From outside, the Eldrimk Intergalactic Assembly Station looked not unlike a gigantic ball of metal spaghetti. The whole thing was a mass of twisting, bending, tube-like channels. Itwas so large that it had its own mild gravitational field, which eased the engines of incoming starships.

Inside one of the station's many waiting rooms (which were about the size of an airplane hangar), four human teenagers and one Skeleckian in a suit sat in uncomfortable but sleek chairs.

Each of them held a small tablet-like device. Keith Watson and Jessica Ruiz were passing the time reading Mighty Bright Knight comics they had packed for their interstellar voyage. Hector Ruiz and Lisa Heffenbacher, meanwhile, were patiently listening to the Skeleckian, one Olivesk Scrattoriallenfishensnach, tell them every little detail there was to know about the history of intergalactic politics.

"…and so, after the Krillotanians signed the treaty, the Obscum fleet and the Great White Brotherhood left the system. While all this was happening, the Crawling Gelzels had completely wiped out the Scaled Gelzels, and since there were no more Deros in that part of the galaxy, they had complete control of the Burning Twins Quarter, which they retain to this day. The situation with the Autologers of the Silent Sphere remained the same. You know, I think I'll go and get some water. Do you two want anything?"

Hector and Jessica shook their heads. "Alright, then, be right back." Olivesk got up and walked away towards an oasis booth.

Lisa rubbed her forehead. Hector looked at her. "Hey, are you all right?"

Lisa blinked and smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm good. I guess I'm still a little woozy from the drugs. Ha ha, never thought I'd take drugs, y'know? And Olivesk is really nice, but the way he was going on… it wasn't really helping. I wish I could've caught more of what he said."

Hector nodded and patted her arm affectionately. It was little wonder that Lisa was still wobbly after the drugs. She was a good, responsible girl, and had never taken any sort of drug in her life before. But, before going to the station, all visitors were given hallucinogenic drugs to take, which were made to minimize addiction while maximizing the hallucinations. Apparently, the variety of life-forms on the station was so overwhelming that drug-induced hallucinations were really the only adequate way to prepare for the experience. Jessica had told the rest of them about it, but actually doing it threw them all for a loop, especially Lisa.

And, Lisa was pretty clumsy on her best days. But when she had been high… she'd gotten her fair share of bruises, all right.

She and Hector both looked around the waiting room. They were no strangers to seeing unusual people, living in New York and all, but most of the beings they saw didn't look human at all. They were human-shaped, yes, but they all had too many eyes or blue skin or tentacles for hair or were covered in fur.

Hector leaned over and whispered "Jessica said that this is just the humanoid section. Once we get in the tubes, we'll see aliens a lot more different than us."

He looked over at Jessica and Keith. "I can't believe you two are reading comic books when we're here! In a space station! With a bunch of alien species most people on Earth will never get to see!"

Jess looked up. "I've been here before, you know. I mean, not to do anything like what we're gonna do today, but still…"

Hector sighed. He did not need reminding. Jessica had not been shy to tell him that for once, she was the one to go and do something cool be herself. She'd been accompanied by Skeleckian bodyguards and guides of course, but she was the only one of her family or friends to have gone to the station. Until now.

Hector looked at Keith. "Okay, what's your excuse?"

Without even looking up, Keith said "Shhhh."

Hector held up his hands in a sign of bemusement and turned away.

Olivesk came back, the florescent lights of the room glimmering off his single earring, his big Harry Potter glasses, and his small pendant, the same kind of pendant that all Skeleckians wore. He held a shiny cup of water and something in a bag. "Here, I got you guys a souvenir to take back to your friends at that diner place."

Out of the bag, he took a gleaming, exquisitely-shaped crystal item, somewhat resembling a small, upside-down chandelier. "It's a Dullerian Crystal Flower, they grow all over the Cool Silky Empire."

Lisa took it happily. "Oh, that's so nice of you! Thank you so much." Olivesk turned a little red and grinned. Hector leaned in to get a better look at it. "Hey, this thing is really nice. Thanks, man."

"Oh, you're welcome! You know, these things always remind me of how the Cool Silky Empire was invaded by the Xcab, and how they reached a peace treaty through the Helioghasts of Castor when-"

Hector stopped him. "Uh, hey man, I was wondering: I know Jessica's an ambassador and stuff, so that makes sense, but why did you ask the rest of us to come too and help mediate the negotiations?"

