"Well, well, well, well…" Harrigan said, smiling just a bit "You managed to avoid too much howlin', growlin', an' blood in the streets by arrangin' that there pris'ner trade, Cap'n T – even if it did take a while before it went down".
It took Trannak almost a momen to translate Harrigan's even-odder-than-usual slang in his head before he nodded and replied "It took a little longer than I'd have liked, yes… but that was, at least mostly, due to the Sebaceans' military command authority being obstructive and trying to avoid releasing an equal number of prisoners in return".
"Wonderin' why ol' Vossy's second got involved 'imself, too" Harrigan replied, a little more uneasily "I 'spect our less principled brethren dirtside are wonderin' too. One of those two weren't one of his own narls, were they?"
"I very much doubt that, John…" Talannah said, rumbling a little in laughter "But perhaps one was either a little more well-connected than he appeared to be… or someone was concerned that something, or things, he knew might be soon be heard by people they didn't want to hear them".
"Prob'ly why that nasty-looking woman was there" Lazarus added "You know the one - looks like she belongs in a-".
"She did look more 'n a bit like a hooker, yep" Harrigan agreed, nodding "I'd say she's smarter than she looks, though – prob'ly with… what's their intel guys? Them, anyway".
"Disruptors, John" Talannah explained "Closer to the Ministry than military intelligence, though".
"Any sign of our favourite Nebari sneak-and-peekers?" Harrigan asked "Think you saw them around while you were sorting this out, yep?"
"While that may have been likely…" Trannak reminded the others "I can't prove any of it. Didn't see anything, could barely even smell anything…".
"Your friend and yourself did detect, or at least suspect, movement above ground" Talannah reminded Trannak "While Kalish can and certainly do move that way… if the Hierarchy sent any out to follow us, then they would send Organisation commandos, who don't deploy in the pattern of those following you".
After another arn or so, Harrigan clapped and decided "OK, that's enough for intel for today… now for something a bit more interesting. Any sign of those new Kalish we found comin' back?"
"No word from Captain Haresh just yet, sir" Trannak replied "Not beyond a message saying they had returned safely to their homeworld. I'm sure all three of them will have interesting reports to give their own government leaders now they are home".
"Think it's your son's sixth birthday soon, isn't it?" Harrigan asked with a grin.
"It is" Trannak replied proudly, rumbling "Feltano grows strong and learns well. Both he and Amara constantly pester Juroch to teach them things about sneaking around when I'm not there to do that for them".
"I made sure Harek an' Anton go when that's on" Harrigan replied, nodding "My son might well be a real big boy, but movin' around all quiet-like's gonna be good for him as well".
"Feltano tells me he does his best to teach the other children what he knows even when they have playing times" Trannak said softly, smiling "Feltano loves to see others learn and do well. I think he likes teaching people new things as well".
"Perhaps he will inherit your own talent for diplomacy and mediation, Captain" Talannah suggested "as well as learning covert-operations skills from you and Juroch".
The talk stayed on the topic of the children's progress for a few more momens before Second Meal – which was Feltano's birth anniversary celebration. All the Scarrans who grew up in the Blood Hand smiled and rumbled when they heard the children singing the royal anthem - something Dern confirmed when he said "It's good to hear the children learn the history of the Kingdom, since it's their Kingdom as well as ours – but it's even better to see they're happy while they do that, too".
"Amara says they are as happy as they always are at birth anniversary celebrations" Caseya added, smiling "She cannot read even surface thoughts in any of them… but Skroloth must be teaching them, whether intentionally or by accident, something of his talent for reading body language. That is not a skill I have done well at up to this point, no matter how hard I try".
"You do better than you think" Trannak encouraged, rumbling softly and hugging his wife "You have genuinely excelled at flying, Caseya – both in small and large craft".
"That is fun" Caseya replied, sitting a little straighter at hearing praise of her skills "Both in small craft and the Switchblade – and especially when the Commander let me take the helm of our home ship those few times!"
"Feltano feels that way about the stealth tests and other tests Juroch and I give him" Trannak replied "He even smiles and sits straighter like you do when I tell him he does well. Amara does well at those, too – but she knows even now that Feltano's skill in that area will exceed her own. She continues to heap praise on him for doing well regardless of that".
Feltano's burp and following giggle brought their attention back to him, after which Trannak patted him on the back until the burping and hiccups stopped.
"Thank you, papa…" Feltano replied in Kalish, though he also smiled before rumbling as well "All these party foods taste so interesting… but the drink is full of gas…".
"It is" Caseya confirmed "See? Your friend Harek has burped two whole verses of the royal anthem this cycle without stopping".
Feltano walked around and hugged each of his friends, thanking them for waiting to celebrate their own birth anniversaries on the same day as his own even though they didn't fall on the same day – each of them thanked him, and Harek grinned and laughed before lifting him up off the ground and above his head, even though he fell over after a few microts of holding Feltano up that high unassisted.
"I'll practice that more" Harek insisted when Talannah called him back to her and Harrigan "I can save people more if I learn to do that. I might be able to carry four fully-loaded soldiers over my shoulders when I'm big like Dad and still be able to run fast if I start practicing now".
"You're doing good, son" Harrigan reminded Harek, smiling "You need to learn a lot of head-stuff if you want to be good at flying like your uncle Anton an' your Dad, though – remember that".
"I will, Dad" Harek replied "Sometimes Anton helps me with that… but Amara helps me more often, and even though Feltano is younger than me he likes to sit beside me and tell me I do well".
A message-alert went off, which made all the children clap until Harrigan calmed them down enough for Troll to answer the hail.
"Looks like our Kalish friends are coming back!" Harrigan announced "Nice big expedition this time, too! I 'spect now they know their stuff sells like there's no next Founders' Day out here they're going to be ready to bring wholesale quantities this time!"
Feltano walked over to Harrigan as quietly as he could before asking "I call orange grandpa, uncle big funny man? I tell them about our Kalish friends coming back? Our Kalish friends like them, too".
"Didn't hear you coming, big man" Harrigan replied, lifting Feltano up for a hug, which got him subdued but happy rumbling in return "I think we can do that, sure. We'll get your auntie Keyah here to do the stuff at the desk, then you can talk to your uncle Devin or your grandpa an' grandma down there".
Feltano rumbled even more, which got everyone's head turning as they heard the wailing it provoked from the tiny child in Caseya's arms.
"Your new sister, Feltano…" Caseya told him as she soothed the baby girl "…loves to hear your rumbling, even if she is a bit loud".
"New Maranno is thirsty again, mama" Feltano replied, nodding "That's what I think. New sister eating time, mama".
Amara almost shrieked in excitement when Caseya let her hold her new sister, but she stopped when Maranno's tiny new eyes looked up and she smiled before letting out a tiny sweet rumble – after which she giggled.
"We are being hailed!" Captain Haresh called happily "Last time, fellow captains, one of our own people answered our hail and another came to escort us to our destination – perhaps this will happen again, or perhaps you may even see your first Scarran".
"My family all think Scarrans are a myth, Captain Haresh" one of the freighter captains revealed "Their horizons stop at the borders of our own territory, and frequently at the atmosphere of our world. Not one of them has even been to Ithlin before – before this flight, neither had I".
"You have done well in flight training and in diplomatic study" Haresh reminded her "Coming here will be an easier introduction to Scarrans than Ithlin would be since the Scarrans we will see first will know us and are friendly – well, they know me, anyway".
