Missing Link | Page 5

at my head."
The surf-hissing of Stetson's voice came through the hidden speaker:
"Want us to come back?"
"Negative. Stand by. He looks cautious rather than hostile."
Orne held up his right hand, palm out. He had a second thought: held
up his left hand, too. Universal symbol of peaceful intentions: empty
hands. The gun muzzle lowered slightly. Orne called into his mind the
language that had been hypnoforced into him. Ocheero? No. That
means 'The People.' Ah ... And he had the heavy fricative greeting
sound.
"Ffroiragrazzi," he said.
The native shifted to the left, answered in pure, unaccented High
Galactese: "Who are you?"
Orne fought down a sudden panic. The lipless mouth had looked so odd
forming the familiar words.
Stetson's voice hissed: "Is that the native speaking Galactese?"
Orne touched his throat. "You heard him."
He dropped his hand, said: "I am Lewis Orne of Rediscovery and
Reeducation. I was sent here at the request of the First-Contact officer
on the Delphinus Rediscovery."

"Where is your ship?" demanded the Gienahn.
"It put me down and left."
"Why?"
"It was behind schedule for another appointment."
* * * * *
Out of the corners of his eyes, Orne saw more shadows dropping to the
mud around him. The sled shifted as someone climbed onto the load
behind the cab. The someone scuttled agilely for a moment.
The native climbed down to the cab's side step, opened the door. The
rifle was held at the ready. Again, the lipless mouth formed Galactese
words: "What do you carry in this ... vehicle?"
"The equipment every R&R field man uses to help the people of a
rediscovered planet improve themselves." Orne nodded at the rifle.
"Would you mind pointing that weapon some other direction? It makes
me nervous."
The gun muzzle remained unwaveringly on Orne's middle. The native's
mouth opened, revealing long canines. "Do we not look strange to
you?"
"I take it there's been a heavy mutational variation in the humanoid
norm on this planet," said Orne. "What is it? Hard radiation?"
No answer.
"It doesn't really make any difference, of course," said Orne. "I'm here
to help you."
"I am Tanub, High Path Chief of the Grazzi," said the native. "I decide
who is to help."
Orne swallowed.

"Where do you go?" demanded Tanub.
"I was hoping to go to your city. Is it permitted?"
A long pause while the vertical-slit pupils of Tanub's eyes expanded
and contracted. "It is permitted."
Stetson's voice came through the hidden speaker: "All bets off. We're
coming in after you. That Mark XX is the final straw. It means they
have the Delphinus for sure!"
Orne touched his throat. "No! Give me a little more time!"
"Why?"
"I have a hunch about these creatures."
"What is it?"
"No time now. Trust me."
Another long pause in which Orne and Tanub continued to study each
other. Presently, Stetson said: "O.K. Go ahead as planned. But find out
where the Delphinus is! If we get that back we pull their teeth."
"Why do you keep touching your throat?" demanded Tanub.
"I'm nervous," said Orne. "Guns always make me nervous."
The muzzle lowered slightly.
"Shall we continue on to your city?" asked Orne. He wet his lips with
his tongue. The cab light on Tanub's face was giving the Gienahn an
eerie sinister look.
"We can go soon," said Tanub.
"Will you join me inside here?" asked Orne. "There's a passenger seat
right behind me."

Tanub's eyes moved catlike: right, left. "Yes." He turned, barked an
order into the jungle gloom, then climbed in behind Orne.
"When do we go?" asked Orne.
"The great sun will be down soon," said Tanub. "We can continue as
soon as Chiranachuruso rises."
"Chiranachuruso?"
"Our satellite ... our moon," said Tanub.
"It's a beautiful word," said Orne. "Chiranachuruso."
"In our tongue it means: The Limb of Victory," said Tanub. "By its
light we will continue."
Orne turned, looked back at Tanub. "Do you mean to tell me that you
can see by what light gets down here through those trees?"
"Can you not see?" asked Tanub.
"Not without the headlights."
"Our eyes differ," said Tanub. He bent toward Orne, peered. The
vertical slit pupils of his eyes expanded, contracted. "You are the same
as the ... others."
"Oh, on the Delphinus?"
Pause. "Yes."
Presently, a greater gloom came over the jungle, bringing a sudden
stillness to the wild life. There was a chittering commotion from the
natives in the trees around the sled. Tanub shifted behind Orne.
"We may go now," he said. "Slowly ... to stay behind my ... scouts."
"Right." Orne eased the sled forward around an obstructing root.

* * * * *
Silence while they crawled ahead. Around them shapes flung
themselves from vine to vine.
"I admired your city