’re
not
getting you!” she said, jumping to her feet.
    â€œNo, they are not,” he agreed equably, and took her hand as they made their way down and across to Mitford’s office.
    * * *
    Mitford must have been watching because the group he had been speaking to were abruptly dismissed. Surprised, they passed Zainal and Kris on the way up the steps. Bert Put, his lean face alight with anticipation, and Raisha Simonova raced across the gorge to catch up. They didn’t until Zainal and Kris entered Mitford’s office.
    â€œYou got the