Her bags were packed. It was time for the final goodbyes. Jeherni Beheral looked around the naked bedroom, a sweet sadness gripping her as she bid farewell to her girlhood home.
The empty walls of her room reminded her of the pictures which used to adorn them. She thought of the autographed photo of Bindali Poot which used to hang above her bed. Jeherni was a huge Poot fan. She once played recordings of his gentle Otegan songs to lull herself to sleep at night. Poot was a 'purist' musician. His music included only sounds, incorporating neither visual images nor thulled messages.
Reproductions of purist paintings by neo-realist artist Ti Rahand and others had been pulled from the space by the window, and from over her desk. They were her rustic treasures, showing the beauty of nature in an unadulterated form, without the enhancement of spiritual and religious symbology. Jeherni had packed her entire collection for transport to her new lodgings in Palanar City, where she would take part in negotiations with the Earth ambassadors as part of the Otegan diplomatic team.
Jeherni's father waited downstairs. Siion Beheral was a senior appointed government official with a lot of unofficial power. He had recommended Jeherni for a diplomatic post, despite her relative youth. Siion had convinced the government ministers that she was the right person for the job. If she was successful in her new position, she would have him to thank.
"Jeherni, the transport is about to leave. Hurry up!" ordered the elder Beheral.
Jeherni ran a brush quickly through her short blonde hair, hurriedly finished packing her bags, and began toting them down the stairs. "I've got time, Dad," she protested. "The humans aren't due to arrive for another week."
"That means you only have a week to prepare," Siion replied, "So come on, the ministers are waiting for you."
"Dad, this is all so exciting! I can't believe that I'm actually going to meet with people from another world."
"Don't get too excited, Jeherni. Remember, you are going to be representing the Otegan government. You must act dignified, reserved at all times."
A bright smile crossed her young lips. "Of course. I understand," she said. "Oh Dad, I'm going to make you so proud of me. I'm going to be productive! I'm going to be a diplomat. Me!"
"Just try not to embarrass yourself, Jeherni," said her father. Siion toyed with the sacred thull symbol which hung from a chain around his neck, betraying his anxiety. "You are my daughter, you've been around the diplomatic community since you were able to walk, but you don't have any real diplomatic experience."
"That's okay. I'll listen and learn, Dad. I'll pay attention to the ministers and follow their orders."
"That's right. Let the government make the decisions for you and I'm sure everything will work out fine," he said as he leaned forward to give his only daughter a peck on the cheek.
Jeherni sighed quietly to herself. "I hope humans are nice people, Dad," she said. "I hope I like them."
"And I hope they like you," said Siion.
#
The trip to Palanar City took three hours, during which time Jeherni sat on the hard bench of the transport, held her small suitcase between her knees, and stared at the rolling Otegan countryside as it passed by her window. Several passengers gathered together in the back of the vehicle and quietly performed some small thull rituals. Jeherni noticed the three women in the group, all dressed in gaily colored skirts and cool, low-cut tops. Their attire was a lot more appealing than the drab gray shirt and slacks Jeherni was wearing.
"What's your part in all this?" asked a nice-looking fellow in his mid-thirties who sat some three rows in front of Jeherni. "I'm on the diplomatic team," she replied. "My dad helped me get the position."
The man rolled his eyes and vibrated muscles in his throat, a sure sign that he was thulling a reply.
Jeherni's face turned a bright pink. "Excuse me," she said. "I-uh-I can't thull so I don't know what you just said."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," the man replied. He was suddenly considerably less comfortable in conversation than he had been a moment before. "I had no idea."
"That's okay. I should be used to it by now. I've been this way all my life."
"Well, I guess that's why you were hired. I guess the ministers figure that you can relate better to the humans than the typical Otegan."
Jeherni pasted a smile on her face. "Right. Because they can't thull any better than I can," she said.
"You're actually lucky. To land the diplomatic post, I mean," he noted.
"Well, I'm certainly glad I'm on the team, but I'd never consider myself lucky."
"Of course not. That was an insensitive thing for me to say." The man's face morphed into an expression of sympathy. "I'm sorry."
"Don't give it another thought," said Jeherni. The man smiled and turned his attention to the newspaper in his lap, effectively shutting himself off from further conversation. Jeherni stared at the timepiece on her wrist and wondered how much longer it would be until they reached her destination.