"Well, for one, New York City has one of the highest Skeleckian populations on Earth, so all of you have plenty of experience with non-Earthlings, not just Jessica. Also, you all have wonderful character references. Oh, I had a hard time convincing the both the Skeleckians and the Curtanzils-"

(he pronounced it CYUR-tanzils)

"-to agree once they heard how young you all were, but once I convinced them about your experience solving problems and conflicts on Earth, and how you were all around Jessica's age anyway, they relented. Well, all except that Marco kid. He was under the absolute minimum age limit."

"Marcus," Hector and Lisa both corrected at the same time.

"Uh, right."

Lisa bit her lip. "I've never refereed a negotiation before. What all do we need to do again?" Olivesk waved his hand. "Oh, it's simple. Just listen to the conversation, help calm people down if things get too heated, make any suggestions you think of, and possibly use your playback or projection skills if needed. That's it. It will probably just be a bunch of waiting and watching. You'll do fine."

"Okay," said Lisa, looking a little relieved. Olivesk smiled with a far-away look in his eyes. "Just think, Electric Company, you may be about to witness a crucial moment in galactic history! The Skeleckians and Curtanzils, after millennia of conflicts and hostility, turning over a new leaf!"

He looked excitedly at them. While Lisa and Hector looked interested, he noticed that Jessica and Keith were reading their comics. "Have they been reading those this whole time?"

"Yup."

"When we're in the middle of the Eldrimk Intergalactic Assembly Station!?"

Hector rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it."

Suddenly, all of their tablets buzzed and lit up. Blue letters appeared on the screen: TRANSPORT SIGNAL. ALL OXYGEN-BREATHING BIPEDALS, 15 FEET AND UNDER IN HEIGHT, 10 INCHES AND OVER IN HEIGHT. GO TO CHANNEL #5150 AND AWAIT TRANSPORT GUIDE'S INSTRUCTIONS.

"That's us!" Olivesk cried. He jumped up and pointed. "See that tube entrance over there with the flashing light above it? That's where we need to go."

As they all got up, Lisa gave the bag to Jessica. "Here you better take this. With my record, I'll probably smash it as soon as the tube starts moving," she giggled.

Jessica looked inside. "What is it?"

"It's some sort of crystal flower thing. It's a souvenir, Olivesk got it for us."

"Aww, that's sweet."

"I know, right?"

"All right, guys, let's do this," said Hector, getting up. "Ahem," Jessica coughed.

Hector rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, Miss Head Ambassador, you lead the way."

Jess grinned and headed the group as they all made their way towards the tube, being careful not to bump into any other humanoids that had started rushing towards the same destination.

A dark room. The only scant light comes from computer screens.

A voice, in the darkness.

"They're here. Well, let's get started."

Jessica and the others jostled into the crowd with all the other humanoids before the tube. Because the crowd was so thick, Jess and Keith and Hector and Lisa held hands …purely just to keep together, of course. Olivesk had politely declined to hold anybody's hand. He didn't seem much for hand-holding. They weren't sure whether this was a Skeleckian thing, or just an Olivesk thing.

But even holding hands, they were just barely able to stay within sight of each other. Jessica, while the arm that wasn't holding the bag was stretched out to meet Keith's, was actually wedged in between a woman with multiple antennae poking through her hair and a… well, she wasn't sure whether it was male or female, but it was covered in fish-like scales.

A female-sounding electronic voice came out of the tablets of everyone in the crowd. "Hello. Welcome to Channel #5150. I am Wwiwoow-rn, your Transport Guide. While you probably do not speak my language, whatever I say will be translated by your tablets and relayed to you in your own language. You may not be able to currently see me, but as we move into the Tubecar, we will all get comfortably arranged so that everyone has a good view, both of me and the other channels."

Everyone shuffled through the large, rounded doors into the cylindrical chamber. The walls were transparent, giving a view of the surrounding tubes and Tubecars, and the white floor was polished to a painful degree. The tablets continued, "Please move slowly and carefully into the Tubecar. And remember, the Eldrimk Station is built on interplanetary peace and cooperation, so be considerate of those around you! Also remember that no weapons, physical currency, exposed food or drink, umbrellas, audible music playing devices, pets, or tools larger than five sokblits are allowed inside the channels."

