Flinx Transcendent_ A Pip & Flinx Adventure - Alan Dean Foster [79]
Flinx felt obliged to protest. “There are good moments.”
It sounded weak even to him.
“You do not ssay ‘good dayss.’” Navvur had not been chosen supreme leader of his kind because he lacked insight. “There iss much that our resspective sspeciess do not have in common, but I believe an appreciation of irony iss sshared by both. From what you tell me, it would appear that you are ssafer here, at thiss moment, ssurrounded by ssworn enemiess of your government, than you would be on many of your own worldss.” Teeth that were still sharp flashed in jaws that could still bite. “You may be the only ssoftsskin within hundredss of parssecss who iss ssafe from being sslain at the firsst opportunity.”
Flinx was not startled by the Emperor's observation, but neither had he expected it. “I don't feel safe anywhere. It may be my destiny to never feel safe anywhere.”
One of the shaken nobles who had suffered and survived Flinx's shared experience spoke up. “Doess it pleasse you to know that you have made many of uss feel far less ssafe?”
Flinx looked over at her. “I don't like frightening people. That was not my intent.” He looked at Lord Eiipul, then back at the Emperor. “You forced my hand.”
“To our benefit, or to our detriment.” A pensive Navvur gestured second-degree disquiet. “I wonder.”
“I only share the truth,” Flinx mumbled unhappily.
“Truly,” hissed several thoughtful onlookers.
“So—what is your decision, honored Navvur? What are you going to do with me?” Standing alone, Flinx waited.
In addition to a single set of round eyes, a sizable number of reptilian ones were focused on Navvur W. The Emperor appeared to be meditating. But it was only for show. He had already decided how to deal with this exceptionally curious softskin who laid claim to a Tier name, hissed eloquently the true tongue, and had demonstrated the ability to foresee an apocalypse—or merely frighten. Aware of his audience, he gathered his Imperial self.
“Either you are an honesst mutation of a mosst unique ssort—or you are the cleveresst conjurer in the sspiral arm. One thing I have decided you are not iss a sspy. You talk far too much to be a deviouss agent of your or any other government. You have sshared or sshammed a wonder. My heart tellss me it doess not exisst. My head—my head fearss that it may.
“Only becausse of that ssmall and implaussible possibility I have decided to sspare your life.”
Animated hissing rose from the circle of AAnn that surrounded the softskin and the Emperor. Some of it voiced accord, some hostility, some was simply supportive of whatever choice their Emperor chose to make. Among the congregation of attentive nye, Lord Eiipul IX looked relieved most of all.
“Thank you, venerable Navvur.” Flinx's gratitude was heartfelt. “If it turns out that I'm able to do something, it will preserve the AAnn as unreservedly as it does my own kind.”
The Emperor spoke without looking at the tall human. “I have the feeling thosse of uss currently alive will never know whether you ssucceed or fail.”
“I will find a way to let you know,” Flinx was surprised to hear himself replying.
Navvur looked up anew. “You truly believe the reality of what you have sshown, don't you? If it iss sso, then you will need all the help you can get.” A hand gestured at the closely packed crowd of nobles and advisers. “I fear that we cannot assisst you directly in your effort. But it iss perhapss possible to improve the climate in which you apply yoursself.
“As ssomeone of your wide-ranging knowledge iss doubtless aware, though no active sstate of warfare pressently exisstss between the Empire and the Commonwealth, with sso many pointss of tangency and expanssion, minor unofficial