"You told us that the long-range shuttle you took last time landed on the flight deck of an enormous Scarran warship as well" another of the freighter captains added "Our freighters are far too large for that, however big that warship really is. Perhaps we might get to go aboard as you did, though"
"I expect a small delegation from each ship might be invited aboard" Haresh replied "Should this happen, I will decide who goes from my own ship by a lottery of the interested" before answering the hail.
Troll's grinning face looked out at the captains.
"Hey, Cap'n Haresh, how's tricks?" Troll called "Brought a few friends, by the looks of things…".
"I am well, Troll" Haresh replied, smiling indulgently at the human "This time I have a larger ship than I brought before, and these people you see in this hail are other captains that came with me".
"You brought lots of friends…that's nice…" Troll replied, before Tabitha poked her head inside camera range and clapped before calling "Kalish people, papa! Have you seen them before?! Are they nice Kalish people?! Will they like me and my sisters and my brothers and my friends?!"
"Think you saw Cap'n Haresh before, Tab…" Troll told his daughter before introducing her to Haresh and the others – Tabitha giggled when Haresh smiled and introduced his fellow captains, after which she tried to hide between her father and his chair.
"Don't worry 'bout Tab, Cap'n Haresh" Troll explained "She can be a bit like that with people she doesn't see a lot".
"Perhaps you could give us a safe course to wherever insystem you are" a different captain asked "Only Captain Haresh knows this system".
"You're on a major shipping lane if you're insystem already" Troll replied "Just follow everyone else till you find us at geostationary orbit over the port. You won't miss us", although he sent a basic course to them all as well.
"Tab's just comming our Commander" Troll explained, stroking his daughter's ridges "She's clever, is Tab. Most of the crew's eating right now, but once the big man's had his dinner he'll be ready to meet you guys when you arrive", after which Tabitha giggled and ran for the transit platform.
Tabitha ran in through the galley door and leapt straight up into Harrigan's arms when she reached him, after which she told him everything that happened.
"Looks like we got less than a half-arn before they get here!" Harrigan called, grinning "Enough time for the kiddies to eat party food till they burst, anyway" before he asked Feltano "Should we save bits of cake for these Kalish when they come, Feltano?"
"We save them cake, uncle big funny man" Feltano decided immediately, nodding "Cake for captains. Cake for captains' friends. Cake for us".
"It is real?!" one of Haresh's bridge officers asked as he saw the Havoc ahead ot them "I had not thought ships could be made that large!"
"I doubt there are many that are" Haresh replied, watching the helm officer "It is an interesting ship, that I do know. I have been aboard it before".
"The people aboard it are friendly and welcoming, Captain?" the same officer asked, and Haresh told him "They are, though some are quite odd as well. There are two Kalish on board – there are two Masters of the art of our people as well, although only one of those is Kalish".
That started quite a loud and animated discussion until Haresh quietened it down, telling his bridge officers "Those who win a place in the visitors' lottery can come and see for yourselves what the ship and its crew are like. Should we stay for some time, the lottery will be redrawn every day or every other day – and groups may yet be organised to go to the planet itself should anyone wish to buy and sell here, or even just explore".
Tabitha had just eaten her fourth hot dog when the small comm she had started bleeping at her.
"I'm here, papa!" she replied "I was just eating party food, papa!"
"Tell your uncle big funny man the new people are pretty close now, Tab" Troll told his daughter "We'll be needing to send someone out to go say hello soon. Your uncle gets to decide who goes, Tab".
Tabitha did that, after which she ran back just in time to finish the last of the carbonated fruit drink.
"Harek…" Harrigan whispered to his son "Do you think you can go ask your auntie Caseya to come here a microt, mister? Got a job for her".
Harek grinned and clapped before running full-speed across the galley floor until he reached Caseya. He stopped to watch new Maranno for a few microts, and once Caseya passed her to her father Harek tried to drag Caseya across the floor to Harrigan's own table.
"I am coming, Harek…" Caseya told the young boy, smiling "Hold my hand and we will walk to your father together".
"Here's auntie Caseya, papa" Harek told Harrigan when they arrived "New Maranno's with her papa".
"Them new Kalish are back, Caseya" Harrigan told her immediately "Thought you'd like to go do the welcoming speech, since Haresh brought some new people with him".
Caseya commed the bridge, where Troll explained briefly before connecting her to Haresh's own ship.
"Greetings once again, Captain Haresh!" Caseya announced happily "We are all pleased to see that you have decided to return – and that you have brought friends with you too, I hear!"
"I have a larger ship" he explained in more detail "and a number of other ships came with me. A small number of military ships and more freighters. They are all talking with much interest about your own home ship right now".
"I have been instructed to welcome you all to this system and our own ship, Captain Haresh" Caseya replied "and to explain how both trading and local law work here. Perhaps I might be permitted aboard your own ship, Captain? I can speak to your captains there – either by comm or in person".
"Come aboard" Haresh replied warmly "I will send one of my pilots to escort you to my flight deck. Will your Amara be coming as well?"
"She will" Caseya confirmed "…as will my son, Feltano" before she smiled and added "My newest daughter, Maranno, will need to wait to see you when you come to our ship – she is still too young to travel".
Caseya bowed slightly as Haresh congratulated her on her additional children before telling him "We will bring a mark-2 Stryker – you have seen these before, but I am sure almost no one else will have done so unless they have been to Ithlin".
"One of our people is coming to my ship to welcome us here" Haresh told the other captains "Come over and hear and see in person if you can" – they will be surprised when they see Amara and this new boy Feltano, but then I have not seen this new boy Feltano either.
"Send Wildfire out to escort Caseya to our flight deck" Haresh's first officer told the duty deck officer "He will appreciate being the first to see a mark-2 Stryker at close quarters, too".
"On it!" Wildfire called "Still a bit hungry, to be honest… but I'll grab hot rations when I get back if I must…" before flying his smaller transport out into space before the flight deck doors had risen more than a few fenches above the top of his ship.
Caseya giggled when he commed and told her about that, though she also added "Fly closer and see my Stryker! This is a slightly larger mark 2 pattern – not the mark 1 which you may have seen at Ithlin!"
"Nice, nice…" Wildfire called as he flew up beside Caseya's Stryker "My actual name's Rygar Wessax – I'm only Wildfire when I'm flying".
"Special flying name…" Feltano called, loudly enough for the microphone to pick up "That is nice. I do not have one yet".
"Who is that?" Rygar asked, curious yet again – Caseya grinned and said "That was my son! You will see him when we land! My oldest daughter is with us as well!" proudly, after which the two of them landed on Haresh's ship's flight deck.
"Greetings, Caseya…" Haresh announced warmly as Caseya and the two children stepped out onto the flight deck "Welcome to my ship, the KV-3. Around you, you can see some of our fighter craft and our troop transports – and many techs and pilots, of course. I do not think any of them have seen a Stryker like yours before" before he saw Amara and Feltano beside her and knelt on the deck so he could look at them more easily.
"Hello again, Amara…" Haresh called, smiling "You have grown much bigger since I saw you last. Have you studied well? Have you learned new and interesting things?"
"I have" Amara replied, nodding "I have learned things and seen new places and had lots of fun" before pointing to Feltano and saying "This is my brother, Feltano – he has not seen you before. He is six cycles old today".
