“I think you’ve hit it on the nose, old girl,” Tedra said thoughtfully. “I’m going to turn you off for a while, so you aren’t tempted to butt in.”
“Now wait—”
The link went dead, and Tedra smiled. She hadn’t been able to do that on the Rover with Martha in control of every communications outlet in sight. It was a distinct pleasure to be able to do it now. Martha could still hear what was going on through the short-range scanner which was locked onto her homing signal. She just couldn’t talk back.
Tedra’s smile had been intercepted, and although it wasn’t for the barbarian, his sword tip returned to point at the ground and she relaxed a tiny bit. He hadn’t said anything yet, and she had to wonder if he might have seen her pop into his world. He could be in shock if that was the case, or thinking her some type of devil or witch—if these people believed in such things or their equivalent. She’d best dispel that notion if it was there.
“Greetings, warrior.” She switched to Sha-Ka’ari to be understood, and it was a safe bet he was a warrior, so calling him one shouldn’t offend him. “I hope I didn’t startle you with my appearance. If I did, I can explain, but it’s complicated and best left for later.” No answer, which she could take either way. “I’m called Tedra De Arr.”
She raised her hand in the universal sign of friendship. It was wasted on the barbarian, who didn’t recognize it. But his expression said he did understand her words. After listening to her Kystrani, he had revealed a slight surprise when she began to speak in his language. But she obviously hadn’t reassured him enough for him to put away his sword.
She tried again. “I come in friendship—”
“Why are you dressed so, woman?”
The sound of his voice did some startling as well. It was deep and authoritative—and arrogant. She had given him her name, but still he called her woman. Well, she had known it wouldn’t be easy dealing with barbarians. And she could have kicked herself for not realizing a primitive like this would find her clothing fantastical.
“These are the clothes of my people,” she started to explain.
“They are the clothes of warriors.”
So that was it. He wasn’t amazed by the material, just that she was wearing what he would consider the clothing of men only. From her Relics tapes, she knew there had been a time when the Ancients from Kystran’s mother planet had held the same primitive belief that women didn’t belong in pants.
Tedra didn’t care to get into a long discussion about progress, not with him anyway. It was the leaders of his planet, theshodani,whom she needed to impress with the wonders of the advanced worlds, not a mere warrior.
To avoid the issue for now, she said simply, “I found it necessary to borrow these.”
“You will remove them.”
“Now just a—”
“Remove them, woman.”
He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t have to with that tone. It was an order he fully expected to be obeyed, and Tedra had a moment’s inclination to obey him with all speed, which was crazy. She wasn’t a helpless female who was subject to a man’s will. She was sorry he was offended by her outfit, but that was just too bad. She wasn’t removing anything, not for him or anyone else.
“Are you going to tell me your women aren’t allowed clothing?” she asked suspiciously. If that was the case, she was leaving right now.
“They wear thechauri.”
“Well, then,” she replied agreeably. “If you’ll just produce achaurifor me, I might consider changing. Otherwise, I’ll keep … what …”
Her words died off as his sword came up and around to slide into its scabbard before he started walking toward her. At that point she didn’t have a single doubt of his intention. Her reasonable offer was not being considered. He’d ordered her to remove her clothes, and since she hadn’t, he was going to do the removing himself.
“Now, look, warrior, I can’t let you … you’d better stop right … I said stop!”
He didn’t, and the distance was closing fast between them—too fast. She couldn’t think how to reach him with words, if anything could reach something that looked that determined. But she wasn’t about to let anything that big get close enough to get his hands on her.
“Farden fool,” she hissed under her breath before pointing her phazor and pressing stun.
He was stopped instantly. He even remained on his feet, as big and wide as they were. She was too furious to appreciate that. This wasn’t the way to start friendly relations. The barbarian wouldn’t realize what she had done to him when he came out of it, but that wasn’t the point.
She opened the computer link to demand, “Did you hear all that, Martha? Can you believe such arrogance?”
“Am I to assume you’ve put him on hold?”
“What else could I do? He was about to steal the clothes right off my body.”
“Maybe you should have let him, kiddo. It would almost guarantee someveryfriendly negotiations.”
