RAEFF (Jim Able: Offworld Book 6)

fights his people’s enemies with a calculator,” Tella laughed.
“Talk about delusions of grandeur!”
“With the Praestans Rapax to back a revolution, it may be justified. But it is a long way up to savior from clerk.”
“I don’t like to wish someone as obnoxious as him on any race.”
“We need to find out who is the target of this war fleet.”
“Do you think the PR really want to prevent a war? It sounds like they have it all under control. The fleet’s a dud, they’ll all ‘pop’ like he says, and that’ll be that.”
Tella shook its head. “That cannot be all they want. They care about their plans. They perhaps care that no one finds out how they have spiked them.”
“How did this pack get the plans in the first place? It’s incredible!”
“Obviously, they had someone steal them. It takes a particular mind to dare to steal from a Rapaxan and a peculiar talent to succeed. No doubt the Rapaxans themselves are working to discover how it could have happened; it must be the first security breach they have ever had. Perhaps they would like us to get the plans back?”
“How can we go on with this if they don’t tell us specifically what we’re meant to do?”
Tella grinned. “You’re R546; you work it out!”
“Bastard.”
They went back in to Ernot Dirl Marhan.
“Marhan, there are two questions. First, how did your people get the plans? Second, how do we prevent this loss of life?”
The Gul sneered at Jim. “Fool. The Praestans Rapax have only one question: how do they cover up their embarrassment? They are naked, and their penises shrivel in the cold!”
“Go on.”
“They want all copies of their plans destroyed; they want the fleet destroyed; they want all who know their secrets paid off or...”
“Destroyed.”
His long snout slowly nodded as Marhan watched the signs of recognition of their mutual danger spread across the Earthling’s face.
Tella stirred in its chair. “When the Rapaxans put you in power, you will be able to purge any of your people who know these things.”
Still not turning to acknowledge Tella, Marhan replied, “The Rapaxans will not be seen to do anything themselves. I had not heard that they use Earth-monkeys or snot-people, but it is no real surprise.”
Jim ignored the insults and asked, “What exactly did they tell you about us?”
Marhan’s triangular ears lifted, and his nostrils widened. He did not reply immediately.
“They referred to you as an ‘investigator.’ Those who deal in lies have difficulty recognizing the truth. They must ‘validate’ my information.”
“What do you hope comes of our visit?”
“That you move quickly. Do what you must. Do it soon. My people will need me, and I must be ready. I should have been gathering my support around me. They promised me long-range broadcasting equipment, but they delay for you. If you take too long, too many lives will be lost. My planet has been at war for four generations. This Gul-Raeff, who leads us now, has earned supremacy. We have a chance of peace, but he has surrounded himself with incompetents. If I am not ready to take over when the fleet fails, my planet will sink into chaos. The lies of your Rapaxan masters have destroyed his chance to bring us all out of the depths. I must be ready. Only I know the truth, and I...must wait on you.”
Marhan twitched his head as he sneered to include both Jim and Tella.
“Do all your people speak Standard?” Jim asked.
“Of course. How else would we understand your whoops and babblings?”
“Who is the fleet aimed at?”
“Do you know nothing at all? Tanna’s second planet—Tanna Jorr! Their forces are the one last enemy that unites us. The Gul-Raeff has shown us our future. They stand in our way.”
“You’re going to attack your neighbors? It breaks the primary law!”
“You judge in ignorance. Our future is joined with the Jorrs, literally: we must breed with them. Theirs is the planet our races will re-emerge from. My people are on the brink of extinction. Our world is spoiled. We have no choice and little time; chaos will swallow us if we fail. The Gul-Raeff has mated with a Jorr bitch. Our word ‘raeff’ means prophet. This is his vision. This is how he leads us. This is the task I will take up. If their resistance prevails, it is at our expense. That your masters should interfere with such a task is intolerable. That I should delay action—waiting on a monkey—agh! Such a joke!”
Jim saw that Tella had its face in its hands but could not tell what his colleague was thinking.
What have we gotten ourselves into here?
Footsteps came toward the door of the interview room. The door opened, and the helmeted figure called into the room. “Eat now.”
Jim looked up in surprise.
Marhan nodded and slid off the bench. “Let’s take a break, monkey.”
Tella stood and shrugged to Jim. They followed the tall canid out.
They were led to a large mess hall. Several helmeted figures, seemingly identical to their guide, were sitting sipping drinks through straws and talking in low, clipped voices.
Marhan sat on a bench in front of a table set with a large bowl of brown lumps. He gestured to Jim and Tella to sit with him.
“Are you hungry? They can bring protein if you wish.”
“What is it?” asked Jim without enthusiasm.
“Fungus.”
“Is it spicy?”
“No.”
“I’ll pass. Tella?”
“A drink would be welcome.”
Marhan barked something Jim did not understand to their guide. The guide walked over to a counter and brought back two drinks with straws. Jim sniffed the cup and held it up to the light. It was cloudy and brown with a musty smell.
“What is this?”
“Fungus juice. You expected spring water or rain freshly caught dripping from jungle leaves? You are in a rock, Able. You are in a concealed base. Everything brought in is at the risk of discovery. Make do.”
Marhan lifted a lump of food, tore at it with his teeth, and rolled it around with gentle snapping of his jaws until he had it all in