Chapter 17

The appearance of the planet from space was a small rotating globe no larger from the Earth's moon. It was pale blue/green with swirls of white clouds and the world was just bordering the Romulan Neutral Zone.

The planet shared its sun Dranti with several other worlds. None of which were capable of supporting any life. The location of the world was in a grave attack position to the Romulans and it nearly was conquered five times in the last year. The people of Anagosia were talked into considering Federation protection. In other words they would have to except Federation citizenship.

Upon arriving on Anagosia Captain Spock beamed down into a well-lit room, which was sparsely decorated. It housed only a wooden bench with stools surrounding it. Adorning the walls was richly woven hangings of various elaborate designs only native to this planet.

The floor was covered with a single large brightly coloured rug. The whole style was vaguely reminiscent of ancient Aztec designs from Earth.

Spock was greeted by several small almost angelic, plumed winged beings. He greeted them in the typical Vulcan fashion of raising his right hand and parting the index and middle finger together to form a V. "Peace and long life sir." He gazed at the female. "Madam."

The pale grey being with silver specks adorned in a red velvet robe that was fringed with gold and silver threads appeared to be the leader. He bowed his pointed feathered head.

"Thisss isss the highly distinguissshed and refined fellow Cccaptain Ssspock I was talking about," he said to the gold coloured female beside him. She was completely nude except for her dense coat of downy yellow, orange feathers tipped with striking gold and a delicate jewelled necklace that was adorning her long graceful swan like neck.

"Greetingsss to you Cccaptain. From all our people," she said.

People elsewhere in the room gazed with interest at the tall Vulcan. Many of which were females who stood in small groups giggling like children at the strange clothed and featherless man with pointed ears.

"Thisss isss my mate Ccchai," the leader said pleasantly. She fluttered her long black eye lashes and bowed her head shyly. As did the other Anagosians. It seemed to be common decency to bow, so Spock did the same.

The beings gasped in astonishment and wonder then dropped to the floor. Spock simply raised a brow in surprise.

"It isss an honour to meet with such a pressstigiousss man," said Chai. "Do not be alarmed at our cccustomsss."

Spock stared at the immobilised group of aliens sprawled on the floor. The leader Droah raised his hands as to indicate the others to get up. He turned to Spock.

"In our world what you sssaid isss ccconsssidered very graccciousss Emissssary," he said. "Cccome. We must talk." Droah and his mate led Spock outside into the open.

It was a bright sunny day. Tall purple and green trees loomed overhead. Their branches reached up towards the clear blue sky creating a glade. The floor was covered in plush green grass and pink moss. The air has distinctive fragrance of apple blossom, thought the Vulcan even though he couldn't see any kind of apple tree variety around anywhere.

The female stepped a little closer to him and smiled. Spock glanced sideways at her. He caught sight of something glowing in her small-cupped hand.

"I have a gift for you," she said smiling. She reached out her hand and proffered it to him. "Here." She said in a musical high-pitched voice. The Vulcan took it out of her pale hand.

"I believe it is a Quasimite mineral stone," he commented. "It is somewhat difficult to acquire on this planet. Where did you get?"

"It isss a gift Cccaptain Sssspock," she said. "We mine them occccasssionally, but only now and again doesss one appear. Thisss one isss yoursss. Excccept it asss part of our hossspitality."

"Thank you."

She touched his sleeve and saw her husband eye her suspiciously and she stepped away. Spock said nothing, but he was actually mildly amused at this child like race of beings.

"Thisss way if you pleassse," said Droah.

They followed a small path down the woodland until a large mud building appeared in front of them. Spock assumed that this was the building they were headed for. It did not appear like any other mud huts he had seen on the planet. It was very large and tall. Exactly four stories high and it appeared to resemble a fortress of sorts.

The three stopped at the elaborately decorated wooden door and Droah opened the locking mechanisms by simply placing his hand against a metal plate next to it. At that Spock was surprised that such a primitive species could develop such a sophisticated device.

"You would be sssurprisssed Emisssssary," said Chai. "We are quite teccchnically advanccced desssspite what you think and what your Federation assssumesss." Spock looked down at her. She smiled at him mysteriously.

"Yesss my people are telepathiccc," she said reading his mind. "We cccan cccommunicate with our mindsss asss easssily as we breath the air. And we are far from the ccchildlike raccce you think usss to be.

"Our people have been here on Anagosssia which we call Thiia longer than when your ssstar was first born in ssspaccce." Was Spock being insulted? "We find our 'sssimple' existenccce beneficccial to life. We believe cccomplicccated life is ssstressssful to the sssoul."

"On my world it is considered rude to probe another mind with out the participants consent," he said coolly.

"Oh, forgive. We do not mean to insssult our guessst." She bowed her dome shaped cranium. "Cccome," she said trying to take his hand. The woman was clearly fascinated by him. Spock gave an expression that was so frigid that Chai immediately took a step away, yet it didn't stop her from continuously gazing at him.

They stepped into a large room where a large polished oval table and high arched chairs stood.

"I hope you don't mind me asssking," Chai said, "but are thossse real?" Spock frowned in confusion.

"What are real?" He said.

"I mean... your earsss." She indicated pointing to the position of her own auricles. "I have never ssseen a Vulcan before, until today." Spock raised an slanted eyebrow. He was clearly mystified by what she had just said.

"Yes they are REAL," he said expanding the last word. Chai cocked her head on one side and smiled to herself.

"Forgive my wife'sss rudenessss," said Droah. He glowered at Chai disapprovingly. "Pleassse sssit." There isss sssomething elssse we wisssh to dissscccussss with you other than the Federation cccitizenssship."

"Which is?"