When the transport arrived at the diplomatic housing, Jeherni quietly gathered up her suitcase, left the transport, received her room assignment and went up to her room. She spent the evening alone, playing Bindali Poot recordings on her portable player.
#
Karla Weatherbee was an inter-species mediator from the Earth ship High Flyer. After arriving on the planet Otega, her commanding officer, Captain Shestek, had assigned her to assist in trade negotiations with the Otegan government personnel. Along with an experienced team of seven negotiators, she had spent days bargaining over inter-planetary exchange of everything from Otegan spices to weapons technology.
Like many races, the Otegans were eager to discuss the import of products and services they wanted, but were less eager to say exactly how the humans were to be paid. Also, like some other isolationist species Karla had encountered, the Otegans volunteered very little information about their culture and socio-economic system.
"Captain, we've been here for a week and they haven't even offered to take us on a tour of the city. What are they hiding?" Karla asked as she ran an idle hand through her long brown hair.
Shestek, an easygoing, intelligent man in his early forties, had a ready answer to her question. "They're not necessarily hiding anything. But whereas we provide full information on Earth government and society as standard procedure, not all civilizations are quite so forthcoming to strangers," he said.
"I'm more interested in their physiology," said Barnes, the senior biologist on the crew of the High Flyer. "They look and sound like humans, but are we really the same? Has evolution diverged on this planet in some way?"
Bacon, the universal psycho-physiologist, added his own thoughts to the discussion. "I'd like to understand how they react to given social stimuli," he said. "We need to know whether the Otegan people have a greater tendency toward aggression than humans, whether they're analytically inclined, how they view children and their young . . . in short, a whole host of behavioral patterns."
"Important information, if we're going to establish fair and equitable trade relations," Barnes added in conclusion.
"I'll see if I can arrange a one-on-one informal meeting with Karla and someone on their team," the captain said. He cast a glance at Karla, a likable woman with a reputation for efficiency and tact. "In that way, we can develop a personal relationship with an Otegan, help them to understand the way we think and ultimately, get more information on the inner workings of their society."
With these objectives in mind, Shestek approached the Otegan ministers. Two days later, his inter-species mediator found herself in private conference with a young Otegan woman.
#
Karla had a sixth sense when to came to people. She knew whether to trust them or not, by instinct. Of course, similarity in appearance aside, Otegans weren't really people. They were an alien race. Nevertheless, Karla felt an immediate affection for young Jeherni Beheral, a closeness she was unwilling to lightly dismiss.
The girl was bright, friendly, and quite willing to talk about her life, her city and her people.
"I was assigned a vehicle so that I could take you for a drive through the local district if you're interested," Jeherni said.
"Sure."
"I'll show you all the 'sights' of Palanar City. It's our world capital, you know."
"Yes, so I was told," Karla replied.
Jeherni led Karla outside and handed her ticket to an Otegan civil servant. The servant sneered at Jeherni, sneered at the ticket, then disappeared behind the huge building. He reappeared a few moments later with a small two-seat motorized vehicle, painted in alternating stripes of blue, yellow and white, the official colors of the Otegan world government.
They spent the afternoon like tourists. Jeherni drove Karla to dozens of official monuments and museums. As they traveled through the city, Karla noticed groups of Otegans gathered in dozens of small parks, each area marked with a small flag. All of these flags featuring the same geometric symbol, a triangle bisected by three vertical lines.
"What are these people waiting for, Jeherni?" Karla asked, after she noticed the fifth such gathering. "And what's the significance of that symbol? Is today a national holiday of some sort?"
"Not exactly, Karla," the girl replied. "These gatherings are a chance for Otegans to get to know each other and--well . . . It's--uh--sort of hard to explain. I guess you could view it as a peculiarity of Otegan culture. The ministers really could tell you more about it than I can." Jeherni fell suddenly silent as if she had spoken out of turn, so Karla dropped the subject, but she made a mental note to explore the matter further at a later time.
As they travelled together, Karla and Jeherni began to get to know each other. Jeherni was interested in Karla's clothing. Karla wasn't a flashy dresser by any means, but her pale blue skirt and striped top were considerably more flattering than the dull, ankle-length dress Jeherni was wearing.
"Do all of your young people dress the way you do?" Karla asked.
Jeherni's cheeks colored slightly. "Not really," she said. "But me--I've always dressed this way. I guess I'm--uh--a little conservative, maybe."
