by David Dos Pasos and Dexter Mt. Sinai
It was a nice change. Most days the doctors tested me. On a good day the tests were very dull or very hard. On a bad day they were boring and uncomfortable. But I always helped. They said the tests helped to learn how Earthlings talked. If we got lucky they might help me talk . . . one day. I guess maybe the tests have helped already. My computer writing gets better when I get a new computer.
There was a break in the tests. That was only a little strange. It happened that way, for a while, sometimes. David, and the computers, and the others, helped me learn Galactic Ten. I kind of liked learning Galactic Ten. For once, none of us could talk very well, except Crystal the Kanten, and a couple of Fin who helped on the project.
I can loose track of time very easily. David said the language training went on for months. Then they told us to go to the Moon.
I was so excited! We didn't go on field trips often. Field trips were a lot of work for the staff. Rarely, John and I might go to a science meeting. These trips were always exciting. But the meetings weren't fun. The scientists talked about me. And they liked having me visit. But they didn't want to make friends. I was lonely. It was always nice to come home.
Nobody told me why I was going to the Moon. Colony-Alpha is a big city. Only David and I were going. I thought we must be going to another meeting. Still, the Moon would be fun. I weigh the same in La Paz and Berkeley.
We got to the Moon. Everything was inside. I had to learn to walk again. David took me to a building that was sort of strange.
A Moon city is sort of one big building. When you live on the Moon you travel in all three directions. John and I went to a building that stood all by itself. Flags of the Confederation waved on its square. I thought someone went to a lot of trouble to make those flags wave. The square had a plastic sky. The Sun was dim in that sky and the Earth was big.
It was not a hotel. The people in it did not look like scientists. Everyone looked very good.
They took me to a room. David left me there. A lady in nice clothes told David I would live here for two weeks. She told him to tell me to make myself comfortable. She said to tell me not to leave the hall unless someone went with me. (There was a big Marine at the end of the hall. I thought this rule must be important.) She told David to tell me that they would fetch me in an hour and a half. David told me he'd be back in an hour and twenty minutes. He set my timer for one hour and twenty minutes. (I can't tell time by myself.)
I asked David what was happening. David said someone would explain things in one and a half hours. He said he wasn't allowed to tell me himself.
David came back. The young woman came back. We left the hall and met an old Fin named Kea. Kea had scars on his head. I could see he had a whole neuro-interface. It wasn't even hidden, probably because it was so big. Kea spoke really slowly . Sometimes there were long pauses.
Kea had big news. Aliens wanted me to work in their embassy. The Ministry of Alien Affairs had to teach me good manners first.
Kea showed me a video. It was about the kind of work I might do. I signed "Yes --B-i-i-i-g yes!" Kea said my training started tomorrow at 8:00 am.
I had two questions, but I needed my computer to ask them.
David said he had a new job at TgMAA, so we would still be working together. David thought I'd probably be working with one of the Soro Clan species.
The next morning at 8:00 am we met Kea. He said that the Brothers of the Night had wanted a Terragen servant for a long time. They wanted to honor the old custom of hiring impaired clients. Diplomats should hire their host's impaired clients.
The Ambassador to Earth said he wanted to hire a Terragen, but the Brothers never agreed to hire anyone. Earth's diplomats would give them lists. They would discard 97 out of 100 names. They would think about one or two candidates for weeks. Then the Brothers of the Night would say the did not feel very comfortable with the candidate. The Terragen diplomat might suggest an interview. The Brothers would say no.
The TgMAA would analyze the last list. They would see who the Brother's almost liked. They would prepare a new list. The same thing would happen again.
The Brothers of the Night held my file for nine months. The diplomat on the case was surprised. One day her contact mentioned that my file was interesting. The contact asked for observation tapes. The Uplift Department made them. Then the TgMAA started my training in Gal-10.
One evening the Undersecretary introduced the Bretheren's Ambassador to someone at an official function. Soon after, the Embassy of the Brethren said they would try me --for a little while at least.
Kea said he usually didn't tell embassy servants so much. But he said this case was different. I had a right to know. Kea said working for the Brothers of the Night would be really hard. The Brothers hate aliens. They are afraid every one else wants to rob or hurt them. They stick together. They have no clients.
Kea said I would be lonely. The Brothers of the Night might not even have work for me. If they thought I learned anything important they would freeze me for 1024 years or even kill me.
Then Kea told me that it was very important for Earth Clan that someone take the job. It would be a big embarrassment if I said no.
But, I could still say no.
I didn't have a writing computer. I left the room. I told David to follow. We talked. David said there would be no writing computer in the Embassy of the Brethren. I asked how much time off I would get. David said one day per week and a month every Earth year. I would get two months a year of vacation after five years of service. "Let's tell Kea yes" I said.
A Chimee porter was waiting by our door. She asked when we wanted to leave for Earth. David said we weren't leaving. No one understood.
They got Kea. He was not happy. I signed "Yes!
yes!" He whistled, "*Good, good*! Very happy to have you aboard. Someone will get the
papers."
Four days later a talkative, pretty Fin came to take me to the Embassy of the Brethren. Her name was Xiasa. I would see a lot of her over the years. She was the liaison to the Embassy of the Brothers of the Night.
Xiasa talked a lot. Diplomats from many species talk a lot. But usually they don't say much. Xiasa was the same. She was polite. And she was really helpful to the Brothers when they needed some little thing. Still, I never heard her say too much to any of the Brothers.
Sometimes she would tell me things though. Lots of people tell me things. I guess it takes
too much work for me to write. I sure can't talk.
On this first short ride Xiasa started her habit of chattering at me non-stop.
Xiasa told me they picked her for the job because she was small and pretty. She even used a small walker so the Brothers wouldn't get nervous around her.
Sometimes the Brothers and Earth had to talk about something important. Then the Ministry sent a Human from the Inheritor section. Xiasa couldn't negotiate anything important because it would be insulting to negotiate with a client.
Even making a client the liaison was an insult. Everybody likes Fins though. Also, a client was less threatening.
Then we came to the Embassy of the Brothers of the Night. Xiasa showed the Confederation Patrol Officers her Ministry of Alien Affairs ID. They waved us through. We walked through the door and into gravity. I tripped and fell. Xiasa laughed. I decided that I would have to get even with her for that. The honor of the Chim species was at stake.
Fuetwill, the Brethren Warrior on security duty, told Xiasa they had been expecting us. I noticed that Xiasa barely bowed to Fuetwill. Also, the greeting was not very formal. Fuetwill sent for someone to show us inside. Fuetwill said "hello" to me. I bowed low. He and Xiasa enjoyed small talk. They even kept the escort waiting a couple of minutes.
I was getting very nervous. The space was done in dark, reflective materials. It was humid. It was cool. It was almost cold. Home started outside the door, four meters away. I was very far from home. It was not a good place for a Terragen to be.
After a little while, Fuetwill introduced us to our escort. Xiasa and I went inside with our escort. He introduced us to Kreeðajjay. Kreeðajjay would be my boss for twenty-seven years. Kreeðajjay was responsible for housekeeping and maintenance for the Embassy. Xiasa bowed low for Kreeðajjay. The meeting was very formal. Xiasa was to return in exactly six Earth days. (The Embassy often used Earth time.)
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