Beneath Vantolos’s golden garment, small shapes curled and writhed energetically. “As I said, while the Kaijank are not driven by inquisitiveness like the Olone, neither are they entirely immune to its call.” Rising from the ground, a tentacle tip curled up and back to point at the pair of tall attendants. “Oktonc and Uleasc have their assigned tasks, as I have mine. Theirs is to watch for treachery or surprise among those with whom we exchange pleasantries. If he indeed looked back at you subsequent to our last meeting and just before re-entering our vessel, it was likely because he felt confident that all had gone well and would continue to do so until the moment of our departure. If he had felt otherwise, he would have favored you with more than just a glance.”

Filing the implied threat for future analysis, Dev looked up at the big Kaijank. Alien and human regarded one another quietly for a moment. Then Oktonc looked away, toward the road where military vehicles stood waiting for the return of the contact team. Nothing was implied by his shifting glance, nothing had changed. Was it possible, Dev wondered, that the Kaijank had no understanding of what Vantolos had been saying? Did they, inside their domes, even have access to translation facilities? He hoped so. Ignorance had a tendency to lead to misunderstanding.

Vantolos did not appear concerned. “The extent of your curiosity is surprising and does you credit.” He looked from Dev to Pavesi. “Do you feel likewise? Are you also driven to know?”

Pavesi nodded eagerly. Then, realizing that while the Olone had a fine grasp of common English, he might know nothing of human expressions, she added, “My profession requires me to learn as much as possible, in as many fields that are relevant to my profession as possible.”

“An understandable response.” Vantolos’s torso turned slightly to enable him to regard the rest of the contact team. “I presume you all feel similarly?” The Zimmers added their own enthusiasm to that of Dev and Pavesi, while Reed managed a slight mumble in the affirmative.

The Olone paused a long moment, as if listening to sounds out of range of their hearing.

A moment later he declaimed in a tone that was devoid of his usual contempt and aggression, “Would it then please you, and perhaps also quicken the delivery of the items we have demanded, if you were to briefly visit our ship?”

Taken aback, Pavesi murmured, “I’ll have to check with my superiors.” Reed immediately agreed with her position. The Zimmers readily concurred.

As for Dev, he almost forgot to say “yes,” so excited was he by the prospect. For someone who had seen so many of his dreams fulfilled merely by having been appointed to the contact team, the offer to see inside the alien ship exceeded his wildest hopes.