"Do you date, Jeherni?" Karla asked. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No. I guess I'm--uh--a bit of a loner."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," Karla replied in a soothing voice, as she noted the younger woman's sudden discomfort. "And your day will come. I know a lot of young human men who'd love to take you to dinner or a show."
"Human men maybe, but Otegan men just--ignore me, mostly."
"I find that hard to believe. I think you just haven't met the right person yet. But you will."
"Do you really think so?" the girl asked.
"Yes I do. Trust me on this one. I know what I'm talking about. I mean, you're so pretty."
Jeherni averted her bright blue eyes from Karla's direct gaze. "Thank you, but I'm not pretty, not really," she said. "Yes you are, Jeherni," Karla firmly replied. The younger woman seemed surprised and delighted by Karla's words, as if she had never received a compliment before. Karla wondered what had happened in the past to give her companion such low self esteem.
Jeherni's official tour continued with a slow drive through the center of the Otegan city, dotted with clean office complexes and small, neatly manicured, single-family dwellings. Later still, they stopped at a half-dozen or so quaint historical sites and ancient battlegrounds. Small crowds of Otegans gathered around many of these sites and waved small flags containing the odd geometric symbol.
Karla's suppressed curiosity was renewed. "I really wish you could tell me the significance of that symbol, Jeherni."
"Well--maybe there wouldn't be any harm in taking you to one of the ceremonies," the Otegan said. She spoke in a small voice, just barely above a whisper. "I mean, it'll help you to relate to us a little better."
"That would be terrific, if you're sure it's okay. I wouldn't want to violate any local laws or customs."
"Well, the ministers did instruct me to show your around our capital," Jeherni replied. "They told me to be nice and to cooperate with you. And you did specifically ask me about the symbol and what it means." The girl grew tense for an instant, then relaxed as she arrived at her decision. "Come on, let's go."
Jeherni Beheral parked her vehicle and led Karla though a side-street to a central square where a semicircle of Otegan citizens held hands and hummed a sweet, haunting melody, under the mysterious flag. The people swayed back and forth under the late-afternoon sun, oblivious to the world around them.
"Beautiful," Karla whispered. "Is it a religious service?"
"Sort of. Yes, I guess from your perspective, it could be called religious. But it's more than just religion. It's part of what we are, what we offer."
Karla watched the Otegans continue to hum their private song, more and more loudly as time passed. Gradually, as the sun fell, casting long shadows across the ground, their song became higher pitched in frequency and the small group of Otegans began to glow with a blue light which seemed to emanate from their bodies. They looked like angels with tangible halos and small sparks like static electricity visible in their hair and on their clothing. Karla glanced over at Jeherni and saw the young woman sitting crossed-legged on the ground, eyes transfixed on the crowd as if she could learn some unknowable secret from them.
"What's happening? What are they doing? And where is that light coming from?" Karla asked her companion, questions flying in rapid-fire succession.
"Just relax and enjoy the show, Karla," the girl said. "If you watch closely enough, I think you'll understand."
"But . . . okay, Jeherni," Karla replied. She turned to the small woman who sat on the alien grass, watching her aunts and sisters, brothers, uncles and cousins as they joined together in a rapture of communion. "Just tell me, wouldn't you rather be with your people right now, rather than sitting here with me? You can join your friends for a while if you like. I'll wait here for you."
The girl stared at her toes and began playing nervously with a blade of grass. "No. I can't--uh--I--uh--I'll just stay here if that's alright with you, Karla. We'll watch for a while longer and then we'll call it a day."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm positive," the girl said.
"Fine, Jeherni," the earth-woman replied, more than a little puzzled by the young Otegan's self-imposed isolation. "We'll do whatever you like."
#
Karla was so excited, she couldn't sit down. "Gentlemen, you wouldn't believe this ceremony! The Otegans radiated some sort of visible energy. After an hour, their skin became almost translucent. It was absolutely breathtaking."
"It's possible you were seeing an illusion, Karla," Bacon said, thin fingers knocking on the table top. "Experiencing the effects of a kind of mass hypnosis."
"Bacon, I know what I saw and it was no illusion!" Karla stated emphatically, biting her lip in the way that Captain Shestek always tried not to find attractive.
Barnes sat and stared into space as he tried to articulate his own thoughts. "Maybe they were using a device of some kind," he suggested. "An imaging system."