Once inside, Jessica let go of Keith's hand as she found a spot to stand. She looked around. She saw Keith, Lisa, Hector, and Olivesk each in their own spots. So they'd all made it on. Good. She knew she didn't need to worry, but she did a little anyway, probably because she was the only one to have done this before.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hector. He looked pale, and he was shaking. She frowned. Not wanting to yell, she tried to wave her arms to get his attention. It didn't work, he didn't look at her. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw what was bothering him. She grinned, and had to stifle a giggle.

At the front of the Tubecar, on a platform, was their transport guide, visible now. She was humanoid-shaped, like all the passengers, but with a large black hairy head. Her eyes were big and compound, like an insect's. She had two antennae sticking out of her head, and a tube-like mouth that was probably a… what was it called? A proboscis? Yeah, a proboscis. So, all in all, she resembled a bug. Hector REALLY did notlike bugs. Even less so one that was human-sized.

She looked back at him. He was edging over to Lisa, probably to hide behind her. She grinned. That was cute. Not much got to her big brother, but bugs… bugs were quite a distress to him.

The guide's proboscis moved, and the electronic translation came out of the tablets. "The Tubecar will begin moving momentarily. Feel free to move around and stretch your legs. For those who are traveling with us for the first time, take a look around the channels surrounding ours as we move through the station. While this car is made for bipedals, those looking at other cars we pass will see species of all shapes and sizes. Those who are easily physically nauseated may wish to not do this and keep their eyes inside the vehicle. Be sure that you've taken your preparation drugs!"

Jess looked out the window as the Tubecar began to move. This was what she'd been looking forward to. On her first trip, she'd seen her fill of humanoids, which was why she'd brought along the latest MBK. But this was the really amazing part.

She began to see other Tubecars going through neighboring tubes, filled with other alien beings. She saw things that looked like giant pink cats, things that looked like living puddles of blue goo, things that looked like big balls made entirely of hands, rolling around. She saw claws, wings, antennae, fangs, paws, tentacles. She saw green, purple, blue, red, orange, silver. She saw one being whose skin was as shiny and reflective as the glass of a mirror. She smiled at the wonder.

She looked at the others. Keith's mouth was hanging open at it all. Hector peered out from behind Lisa, both of them wide-eyed. Olivesk was looking at the rest of them, enjoying their first-time reactions just as much as Jessica was.

"It makes everything feel so big, doesn't it?"

Jessica turned. Behind her stood what looked like a teenage girl. She looked mostly human, except for her skin and her face. Her skin was very pale white, like a fine china dish. Her hair was dark blue, in contrast to her skin. Her face… Jessica wasn't quite sure what it was, but the muscles all moved in a funny way, whenever any of her facial features moved.

The girl smiled at Jessica. "Seeing all the different species, I mean. It makes the universe feel so big." Yes, when she talked and blinked, her face… rippled, or something like it. It looked rather strange, but not too off-putting.

Jessica nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. …you know, you speak very good English."

The girl's pallid cheeks turned purple, which might have been her version of blushing. "Thank you. I always thought that the Earth was interesting. I learned several of its languages. I saw you earlier, and overheard you speaking English."

Jessica raised her eyebrows. "You learned several of another planet's languages? That's totally impressive."

The girl turned more purple and looked at her feet. "Yeah… that's kind of what I'm good at." Jessica smiled and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jessica."

The girl looked at Jess's hand a moment before apparently remembering what to do, and shook it. "I'm Mysla." She saw what was in Jessica's bag. "Is that a Dullerian Flower Crystal?"

Jess looked down. "Huh? Oh, yeah, this guy we're traveling with bought it for us as a souvenir."

"Oh, that's nice. Are you all from Earth?"

"Most of us. Me, my brother, and our group of friends were invited here to help mediate a conference. And, you know, I'm sort of an Earth ambassador, but no biggie." She grinned. "Danny… this guy from our neighborhood on Earth, it drove him crazy that we got to go and he didn't. He took it pretty personally. He takes everything personally."

Mysla giggled. "I know some people like that."

Jess shook her head. "Not like Danny, you don't. One time, he- do you know what a toaster is? Well, one time his toaster cooked his toast just a little too long, so he took a sledgehammer and smashed it all up. In public. When he was finished, he yelled about justice having been done. That's Danny."

Mysla cracked up. "You're right. That tops anything I've ever seen." They both giggled uncontrollably.

