Free The Candle of Distant Earth by Alan Dean Foster Page B

in any of our lifetimes.”
    â€œYou could train us,” Ussakk declared.
    â€œWhat?” Walker turned to the astronomer.
    â€œYou could train us. Show us how to best organize ourselves for a planetary defense against what is a technologically superior but small attacking force. Perhaps leave us with some advanced weapons, or the schematics for the same that we could try to build ourselves. The Hyfft are not innovators in such things, but we are very good copyists and fabricators.” Moving close, he rested one small four-fingered hand on the human’s right wrist.
    â€œI am not saying such an effort would make any difference. It may very well be that the Great Government would decide not to employ the results of such training and gifts, and choose to continue appeasing the Iollth. But it would at least provide a possible alternative. We would reward such an effort on your part with everything at our disposal.”
    â€œYou’ve been wonderful hosts,” Walker told him. “But as I’ve said, a decision of this magnitude isn’t up to me.” He glared warningly at George, but this time the dog stayed silent. “Training and the designs for advanced weapons, hmm? Supplying both would still take time. I don’t know…”
    Both Sehblidd and Mardalm came up to him. Echoing the gesture of the astronomer Ussakk, each placed one hand on his left or right wrist. “Please, at least put the matter before those in a position to make such a decision,” the bureaucrat implored him. “If you cannot do this, we will of course understand.” He stepped back, as did his two companions.
    They continued their tour of the gardens. Nothing more was said about the request that had so unexpectedly been put forth. It didn’t have to be. Both of Walker’s wrists tingled with the memory of those small, clutching fingers.
    If only, he thought angrily, the Hyfft weren’t so damn selfless.

    â€œMadness!” Tentacles fanned out neatly around the base of her body like the spokes of a wheel, Sque focused silvery eyes on Walker and edged closer to the rear of the landscaped pond that had been installed in their quarters solely for her use. “Can it be that your simple mind has so soon forgotten the very reason for our presence here?”
    â€œI agree with the squid.” Brusque as always, George promptly plumped himself down on a nearby pillow.
    Walker eyed them both. “I’m as anxious to be on our way as both of you are. But if we’re going to ask these people for their help in finding Tuuqalia, how can we turn down their request that we help them?”
    â€œWatch me.” Rolling over on his pillow, George commenced snoring; loudly, pointedly, and mockingly.
    Sque was more fulsome, if less visual, in her objections. “They are not the same thing, Marcus. You know they are not. In nowise is asking for assistance in preparing a vector equivalent to helping an entire species prepare for war.”
    â€œFor defense,” Walker argued. “You’ve seen some of this world. These are good folk. They don’t deserve what these Iollth do to them on a regular basis.”
    The K’eremu raised four appendages. “None of us deserved to be forcibly abducted from our homeworlds, but we were. None of us deserve to live in a universe that is, save for the occasional pinprick of a partially oxygenated world, harsh, cold, and deadly—but we do. Had we not come along, life here would have proceeded, for better or worse, exactly as it always had. It is not incumbent on us to expend time and effort to change that.” Metal gray eyes searched his face.
    â€œOh, I don’t know.” Not for the first time, Walker found himself thoroughly irritated by the K’eremu’s unrelenting assurance. “Maybe it is because it’s the right thing to do.”
    â€œAh, so now the truth comes out.” Maroon tentacles waved in