Chapter 3: The Treaty

The negotiations for the treaty were actually a non-event. Both sides were professional and had already discussed it with their respective governments, and the major points were all agreed on up front. The only items needing to be discussed were logistical, and boring.

Still, the Doctor and Pranis enjoyed the tours of the ministry ship that the negotiation team from the Chrysoberyl Cluster arrived in, and the discussions of the types of ore that they wanted to trade with the Water Nebula.

The Chrysoberyl Cluster would benefit tremendously from the technology and scientific knowledge that they would gain from the trade, and the Water Nebula was excited at the prospect of being able to add the crystals that they would receive in exchange for the information.

The Chrysoberyl Cluster had a crystal that was the hardest known substance in existence. When used in lasers, it increases the strength and accuracy to tremendous levels.

The trade association of the Water Nebula wanted this crystal to improve their chances in colonizing a moon that was perfect except for the location of the water, which was below a layer of stone that up to now had proved to be impenetrable by their current mining technology. Using the crystal in their current mining mechanism, the success of breaking through to the water and successfully setting up the environment for colonization had a much better chance.

In return, the Chrysoberyl Cluster needed the scientific knowledge to combat geological shifts that several of their planets had suffered as the result of a catastrophic collapse of one of their suns. The planets had a change in orbit and the residents of the planets were bravely trying to adapt to the new weather and moon cycles. Some of the planets though, were heading towards collapse themselves unless they could find a way to restore a healthy orbit. The Water Nebula had the technology that would make it possible.

The Doctor excused Pranis from the logistics meetings so that he could roam about and soak up the culture that the Water Nebula displayed.

Wandering about, Pranis found himself in a bar, not unlike the one that he had met the Doctor in several days ago. Using the card that Chancellor Shue had given him when he arrived, he ordered a drink and sat in the corner, observing the scene unfolding in front of him.

Several females were being chatted up by some men, the only difference between this scene and one on Parakemble was the bright blue hues of their skin.

The flirting was the same, the laughter was the same and the body language was – almost – the same. He found himself smiling as two of them paired off, walking through the doors into the brightness of the day.

The young man reflected on the differences and the similarities between his people and the blue skinned residents of the Water Nebula. He came from a privileged background on his planet, as his father was Lead Elder.

The palace that he lived in was breathtakingly beautiful and he was surrounded by parents who loved him and peers that respected him. Here, though, no one knew who he was and he enjoyed his anonymity.

A couple of newcomers joined him at the bar. They were not blue skinned, nor did they look like the people from the Chrysoberyl Cluster. These men were much smaller than Pranis or even the Doctor was, and their long stringy hair was worn loose, partially covering their faces.

They had quite a bit of gear with them, several backpacks each that they stowed at their feet prior to climbing up on the stools. Their short stature did not lend to a graceful climb, but they settled themselves the best they could, their feet dangling down the side of the stools.

They ignored Pranis as they ordered drinks and quietly conversed. Pranis in turn gave them the same consideration and beckoned the barkeep over to him.

"Do you get many foreigners in here?" Pranis asked.

The nametag on his chest said "Fred", and he answered "Being next to the ministry like I am, yeah. I get lots of foreigners. Some even funnier looking than you are!" He answered with a jovial tone.

"I wouldn't mind working in a place like this for a bit. Just so I can get to see the different species and see how they interact" Pranis said, mostly to himself.

Fred leaned on the bar with one elbow and said in undertones to Pranis: "Wait a minute. I think you'll see some interaction real quick." He nodded towards the short men further down the bar.

Their conversation had apparently taken a bad turn. They seemed angry, and their voices had raised to whispered hisses.

One jumped off his stool, knocking it to the ground, and grabbed his backpack while storming out of the bar. At the door, he turned around, and no matter what language you spoke, the obscenity of the gesture was obvious.

The hissing and whispers were now loud enough for Pranis to be able to hear. One of the talents of the Tardis was that it would interpret foreign languages so that Pranis only heard his native tongue. It allowed himself and the Doctor to converse easily, and on this planet, no matter what tongue was spoken it posed no problem for his comprehension. But others didn't know that.

The conversation was now a full blown argument. Pranis couldn't help but hear what they were saying as their shouts had no discretion at all in them. He sat back and eavesdropped, aware that the small beings had no idea that anyone could understand them.

"I don't care how long it's going to take! I'm not willing to wait. The meeting is tonight and we're gonna do it. If he can't get his crap together by then, I have no problem with leaving him behind." The man who spoke slammed his fist down at the bar. "And another thing. I don't care who gets a whiff of the gas. I'm not here to make any friends. Our job is to kill the Chancellors and the Ministers and I'm not the one to go back and explain to the boss why I failed. Just release the gas – if it leaks into the city, I don't care. The plan stands – 8:00 it gets released. Period." The last words were punctuated with the hand again hitting the bar.

Pranis kept his eyes down in the front of him, appearing to any casual bystander to be engrossed in his drink. His mind was whirring. That night was the treaty signing ceremony. These creatures were obviously plotting a destructive end to the ceremony.

Fred came back over to Pranis, who asked "Fred, who are they? Where do they come from?"

Fred answered while polishing a glass "Tegdims from planet Cavros. They're known for being willing to do tasks that decent folks would never contemplate. Usually if they're around, trouble is as well. We call them trolls."

The 'trolls' gathered up their gear and left the bar. Pranis decided to follow, and nodded to Fred who followed with "be careful."

Pranis barely caught a glimpse of the trolls as they rounded the corner ahead of him. The young man settled into a determined gait and followed his prey.