Flinx Transcendent_ A Pip & Flinx Adventure - Alan Dean Foster [80]
Flinx gestured third-degree comprehension, even though he knew that the “minor unofficial disputes” the Emperor was referring to were usually the result of AAnn probing and aggression as the minions of the Empire worked to continuously test the limits of Commonwealth tolerance.
“I will composse and have issued a command,” Navvur continued, “ordering that all ssuch dissputess are to be rigoroussly avoided for”—he considered briefly—“a period of one Commonwealth year from the date of your departure from Blasussarr. Thiss will enssure that any exertionss on your behalf that might take place in border regionss are not interrupted or thwarted by one of the petty missundersstandingss that sseem to plague the relationsship between your government and an Empire that sseeks only peace.”
Sure it does, Flinx mused while prudently withholding comment. Anything he could say was likely to be counterproductive, and this was neither the time nor place to discuss the complex issue of ongoing hostility between their respective species. It appeared that his humble efforts to achieve little more than safe passage off Blasusarr for himself and Pip had unintentionally accomplished rather more; what amounted to a year's worth of interstellar peace between the Empire and the Commonwealth. It was not the first time his labors had produced an unexpected result.
Irony, he reflected, was the spice of circumstance.
“Thiss directive will not be publicized.” Turning a slow circle, Navvur gazed warningly at his subjects, meeting the eyes of as many as he possibly could. “No word of it iss to pass beyond The Eye. Were it to become widely known, sspecific ssoftsskinss and particular nye might try to take advantage of it.” When he completed his formal pirouette he was once again facing Flinx.
“I can pledge you no more than a year of peace between our peopless. Any attempt to extend it for a longer period of time would be to deny our very sselvess—and place even my possition in jeopardy.” He gestured second-degree resignation. “Thosse not privy to the experience you sshared would not undersstand.”
“I know,” Flinx told him. “I realize the difficulty.” The majority of humans and virtually no thranx would not have empathized with the Emperor's position—but Flinx did. Here was another chameleon like himself, he mused. An individual for whom change was a constant, who could never relax if he expected to survive. In addition to belonging to separate sentient species, however, they were clearly marked by one other key difference.
He doubted the Emperor Navvur W spent part of every day worrying about his sanity.
Over the course of the following ten days spent waiting for the return from space-plus of the reconfigured Teacher, he saw and experienced more of AAnn society and culture than specialized xenologists who had spent years studying and trying to understand the belligerent, dangerous, expansionist civilization that had long been in conflict with the Commonwealth. This despite the fact that his expanded circle of hosts did their best to keep his presence in Krrassin a secret from the local population. While there was no potential problem in allowing resident AAnn a glimpse of a visiting human, paradoxically the Emperor and his inner circle were cognizant of Flinx's desire to keep his presence on Blasusarr hidden from his own kind. So to prevent word from reaching the staff of the one official, accredited Commonwealth mission in the capital, Flinx's excursions were conducted in secrecy and with him wearing his simsuit.
Those among the Imperial advisers with an inclination to engineering who had a chance to examine him close-up were fascinated by the intricate camouflaging ensemble. Flinx readily identified with their interest, having himself on prior occasions been forced to deal with AAnn who had disguised themselves as humans. His mastery of their language and the revelation that he was an officially adopted member of a recognized Tier only increased his curiosity value. Though he continued to move about Krrassin and