The big man straightened. “First of all, Dev, Chiasa asked you, not me. Second, there are some folks who claim, for who knows what reason, that on occasion I can be something other than tactful.” He shook his head. “Can’t imagine why they’d think that. Your temperament is better suited for diplomacy than mine and besides, one of the reasons you were assigned to this mission was because you’re supposed to have done the greatest amount of research on theoretical alien contact. You’re less inclined than I am to shoot at something like a belligerent golem.”

“You do not have a gun,” Dev pointed out.

“See? Logic and reason.” Moving toward the far wall, Reed stroked it to re-open the portal out to the corridor. A quick glance in both directions revealed no movement, either organic or mechanical.

“You are going after Jakob?” Standing in the center of the Zimmers’ chambers, Dev was still hopeful.

“Nope. I’m going back to my quarters. I’m going to take a nap. If we’re heading straight back down to the surface, I want to be as rested and mentally sharp as possible.” He glanced back at Dev. “And if something else is in the offing—I also want to be as rested and mentally sharp as possible.” Stepping through the opening, he turned right up the corridor and disappeared.

As he gazed after the big man, Dev felt a hand on his arm. “Go ahead, Dev. Find my husband and try to persuade him to put aside this foolishness. He is a scholar, a scientist, and a researcher. Not some kind of hoary avenger of ancient wrongs. Or contemporary ones.”

Still Dev protested. “It does not matter. The ship is not armed.”

“True—if the A'jeii were telling us the truth. But we don’t know about the golems, and we know nothing about any capabilities of the ship they arrived on.”

He started. “That is true. I had not thought of that.”

“Well then, go, go quickly.” She pressed his arm reassuringly. “Jakob and I have been married a long time. I know he’ll respond to kind, reasoned argument. Especially if it comes from someone other than me.”

He nodded. Then he took her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze in return, and reactivated the wall portal that had already closed following Reed’s departure. In one respect Chiasa Katou-Zimmer’s confidence in him was not misplaced. He already had a pretty good idea what he was going to say to her husband.

What he was wholly unsure of was how Jakob Zimmer might reply.

—XII—