Chapter 5

Polack had his stick in his hand about to insert it into the lock and the door opened to its full extent. He smiled at the short thin brown man standing facing them,

"Barati, I'll beat you yet."

The brown face split into an excreta eating grin which said 'in your dreams, bossman, in your dreams'. He took their forage caps and was murmuring a quiet

"Welcome, Commodore." as a duo of energetic children exploded about either side of him and impacted into Polacks legs with cheerful voices not quite yelling

"Hello, Daddy" "Hello Uncle Polack".

Polack lifted the boys giving them each a hug.

"Thank you, Uncle Aggy, for the puzzle set, I have got a few of them out" said the smaller boy blowing a raspberry at his friend "more than Gus-gus has."

"I put your tribike back when you pulled it to pieces" replied that worthy.

"Stop it, you pair, back to the school room." said Trudie. The boys threw their arms about Polack's and their friend's head planting sloppy kisses on Polack's cheeks, wriggling down to the floor and ran back the way they came. Aggy noted that Gus didn't run ahead of his smaller friend. Almost to himself, Aggy spoke as the Kowalskis embraced in greeting,

"Sabajhi is just four and Gus nearly six? Isn't Sabajhi a bit young to be in school?"

Turning her head from her husband's while still dangling from his neck, Trudie said with just the slightest tinge of scorn,

"That is Cowboy's son you are talking about, isn't it? My son's progress makes me proud of him but little Sabajhi is scary. Schoolroom? We couldn't separate them — they set up a howling match to see who could out howl the other. Any way, what brings you, Aggy; this isn't an occasion?"

By this time Trudie was walking to the Sitting Room hand in hand with her husband and they arranged themselves about the small table upon which Barati had placed a tea service with biscuits. McCock considered Trudie and then started

"Polack has a couple of leave days.I have business at the Palace and I thought I might spend the night and spend some time with the boys."

Trudie searched McCock's features, cocked an eyebrow and asked

"You're not going to tell me are you?"

"'Oath, Trudie. You do have a suspicious mind."

Trudie accepted that and began serving the tea. They chatted about inconsequential things enjoying the friendliness. An hour later, school was out and the boys exploded through the doorway with Gus leaping onto his father's lap and Sabajhi onto McCock's but it didn't take long for the boys to get restless.

"Boys, take them out to the court and throw some balls around for a while. I'll call you for dinner" said Trudie.

The boys leapt to the floor, grasped the adults' hands, and, yelling cheerfully, dragged them out the door. As the noise disappeared in the distance, Trudie buzzed for an attendant, and when she appeared, gave instructions for the evening meals and the sleeping arrangements. The boys played enthusiastically; the men were in very good condition and for them this was a light work out but extremely pleasurable because of the boys' enjoyment. The sun was well declined when the attendant informed the males that cleaning up for dinner was required. With only slight disappointment, the boys trooped inside chattering away with the attendant in her native tongue.

While the men donned their jackets and gazed abstractedly at the work in progress on the mansion behind "The Residence", McCock asked Polack

"What language is that and where did you get your attendants from?" The men followed the boys indoors.

"Ghorkhali" answered Polack "Their tribe got pushed out of a mountain country on Old Earth after a revolution destabilized the government. The loyalist fragment fled and migrated to space. There are colonies in the high mountains here and on Amiranti so when Augustus wanted security for Trudie, his lot contacted our lot and the rest happened.

Papa Gus swears that he is paying for only twenty males but he admits each man brings his wife and kids; but only them. I don't know, but I snapped a vid of a gathering, unbeknownst to them, and there are eighty nine male noses I counted. I do know the little men are everywhere and I'll swear I am stepping on the females wherever I put my feet. Honest and loyal to a fault, scrupulous with us, but with others... ? You have got to look to your educational books though; when they borrow them you will get them back but you had better believe 'worn out'. MUSC library actually complained, reluctantly. It appears that one borrows the text and the whole lot read it. They exercise very hard and when I spar with them I win most times but only because of my size; but I think Barati isn't quite as not good as he makes out. The only times I've seen them playing is with the boys in the junior simulators and they are very hard goers."