Chapter 21

Almost instantly the communicator in Igwanda's ear exploded. "Carlos, you must let me come out immediately!" rang Meiersdottir's voice. "They're trying to greet us this time. Do you know what he's trying to say? 'We—"

"—come in peace, '" finished Igwanda flatly.

"Yes! It will be impossible if we don't meet them on equal terms! You aren't trained—"

"Come then," he said in abrupt decision. "Only you."

The native had moved a few paces into the clearing and then stopped. "More coming, Colonel," Shaw said over the communicator. Four more ventured out of the overgrowth, also with upper limbs spread to show they carried nothing. They took up positions behind their evident leader, who again gave voice to the same cry.

"Where are the rest, Mr. Shaw?" asked Igwanda.

"Still where they were, Colonel," came the reply. "No movement."

"Five of us, five of them," mused Igwanda aloud. "Tell me if another moves forward when Dr. Meiersdottir joins us."

The two opposing groups remained still until, barely fifteen seconds later, the airlock began its cycle and Meiersdottir emerged onto the ramp. She quickly took in the scene and started to descend. As she did, Shaw's voice came again. "You were right, Colonel, another one is moving up." The native walked out of the overgrowth just as Meiersdottir reached the ground.

She strode over to Igwanda. "Carlos, they're trying to be peaceful," she said quietly but forcefully. "They're showing they're not armed. After what happened last time, they have to feel they're in mortal danger. I can't greet them armed to the teeth; if they can show good faith, so can I. I have to disarm."

"Amanda, we have no idea what they may have concealed in that clothing," he said just as quietly. "You would be risking your life."

"I'm going to do it, Carlos," she said, starting to unstrap her sidearm. "If they can risk their lives, I can, too. I rely on you to protect me. But if you're going to make good your threat to restrain anyone who disobeys your orders, get ready to start restraining."

"I advise, I do not forbid," he said. "But," he added as she continued, "please leave on the backpack. It is small and unobtrusive and they have no idea of its defensive capabilities. They could have come unclothed but chose not to; if you need to meet them on equal terms, that is equal."

"All right," she said. "But not the helmet." She took that off as well, and ostentatiously dropped both it and the laser to the ground making sure the aliens could see.

"They're waiting for me, Carlos—for someone. I need to go to them."

"Set your communicator to my frequency only," he told her. She nodded and made the adjustment. Then, raising her voice, she called out "We come in peace!" and started to move forward, extending her arms at her sides and opening her hands. After a moment's pause the first of the aliens that had emerged also began moving forward as the other five remained in place.

For Igwanda the most tense moment was when Meiersdottir and the alien met at about a halfway point between the lander and the surrounding overgrowth. Slowly but with clear purpose, Meiersdottir moved her outstretched hands from their position at her side until they were reaching out toward the native. It followed her movement until they were within reach of each other. She simply waited in that position, unmoving.

This would be the key moment, Igwanda thought. If an attack was to come, it very probably would be now. He held his blaster loosely in one hand, his other poised to grab his sidearm and fire. He was as fast as anyone he had ever seen at drawing his laser and his aim was uncommonly true; if the alien assaulted her in this defenseless posture, he could at least hope to kill it before it could do her serious injury.

But the native merely extended its upper limbs toward her and touched ... hands? ... gently. He could see her return its grasp. She bowed slightly, Oriental style. In human history the bow was a cross-cultural gesture of respect and trust; it exposed the vulnerable neck. Whether the same sense held true on Eden was uncertain, but the alien immediately mimicked the gesture. Meiersdottir gently extricated her hands, and slowly—and rather gracefully, Igwanda noticed—dropped to a sitting position. The alien followed suit by sinking to its haunches.