Feltano nodded when Haresh asked him about this – not knowing what to say next, he said "There cake for you if you come now, Captain. Cake for you and cake for new friends if there not lots who come".
"These are the captains of the other ships that came with me, young Feltano" Haresh explained, pointing to each of them "Do you think there is enough cake for them to have a small piece each?"
Feltano nodded, after which he walked over to the captain who thought Scarrans weren't real and climbed up her legs and body to look her in the eye and test her skin – he smiled and rumbled when she tested his as well, although Amara had to explain what rumbling was for.
"Neither of you look completely Kalish" the female captain said "Why is that?"
"Papa is a Scarran, new captain" Feltano told her, nodding "That is why we have ridges on our face and lots of scales on our skin. It is why we rumble, too".
Haresh waited while the two children talked briefly to all of the captains and more than a few of his own deck crew as well, after which he decided "We will follow Caseya and her Stryker to their flight deck now – they actually have two very large ones on their ship! We are some of the trusted few to be able to land at their military flight deck".
By the time Rygar and Caseya's craft arrived at the hammond side flight deck, all the Kalish were chattering about the Havoc and what it might be able to do and about so many technical issues concerning the huge ship that Caseya smiled and laughed.
"Come!" she called once they had all met on the deck itself "This ship is so large we need to use a transit car to go to new places! We will call one now and go to the galley, where you can see many of the crew along with our commander!"
"This ship does not function at full crew capacity?" one captain asked in surprise.
"Not at this time, captain" Caseya replied "We have more personnel now than when our unit was formed, and we will recruit more as we find those with necessary skills".
Amara encouraged Feltano to get the car moving when one arrived and everyone had climbed in and sat down – Feltano clapped and rumbled when he managed that, and shrieked happily when they arrived at the galley.
"This is our galley" he told them "Cake is in here. Other food might be here if friends have not eaten all of it. Uncle big funny commander here" before reaching for one of Haresh's hands to hold – and one hand of a nearby captain who was very surprised indeed.
"A good grip for a boy your age…" he replied "You are strong because you are partly Scarran?"
"That is right" Feltano replied "Amara and I are partly Scarran. There are seats at our table, if you sit there you can see our papa who is Scarran. You see new tiny sister too".
"I get you cake" Amara decided "I get cake and bring it to you when you have seats".
Haresh smiled and leaned back against the wall while his fellow captains asked about the other species at the table, about the Havoc generally, and about Scarrans. They ask questions about the humans and about the one Nebari Haresh thought happily but almost every question about people is about Scarrans.
~Heeheehee! ~ Amara called in his mind, after which she giggled a bit and told him "That is a new thing I have learned, Captain Haresh! I have learned to mindtalk to people, to talk in people's heads! It is amazing to do that and I like to make people happy with it! I could read your surface thoughts about the questions your friends asked and about Scarrans!"
"That is a Scarran thing" Feltano said, looking over from Juroch's lap "Nice doctor say only some kinds of people do mental skills, and of them Scarrans do it most".
Amara asked "Did you bring new things in your ships? Did you bring things my grandma and grandpa can sell in their shop?" once she had given each person a piece of cake.
That received much curious interest and more than a few questions – Caseya waved for Amara to answer them, which she did gladly and happily, even explaining what she knew about how trading worked at Tal IV.
"Captain Haresh told our leader there was a family who owned a shop here" one of the captains said "He said they had sold the things he brought with him before".
Harrigan walked over with Harek and Talannah a little later, which got questions directed at them as well – Harek's big body and even greater physical strength got a few of their own, especially when Harek hauled himself onto an empty part of the table without help, though Harrigan made him get off again.
"Everyone happy?" Harrigan asked "Not anyone's eating time, is it?"
"Not today, sir" one captain replied "Not on my ship, anyway. Over long journeys it appears the variance in eating times for our crews narrows down to only a small number of possible days, and may yet reduce itself to one time only if the journey is long enough".
Less than a momen later Harek called out for the other children to come and see the new Kalish – Martha stayed with Garakk and Alphak as they walked, since despite both boys walking well neither one walked very quickly yet, but every child came as quickly as they could and soon every Kalish captain had at least one child either asking them something or trying to climb on them.
Maranno opened her eyes and looked up, then sniffed – and clapped and called out when she realised there were people close by she didn't know.
"Our newest child" Trannak told everyone proudly "Maranno Talannah".
Maranno giggled and cooed and tried to grab every finger she could reach for as long as she could smell new people, though she nodded off to sleep again before too many momens had passed.
"We have brought much more from our world to sell here this time, Commander Harrigan" Haresh explained happily "Each of the captains here has a portion in their own ship. I think each one would like to see Caseya's family's shop, so they know where their wares will be sold".
"We'll do that, then" Harrigan decided "After the Meal's finished, anyway – which isn't too long now. Feel free to get yourselves something to drink, or even try our food if you can do that without exploding".
Feltano laughed and told everyone "People do not really go bang when they eat, new friends. I have seen Harek friend eat lots and he did not do that".
Several of the Kalish captains or their aides headed to the counter for tea, and smiled when they saw fureen. Moratha explained about Kalish food being served, if only the most common dishes – the Kalish were all pleased to hear about that anyway.
"Amara, Keyah…" Harrigan asked, grinning a bit, after the Meal started winding down and those with kitchen duties started clearing things away "Time to go talk to Caseya's ma an' pa planetside. Caseya… you can come too if you like, or we can splice you into the call here".
"I will stay here, Commander" Caseya replied "Then my other children can rest until the call connects, then see their grandparents for themselves without obstructing those on bridge duties".
"You can mindtalk to your mother when we are ready, Amara" Keyah explained "As long as your mother is beyond your father's smaller deadlock range".
"I use comm then, auntie Keyah" Amara decided "Then papa and Feltano and my other friends can hear".
The Kalish captains followed Haresh to the transit platform outside – they smiled when Amara directed them to seats she wanted them to sit on, and Amara rumbled when they sat down.
"All OK, auntie Keyah!" Amara called when the last had sat down and the doors had closed, after which the car started moving and speeding up. Amara talked to the captains about transit cars and other things she knew about for the whole journey to the bridge, after which she led the way up the treblin access ramp, skipping as she did so.
"This is the bridge, new captains" Amara told them "It is very big. Our big funny commander sits in the big chair in the middle, him or auntie Talannah. We will go to the comm desk, which is over there", before pointing to the comm desk.
"The controls look like those on our own ships" one said "although these are not labelled in our language".
"This is a Scarran-made ship" Keyah replied "so the controls are in modern Scarran. Kalish living under Scarran authority are expected to be fluent in modern Scarran as well as our own language. Both Amara and Feltano have exceeded the usual learning speed requirements for doing this" before smiling at Amara as she sent love and thanks to her mind.
"Make the call, Amara" Keyah urged "See if you can remember how. When we have a connection, I will show you how to add your mother to the call as well".
Amara did as Keyah asked before looking up at her for approval – when Keyah nodded and smiled, Amara pressed the button and waited.
"Greetings, Keyah…" Caseya's father called when he answered the comm "I am just taking a small break for tea, so I can talk to you all for a few momens. Might I help you with something?"
"Our Kalish friends from far away have returned, Feltano Duleno" Keyah explained "The ship captains are here now. They would like to come and see your shop, maybe even make preparations for landing cargo for you to sell there. I expect Captain Haresh will be pleased to receive his world's share of sales as well".
