Sliding Scales by Alan Dean Foster Read Free Book Online

focus on the tail-twitching captain. “In contrast, it is well known that the AAnn are quite familiar with humankin', with their mannerisms and needs. If Captain Qerru' woul' be willing to assign one of her own to accompany and guide the visitor during his stay on Jast, we believe this would be sufficient to allay any concerns of the relevant governmental agencies.”
    Her intervention had paid off. She couldn't have come up with a better solution to the discomfiting state of affairs had she proposed it herself. As she prepared herself for refusal or argument, the last thing she expected was for the human to readily agree to the idea.
    “I'd be delighted to have a guide,” Flinx avowed when the suggestion was put to him. “Until I learn my way around, anyway.”
    Which, if things went well, might never happen, Qerrudd reflected. “We are pleased to be able to offer our assistance to one insspired to travel sso great a disstance for sso little.” If the cavalier insult offended the two Vssey officials, they chose not to comment on it, not even when she added a gesture of second-degree assertion. “I mysself would introduce you to what vissual and other pleassures Sskokossass hass to offer, but truly, I am consstrained bymy dutiess as an Imperial military attaché.” When the human exhibited no reaction to this revelation of her martial credentials, she did not know whether to be relieved, pleased, or disappointed. Perhaps, after all, he was no more than what he claimed, and his purpose in traveling all the way to Jast no more than what he had declared it to be.
    “I'm sorry to hear it.” To her ears, the human sounded genuinely disappointed.
    “However,” she added, “I do know of one on the Imperial sstaff who not only possessess wide knowledge of the entire province and in the coursse of hiss work hass traveled extensively through Qwal-Dihn, Abuv-Dwan, and Tual-Sihb, but who may alsso be ssomewhat knowledgeable of human dessires and requirementss.”
    “My requirements are very slight,” Flinx informed her, “and my desires easily satisfied.”
    “Excellent,” she declared. What could have been an awkward confrontation had been resolved in a highly satisfactory manner. “Then while you conclude the landing and arrival formalitiess with thesse good repressentativess of Sskokossass, I will make hasste to ssecure the sservicess of the individual I have in mind to assisst you.”
    Surprising her yet again, the human responded with a second-degree gesture of thanks. It could not, of course, punctuate the gesticulation with the appropriate corresponding tail swipe. Setting her instinctive dislike for his softskinned species aside, she found that there was much to admire in the way he was handling himself before not one but two different alien inquisitors, albeit an inquisition that was as mild as it was polite. She rather hoped he was just what he claimed to be and that he was
not
some kind of spy or agent provocateur.
    Graft some proper scales over that revoltingly flexible and pulpy flesh, enlarge the eyes, and equip the rest withsome decent teeth and claws and the visitor might even have made a decent AAnn. She hoped that the official she had in mind to serve as minder—no, as
guide
, she corrected herself with a slight internal flush of amusement— to the human would similarly appreciate the softskin's qualities, so lacking in others of his kind. In any event, no matter what eventuated, she was safely out of it.
    Feeling very good about herself, she left the Vssey immigration officials to conclude their interview with the human.
    Takuuna was fuming. That is, he was fuming more than was usual for him. Nursemaid to an alien! And to a human, at that. While part of him was undeniably intrigued (he had never encountered a human in person; only in the form of material representations), the rest was outraged that he was to be drawn away from his assigned duties. They would pile up in anticipation of his return,