She considered the dilemma as she walked. “I am sure Colonel Ito will be an adequate escort,” she said after a pause long enough for Liam to clarify his wishes if he chose to.
Without another word, Liam turned and walked back up into the ship. The Grandmother lumbered toward the far end of the field where a human transport waited. The large platform had no top, which meant she could avoid folding herself into an inappropriate space, but she would have little protection from the unpleasant atmosphere.
A human got out of the transport and trotted toward her. She quashed a certain discomfort at having a predator move so quickly, but as she had told the generals, it was good that their species had such obvious differences to remind them to avoid assumption. “Ma’am, Colonel Ito is waiting at the Command base.”
The Grandmother touched her communication device and it offered a polite, “Of course.” The vehicle rocked as she climbed in, but she did not wish to question human engineering so she remained silent as the driver started the engine. She then held the side of the transport and tried to feign comfort as the vehicle lurched and sped toward the building. In the distance, humans held up signs with images of Ondry snarling. They disliked Rownt visiting their planet. The fear would prevent mistakes and slow the relationship. She approved. She also assumed that humans did not care for her approval.
The vehicle stopped in front of the large government building, and as she got out, one of the tires made a loud noise and then hissed like an angry kawt.
“This way, ma’am.” The driver gestured toward the building where she had met with the generals previously. She assumed most of their rooms were too small for her to fit inside. Humans’ tiny frames were advantageous when it came to ships and housing. They could utilize such small spaces. One of the first descriptions of humans in the temple at Janatjanay had described them as colored angry and tiny. She agreed.
She ambled into a large room, expecting to see a table set up for trade. Instead, two small humans waited beside a pair of mats on the floor. She recognized Colonel Ito, but a much younger male in unfamiliar clothing stood next to him. “Welcome,” Ito said and he bowed. “I thought you might enjoy some tea. This is Lieutenant Saito.” He also bowed.
The Grandmother studied these humans. They both had angled eyes that reminded her of Ondry. She used her computer to respond. “I am unsure of my reaction to tea.” Many human foods were unpleasant.
Ito bowed again. “Based on Rownt nutrition files, it is safe and hopefully enjoyable. Many humans dislike tea because it is bitter, but even if you do not like the liquid, the power of the ceremony lies in taking a few moments to find quiet and peace before engaging in trade. The lieutenant is proficient in the tea ceremony.”
“My mother would disagree with that assessment, but I can serve tea without spilling it,” the lieutenant said in a low voice.
Ito ignored the interruption. “Tea is traditionally served as the participants sit on mats, but I can have chairs or tables brought if you would be more comfortable.”
“It is acceptable as is,” she said carefully. She hoped speaking some English for herself would build some trust. Much of human language required a flexibility in the mouth and lips that Rownt lacked, but she had practiced certain phrases.
Ito bowed again and then sank into a position where his legs were folded under him. She suspected that if she bent her body in such a manner that regaining her feet would require significant effort. Instead she spread her feet wide and lowered herself to the floor, leaving her knees high in the air.
The young one tended a round warmer in the middle of the room while Ito watched.
The colonel was small, even by human standards, but he had the gray hair that indicated age. He was also much more willing to sit in silence. He half-closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
She used the computer to voice her next question. “What is the significance of serving tea?”
Ito tilted his head, which suggested some sort of acknowledgement of the question, but he did not answer for several minutes. “Earth has many cultures. In my culture, sharing a meal followed by tea serves as a moment of reflection and peace. Neither Lieutenant Saito nor I am qualified to prepare a true tea ceremony, but it did seem appropriate to offer a moment of quiet reflection.”
Lieutenant Saito held out a bowl toward her, and she accepted it. Her hands dwarfed his, so she was not surprised when he scurried away on his knees to serve Colonel Ito from the far side of the warming device. Most human food had an unpleasant sweetness or a bland quality she tolerated in small doses. However, the tea had a pleasant odor. The lieutenant offered Ito a bowl, and he accepted it and took a small sip while she typed on her computer. “I had not understood humans to associate such concepts with the consuming of food or drink.”
Ito smiled slowly, a nd then nodded at the lieutenant. He left before Ito spoke. “Humans are greatly varied in their beliefs and habits. As I understand it, we are far more varied in our beliefs, religions, and cultures than the Rownt.”
This was the sort of conversation the generals had avoided. Given that theCaltihad a library of human stories and forms of entertainment, she did not understand the point of avoiding such an obvious truth. “After reading of Earth, I tend to agree. Are you from a grouping different from the humans I have met so far?”
“That would depend on how you define a grouping. I was raised in the Greater States, so I have a similar cultural background to many of the generals and colonels you've met, but my family immigrated here from Japan. Japan has a different set of cultural expectations, and sometimes I find that I lean on those traditions even though I never lived in Japan.”
“Is serving tea one of those traditions?”
Ito offered another abbreviated bow. “It is. Whenever my parents were dealing with a difficult or touchy subject, they would often retreat to the quiet of tea which facilitated words that were softer and more measured. As a young man, it frustrated me greatly. I wanted them to react, and they preferred to retreat into logic and tea.”
That was a valuable insight. She had raised enough young to know that emotion captured the imaginations of young Rownt, which was why status went by age. Human stories suggested that the same was true of humans, but she had not trusted tales meant for entertainment. After all, the Rownt still told many stories of their gods, but few believed in the reality of such beings. “The young are often frustrated by logic. That is why we do not hold their lack of logic against them.”
Ito laughed. His was a gentle laugh compared to Zach who would burst out with such wild sounds that it had startled her when she’d first heard it. “Why do I get the feeling you have given me the reason why you are so patient with the human species as a whole?
“Perhaps because the human species as a whole is young and likely to act like a teenager frustrated with elders who do not speak words quickly enough.”
Humans had begun to incorporate more insults into their negotiations, so she was surprised when Ito simply said, “That is most likely accurate.”
“Are those from Japan more patient and logical?”
He drew in a quick breath. He had not expected her to reach that conclusion. “Not at all. In fact, sometimes I think the additional logic they employ during the day is made up for at night. My people can be quite raucous and even indecorous. In addition, humans vary greatly, even within particular cultural groups. My parents encouraged me to be patient and quiet because they believe those were virtues. But that does not mean that every child listens to a parent or that every parent would teach the same lesson.”
“Quite often, they do not.” She had made choices as a young mother she avoided as an elder one. Parenthood must be much more complex for humans where issues of culture complicate those of age. “I have raised six children, and I cannot say that I fully understood any of them.”
