Cubs of the Wolf, Page 2

should know about it before you leave.The Markovian Nucleus is somewhat of a hotbed of Ids."

  "Ids--you mean the Idealists--?"

  Fothergill nodded. "Know anything about them?"

  "Not much, except that they are a sort of parasitic group, livingusually in a servant relationship to other races on terran-type worlds.As I recall, even they claim that they do not know the planet or eventhe galaxy of their origin, because they have been wanderers for so manygenerations among alien races. Perhaps it would be a good idea to make astudy of them, too--I don't know that a thorough one has ever beenmade."

  "That's what I wanted to warn you about," said Fothergill, smiling."Stick to one subject at a time. The Ids _would_ make a nice researchproject in themselves, and maybe you can get around to it eventually.But leave them alone for the present and don't become distracted fromyour basic project among the Markovians. The policy of the CorningFoundation is to demand something very definite in return for the moneythey lay on the line. You won't get to go back next year unless youproduce. That's why I don't want you to get sidetracked in any way."

  II

  Cameron admitted to himself that he was getting more edgy as the day ofdeparture approached, but he tried to keep Joyce from seeing it. He wasworried about the possible development of further opposition now thatthe Markovian had expressed his displeasure, and he was worried abouttheir reception once they reached the Nucleus. He wondered why they hadnot seen in advance that it would be an obvious blunder to let theMarkovians be aware of their real purpose. It didn't even require apirate ancestry to make groups unappreciative about resurrection oftheir family skeletons.

  But no other hindrance appeared, and on the evening before theirdeparture Fothergill called that word had been received from Ebbingstating the Markovian representative had approved the visit now thatCameron had expressed a change in his objectives. Their coming had beenannounced to the Markovian people and the way prepared for an officialwelcome.

  Cameron was pleased by the change of attitude. He was hit for the firsttime, however, by the full force of the fact that he was taking hisbride to a pirate center which the Council had never overthrown andwhich was active only moments ago, culturally speaking.

  If any kind of trouble should develop the Council would be almostimpotent in offering them assistance. On the face of it, there was noreason to expect trouble. But the peculiarly oblique opposition of theMarkovian delegate in the Council continued to make him uneasy.

  His tentative suggestion that he would feel better if he knew she weresafe on Earth brought a blistering response from Joyce, which left himwith no doubts about carrying out his original plans.

  And then, as the last of their packing was completed and they were readyto call it a day, the phone buzzed. Cameron hesitated, determined to letit go unanswered, then punched the button irritably on audio only.

  Instead of the caller, he heard the voice of the operator. "One momentplease. Interstellar, Transpace, printed. Please connect visio."

  It was like a shock, he thought afterwards. There was no one he knew whocould be making such a call to him. But automatically he did asdirected. Joyce had come up and was peering over his shoulder now. Thescreen fluttered for a moment with polychrome colors and cleared. Themessage, printed for English translation, stood out sharply. Joyce andCameron exclaimed simultaneously at the titling. It was from PremierJargla, Executive Head of the Markovian Government.

  "To Wilder, Cameron and Joyce," it read, "greetings and appreciation foryour proposed visit to the Markovian Nucleus for study of our historyand customs. We have not been before so honored. We feel, however, thatit is an imposition on your Foundation and on you personally to requirethat you make the long journey to the Nucleus for this purpose alone.While we would be honored to entertain you--"

  It was the same proposition as Ebbing had reported the delegate offered.Only this time it was from the head of the Markovian government himself.

  They sat up nearly all the rest of the night considering this newdevelopment. "Maybe you shouldn't go, after all," said Joyce once."Maybe this is something that needs bigger handling than we can possiblygive it."

  Cameron shook his head. "_I've_ got to go. They haven't closed the doorand said we can't come. If I backed out before they did, I'd be knownthe rest of my life as the guy who was _going_ to crack the Markovianproblem. But I'd much rather you--"

  "No! If you're going, so am I."

  * * * * *

  They consulted again with Fothergill and finally drafted as polite areply as possible, explaining they were newly married, desired to makethe trip a honeymoon excursion primarily and conduct an investigationinto Markovian culture to prevent the waste of the wonderful opportunitytheir visit would afford them.

  An hour before takeoff a polite acknowledgment came back from theNucleus assuring them a warm welcome and congratulating them on theirmarriage. They went at once to the spaceport and took over theirstateroom. "Before anything else happens to try to pull us off thisinvestigation," Cameron said.

  The trip would be a long one, involving more than two months subjectivetime, because no express runs moved any distance at all in the directionof the Nucleus. It was necessary to transfer three times, with days ofwaiting between ships on planets whose surface conditions permittedexploration only in cumbersome suits that could not be worn for morethan short periods. Most of the waiting time was spent in the visitors'chambers at the landing fields.

  These seemed to grow progressively worse. The last one could notmaintain a gravity below 2G, and the minimum temperature available was104 degrees. There was a three-day wait here and Joyce spent most of itlying on the bed, under the breeze of a fan which seemed to haverequired a special dispensation of the governing body to obtain.

  CAMERON]

  Cameron, however, was unwilling to spend his time this way in spite ofthe discomfort imposed by any kind of activity. Humidity was a physicalfactor which seemed to have gone undiscovered by the inhabitants of theplanet they were on. He was sure it was constantly maintained within afractional per cent of one hundred as he donned a clean pair of trunksand staggered miserably along the corridor toward a window that gave alimited view of the city about them.

  That was when he discovered that they were to be accompanied on theremainder of the journey by a Markovian citizen and his Id servant.

  The visitors' chamber in which these semi-terran conditions weresupplied consisted of only three suites. The other two had been emptywhen Cameron and Joyce arrived the night before. Now a Markovian Idoccupied a seat by the window. He glanced up with warm friendliness andinvited Cameron to join him.

  Cameron hesitated, undecided for a moment whether to return to his suitefor the portable semantic translator used in his profession at timeslike this. He always felt there was something decidedly unprofessionalabout resorting to their use and had spent many hours trying to masterMarkovian before leaving. He understood the Id well enough and decidedto see if he could get along without the translator.

  "Thanks," he said, taking a seat. "I don't suppose there's much else todo except look at the scenery here."

  The Id showed obvious surprise that Cameron spoke the language withoutuse of an instrument. His look of pleasure increased. "It is not oftenwe find one of your race who has taken the trouble to make himselfcommunicable with us. You must be expecting to make a long stay?"

  Cameron's sense of caution returned as he remembered the previousresults of indiscreet announcement of his purpose. He wiped the streamof sweat from his face and neck and took a good look at the Id.

  * * * * *

  The Idealists were of an anthropomorphic race, dark-skinned like theterran Indian. Very few of them had ever appeared on Earth, however, andthis was actually Cameron's first view of one in the flesh. He knewsomething of their reputation and characteristics from very brief studyat the Institute--but no one really knew very much of the Ids as far asEarthmen were concerned. The wa
rning of Fothergill to keep to the mainline of his research sank to the bottom of his mind as he leaned towardthe stranger with a fresh sense of excitement inside him.

  "I have never felt you could understand another man unless you spoke hislanguage," he said in his not too stumbling Markovian.

  The Id, like himself, was dressed in the briefest of garments andperspiration poured from the dark skin as he nodded. "You speak sounderwisdom than one usually meets in a stranger," he said. "May I introducemyself: Sal Karone, servant of the Master Dalls Ret Marthasa?"

  Cameron introduced himself and cautiously explained that he and Joycewere on their honeymoon, but had a side interest in the history andcustoms of the Markovian Nucleus. "My people know so little about you,"he said, "it would be a great privilege to be able to take backinformation