“Not exactly,” Kharmadi said. The meeting ended up being held in the largest conference room, which was really an amphitheater. There wasn’t anyplace else that would fit everyone attending. Kharmadi could feel the horrified stares from the surrounding theater seats. Her unenviable mistake had landed her a position in the center staging area at the large conference table. “The Rcyyt denied any knowledge of these creatures previously. They claimed there were no animals on the planet any larger than the insectoids.”
“Other than themselves, of course,” Uljana said dryly.
“Well, yes.” Kharmadi winced under Uljana’s glare.
“They said nothing about it today?” Dr. Ayers asked Uljana.
“There was no mention of any problems.” Uljana merely glanced at Dr. Ayers before turning her glare back onto Kharmadi. “I didn’t know anything was amiss until I was asked to attend this meeting.”
Kharmadi withered under Uljana’s fury.
“Perhaps we should show the recording Dr. Kharmadi made before we pass judgment, Ms. Koleka.” Dr. Ayers sighed. “I’m afraid the incident is just not simple enough for an easy solution.”
The recording he played had been through a better translator. The result being fewer staticy pauses, Citi identified as a given name, and the translated Rcyyt language sounding fluid rather than choppy. Unfortunately enough staticy pauses and cryptic phrases remained to render the meaning of much of what the Rcyyt said enigmatic.
After the recording finished playing, silence fell over the assembled Terrans. Uljana still frowned, but her fury had abated to be replaced by a more generalized confusion. Everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to say something.
General Baxter broke the silence. “Could someone please explain that to me?”
“Dr. Ayers?” Uljana said.
Dr. Ayers shrugged. “Obviously the spider-like creatures are important to them. But what capacity they serve is unknown. And exactly what they meant by ‘No talk’ is up for debate.”
Dr. Jack Troan, near the front of the crowded amphitheater, stood up. “Could it be that the spider-like creatures are the females and the humanoid creatures are males? After all they did refer to it as ‘she.’”
“Or vice versa,” someone from the back of the crowd shouted. “Perhaps the translator got it wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Do we even know if they are divided into male and female?” Dr. Kasis O’Flynn asked from beside Dr. Troan.
The debate raged through the amphitheater, with various people shouting out their theories and any number of small groups muttering to themselves. Dr. Ayers occasionally tried to restore some sort of order to the discussion, but Uljana merely leaned back in her chair to listen. Kharmadi kept silent. She’d considered the problem all day, and come to the conclusion that they simply didn’t have enough information to truly understand what had happened. She worried what would happen when everyone finally came to the same conclusion.
When the gathered assembly began repeating all the various theories put forth as to what role the spider-like creatures played in Rcyyt society, Dr. Ayers turned the discussion over to the question of what the Rcyyt meant by “No talk.”
This question, at least, could be deliberated to a conclusion, and it didn’t take nearly as long as the first debate.
“For now, until we get more information and understanding,” Uljana ordered, “No one is to mention the incident to any of the Rcyyt. Or in any way refer to it. Is that understood?”
Various noises of assent circulated around the room, and Uljana turned to Dr. Ayers. “I’ll enter that into the official record, and include it with the packet we’re preparing for the official representatives from Terra and the Intergalactic Alliance.”
General Baxter leaned forward in his seat, to whisper to Uljana, Dr. Ayers, and Kharmadi. “Perhaps not everyone should keep quiet about this incident.” He looked meaningfully at Kharmadi. “Duyhu Vhawk Fdohe Jlool Gdyl Vwo Iol didn’t seem either as upset or as reluctant to communicate in the recording. And in the past it has also seemed almost friendly toward Kharmadi.”
“We were the first two to run into each other,” Kharmadi muttered.
“Perhaps you could find an opportunity to speak with it alone,” Baxter said. “Perhaps you could feign ignorance, and find out about the spider-like creatures.”
“I wouldn’t have to feign ignorance.”
“That sounds like an excellent suggestion,” Dr. Ayers said, smiling.
After a judicious pause, Uljana added, “I would agree to that.”
Kharmadi slunk down in her chair. She’d gone into the meeting knowing she would come out of it with some punishment. She just wished it had been a simple reprimand, or a negative notation in her official personnel file.