"Well, from what I've seen, their knowledge of engineering and the applied sciences isn't up to Earth standards," Shestek said. "So, I'd be surprised if they've developed that type of technology."
Karla finally controlled her own nervous energy and forced herself to sit in her chair. "I didn't see any device. It seemed like a natural phenomenon. Like the glow from a firefly."
"Apparently, Ms. Beheral was reluctant to give Karla any detailed information about this ceremony," Shestek said.
"She wasn't nasty, Captain. Just evasive. I don't think she had the authority to talk about it, but I think she wanted to."
Barnes leaned forward in his chair. "I guess these Otegans could have a special ability that we just don't know about."
"Are they trying to hide this power from us?" Bacon asked.
"We have to do a physical exam on one of these people," Barnes said. "That's imperative!"
"Well, I could submit a request through official channels, but I'd rather treat the matter informally for the time being. Perhaps Karla can just convince Ms. Beheral to come aboard ship and be examined." Shestek smiled, but Karla knew his command was serious. "Tell her it's customary for us to examine new races for our medical records."
"I wouldn't want to put her in an awkward position," Karla said. "I wouldn't want to get her into trouble with her superiors."
"Then, have her ask for authorization to come on board our ship. I wasn't suggesting that we do anything clandestine."
"Okay, I'm scheduled to meet with Jeherni again, tomorrow. "I'll mention your request and she how she responds."
"You can be diplomatic, Karla. Don't push her too hard." Shestek said. "If she refuses, we'll find another way to get the information we need.
"I understand, Captain."
#
Jeherni felt guilty. She wasn't sure it had been a good idea to take Karla to the grand thull ceremony. It had been nice, for once, to see the ceremony with someone who experienced it in the same way she did. Nevertheless, Jeherni knew she should have asked for official permission.
"We're not displeased with you, Jeherni," the minister said. In fact, we expected the human woman to ask about the ceremonies. The humans were going to find out about the thull and thull rituals, sooner or later, just like you did when you were a child. Sooner is better in many respects." The small blonde Otegan girl felt dwarfed by the size of the minister's elegant office. The oil paintings of famous former ministers and thull-prophets which hung behind his desk did little to give her an increased sense of stature. Jeherni sat on a hardwood chair, peered up into the stern eyes of the elder statesmen, and swallowed hard before bringing up her objections to official state policy. "Maybe if we were more up-front with the humans, more honest, maybe they'd like us better," she said. Jeherni drew her fingers away from her mouth as she realized that she had been chewing on her finger-nails.
"We're not being dishonest, Jeherni. You're a full-fledged Otegan citizen. You say they want to give you a physical examination? That's fine. Let them examine you and come to their own conclusions." The minister smiled, although it was uncertain whether he was smiling at Jeherni or smiling to himself.
"But suppose they come to the wrong conclusions?"
"That's not your concern, Jeherni," the minister said. "Just do as you're told."
#
"We find nothing unusual about the girl," Bacon said.
"She seems--completely human," added Barnes. "Otegan physiology is virtually identical to our own."
Karla was in the ship's lounge with the captain and the two specialists, discussing their mission between sips of ale and bites of pretzel.
"So, how do they make themselves glow?" Shestek asked.
"Captain, the radiant effect was just one part of that ceremony. Remember, I told you about the chanting and the rapt looks on their faces."
"Karla, there's no use in us speculating about that ceremony any longer," her captain said. "It's counterproductive. I'll simply ask the ministers about it and see what they tell me."
"If it's anything they really don't want us to know about, they'll lie to you, Captain," Bacon said as he snacked on handfuls of honey-roasted peanuts.
"Let me speak to Jeherni, again. Maybe I can get her to open up to me." Karla grabbed a wisp of her long brown hair and examined it closely, as if the answers to her questions were hidden within the strands. "I mean, if this power is really such a dark Otegan secret, they wouldn't have let Jeherni take me to the ceremony in the first place."
"Maybe it's something they can use as a weapon against us," Barnes suggested.
"Oh, I really don't think so, Barnes," Karla said.
"Maybe, the radiant effect is a result of some subtle difference between their race than ours," the captain suggested. "Something we can't find because we simply don't know where to look."