"I will comm port landing authority and ask for priority landing locations near the shop if these new captains like what they see and wish to begin landing cargo" Caseya's father replied, smiling just a little "I am sure Devin will rush to our own blast pit when you land so he can welcome you all. Despite this time being his study time".
Amara connected the call to the galley screen near the skulkers' table, after which she clapped as she could see people she knew in a smaller inset picture.
"Ah, you are here!" Caseya's father called happily "Greetings once again, dear daughter! All goes well? My granddaughter and grandson do well?"
Caseya nodded and smiled before holding up Maranno for him to see, saying "Your newest granddaughter, father… Maranno Talannah. Just a few days old. When she is stronger we can bring her to see you. We have other Kalish visitors for you now, though".
"So Keyah tells me!" he replied, grinning "I have Captain Haresh's percentage from the previous sales set aside for him – so any time he wishes to come down and get it…".
"I will come with the other captains, Feltano Duleno" Haresh replied, nodding.
"Good, good…" Feltano Duleno said, nodding back "We will be waiting for you all" before discomming.
"We cannot all go…" Trannak told his son after that "I must look after your new sister here, Feltano. You can go if you want to, though".
"I stay here and help you with new sister, papa" Feltano eventually decided "Big sister can send pictures to us in the air for us to see. We can see orange grandma and orange grandpa and uncle Devin on the comm".
Trannak hugged his son in thanks, which got a small rumble in return before Maranno opened her eyes – she looked at her brother, sneezed once, then started cooing and gurgling and poking his skin.
Devin turned from his books as he heard the sound of a small craft landing very close by – when he saw the unmistakeable shape of a Stryker 2, he shrieked, clapped, and ran for the back door – pausing only long enough to place a marker in his study books.
"Big sister!" he called excitedly when the Stryker's hatch opened "Is uncle Trannak there? Is Amara or Feltano there? Did you bring new friends?"
"I am here, young Devin…" Haresh called as he stepped out onto the pit floor "I have brought other captains from our ships in orbit to see your father and mother".
"We have things to sell in our ships' cargo holds" the female captain told him "I have been told your family's shop is the import agent for our world in this sector. Whatever you do not sell here can be profitably sold on to other shops, I am sure".
"Come in, come in!" Devin urged them all "It is a bit cold today! I will tell mother you are here and we will brew tea for you all and find small snacks!"
Amara shut the door and locked it once everyone was inside, after which Devin made sure the captains had places to sit. After a few momens, Caseya's mother came in – she smiled at seeing so many Kalish in her home and brewed tea for them before getting Devin to serve that and small snacks for them.
"I will take over in the shop from my husband" she told the captains a half-arn or so later "You can all come and see the retail side of the shop if you like. It is quite large and there is room for many things of many kinds there".
There were customers in the shop when the captains went through – all of whom had never seen that many Kalish in one place before.
"We will be bringing new things to sell here from our world" one of the captains explained "If you have certain needs and time is short, we can see to it that what you require is sent down here on priority scheduling…".
Only three customers asked for consideration – one for Kalish-made alcohol and the other two for spacecraft parts.
"We are pleased our alcoholic drinks are popular" the female captain told that customer "My own family makes much of what you ordered ourselves. Grandfather asked for me to make sure I get distilling equipment or blueprints so we can distill this Scarran grolsahk we heard about".
"Chief Eng makes some of that back on ship" came the reply "Not on a large scale, mind. He can show you what the still system's like, draw it out for you all if you want. Might even have it all on mem'ry card".
"The memory card would be appreciated" the female captain said, nodding "Any books, in electronic or print forms, as well".
The other captains looked around the floor space in the shop while this negotiation was happening, talking among themselves as to which of their products would be best in which places, after which Haresh called Keyah back on the Havoc to arrange blast pits and coordinate landing schedules.
"The spacecraft parts are on the first shuttle" Haresh told those two customers "Do you require assistance fitting them, or are they simply to fill your store of spares?"
"Just spares for me" one replied "Man runnin' this place said you lot make good stuff for parts. If you got some ready then we want some, specially if that means we run a bit quicker"
Half a dozen bulk landers came down first, which everyone was pleased to see – the customers needing parts asked a number of questions, all relating to tolerances under extended running, and looked either pleased or relieved when Kalish talked to them about the parts and what they could let them do. Feltano Duleno mediated and arranged deals for these, and while the customers did pay a little more than they wanted to they all knew they'd be saving more money in not replacing sub-standard alternatives as time went on.
The customer requiring Kalish-made alcohol turned out to be from a passenger ship in orbit – and called for staff to be landed to collect supplies immediately as soon as he tasted some.
"Just what we need" came the happy decision "Premium passengers want premium drink and I think we have that right here! Just grangacha or fellip as well?"
"We have both" the female captain replied, knowing her own family trading house would be making good money by now "Our fellip is a little unusual by offworld standards, but very good and much sought-after by many".
Feltano Duleno made sure he got a varied cross-section of everything available to sell at his own shop, and it wasn't long before both the shop floor and stores were full.
"I will comm a wholesale business owned by other Kalish" Caseya's mother said "I met the owner's wife at the food markets before. I am sure they will appreciate anything you can provide but we cannot store here".
"I will come" the owner decided when the call went through "My wife told me about your shop, and you have even done business with us before. I will bring two of my Kalish staff and my daughter to assist me, and will call vehicles to transport anything I buy back to our premises as needed".
Those negotiations went a little slower, but eventually a price was agreed that included an agent's commission for Feltano Duleno's shop as well.
"Big sister sending pictures, papa…" Feltano told his father, smiling "Look and see…".
"I can see them, Feltano" Trannak repled, rumbling softly "Look, Keyah is telling your friends in green who each of the captains are and what some of the things being bought are".
"Uncle smiley Scarran wants Kalish drink stuff, papa" Feltano said, nodding "I hear him. Big funny man say he have that on planet, not here. Uncle smiley Scarran say he come and have some when big funny man let him come".
"I think I will ask if they have clothing for you and your sisters, Feltano" Trannak suggested to his son "That would be good, I think. Would you like special clothes made by Kalish people, Feltano?"
"I like that a lot, papa!" Feltano replied excitedly "Big sister like it too! Tiny new sister like it but she not tell us that yet".
"A lot of trucks going back and forth there" the Scarran trade attache said, talking to the ambassador "There's a shop known to be owned by Kalish there. Big supply haul even for them, though".
"Should we go and see for ourselves what they bring in?" the ambassador asked "We might not need spacecraft parts, but that odd-smelling grangacha they brew tastes smooth while still being quite strong".
"I can go and ask if they have that" the trade attache replied "I'm due a little time outside, so I'll go and see what they have. If we buy here, we won't have to pay Hierarchy taxes either" before heading to his office for his coat and the first two Kalish staff he could find.
The wholesale business owner was smiling more easily as he kept count of how much in Kalish products he had secured for himself – these are fine products he told himself and even accounting for the Duleno's commission on them my business and my family will become rich dealing with these people.
Amara passed all of this onto her grandfather, who smiled and whispered "If I make money, Amara… and he makes money… and the customers get what they want at a price they like… then this is good".
"Have you bought things for yourself, grandpa?" Amara asked, and Feltano Duleno smiled and nodded before telling her "Clothes for your grandmother, your uncle, and myself. A few bottles of grangacha and fellip for special times as well".