Hector looked at the cavalcade of life in the other tubes. It was dizzying. Not exactly like the hallucinations when he'd taken the prep drug, but he could definitely see why one prepared for the other.

He'd finally worked up the nerve to come out from his defensive position behind Lisa, though he still cast a wary look at the scary bug-like tour guide every once in a while.

He tapped Lisa on the shoulder. "Hey. You doing okay?"

Lisa looked at him and smiled. "Yes. Yes I am. It's amazing."

Olivesk approached them, grinning like a child. "It is amazing, isn't it? I love being here, I loved showing it to your sister, and now I love showing it to you all!"

His glee was contagious. Hector clapped him on the shoulder. "We're glad that you could, man. Thanks." He glanced over. "And hey, it looks like Jess is making new friends. That's cool."

Lisa and Olivesk both tried to look. Lisa squinted. "Where?" Hector pointed. "Over there, see?"

Lisa nodded. "I see them now. Aww, that's nice." Olivest saw too. "Oh, yes, that's… very nice."

Hector glanced over at Olivesk. He was frowning slightly. Hector was confused. "Something wrong, bro?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, nothing's wrong, just looking at Jessica and… her friend, over there."

Hector shrugged. No matter what Olivesk said, Hector was sure that something was bothering him.

Jessica had just finished demonstrating for Mysla an improvised example of the Earth art known as "rapping". Mysla laughed and applauded.

"Thanks. I could do better if I thought up the lyrics beforehand, but whatever." Jessica shrugged.

"Well, we don't have anything like that where I'm from. Though I guess Ithming is kind of similar…"

Jessica tilted her head slightly. "Oh? Where are you from?"

"Curtanza."

"…oh?"

"Yes, I'm from the… what would it be in English? The Eastern Mass. Yes, that's it. I'm from the Eastern Mass, on Curtanza, in the Sleek Rift Galaxy."

Jess thought. Curtanza. So, the girl was a Curtanzil. She'd never seen one, though she'd heard about them from Dax and Lottie and Olivesk. But, there was nothing wrong with that. The negotiations were about peace, after all, and friendship. There was no reason for her to be taken aback. The peace negotiations…

She cleared her throat. "Uh, Mysla, why are you here?"

"Huh? Oh, well, you know how I said I'm good at learning other languages? Well… I'm good at some other things, too. I'm actually a part of the Those Gifted Society. It's a thing for Curtanzils who just happen to be really, really good at certain things. And, well, sometimes good members get to go on journeys with the Governmental Powers, diplomatic missions and things like that."

She turned purple again. "I hope I don't sound like I'm bragging. I'm here for a peace conference with the High President and Commander Strij. What about you?"

Kess hesitated a moment, then said "We're here… with the Skeleckians, for same conference you are."

Mysla looked at Jessica. "Oh."

Jessica shook herself and smiled. "But, hey, peace conferences are about peace, right? So we can still be friends. That's good."

Mysla looked nervous for a second, then she slowly smiled too. "Yes. Yes, you're right."

The guide's voice: "The Tubecar is now approaching Conference Wing Alpha. If your destination is Conference Wing Alpha, prepare to depart the Tubecar."

Jessica looked at an icon at the corner of her tablet. "Guess this is where we get off. Um… I guess I'll go with my group, and I'll see you at the conference …friend."

Mysla looked relieved. "Yes, friend." She gave Jessica a quick hug, and turned and walked away.

Jessica rounded up the others and they exited the Tubecar. As they exited, Hector visibly relaxed, now that he was no longer on the car with the bug-like guide. Keith commented "You sure were having a lot of fun with that alien girl." Jessica playfully punched him. "What, you jealous?"

"No, no."

Jessica laughed and picked up her pace, moving to the front of the group. She felt Olivesk hesitantly tap her on the shoulder. "Um, Jessica, sorry to intrude on your business, but I noticed the girl you were talking to earlier… you are aware that she was a Curtanzil, right?"

Jess nodded. "Yeah, I know. But there's nothing wrong with that. We're on the opposite sides of a peace conference, not a battle. Friendship across the sides is good."

"Well… you're right, Jessica, but be careful. Many –I might say most- of the Curtanzils have very strong resentments towards Skeleckians, and anyone associated with them."

Jessica waved his concerns away. "Well, hopefully, that's what this conference will fix."