#
Jeherni never thought of herself as handicapped. Problem was, other people did. Once when she was a little girl, her parents took her to the ballet. She watched the dancers, marveled as they floated gracefully across the stage, listened to the music, and thought she was having a wonderful time. But afterwards, her parents told her how much more she would have enjoyed the show, if only she could have fully experienced the thull aspects. They tried to describe that thull element to their thull-less daughter, but only succeeded in making her feel isolated and disabled.
As Jeherni grew older, she began to realize that she couldn't really hold a conversation with people outside her immediate family. The Otegan language was thulled as much as it was spoken and Jeherni found herself unable to respond to statements which she interpreted as 'Mother store?' or 'Sunday school papers wet'. It was worse when her parents told strangers about her disability. They'd smile sweetly and, in words an infant could understand, they'd tell her what a brave little girl she was.
Jeherni was educated in a private school for the thull-less. Her interactions were limited largely to doctors, therapists and other disabled people. She was encouraged to think of herself as a 'fully functional individual,' but visits from the outside were restricted to three family members every other weekend. Later, this rule was relaxed somewhat, allowing her to spend days at a time with her parents in a 'normal' Otegan setting.
When she reached the age of reason, Jeherni was told about the grand thull ceremony. This ritual, performed on a daily basis in most communities, combined the thull efforts of its various members, magnifying the effect far beyond the abilities of any individual.
"I'm so sorry you can't participate, Jeherni," her mother, Bella, remarked before the family packed into their vehicle for a trip to their favorite thulling grounds. "The sense of being in such intimate contact with all the other members of your community is so unique--so special--it's something that I can't describe in words."
"Well, at least she can watch and listen to the music," Siion replied.
Jeherni had a favorite spot on the hill near the thulling ground where she would watch intently, memorizing every aspect of the ceremonies, as if, in that way, she might eventually learn how to participate.
When she graduated from high school, Jeherni begged her parents to let her come back home and go to a regular college. She knew she'd have problems understanding the lectures but insisted that she could borrow notes from classmates and otherwise make up for the information she was unable to receive. Her parents reluctantly acquiesced to her request. She'd spent the last five years, intoxicating herself with the sights, sounds and smells of the metropolis. She made friends with a group of blind and thull-less people and together, they kept each other from being lonely. In the company of her friends, it was almost possible to forget she was disabled. Communication was never a problem among the members of her group. The thull-less saw for the blind and the blind thulled for the thull-less. Together, they were whole. Jeherni spent more time and effort with the group than she did in her college classes and her grades suffered as a result. As each of these friends graduated or dropped out of school, however, Jeherni found herself more and more in the company of her parents or by herself in her room, less and less in social situations. With help from her parents and special tutors she did eventually receive her degree, but chose to cloister herself in her parent's home rather than immediately search for gainful employment.
When she turned twenty-one, Siion said it was time for Jeherni to enter the work force, so she prepared a resume and began to apply for any and all jobs for which she was even remotely qualified. Without exception, each application was rejected by polite employers who claimed they had "limited resources for the thull-less." After six months of job searching, Jeherni began to feel discouraged. Finally, she decided to give nepotism a chance and looked for work among organizations who held her father in high regard.
When she was offered her current diplomatic position, she'd hoped to prove herself to be a productive member of Otegan society. The ministers had known that the humans were thull-less from their first visual transmissions. Humans physically resembled Otegans, but if they had the thull or other advanced skills they would not have attempted to communicate in such a crude manner.
Siion Beheral had initially broached the senior ministers regarding his daughter's potential usefulness in dealings with the humans. Later, Jeherni herself had written a letter to the ministers.
"It is my firm belief that a thull-less person is uniquely qualified to interact with humans, the thull-less species," she wrote. "My handicap will give me uncommon insights into Earth culture. Given the opportunity, I am certain that I can proficiently report on that culture for the Otegan government. Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to hearing from you."
Two weeks after she sent the letter, she was awarded the position. It amazed and scared her to learn that she would actually be an active member of the diplomatic team rather than a mere aide. Then, the ministers told her that she had to meet with Karla Weatherbee and pretend she wasn't handicapped. She had to pass herself off as a normal Otegan woman. Jeherni was honest to a fault and didn't like the idea of deceiving the humans. She never thought of herself as an actress or a spy, and quickly developed increased doubts about her ability to do her job.
Now, as Karla Weatherbee sat next to her in the lounge of the Earth ship High Flyer, asking question after question about the grand thull ceremony, Jeherni felt like crying. She felt like confiding in Karla.
