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away to be picked up on sensors. Nor was anything else, which took care of
the notion that the Gringg were waiting for reinforcements.
"What are the Gringg waiting for?" Mllaba asked, her yellow-green eyes wide.
"A display of physical aggression?" Castleton suggested.
"They don't act, they react. If we don't press them, they might never attack
us." Barnstable waved away the notion. "How far off is the fleet now?"
"Six to seven more days, sir."
"Right. From now on, tighter security. But I still want a look at what
they're hiding on that ship!" "I have an idea how to accomplish that, sir,'
Greene said, "if you'll allow me a free hand."
"What? All right, Greene. Carry on.
Castleton paused, wondering how to phrase her feelings. "Sir, after having
listened to them today, I hesitate to admit it, but I . .
. I like the Gringg. Hearing them talk, it's hard to believe that they
caused the destruction of an entire planet. Their behaviour differs so
greatly from what appeared on that tape. If I hadn't seen it, I'd never be
convinced that they are dangerous.
"Besides that, they are so big!" Hrrto exclaimed. "And so loud!'
Barnstable planted a firm finger on the tabletop. "Cunning, too. All that
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openness and charm right up to the moment they're ready to take over this
planet!" Such an emphatic pronouncement silenced the others.
"Only a week, maybe less,' Hrrrv said in a tone of some desperation, "and
we'll have a superior force in Rraladoonan skies.
Zen we will have ze authority,' he paused and drew his lip back from his
teeth, "zat will supply ze zruth from these "bears"!"
"Reeve and Hrrestan can he removed as planetary leaders,' Barnstable said,
rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "as unfit to govern. .
.
since they've allowed hospitality to so clearly a menacing species,
endangering the citizens of both species."
"Speaker Hrrto and Captain Hrrrv, you would of course support this move for
any doubting Hrrubans,' Greene put in. "With an intelligent and dedicated
administration, we'll soon put things to rights. We might even consider
removing the Reeve family from Doonarrala as subversive to the well-being of
the colony since they seem to be forever leading-it into dangerous
situations." Just thinking of that possibility gave
Greene a certain measure of satisfaction. Grace Castleton regarded him with
shock. She had no idea his dislike of the young planetary administrator went
that deep.
"And Hrrestan with him,' Mllaba said, "since he also espouses zese same
courses."
"I do most respectfully suggest that you act only on provocation,' Grace
Castleton said. "This is an independent and autonomous planet. We still
don't have proof that these Gringg pose a threat to the planet or either of
our worlds."
"I don't like hearing such sentiments from you, Castleton,' Barnstable said,
eyeing her fiercely.
She inclined her head a moment. "I am, of course, required to comply with any
orders you may give me, Admiral,' the captain said in a colourless voice, "but
I would not be acting in your best interests if I
do not play devil's advocate."
"Oh? Well, there's that,' Barnstable said, mollified.
"The Gringg protestations of their pacific nature are hypocritical,'
Barnstable went on, "and the basis for trade with them ludicrous. Only
consolidates my distrust of "em.
I'll have conclusive proof all too soon that they're dangerous!
Why, the size of them alone makes them physically superior . - I mean -
- - well, you know what I mean!
We've got to make these fool Doonarralans see that these bear types are the
most dangerous species Mankind has ever encountered.
Why, they could dominate the known galaxy. That cannot be allowed!"
"It will not, sir,' Greene assured him.
By the time Todd reached home that evening, he was tired and wanting nothing
more than a quick dinner and enough time to review the day's tumultuous and
astonishing incidents. He could smell the dinner but, as soon as he swung in
the door, he felt the atmosphere crackling.
"Oh, Lord, what've I done wrong now?" he murmured.
The house only felt like this when Kelly was ready to scalp him.
"AH!" and she leaped from the kitchen and stopped abruptly in the middle of
the room, fists dug into her hips. ""Would you mind entertaining
Captain Grizz and her son, honey?"
" She did a good imitation of him and that further warned him of being in deep
trouble with her.
Oh, all I have to do is entertain them this afternoon, show them how we live?"
" She said, mimicking her own wifely reply. "But,-' and now she advanced on
him, her head down, her glower intense, "does my beloved husband drop me one
little word of the essential difference between the bears I've met and our
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noble Captain Grizzly? No, nary a word does he say!" With a practised flick
of her hand, she caught his outstretched hand with the hard edge of a whipped
tea-towel. It stung and, even as he began retreating, she flicked the towel
again, catching him even harder on the leg.
"Now, honey "Don't "now, honey," me!" She cast the towel again and this time
he ducked because she was aiming at his neck and she'd had too much practice
at that art. "Only one phrase just one phrase was necessary.
"Honey, the females are bigger than the males."
"But you knew that,' Todd said, reaching the door to put it between him and
her attack. "You knew that! We told you she was immense . . .
that the males are tercels.
I know we said it."
"But you didn't say it then!" With unexpected force she jerked the door free
of his grasp and he stood there, feeling vulnerable.
"Honey, you're good at remembering details - he began. Then panic swept
through him. "Nothing happened, did it? With Orizz and Weddeerogh?"
Surely someone would have got word to him about that.
Kelly turned on her heel. "No, nothing happened except Nrrna, Mrrva and
I were paralysed with shock for five minutes. Even the grid operator was
affected . . ." And then Kelly couldn't maintain her angry pose any longer.
She burst out laughing, doubling up with the strength of her spasms.
"I don't think Grrirl will ever forgive us,' she said, wiping her eyes on her
former weapon, "because he really did lose it. . . even if
Nrrna and Mrrva pretended he hadn't.
Even if you'd said something in your message, we still would not have been
prepared by the size of Grizzly and Teddy." Her phrases were less interspersed
with giggles.
"He's adorable! All I could think of was "a Bear of Very Little Brain .
"Huh?"
"You know, Winnie-the-Pooh." She stared at her husband.
"My mother read me those stories when I was a kid and I read them to ours . .
. don't you remember?
Eeyore "And the tail that's all he's got,' and Todd now remembered the
charming stories. "What name did the kids give Weddeerogh?"
"Teddy,' Kelly said firmly, "Not my idea. Winnie ought to have been obvious
but those kids of yours latched on to Teddy Bear and there was no arguing them
out of it.
My word, but he can eat. "Sing ho for a Bear, sing ho for a Pooh",' she sang,
""I'll have a little something in an hour or two".
He can move in here any time his mother's away Swims like a dolphin.
So does she. . ." Another burst of laughter, and tears were now streaming
down Kelly's face. "Thank goodness you dredged the lake last year or it
wouldn't have been up to her knees and she does so love to float, flat out.
We've got to go to the seashore next time she's free or perhaps demonstrate
how we shoot the river rapids." Kelly collapsed back into the couch; then
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