They were at their most dangerous, though, when they knew the weaknesses of anyone they considered an enemy.

    Could they achieve a balance? Could they appeal to the humans for some of the things they so desperately needed and, at the same time, convince them that they didn’t stand a chance of defeating them and taking what they had?

    It was an idea worth exploring, he decided.

    The question was, how could they begin?

    At that thought, he lifted his head to study his quarters, trying to decide how it would appear to their eyes. Would it seem as impoverished to them as it did to him?

    Probably-very likely, he decided. It was oppressive.

    They couldn’t afford to allow the humans to see just how harsh their conditions were, but he couldn’t continue to keep them separated. They were already demoralized enough.

    Reaching across his desk, he depressed the com button and summoned his adjutant.

Chapter Three

    “The plan,” Anka announced, “is to convince the humans of what we want them to believe before we send them back.” He discovered when he’d surveyed his audience that most of the officers were staring at him blankly and annoyance flickered through him. His adjutant, Minh, signaled a wish to speak and he nodded at him.

    “Just so that we’re completely clear, Sir. What is it that we wish them to believe?”

    “We wish to convince them that we are prosperous, strong, and powerful and that any challenge will be met with absolute ruthlessness. We will condescend to trade with them, in the interests of promoting friendly relations between neighbors, but we have staked our claim upon this planet for colonization and will not tolerate any interference.”

    Most of them merely gaped at him at that announcement, but a few, he was pleased to see, looked thoughtful. Rafi signaled a wish to speak and he nodded at him.

    “Given what we know about them, I understand, and I can certainly see a benefit in trading with them, although I’m not sure what we have to offer. However, I’m confused about the plan you outlined to convince them, Sir.”

    “They understand power and respect it-and very little else. It’s essential to our survival to convince them that we have the power to crush them or they will not consider it in their best interests to form any sort of alliance-even to trade. On the contrary, they are far more likely to attack us and take what they want-or try-and we can’t afford the attempt that would force us to expend resources in defending ourselves.

    “We must convince them that they need us far more than we need them. To do that, we must appear successful. To appear successful, we will need to prepare a place to convince them we are, gather together what we have and set a… stage to perform on, pool together what we have to make a grand show of prosperity and comfort. We will allow them to have freedom to move around on this ‘stage’ and examine it as they please.

    “Will behave in a cautiously friendly manner at all times and allow them to know that we are open to the possibility of friendship.”

    He surveyed the group. “Make certain that your people understand this. Anyone who doesn’t feel that they can behave accordingly should make certain they steer clear of the humans.

    “We will be on double rations until the humans depart. Unfortunately, this will require half rations for a while afterwards, but it can’t be helped. Convincing them we’re starving isn’t the impression I want to convey,” he ended dryly.

    To his relief, everyone seemed to understand the psychology behind his plan. “Just be certain that you explain everything carefully to your subordinates and have their full cooperation in this operation. And let’s make it quick. We can’t afford to hold them long.”

    Dismissing the men and women, he left the conference room where they’d met and headed toward stores to examine the contents. Once he’d discussed the menus for the meals with the head cook, they decided three days was about the maximum they could afford to maintain a show of plentitude.

    It would have to be enough, he decided grimly, realizing that it would be pushing the limits to hold them any longer anyway. The humans might, even now, be preparing to send another ship.

    They might also have decided that the ship had met with an accident, but they couldn’t afford the alternative possibility-that the humans would decide they’d attacked.

    It was a fortunate thought. It would give them their first bargaining chip, he realized. If they transported the humans back to their base, they could emphasis their own superior flight capabilities and open negotiations for returning their property as a gesture of good will.

    They could take the rations onboard first, though, he realized. No doubt it would be a disgusting mess, but they would’ve had to have lain in supplies for five for a trip that would take them many weeks, Earth time.

    He frowned at the thought. They would have to take other things, as well, if they didn’t want it to look like the food was all they were interested in, and that was liable to piss them off, but he didn’t see leaving the food.

    He wasn’t altogether pleased with the results of their efforts. The small observation room they’d set up to allow the humans to see their technology at work-one of the terra-forming units on Venus’ surface-looked well enough. It was only supposed to be an observation room, after all, for them to relax, interact, and socialize during their brief stay and if it lacked any particular comfort or aesthetics it was still workable. The same could be said for the mess hall where they would dine. They could, convincingly enough, he thought, put the utilitarian austerity down to the fact that it was a military base.

    The new quarters where he’d planned to house them left a lot to be desired, however. They didn’t look any damned better than the cubicles where they were now confined-and those looked more like prison cells than what they actually were-standard quarters for housing.

    “No one had any furnishings to make the quarters a little more-comfortable?” he demanded irritably, focusing specifically on the women. The women, he knew, were accustomed to making their quarters as home-like as they possibly could and bartered for anything they could get their hands on to manage it.

    They met his gaze with feigned innocence.

    “We are only suggesting you loan your possessions for a very short time,” he added.

    “And what if we pick up something from them? They carry all sorts of diseases!”

    The sullen, feminine voice, he realized immediately, was Myune. He hadn’t endeared himself to her with his comment about her state, but this wasn’t personal and she damned well knew it! “We’ve immunized ourselves against their diseases,” he said pointedly. “You know that.”

    “So the scientists assure us,” Hybah, the woman next to her, said pointedly. “How much faith can we place in that, though, when the vaccines have never been tested?”

    “They’re insubordinate, Sir,” Minh said in an under voice. “Shall I have them escorted to the brig and appropriate their belongings?”

    Anka threw him a speculative glance but shook his head. “If we threw everyone in the brig for the smallest infractions, there would be more in the brig than outside it,” he said dryly. He lifted his head and surveyed the others. “Myune and Hybah have expressed a disinterest in acting for the greater good. They will be expected to keep their distance from the humans. I would like anyone else who feels as they do to express their feelings now.”

    Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Lonlea lifted her hand a little timidly. “I have a few things that I could contribute.”