#
The minister glared at Shestek, puffed his face and prepared himself for the bother of non-thulled communication. Shestek tried to look unimpressed by the Otegan's grand office with its thick, regal carpeting, impressive oil portraits, and imposing oak desk.
"Were you trying to deceive us, Minister?"
"No. The thull isn't something we could easily hide for any length of time. It's too integral to our society."
"Then, why tell us through the girl, through Jeherni?"
The Otegan wrinkled his nose as if he had just smelled something foul. "Because we view her as non-threatening. You see, we didn't want to intimidate you, Captain," he explained. "We didn't want to give humans an inferiority complex."
The captain stared the alien official straight in the eye. "Get one thing straight, minister. Humans are not inferior," he said.
"Of course you're not. We didn't mean to imply . . . We just felt that your personnel would relate better to the woman Beheral because you share the same--limitations. No offense intended, you understand."
Shestek felt red blood rushing to his face and resisted the impulse to strike the arrogant Otegan.
"We thought she could help you understand the thull," the minister said. "Honestly, we were afraid you'd be alarmed by it. And from your reaction, it appears that we were correct in that assessment."
"No, minister, we're not alarmed by anything but your duplicity."
"You realize, of course, that our thull skills would give us an advantage in any conflict with humans. It would allow us to communicate with each other without your knowledge." The minister pretended to glance at some papers on his desk to avoid making any further eye contact with the human captain.
"Yes, we realize that," Shestek said.
"And that doesn't bother you?" the minister asked.
"Minister, did you ever stop to think that humans might be able to detect your thull signals, using our communications technology?" Shestek asked. It was a carefully considered bluff.
The minister treated Shestek to a small, tight-lipped smile. "Really? Well then, perhaps we underestimated you," he replied.
#
Jeherni visited Karla on the High Flyer, a few days after Shestek's visit to the minister. Karla hugged her like an old friend, then sat her down for a final intimate chat in the comfortable ship's lounge.
"Jeherni, I wish there was something I could do. I wish I could help you in some way," she said. "From what you've told me, it seems like you've had a hard life on this planet. I'm just so sorry for you."
"Please Karla, don't pity me. That's really been the worst part of my disability, being pitied by everyone I meet," the girl replied. "I mean, yes, I am disabled, but I manage."
"I apologize for all the trouble we caused you," Karla said, hoping the woman believed her, hoping she appeared sincere.
"That's okay, Karla. You were in the right. We should have told your people about the thull from the very beginning."
"I wish I could take you home with me," the human woman said. "There are so many things I could show you back on Earth."
"But would your people accept someone like me?"
"Jeherni, on Earth, you'd be just like everyone else."
The Otegan thought about that statement for a second. "I guess you're right," she said. "That would be so wonderful. It would be a dream come true."
Barnes entered the lounge and interrupted their tete-a-tete with a request to examine Jeherni, one last time.
"I just want to re-check a few things, now that I know a little more about your medical history," he said.
"Oh Barnes, is this really necessary?" Karla asked.
"I don't mind, Karla," Jeherni said. "It doesn't matter. Not now, anyway."
As the girl disappeared with the senior biologist, Karla wondered when and if they'd ever have an opportunity to meet again. Also, she felt vaguely depressed over the unfriendly vibrations which now hovered over the entire human-Otegan conference.
Several days later, as the Earth ship was preparing to leave, Karla tried to discuss the matter with Shestek.
"So, I suppose we're not going to be presenting our government with a signed treaty from the Otegans, are we Captain?" Karla asked.
"Not this time. But we've stood up to this race--possibly even earned their respect. On our next trip here, we'll be able to make more progress." Shestek had on his 'job-well-done' face but Karla wasn't sure that the crew of the High Flyer had really successfully completed their mission.
"We've studied all the medical charts you received from the ministers, Captain, and reviewed all the data we collected on the Beheral girl's physiology," said Barnes. "Now, we think we have the answer to the Otegan mystery." Barnes turned to his associate to continue the explanation.
"Yes," said Bacon. "'Thulling', as they call it, actually has two separate, distinct aspects to it. First, the Otegan produces sounds using a small node located on the base of their vocal chords. These sounds are in the range that a dog hears, too high for human ears."
"Then, the force generated by collision of the sound waves created by the individual with solid objects or sonic pressure from a second Otegan causes a release of directed energy which can be used to directly transmit thoughts and images," Barnes said.
