Flinx Transcendent_ A Pip & Flinx Adventure - Alan Dean Foster [78]
“I'm thankful, too,” Flinx admitted as Pip settled back onto his shoulder. “I don't want anyone to die on account of me.” He nodded in the direction taken by the wounded nye and the attending techs. “Not him, and not you. I'm sure he, too, is responsible for the upkeep and development of an unknown number of offspring.”
As Eiipul opened his mouth to respond, they were interrupted. Flanked by his guards, Navvur W had rejoined them. This time his attention was focused on Flinx's host and not the invasive human.
“Your family hass alwayss produced ssuperior warriorss. It wass a fair fight, and one not initiated by you.”
A deferential Eiipul sheathed his claws, stilled the switching of his tail, and executed an especially elegant gesture of first-degree subservience. “Venerable Navvur honorss me.”
“Venerable Navvur iss alwayss judiciouss when addressing thosse with blood on their face,” the Emperor replied dryly. Raising a cloth-covered forearm, Eiipul resumed cleaning his snout and jaws. Though he proceeded conscientiously, he did not hurry the process.
The Emperor turned back to Flinx. “You are without doubt the mosst interessting sspecimen of your kind I have ever encountered. In comparisson, your accredited diplomatic repressentativess are dull and dry, while the human prissonerss I have sseen undergoing interrogation are belligerent and foolissh. I would have you sstay awhile longer, Flinx LLVVRXX of the Tier Ssaiinn.”
Flinx gestured first-degree regret. “You speak of a dialogue I think I would enjoy myself, Excellence. But I cannot turn or delay from the responsibility that weighs on me. Having experienced the cause, I know you will understand.”
“Truly,” the Emperor grudgingly acknowledged. “And as it threatenss uss all, I am left to wonder why you have not sshared the devasstatingly enlightening experience of ssome momentss ago with repressentativess of your own government and people. Or have you done sso, in a manner sso ssecretive and cautiouss that Imperial Intelligence remainss unaware of it?” Eyes that missed nothing bored into Flinx's own. “Or wass the unfortunate Baron HJNN, the Long Fang who hass jusst left uss unwalking, correct in ssaying that the event wass nothing more than a well-crafted russe dessigned to ssecure your freedom and that, insstead of sstanding here converssing with you, I sshould be doubting the evidence of my own ssenssess?”
Other nobles and advisers had crowded around close. Even Eiipul, who had leaped to Flinx's defense, looked momentarily uncertain. Flinx was not surprised. Certain realities are harder to accept than the most outrageous fantasies. Especially the discomfiting ones.
“Everything you went through was real and true,” he insisted. “Nothing was manipulated for effect. The menace was, and is, exactly as you experienced it. I also spoke the truth when I said that those who know of it among my own kind are still few.” Studying the scaly faces surrounding him he absently gestured third-degree reassurance. “As many of the AAnn are now aware of its existence and extent as are thranx and humans. As to your question about why I have not shared this knowledge with more of my own kind …”
He suddenly found himself wishing he was somewhere, anywhere, else. That he did not have to explain himself yet again, to still another cluster of sentients standing in judgment of him and his motives. And yet again, he had no choice.
“There are within the Commonwealth humans who want to kill me. There are in the government those who want to arrest me. And there are those in the United Church who want to question me. Given the state of affairs surrounding my person, you'll understand when I say I can only reveal myself and what I know to a chosen few.”
“And what, tssaak, do you want out of all thiss?” the Emperor of all the AAnn asked him sagely.
“The same thing I've wanted all my life,” Flinx told him. “To be left alone.”
“Yet your conviction that ssomehow you are