Uhura's Song by Janet Kagan Page A

adult everything she knew about humans and Vulcans and tricorders and tails and head fur. It was as if nothing had happened. "Kids will be kids?" he ventured.
     
     
"I believe so, Captain," said Spock. "The attitude of the others would suggest little need for concern."
     
     
"Mr. Spock!" Uhura said, "Surely you can't think that was only two children fighting over a pulled tail!"
     
     
"I think 'spat' would be a good description, Lieutenant," Kirk said, laughing his relief, "and Mr. Spock's Vulcan childhood would seem equally violent to many of us."
     
     
"I'm gled I'm not a kid," said Chekov fervently, "here, or on Wulcan."
     
     
Brightspot was explaining the tricorder at great length and in remarkable detail, but she stopped in mid-sentence as the group reached Kirk and the others. "It is polite to make introductions," she announced and did so with all the formality of a diplomatic envoy. Diplomacy broke down only when she deliberately omitted her antagonist. He hissed at her; and Stiff Tail said, without fuss, "This is Fetchstorm to-Srallansre."
     
     
To Uhura, Stiff Tail said, "I seem to have missed all the excitement. And dinner. Will it offend your customs if I eat while you are not?"
     
     
Uhura shook her head. "No," said Kirk, "of course not."
     
     
"There is very little 'of course' when it comes to custom, Captain Kirk." Her whiskers seemed to quiver amusement, but she sat down and took up a bowl of stew that Distant Smoke offered.
     
     
Again addressing herself to Uhura, Stiff Tail said, "Where are your children?"
     
     
The question clearly took Uhura by surprise but she said only, "I don't have any- yet."
     
     
That seemed to satisfy Stiff Tail. She curled her tail affectionately around Distant Smoke, who sat down shoulder to shoulder with her, and she began to eat. After a moment or so, she looked at Uhura. Uhura made a slight deferential motion in Kirk's direction, so it was to him Stiff Tail said, "You have shared our food. Will you share your news? It is our custom."
     
     
"Ours are very similar," said Kirk.
     
     
Stiff Tail said, "Then will you tell us of your trail?"
     
     
"Yes," he said. This was exactly the kind of opening he'd been hoping for. He gave her a brief discourse on the United Federation of Planets and of the job the Enterprise normally performed.
     
     
When he finished, she nodded. Not only did she accept the concepts of other worlds and of starflight but she had already learned to use the human gesture of assent appropriately!
     
     
Encouraged, Kirk went on, "We came to ask your help for the people of Eeiauo- your distant relatives. They are dying of a disease for which you may have the cure."
     
     
He got no further. Stiff Tail rose to her full height, the fur about the back of her neck bristled, the tip of her tail twitched in suppressed anger. "Enough!" she said.
     
     
The single word sent a small child scrambling hastily away to vanish into a nearby tent; Brightspot, Jinx, and Fetchstorm shrank a few steps back, as if to present as little target as possible.
     
     
"Stupid!" said Winding Path to-Srallansre. His tail lashing wildly, he rounded on Kirk and dropped into a menacing crouch.
     
     
Kirk tensed; he did not wish to complicate the issue by drawing his phaser, but he had seen the children fight and knew he would be no match for a full-grown adult. He waited, nerves crawling.
     
     
Stiff Tail solved his dilemma by matter-of-factly slapping Winding Path across the side of the head. Winding Path rocked with the blow. "That will be enough from you too, Winding Path," said Stiff Tail, and he too shrank and drew away, muttering apologies.
     
     
The slap seemed to have relieved much of Stiff Tail's anger. Except for a small ridge along her spine, most of her fur was smoothed down. Still, she stared balefully at Kirk and said, "There is very little 'of course' when it comes to custom, Captain Kirk. This is custom: You will not speak of this