Lost In Translation by Edward Willett Read Free Book Online Page B

room; and to her left, a third arch opened into a small kitchen.
    â€œClose,” Lakkassikk said to the door, and as it complied, motioned Kitillikk to one of the shikks. “Re freshment?”
    â€œSilverwine, if you have it.”
    â€œI do—direct from S’sinndikk.” He went into the kitchen, and after a few minutes of clinking of flasks and goblets, emerged with two glasses of a thick liquid that glistened like mercury under the harsh white overhead lights. He gave one to Kitillikk, then held his up in a toast. “Death to the humans.”
    â€œDeath to the humans,” Kitillikk agreed, and tipped back her head to let the heavy wine course down her throat, filling her belly with fire and bringing blood pounding to her ears.
    Lakkassikk took a deep breath and arranged himself on the other shikk. “You accept my toast,” he said. “I take it then the matter you wish to discuss with me is our response to this outrageous intervention by the Commonwealth.”
    â€œYou take it correctly.” Kitillikk drained her goblet and set it aside. “This cannot stand.”
    â€œYet we cannot fight the Commonwealth. Their technology is overwhelming.”
    â€œGive us time, Lakkassikk.” Kitillikk looked around the room. Lakkassikk willingly lived here, like a criminal, to serve the cause of furthering S’sinn policy. That bespoke admirable loyalty. She already knew him to be an able commander; he had led several raids on human colonies himself, before his promotion to Wing Leader, by its very nature a more ground-bound rank in the military, though not in the ancient hierarchy of the S’sinn. Such a one must chafe at the restrictions binding him: restrictions strengthened by the Commonwealth’s intervention. Such a one was ripe to recruit to a new cause.
    â€œTime for what?” he finally replied, breaking her long silence. “Time for the humans to return to this world, foul the air with their cursed flyers and groundcars, cut down our forests? What good is time?”
    â€œYou said yourself we cannot fight the Commonwealth. But what if the Commonwealth were to fight itself? There are many strains, many stresses. There are long-buried hurts and fresh new offenses. Race can be played against race. When the time is right, the humans will provide us with some new insult, some new outrage, and the Commonwealth will crack like a rotten branch. Then we will take our revenge: on the humans, and on the Commonwealth. Then only the strongest will survive—and the strongest will be S’sinn!” Kitillikk waited for Lakkassikk’s response. If she had judged her S’sinn aright . . .
    â€œIf this can be done,” he breathed at last, “then we must do it, though it take years!”
    â€œSo it will,” Kitillikk said solemnly, while inwardly cracking her wings with glee. “Before we can even begin, we must enlist allies—powerful allies. The Supreme Flight Leader . . .”
    â€œShe will never agree!” Lakkassikk protested. “She has detested this war from the beginning, though she’s fought it well enough. She will be glad the Commonwealth has ended it.”
    â€œThen she will be glad when the Commonwealth grinds us underfoot!”
    â€œFlight Leader!”
    â€œI’m sorry.” Kitillikk put just the right amount of contrition in her voice. “I mean no disrespect. Nevertheless, it will be a challenge to all of us to help the Supreme Flight Leader see the dangers of the course she pursues. As I was about to say, we need powerful allies to accomplish that. I have those I can contact within the traditional hierarchy, but within the military . . .”
    Lakkassikk’s ears pricked. “I can help there. I know many military Wing and Flight Leaders who will help. They will find this intervention in our affairs as intolerable as I do.”
    â€œThen select a few, those you consider most