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sagged back on the couch. "I shouldn't be surprised."
    "Those of us who are convinced of the Grus' intelligence are hampered in
    other ways as well. There are many different species of Grus ... and not all of
    them want us on Trinity."
    Rob leaned forward. "Fortunately, the most respected of all the Grus leaders-
    the avian named Taller who had so boldly met Scott-has befriended the
    humans. However, he's old and his power is waning. His people are edgy
    about his alliance with aliens, making our situation there very sensitive.
    "As a result, Taller has insisted on limiting the number of hum an s permitted at Trinity. If we believe in the Grus ' intelligence, then we have to respect
    his wishes. So, only six people were posted there, with only Scott and
    Meg living planetside. It makes it impossible for them to do much about
    the invaders, but, really, even if we had six hundred people there, they couldn' t police a planet."
    Rob touched the skin gently. "Trinity is too far removed from the hub of CLS
    activity to get quick assistance in an emergency. After the skins started
    showing up, Meg and Scott asked Taller to allow more staff, but his people
    objected. I'm not even sure I can blame them. Somewhere on their planet
    there are privateers-possibly human-who are killing Grus ... should they
    believe we're harmless just because we say
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    so?" Rob frowned. "We've got to prove the Grus are intelligent. Then,
    anyone possessing those skins will be accomplice to murder. "
    "Haven't the voder translations proved that?" Tesa asked. "They might have, if the Founders had had Mizari voders, but the company used old-style
    Terran voders."
    "Those voders were good enough for you aboard the Desiree," Tesa signed impatiently, "and they've been upgraded since then."
    "And a study of recent voder upgrades," Rob signed, "found a glitch in one program that would allow some voders to translate any communication-even
    an interaction with domestic animals-into meaningful conversation.
    Jamestown Founders presented the study results to the board. Of course, it
    was the same program they use, and it cast doubt on the Grus' intelligence .
    The Founders insist the Grus are very intelligent animals, perhaps on the
    level of apes or dolphins, but not intelligent enough for a First Contact. And certainly not intelligent enough to avoid having their planet colonized."
    Rob shook his head at Tesa's expression. "In spite of that the other Terran
    board member"--he smiled faintly"Mah ree, voted for the Grus' protection,
    essentially neutralizing the corporation's vote. However, the Simiu saw this
    as the perfect opportunity to prevent us from getting full membership. They
    voted against protection and those three votes encouraged the Heeyoon to
    side with them. They're colonizers themselves. The board had to table the
    request."
    "That's ridiculous!" Tesa signed. Irritated, she crammed powdery doughnut
    into her mouth, carefully avoiding the Grus skin.
    Rob shrugged. "That's politics. When Meg and Scott found out, they were
    crushed. They appealed to the board for Miz voders, and they've just
    gotten clearance . Meg's going to pic them up when she comes."
    Tesa stuffed the last of the pastry into her mouth, brushed her hands off, and
    signed, "So, how do I fit in?"
    "I told you," Rob reminded her, "that Meg had lost her hearing on Trinity."
    "I remember," Tesa signed.
    "There was a terrible accident, and it's changed everything. Taller ' s son , Water Dancer , was being trained to become leader so Taller could `
    retire.' Taller ' s almost seventy Terran
    29
    years old. Water Dancer had become good friends with Scott." Rob glanced
    at the peaceful holo-vid view of Grus lazily walking along, probing the
    ground with their bills.
    "There was an early-morning predator attack," Rob signed flatly. "Water
    Dancer was killed. And so was Scott Hedford." Tesa felt as though she'd
    been slapped. She recal ed Scott's
    delight and awe as he touched the gift of