"We all are doing well, captains" Haresh revealed to the other Kalish captains "All the trading houses that contributed cargo will do well! Only a small amount of the food has been sold, but I think that both the Dulenos here and our friends in orbit will buy most of that anyway".
"I would like to see us buy a few of those huge Strykers!" one of the captains said, nodding "We do not make anything that flies that either looks like them or can do what they do! If we can buy or barter for some without needing to …salvage… some from elsewhere, so much the better!"
The sight of an official government vehicle caused a few customers to finalise their dealing a little faster, but even they were relieved when the vehicle itself drove past them and pulled up by the gathering of captains.
"I am the trade attache from the Scarran embassy" the man announced, the two Kalish standing a short way behind him "There's things I hear you have that we might want – and since a holiday and celebration of the Hierarchy comes close, we'll need to buy in bulk. All I need to know is what you lot accept in payment".
"We have a list of needed trade goods" Haresh replied, in modern Scarran "and we often do business with crindars as well" before passing the attache a list of trade goods.
"We got crindars" he eventually decided "Not sure if we got other stuff you want that we can spare yet".
"Come and see" several of the captains encouraged "Bring your Kalish staff with you. I am sure all of you will find much that you like".
"I'm going to let you two go 'round solo" he whispered "Both of you have marginal records, so don't make me regret it! You know we need lots of your Kalish drink for Founders' Day, so start there – you got the list of what we need just like I do".
"May we buy for ourselves as well, sir?" one of them asked – the attache, mildly misinterpreting that question, replied "If a bottle or two isn't seen again no one's going to mind".
"I did not mean that, sir – though we both thank you for it" the Kalish replied "Perhaps they have things we might buy with our own savings, sir".
"Your money, your choice" came the response "As long as it's legal in the Hierarchy, why should I care what you buy?"
"The Scarran bought my entire remaining stock of grangacha without so much as blinking, Captain Haresh!" one of the captains said "I do not know what celebrations go on at this Founders' Day they have… but we have become richer just from that!"
"I do not think any of us have any alcohol left in our cargo holds" Haresh replied "Our brewers and distillers will like this planet, I know that. Those who make mechanical and electronic parts for spacecraft and other vehicles as well".
"Give us a weeken…" another suggested "… and all our freighters go back to homeworld with empty holds! Even accounting for only having partial percentages for what we brought with us, we still have a lot of money to take home".
"Take that back to your freighters and put it in secure storage right away" Haresh replied warily "This is a commerce world… and news travels fast. Best that that kind of news is out of date if people come looking to relieve us of our currency".
"Haha…" the Scarran trade attache laughed quietly as his vehicle drove back to the embassy "We saved a whole fat pile of crindars from not needing to pay Hierarchy taxes on that grangacha and the fellip for the celebrations – and since you two helped me get it, I'm giving you both a slice of the savings and a positive report for your records!"
Both Kalish knew he would take a larger portion than they did for himself, but neither one minded much and instead thanked him at length for the money and the report.
"Today's been good…" the attache said "You can test some of that Kalish fellip on the way back since I just decided you two got a day off tomorrow. Grab one for me while you're at it…".
"An oddly-dressed male comes this way" Haresh told Caseya, nodding in the right direction "Can you tell what species he is? I do not think I have seen anyone of his species before".
Caseya's changed vision picked out his skin colour and tone, so she said "He is a Nebari, Captain Haresh… and you have seen one before, at our table in our galley. I do not know if this one is a free Nebari or one from their small consulate, so you may want to be welcoming but wary".
As he came closer, Amara called ~He is a mentalist! He is like me! ((mental image of Amara hiding behind a bush but still watching a passing generic Nebari))~
~Did he hear you, Amara? ((wariness, worry))~ Caseya asked, but Amara replied ~He is a mentalist, mother, but not as good as your Amara! ((mild smugness))~
"Is there just the one?" Caseya asked Amara softly "Our friend says Nebari often travel in threes, Amara".
"Just one, mama" Amara replied "I show nice grey friend, mama".
When Hellbolt saw the picture appear in his quarters right in front of him, he was a little frightened until he realised Amara sent it.
~It is me ((confirmation))~ Amara told him ~We have just seen this Nebari. He is a mentalist like me but not as strong~.
~He is one of our leaders' special sneaky people, Amara warinessdistrust~ Hellbolt replied ~They are usually not very nice at all. If he simply wants to buy what you have, he can be allowed to buy… but if you have friends with guns close by, Amara, tell them to watch him closely and carefully~.
~ I try and get you pictures of his face~ Amara decided ~Then we see if you know him~.
"At least one Night Watch" Hellbolt told Trannak "One of the nastier kind, too – I told Amara to alert any soldiers those Kalish brought with them".
"Good" Juroch replied, nodding approval "Watch and listen and smell… then we will know. Perhaps we can pass any pictures over the message network, maybe a cell nearer the Nebari border might know who he is".
"I have been told…" the Nebari man said quietly and a little hoarsely "…that Kalish make many things for the more discerning customer. I would like to see if you have a smooth-tasting drink… I do not like fellip, but perhaps you might have something else. Perhaps you might have nutritious food as well… I favour the food of my own people, but I do not mind trying that of others if it seems acceptable".
A smaller bottle of grangacha was found and glasses were produced – everyone watched the Nebari try the grangacha, and smiled when he sighed happily and said "This is good… this is good. It is not like drink made by my own people… but it is smooth and refined and it does not try to destroy my stomach as I feel Scarran drink does on the two times I have tried that".
"Food will take a little longer to prepare…" one of Haresh's soldiers added "… but my people have a very fine vegetable dish you might like. If this weather is not to your liking, perhaps you might come inside the shop… the one named 'Dulenos'. You can sit inside and enjoy your grangacha and eat in comfort… well, more than you can out here".
The Nebari walked slowly inside the shop, pleased when Feltano Duleno greeted him in his own language.
"I have heard of your talent with languages before…" he said, relaxing against the counter "It is good that you learned my language well" before adding "The Kalish outside tell me I might be able to eat a good vegetable dish of your people here. I am a little hungry and my own people's consulate is some distance away. Might we settle a price?"
The Nebari man nodded and laid out Nebari obol until Feltano nodded back.
"Good…good…" the Nebari decided "Nutritious food at acceptable and non-premium prices".
Devin gladly postponed his study again to help make the bouhl, after which he brought a stool for the Nebari to sit on while he ate.
"What a helpful young man…" he decided, smiling – Devin showed off a bit by talking to him in his own language, which made the Nebari smile briefly before he ate slowly but continuously until the bowl was empty.
"Very good…" he decided "Should I have time spare after my duties are completed, I will come here again" – he stopped to be fitted for a more subdued jacket and trousers and hat before he paid and moved on as well.
"Nicely done" Hellbolt decided when Amara commed to tell him about it – Nrakal smiled and told Amara "I may actually have a special machine that can save digital copies of pictures you form in your mind, Amara… it does not hurt you, Scarrans have had these machines for some time".
"We see when I come back, doctor Nrakal" Amara replied "We will come back when all the new things are sold or put away. People are coming by every few momens and asking what we have. Grandpa is making a little bit of money off each thing sold, a commission he calls it".
"That is what it is" Nrakal confirmed "Your grandpa helps your new friends to sell, and they give him something for that – just like we get money for missions, and you get rewards for helping people".
