Especially if it let the paidhi have breakfast while it ran. And a little fuss with spell-check and a visual once over let him fix the truly inane conversions that had gotten past the software and send it through the second phase translation, that at least gave him a framework to render into atevi script.
Half an hour's work and he had two sets of copies: of the tape itself, for the Foreign Office, for his records, and for Hanks — With my compliments,' he sent to Deana, expecting a retaliatory note. And, while he had a line to Mospheira, with his mother's number: Drop me a line on the system. I'm worried about you.
Of the translation — a copy first to Tabini, with: Aiji-ma, I find the tone and purpose encouraging. I have undertaken to meet their descent and to find a suitable landing site such as serves for the petal sails. I wonder is the plain below Taiben suitable and reasonable, being public land? To the hasdrawad: nadiin, I present you the transcript of my first conversation with the chosen paidhi from the ship. I find him a personable and reasonable man. And to Ilisidi, with: One has reason to hope, nand' dowager.
To his own security, then, via the house security office: I am encouraged by the tone and content of my initial conversation I have had with this individual. I hope that he and his companion make a safe descent. I look forward to dealing with this gentleman.
"This seems a judgment of feeling," Tabini observed, when they had a chance, over lunch, to talk in Tabini's apartment. "Not of fact. There is no actual undertaking on their part to perform in any significant regard — and they're dealing with Mospheira. One would think they mean to bargain down to the last moment."
Right to the soft spot. Count on Tabini.
"I've tried very analytically to abstract emotion from my judgment," Bren said. "I agree that there's a hazard in my interpretation: I'm apprehensive of my own instinctive reactions to the man I talked to, aiji-ma, and I'm trying to be extraordinarily cautious at each step. I do judge that these are brave people, which makes them valuable to their captain, there's that about them: among humans, their willingness to take risk means either the risk is small, they're sensation-seeking fools — neither of which I think is the case — or they're people with an extraordinary sense of duty above self-interest."
"This man 'chi-like'duty.' To whom?"
"That's always the question, aiji-ma. They're very plain-spoken, very forthcoming with their worries about the descent, their worries about being stranded down here. They asked straightforward questions… well, you'll see when you read the transcript. We discussed landing sites. I did warn them very plainly they should land here rather than Mospheira, and that it was a matter of protocol. I hope I was convincing."
"This choice of Taiben," Tabini said. It was a private lunch, only Eidi to serve them, while Tano waited outside with Tabini's other security. The violence of the morning storms had passed and the daylight was, however gray, far stronger beyond the white gauze of the curtains. "Taiben — is an interesting idea. Among other sites with other advantages. Let's see what the ship people think important. Speed of transport — Taiben certainly has. And with public lands, there's no clearance to obtain."
"The south range is flat," Bren said. "And unwooded. It's a very dangerous thing they're attempting. I've serious doubts they understand this technology very well. There's a knack to stone axes, so I'm told, that makes it no sure thing for moderns to do."
"Why, do you think, they've no better choice?" Tabini asked. "Are these not the lords of technology? The explorers of the bounds of the universe?"
"I find it — though it's only a guess, aiji-ma — very logical that they have no means to go down into an atmosphere. Our ancestors left their home planet to build a station in space, not to land on a world. They certainly had no craft adequate when our ancestors wanted to come down here. The station folk refused to build one then: if they had, all of history would be different. And if the Pilots' Guild had been willing to fly the craft, those who did land might have built better. The landing capsules, the petal sails, were the only alternative my ancestors had, then — and it's ironic that they're all that exist now."
"All this vast knowledge," Tabini said, "and they fling themselves into the world like wi'itkitiin off the cliffs."
"Without even the ability to glide." A thought came to him. "I halfway suspect they don't know how to fly in air. It surely takes different skills. They wouldn't be trained for it. Flaps and rudder. They don't work in space."
"Meaning these lords of the universe can't land? They only exist in space, where you say is no air, no breath at all? They've forgotten how to fly?"
"In storms like this? There aren't any in space, aiji-ma. Other things, other dangers, I'm sure — but weather and air currents have to be very different for them."
"Which means all the pilots that cannavigate the air — are Mospheiran humans and atevi."
"Meaning that, yes, I would suspect so."
One saw the estimation of advantage dawning in Tabini's eyes. Thought, and plan.
"There is, then," Tabini said, "— if one builds this go-and-return craft you talk about — a point at which it is actually an airplane, dependent on air and winds."
"Yes, aiji-ma."
"I likethis notion, nand' paidhi."
Nobody put anything over on Tabini. And one had to count on Tabini understanding exactly where his advantage was.
They talked also about the office expenses. Tano had sent a proposed budget, and Tabini passed it off with, "Household expense. Doesn't the Treaty say we would bear such expenses?"
Household expenses. A member of the tashrid had that kind of staff. A lord of a province. The paidhi was embarrassed — literally — and said, "Thank you, aiji-ma," very quietly, mentioning no more of it.
Tano, meeting him at the door, simply said, "One thought so. The elderly retired gentleman will be very pleased. He's of my clan."
"Ah," Bren said. On Mospheira one called it nepotism. On the mainland, one was simply relieved one understood where man 'chilay, definitively and absolutely. Noelderly retired gentleman would disgrace even a junior member of the Guild. "What is he retired from, actually, Tano-ji?"
"He was Senior Director of External Communications for the Commission on Public Lands, and very skilled at politics," Tano said. "The commission has very many serious disputes and inquiries."
"That seems appropriate," he said. "I'm very grateful, Tano. I'll meet with the people as soon as they've set up the office. Please tell them so. Does one send flowers?"
"It's not strictly required, but a felicitous arrangement and good wishes from the paidhi, also ribbons, if there were time —"
"Can we do it now? Before the press conference?"
"One could. I could find the ribbons. I could work the seal, nadi Bren."
One-handed sealing was a problem. But atevi set great store by cards, ribboned with the colors of office or rank, and stamped with official seals, as keepsakes, mementos of service or meeting.
"We should have them for all the staff, too," he decided. "Those that have served as well as those that will."
"That's a good thought," Tano said.
"I wouldn't offend the security staff if I gave them ribbons?"