The Conference Chamber was big and It. Was. Shiny. It was as if every surface in the vaulted-ceilinged room was made of tinfoil. If there had been just a little more lighting in the room, it would've been blinding, but thankfully it was bearable. Olivesk led the Company into the room and had them sit down in comfy, rpunded chairs as others came into the room from the opposite entrance from the one they'd come through.

First was a man in elaborate scarlet robes, his skin was pale and rippled just like Mysla's. "That's the Curtanzil High President," whispered Olivesk. The High President was followed by several of what were probably bodyguards and ministers. Both their skin and their robes were slightly different shades and hues, but all similar. Jessica spotted Mysla among them, and smiled and waved. Mysla saw her, and nervously smiled back.

As the Curtanzils gathered on one side of the room, the doors that the Electric Company had just come through opened again. In came a man none of the Company had ever actually met, but had seen pictures of often enough: the Skeleckian Emperor.

The Emperor was… well, he certainly didn't look like he'd run out of food anytime recently. The way his prominent belly jiggled as he walked brought to mind Santa Claus, as did his chubby, jolly face. His balding head bobbing up and down, he smiled and approached the Company.

He firmly took Jessica's hand. "Ah, young Jessica! I've heard so incredibly much about you. And these must be your friends, how nice. Thank you all for coming. Love to chat some more, but we have to get things started! Actually, one last thing, I don't know if you've been told this, but the room's equipped with a Renderfilters, so everyone will understand everyone else's language, you don't need to worry about that. Thank you all again!" And with that, the Emperor turned and waddled away.

Hector smiled. "Fun guy."

The Company watched as the Curtanzil High President and the Skeleckian Emperor met and exchanged formal greetings, while Skeleckian council members filed into the room. Olivesk pointed and said "We'll sit over there, in those turquoise chairs."

The Company took seats, and after a few minutes everyone else in the room did too. A tall, blue humanoid who was neither a Skeleckian nor a Curtanzil stood in the center of the room and cleared his throat. "Ahemhem. Ah, welcome everyone to the peace conference. Now that the ceremonial greetings are finished, we will begin the negotiations."

And, with the Electric Company watching, the negotiations did.

There wasn't really any particular reason the Skeleckians and Curtanzils were almost always at each other's throats, at least no one could remember one. It had just always been that way, ever since both planets' societies had developed their first technology to reach across space with. The planets weren't that far apart (well, relatively, this was space after all), which probably only made things worse.

The Company listened to accounts of decades-old conflicts and disputes, invaded territories and races for resources and broken pacts. And it definitely wasn't all on the side of the Curtanzils, either. This was the most disturbing thing the Company heard. Because of their Skeleckian friends, they had the instinctual thought in their heads of the Curtanzils as a whole as the "bad guys" and the Skeleckians on the whole as the "good guys". But now, they heard stories of the Skeleckians violating treaties, stealing supplies, and other provocations. It was a stark reminder about the lack of "good guys" and "bad guys" in real life.

Besides listening, the Company didn't have all that much to do. Once or twice, Hector and Jessica were called on to replay an action or dialogue for clarity's sale, but that was about it. So, they were rather glad when the blue man once again stood up and announced "You will how have a mid-day meal. The negotiations will resume afterwards. Enjoy your food."

Everyone gratefully stood up. Jessica stretched her arms. Hector shook his legs. Olivesk walked over to them. "Hey, you are all doing good! We're at the halfway mark. Let's get something to eat, the tables are over there.

As Olivesk guided the company over to the tables, Keith snorted and shook his head. "Huh? What? I must've fallen asleep." Jessica rolled her eyes and punched him.

The tables were just as shiny as the rest of the room, which the blue tablecloths did little to hide. As the Company sat down, they were passed trays of burgers, French fries, tacos and other such foods. The waitress smiled and said "Much care was put into these to make them seem like your Earth-American foods. We how you enjoy them." As she walked away, Hector took a bite. "I think it's pretty safe to say they succeeded," he intoned, his mouth half-full.

The Skeleckians and Curtanzils were eating different foods, presumably ones from their own planets and countries. The chatter was so great it was like a swarm of bees, or maybe whatever the equivalent of bees was on their planets.

As the Company ate, talking and laughing, in good spirits, in a room of people dedicated to finding peace…

…that was when it all began to fall apart.