Amara was interested to hear that and walked around between small gatherings of Kalish and interested customers, telling them everything she knew about what they saw – the general mood became more relaxed and a few extra sales were made, which made Feltano Duleno smile and Amara rumble softly.
The Nebari man known only, even to his own people, as Agent 47, walked back inside his people's consulate and smiled.
Those Kalish were interesting he decided and certainly unusual…but I do feel more relaxed when I am surrounded by my own people, on our own territory, even if this consulate is only technically our territory before heading up the stairs until he found the floor where his own office was.
"You are late" another Nebari asked, his voice smooth but firm "We were about to send out a search party for you! Are you well? Were you attacked? On worlds like these not under the protection of our Establishment you never can tell what the residents may do!"
"Calm down…" Agent 47 replied, doing his best to project an aura of calm and at least partly succeeding "I saw an interesting gathering of people and investigated. New cargo was being landed for sale. Almost every person involved was Kalish".
"No Scarrans were there?" came the worried response, and Agent 47 shook his head and replied "None that I could see, no".
"You were treated well, then" a different Nebari asked, and Agent 47 nodded and replied "I was. I was not only permitted to examine the things for sale but encouraged to buy for myself" before he clutched his head and moaned in pain for some microts – when the headaches had subsided enough for him to move again, he reached for one of the bottles of grangacha from his bag and drank, sighing with relief as the pain was dulled and eventually disappeared.
"I am well" he assured his comrades "For now, anyway. This drink is what I bought when I was at the Kalish gathering – this and my current clothing. While I like the sense of belonging that comes with wearing the uniform of my station and my people, this clothing is both different and warm and not so offensive to look at that I feel compelled to hide my identity" before turning to face one of the newer recruits and saying "I do not need our doctors – the pains never last for long, and even then I feel more agreable with a good drink close by".
Amara sat in the sick bay, an odd network of sensors on her head and Nrakal sitting beside her with a smile on his face.
"Cast your mind back, Amara…" he encouraged her "…to the face of the Nebari man you saw. The more detail you remember, the better quality the picture will be – assuming your change doesn't block me getting a reading at all, of course".
Amara rumbled softly, after which a picture did appear on the holoscreen Nrakal was watching – Haresh was watching as well, along with Urana and her three girls.
"Amara makes a very clear picture" Sherenka decided, nodding "Nebari man friend see it soon. We send it to other friends and they see, too".
"They see and then they know" Tabitha added, nodding "If they know then they tell us, and then we know too".
"That's right" Martha's quieter but still happy voice called "We see picture and we tell friends".
"There are …lumps, bulging parts… on his head, Amara" Nrakal said, surprised – Amara nodded, adding "That is right, nice doctor – do you think they are because he is a mentalist?"
"I don't know" Nrakal admitted "But they might be".
"Is he well?" Amara asked, worried "I know he is not a part of our unit… but I would not want him to be sick or to hurt. If I can, I would like to help him, doctor".
Nrakal hugged Amara lightly until she calmed down again, after which he rumbled briefly before he said "It's good you want to help him be well, Amara… but he may not be a nice person, he might work for bad people in the Nebari government".
"He was nice when we saw him" Amara insisted "He bought grangacha and Kalish clothing. He talked nicely to us and ate bouhl in grandpa's shop. He likes us, he likes our clothing and our drink too".
"You should tell all of this to your papa, Amara" Nrakal suggested "He will like to hear what you tell me – as will your Nebari friend Hellbolt as well".
"We come with you" Sherenka added, nodding and rumbling "We come and see new Maranno. She see us and like us and do new person rumblings".
"It learning time again" Martha added "We see new Maranno and then we do training and then we study".
"We are here!" Sherenka bellowed as they approached the study room "I am here and Tabitha is here and Martha is here and Amara is here!"
A persistent plod-plod-plod followed for some microts, after which they saw Alphak standing at the open door. He looked at all of them in detail, named each one, then called "You come. We here. Dern here. Gran-ma here".
He giggled when Martha and Tabitha walked either side of him and held him up, and he tried to slip out from between them a number of times – though when he finally managed that and ran for the mat, he tripped and landed face-first on the mat until Harek lifted him up and put him back on his feet again.
"Ha-rek help me…" he murmured softly, then rumbled before falling on his eema again beside his mother.
Once Urana had managed to stop Garakk shouting happily at seeing his brother walk and talk, as well as seeing his friends come in, Moratha got each child started with basic exercises – Juroch did, however, take Amara aside and start leading her through the movement patterns of the Kalish fighting art, which Feltano and the other children watched in awed amazement when they weren't studying.
"We will send the pictures on the Hand message network" Trannak told Keyah "Amara formed exceptionally clear pictures for us and the machine worked well. I don't know if this Nebari is known to anyone in the Kingdom, even less if he has a bounty on his head – but I believe Amara when she says he is a mentalist, which means the Nebari government is making advances in new areas. Though I feel they believe they have no other option if they are expanding their mentalism capabilities, whether this man is a natural mentalist or not".
"You think he might have been altered to make him that way?" Keyah asked, a little uneasily "Neither your people nor my own know how to do that, even less do it safely".
"Assuming that's true…" Hellbolt added, his manner clearly saying he didn't think the man was turned into a mentalist "…then the target of interest is likely Night Watch, as we thought when Amara first saw him and commed us about it".
"I am pleased to announce before you all…" Juroch called softly in Kalish "…that Amara has passed her art grading and received the rank of 6th Intermediary. She has performed exceptionally well since she started studying the art of her mother's people and has more than earned her increase in rank today…", after which everyone in the galley applauded and Amara rumbled softly, bowing her head just a little bit.
~I feel happiness and approval and pride from everyone, mama ((amazement, happiness))~ Amara told Caseya ~Every person in this galley, Kalish or not. Especially Captain Haresh and the small gathering from his ship~.
"You deserve all of it, dear daughter" Caseya told her, smiling "You do so well at study, at the art of our people, at your mentalism, and at all the other things you try".
"Big sister did extra well" Feltano added, nodding before rumbling softly – very much like Trannak, Caseya decided with interest "I will do well at the art, too – but Amara tried first. I watch and I remember and then I practice and then I know too".
"It was worth staying here with our ship just for this…" Haresh told his small gathering, smiling "I do miss my own family, as I know you all miss your own – but there is so much we can tell our spouses and our children about when we return home that it will be worth it".
"It is certainly unusual here…" one more wary Kalish female voice decided "…but it is good to see that people think well of the child Amara for doing well at a traditional skill of our people. So many things here are done in what I assume are a Scarran way… it is good to see traditions and ways of our people rewarded and praised too".
"Our community of Kalish is still tiny…" Keyah reminded them "but we are nonetheless valued and both Caseya and I continue to improve our skills and gain new ones".
"For all that you've given those kinglovers in orbit sanctuary here…" a stocky high-caste Scarran told the governor "…it's paid off for us in that you tend to be more approachable to Scarrans generally these days".
"All are welcome on this world, Proconsul Tolchen" the governor replied "Anyone who can pay for what they need. Whoever they are and however they got here".
Tolchen snorted briefly before saying "We know about that too… but that's a tale for another time. The question of the microt relates to a celebration of our Hierarchy, one of the most important ones of our cycle for both civilian and military citizens of our realm".
"I hear you bought a considerable quantity of what you needed for that celebration from this world" the governor replied "For that, both the businesses involved and I thank you. Perhaps you need more things? If you tell me what they are I might be able to ask around, after all…".