"It's a part of their religion, as Karla saw. In addition, they use it for basic communication. Also, I wouldn't discount the possibility that they can use this ability in other, perhaps more dangerous ways of which we aren't even aware."
And why can't Jeherni make these--these sounds?" Karla asked.
"There is nothing wrong with her vocal chords," said Bacon, "but she is a little deaf."
"Deaf?"
"Yes. She has spectacular hearing by human standards, but by Otegan standards, she's deficient."
"We gave her a hearing aid," said Barnes.
"What? I wish I'd been informed. What did you do?" Shestek asked as he reminded himself to keep a closer watch on his crew.
"Well, it appears these Otegans never thought it was worth the time and effort to develop something as simple as a hearing aid for people that have trouble--uh--thulling."
"So we fitted Ms. Beheral with a standard unit, upgraded to Otegan specifications."
"Do you think that was the right thing to do?" Karla asked. "Of course," Barnes replied, a jovial smile on his moon-like face. "Now, she should be able to 'thull' with the best of them!"
#
Jeherni and her parents ate a big dinner after coming home from the first thulling ceremony that Jeherni was able to fully experience. Siion silently cut slabs of meat from the dinner animal and passed the food to his wife, Bella, and to Jeherni.
The young girl felt truly Otegan for the first time in her life. "The ceremony was really beautiful, Dad," she said. "It was such an incredible mass joining of mind and body and soul!"
Of course, it always is," Siion replied. "It's just a shame . . ."
"A shame it took a human contraption to make you aware," Bella said as she began to cut the meat on her plate into small pieces. Jeherni flushed red and stared into her food.
"Now do you see?" her father asked. "Now do you understand why we can't open our hearts to the humans as you would have us
do? We thull and our thoughts almost become one. How can an outsider comprehend that?"
"Thull is a unique Otegan talent," her mother added. "It sets us apart from the other races."
"Now that you've experienced the ultimate thull, you can see that it would be mad to try and share our culture with another species."
"Mad and pointless," Bella said. "It would be like trying to teach a fish to breathe air."
Jeherni excused herself from the table and ran to her room so her parents wouldn't see her eyes as they reddened and filled with tears.
Later, she packed a bag and left her parent's home, without saying a word to anyone.
#
The High Flyer had begun its journey back to Earth. Captain Shestek sat in the ship's lounge with Karla, drinking ales and watching idle crew members pass by.
"The Otegans are certainly a pompous species, Captain," Karla said.
"High Command will be able to work with them. Believe me, we won't let this great trade opportunity just slip through our fingers." Shestek wrinkled his nose and winked slyly. "We know how to cater to big egos, Karla."
Karla sipped her drink slowly and picked at a bowl of salted popcorn. "I just hope Jeherni's decision to come home with us doesn't have a serious effect on our relationship with her people," she said.
"If anything, the situation with Jeherni makes our future negotiations a little easier. It shows the Otegans that we have something to offer their citizens. Of course, I still don't understand why she wanted to go to Earth. I mean, now that she can 'thull,' she has everything she ever wanted."
"Maybe. But I'm not so sure about that, Captain," Karla said. At that moment, the young Otegan entered the ship's lounge and took a seat at the bar, by herself. Karla walked over, took her by the hand and led her to the table. "Sit here, next to me."
"Jeherni, I haven't had the opportunity to officially welcome you to our crew," Shestek said.
"Thank you," Jeherni replied. "Thank you, Captain. I'm glad to be here."
"Let us get you something to drink," Karla said. She waved down a waiter-crewman and soon, Jeherni was happily sipping from a large glass of iced tea.
Shestek cleared his throat. "We were just talking about you, Jeherni," he said. "I'm curious. What made you want to come live with us? I mean, we don't thull. We don't have any special abilities. So, what can we offer you that your own culture can't offer?"
Jeherni snuggled closer to Karla and gazed back into Shektek's eyes. "You offer me the greatest gifts in the world, Captain," she said. "You offer friendship--and understanding."
The captain watched as the young Otegan sat with Karla's arm around her slender shoulder. Their comaraderie reminded him of the close relationship between his own two younger sisters. Although Jeherni and Karla came from two very different worlds, they obviously reveled in each other's company.
As his ship travelled through the frigid cold of space, Shestek felt a soothing warmth fill his heart, a warmth which was only magnified by the bright glow on Jeherni's young face.
end