Proconsul Tolchen gave the governor an actual printed copy of the list of supplies, the amount of which made the governor's eyebrows try to climb through the roof – the proconsul saw his reaction and rumbled in amusement before telling him "Founders' Day is the central holiday for our people and those who look to us for protection. For the first time in several cycles persistent rumours are circulating that our Emperor will choose to celebrate it away from the capital world – no one knows if he will extend himself far enough to celebrate at a favoured world outside our own space, that has not happened before…" before he smiled just briefly and before finishing with "I'll certainly submit a proposal for him about Tal IV, just in case…".
"Your Emperor and anyone he brings with him are welcome at any time, proconsul…" the governor reminded him, trying to mentally calculate how much extra business would be done should the Emperor decide to celebrate on his world "… but I should remind you that I would need to consult with the Irregulars for security on such an event since they are contracted to assist me with this kind of… tricky situation".
Proconsul Tolchen rumbled in thought before saying "If you've got someone you trust among that lot to keep their mouth shut… then I'll accept it even though I don't much like it. I suppose that whatever else they are, they are Scarrans and they'll want to help our people look good before others even if they don't like our leaders or serve them as the rest of us do".
"Interesting…" Trannak decided when the governor commed his PDA directly shortly after Proconsul Tolchen left his office "It certainly is unusual for the Emperor to even consider celebrating a national holiday away from Scarras Prime, you're right about that… even more so outside Scarran space. All the public events that are part of the celebrations will be broadcast throughout Scarran space, governor – so for the state of this world in general and government currency coffers in particular we should endeavour to make our proposal to host the holiday a good one".
Trannak paused for thought, after which he added "There is one man aboard who particularly loves celebrations and entertainment presentations… he's not under my command, governor, but I think he might have an interesting idea or two".
"Let me know when you have a presentable proposal, Captain…" the governor replied, smiling a little "Encourage this friend of yours to do his best, since the celebrations will be broadcast to many worlds should our proposal be accepted".
"You came to the right man, Cap'n T…" Troll said with delight when Trannak explained the situation "Your ol' friend the Troll's gonna come up with some real good stuff. Matter of fact, I got one really great idea right now.. though I'd need a while to iron out the finer detail…" before explaining about his idea for sporting contests.
"We got something a bit like it back home" Troll added as Trannak listened "Called 'em the Olympic Games. These days it's all professional athletes an' doping scandals, but it started out with the events being military skills of the day and the athletes being professional soldiers. We do this right an' every major an' minor power's gonna be fallin' over 'emselves to put a team in".
It'll be a security nightmare… Trannak thought …and we'll have to put most of the Security staff on double shifts…and we'll need all the embassies on high alert as well… but it'll bring in such huge amounts of currency from so many people and worlds that the governor will be, as that crazy human puts it, 'falling over himself' to get as many of those visitors spending freely in the central and northern sectors of market street as well as the port.
Eventually Harrigan's sensitive ears picked up Troll talking to Urana about it, so he walked over to Trannak and asked "Oi oi oi, what's all this then?"
Trannak rumbled in amusement at Harrigan's odd speech before giving a brief outline of Troll's proposal as he understood it.
"We'll have to put the entire system on Yellow or Orange alert" Harrigan told him "We'll be keepin' any ship with orbit-to-surface weapons way out at midsystem markers. Each ship, gov'ment or private, is gonna have to be deep-scanned for weird stuff, searched by boarding parties, or both".
"We can test Amara's hypersense" Trannak replied, nodding proudly "Captain Tareg's too. It may be safer and less intrusive if she can use mentalism to scan a ship's insides, once she knows what to look for, than if we use conventional sensors".
Amara loved that idea the microt Trannak and Harrigan asked her about it.
"I do that!" she insisted happily "Captain Tareg will help too, I am sure! We look in ships and then we see and then we know!"
Troll had cornered the few humans in the unit and questioned all of them about events to include.
"If you're going to make it more like the original Greek games than our modern ones, mister…" Lazarus told him "…then you'll need track an' field events… long, medium, an' short distance running. Prob'ly long jump an' pole vault. Shot putt for the big guys an' girls an' gymnastics for your more agile Kalish types an' Nebari an' such. Give people a good range of stuff to see".
"What about wrestling, though?" Jane asked "We don't really have anything out here that everyone does – if we put up something full-contact then the Scarrans or Luxans will walk all over everyone, if it's something low-contact the Kalish or Nebari will take it out".
"Wasn't gonna add any of that lot in" Troll told them, shaking his head and smiling briefly when Garakk copied him "But we can do stuff like hurdling and javelin – those can be done by any kinda people. Swimming an' diving maybe, for something more modern. With all that, we can put some events up North, some in the camp, maybe rig up a running track 'round the port or use the stunt track in the camp".
"You got enough for a monen right there, mister" Lazarus told Troll "Work with what you got. Once you an' Captain Trannak come up with an idea both of you agree on, Harrigan'll decide when you get to go down an' tell the governor about it".
"Me?!" Troll replied, extremely surprised "I came up with a few neat ideas, sure – but shouldn't an officer take the lead on this?"
"I will be there…" Trannak added, with no small amount of amusement "…but you will make the presentation to the governor and his advisors. Your ideas, your effort, your eema heading down to present it all for approval to those who count".
"You feel well in yourself, then?" Nrakal asked Juroch as he guided him through his regular health check-up "By all accounts your body is as healthy as any Scarran I have seen and more so than most – mine included! But you are healthy and settled in your mind as well, I hope?"
"I am" Juroch replied, before rumbling softly and going through some aerobic exercises Nrakal thought a Scarran couldn't manage "I do well at the art of the Kalish people – at least as far as Master Odass taught me, and Master Kamara seems to agree. I do wonder how far I might progress should I have been born able to shift my gravity centre, as Kalish people do – but I cannot, and thus I will stay at Master Rank One. That is good, I think – and I am still the only Scarran currently known to have reached even that stage, unless another has done so since I left Sholphaur".
Nrakal smiled and rumbled back before replying "But your abilities can be extended with the change…" and wondering if Juroch would guess what he already knew.
"That is true enough, doctor" Juroch replied "The extra speed, and to a lesser extent the strength as well, would certainly be useful – in combat if not in a training arena. The more weaponised changes would not…" before his brain caught up with what Nrakal might mean and his head turned to face him in wary astonishment and he asked "You could add… that?"
"If you mean could I add the ability to shift your gravity centre to any change you receive… then yes" Nrakal told him before explaining how that was possible.
"Ah, Harnak's datapod" Juroch replied "I was not present when that was retrieved, I believe Hellbolt is responsible for that… but there has been much… speculation… about what was contained in it".
"Harnak himself was confirmed to have been able to shift, if not well" Nrakal said "Accounts from both the War Commander and a number of others from both Tactical Command and Bloodstar Command confirm that, as well as our own comrade Hellbolt".
Juroch spent a few momens thinking, before nodding and saying "I think some of that strange human's new things came from this datapod as well, then".
Nrakal laughed, knowing who Juroch meant, before telling him "If you mean Troll's new weapons and cloaking shield, yes they did come from that datapod – while I knew most of what I know about the shifting then, I did not know enough to risk applying it to a living subject. Assuming you would actually want it, I believe I can see you get it safely now. The War Commander has made a rule that anyone expressing interest must receive the approval of myself and at least one Kalish".
"To show any such people are properly respectful of the Kalish people and culture" Juroch replied, nodding agreement "That is as it should be. While I will certainly ask Master Keyah Kamara, and Caseya as well, by comm… I think I should do so more formally with the appropriate cultural ceremony. There is not one directly intended for advanced medical alterations, of course… but there is one often used for important social requests that I might safely use. It would help if you were present at the ceremony, doctor, since you are part of this offer… though if you prefer to attend by comm…".
"I will attend in person if my presence is required" Nrakal replied "While my own skills will certainly see that you have the ability… it is you that will see it is properly used". Juroch just nodded before coming Keyah.
It took over a quarter-arn to explain matters to Keyah's satisfaction, and even then she came to the sick bay herself to ask Nrakal and Juroch about it as well.
"This possibility makes me more than a little uneasy, doctor" she explained "Being able to apply the most well-known unique trait of my people to anyone you choose will not be without its problems. However… if anyone I have known in my life will be able to use it properly… then I think Master Juroch will be that person".
Nrakal smiled and Juroch bowed his head slightly in the manner of the Kalish people, after which he rumbled very softly in the manner of his own.
"I thank you for the trust you place in me, Master Kamara…" Juroch said quietly "I will redouble my efforts to act as a Master of the art of your people should act and to treat your people properly at all times. I would like to ask Caseya's opinion as well, even though she is not a Master of the art…".
"You act as a Master of my art should do already, Master Juroch" Keyah replied "or I would not have come here to discuss this with the two of you. Caseya may not be a Master of the art, but she will appreciate being included in this. I would suggest asking her while her children are at study, so Amara will not be able to read her mother's thoughts and fill the ship with excitable shrieking when she realises what may happen".
Juroch smiled and laughed a little, nodding and saying "Amara will do that when she eventually finds out anyway, I think… Feltano as well, if less so in his case. Both those young ones like me and will be happy if I am to become a little more like them – but I agree, they should not find out right away".
Caseya was on the flight deck, helping do the maintenance chores required on the Stryker she usually flew with Trannak, when the comm call came in.
"Both older children are at study" she confirmed, nodding "Why would that be important?"
Keyah and Juroch both explained, in turn – Caseya was curious, as well as more than a little worried about what it might mean, but Juroch smiled and told her about the safety precautions surrounding the whole thing, after which she nodded and said "You treat me well, you treat Master Keyah Kamara well… and you treat my own children well. All three of them treat you as a member of our family, Juroch – even little Maranno Talannah will let you hold her and feed her".
Juroch smiled, saying "I would thank her for that if she could understand me… but as for this situation, I would like to request this ability to shift in the manner of the old Kalish culture relating to important personal events. Perhaps the Captain could look after your children, Caseya, until after the ceremony – then Amara can jump and shriek happily all she wants about it".
"We will do that" Caseya replied "I will come to the sick bay now, if you prefer…"
"The PTR" Juroch countered, correcting her "By the bridge. I will collect the ceremonial items from my quarters, then I will meet you all there" before discomming.
It took a little longer than expected before Caseya arrived at the bridge in the PTR.
"Amara took my coming here as a challenge to find and track me" Caseya explained, smiling "Even when I called for Troll to accompany me so she could not sense my thoughts, she tried to track me down anyway – she sent me a comm message, saying the thinks she knows how to identify Troll's deadlock from someone else's and could thus tell where he is in a general sense, but she could not find me. I told her I would be seeing you, doctor, and Juroch – but not why".
"It is interesting that Amara may be able to identify differences in the deadlock fields generated by individuals…" Nrakal said with much interest "I will ask her about that later, maybe test her as well! But enough of that for now…".
"I will tell her later" Juroch told Caseya "If all the necessary approvals needed are obtained then she can come and see me go in the tank. I know she likes seeing people go in tanks".
Caseya bowed in humbled respect at being part of such an important cultural ceremony of her people, not even lifting her head until addressed – she did smile briefly then, both nodding and agreeing vocally to Juroch's request for the shifting ability before explaining how his advice, counsel, and presence were valuable and needed by her family.
"Thank you, Caseya" Juroch told her after the ceremony "Especially for announcing publicly how I am a valuable and respected advisor and tutor for your children. I think Master Odass would appreciate that as well, were he here".
When Harrigan was asked for final approval he gave it without hesitation, though he did add "It's not really any business of mine, mister – as long as it helps you do missions and fulfil orders, you only gotta get Cap'n T's approval on military grounds, the doc's approval on medical grounds, an' at least one Kalish's approval on cultural grounds".
"Both Keyah and Caseya have given their approval, Commander" Juroch confirmed, nodding "Doctor Nrakal also. With your permission, I will go in the tank just before Third Meal…".
"Unless the doc says it'd be bad for you…" Harrigan replied "you'd better go in right after the meal instead of before – maybe an arn or so after, to give you time to let all the good food go down".
Juroch turned to face Doctor Nrakal – when the doctor nodded, Juroch said "The doctor agrees to my entering the tank after Third Meal, Commander – I will have a full Kalish meal, I think, after which I will rest, maybe go to the PTR with Captain Trannak and his family, before going to the sick bay".
"You have found out, perhaps, about the events surrounding the Hierarchy's proconsul being present at the governor's administration headquarters?" the Nebari ambassador asked one of the small Night Watch contingent.
"Personally?" came the reply "No. In the end it turned out one of the consulate guards turned out to be in the right place at the right time and found out for us – a cautious but definite amount of currency for incentives was authorised, though not all of it was spent. Some drinks for the volunteer and some currency as well".
"Has the governor found out and expelled the individual from his employ?" the ambassador asked, turning to the other person present – the tougher-looking man in an Enforcer's uniform shook his head and replied "Not as far as I know, ambassador… I don't know if he's still in the same position he used to be, but I got a brief message this morning suggesting any other time I wanted to go to the same bar for drinks he'd be willing to go as well".
"Possibly a resource to be exploited in the longer-term, then?" the Night Watch operative suggested, after which the Enforcer grumbled and frowned and said "Maybe. I really cannot say for certain, these Sebaceans are so maddeningly tricky to deal with – but I'd say it's worth the risk. A few drinks here and there, a small retainer to keep him interested – it won't strain the budget unduly".
The Night Watch operative smiled briefly at the Enforcer's unease with intelligence operations before nodding.
"Very well…" the ambassador decided "The decision has been made to continue our association with this asset – but proceed with caution. We all know those …Scarrans… in orbit consult with the governor about many things – the Hierarchy's embassy personnel are trying to deal with, but those on the huge ship are not like them and they have one of our people working with them as well!"
"Uncle Juroch does well in his tank, mama" Amara said, walking back out of the sick bay and over to the transit car "I went into the sick bay and used the medical terminal to get a status report and walked over to look in his tank. He is having his skin made a greenish colour like a plant on his world, did you know that?"
"I did not, Amara" Caseya replied with interest, hugging her daughter as the car got moving again "I do not think even your brother knew that".
"I did not know before" Feltano confirmed "Amara found out first. Is uncle Juroch a little bit green now?"
"He is" Amara confirmed, nodding "He is a little bit bigger and he is a little bit green and all the medical things tell me he is well" before she rumbled softly to her younger sister.
"Heeeheehee…" Maranno giggled, before reaching up to test Amara's face and stroke her ridges.
