"No no no, anything with 'alliance' in the title makes one think of the earthers." The Narn Ambassador, G'kar, shook his head sharply at it before lightly slapping the back of his hand against the abused stack of translucent papers, "Seventeen months and this list of names for the possible future partnership between our two people's and this is the best your experts can come up with!?" Finally tossing the bundle onto the table in the center of G'kar's personal quarters, where sitting at the end was the ambassador of the Confederacy, Anaherin.

The Tiatami scoffed, waving a hand lightly at the display, "Oh please; at least we made a list. If the Narn Regime decided to make the name it'd be: 'we're friends, until they've expended their usefulness'."

G'kar rolled his eyes at Anaherin, and instead of continuing on the subject at hand or conceding that both races are a bit unimaginative in terms of partnership, "Sounds like every alliance that's ever existed; mutual benefit until benefit is nonexistent and then the alliance is no-more." Doubling down at the subject, denying the Tiatami from bringing his people down to Anaherin's own, a decadent, old and proud lot they are.

Anaherin crossed her legs on her seat, leaning an elbow against the table. "Oh indeed," She smiled at the narn, "but knowing how fickle and petty the politics between nations are and pretending they are calm and certain is a line we as lords of our people must maintain at least to some degree. Some effort must be made to make this compact in sounding… lasting, fundamental to the universe from this point forward."

G'kar chuckled, "'Fake it 'til you make it'?"

Anaherin smiled broadly, "Ah! A fellow scholar of human aphorisms!"

G'kar leant his head to his right slightly, giving a low hiss as he tried to put the words together, "They are… far inferior in almost all aspects of their society, or societies given how fractious they are, compared to most powers including mine or yours but they have a wondrous way with words. I'm sure it's an evolutionary dead end of coming up with clever proverbs but an enjoyable trait."

Anaherin smiled knowingly at the ambassador, "That's not the only 'trait' I hear you enjoy of them."

G'kar scowled at the Tiatami, "I haven't an inkling what you mean, let's get back to the point of contention please." Quickly muttering the last of the sentence before pointing at the papers. "This… Crimson Star Partnership?"

Anaherin asked, "Yes, what about it?"

"I… like the first parts, 'Crimson Star', but the ending? G'Quan knows how uninspired this sounds."

Anaherin shrugged (only noticing the ugly habit poke its ugly head up after she did it), and said, "Shared astrology or shared hue?"

"Both, after a fashion, but please we both know our sun's redder than yours anyway, no," G'kar smugly smiled, before continuing with, "Many elements align with it, and I can give it my approval but only if we find a reasonable last word for it. No alliance, no partnership or whatever diluted figment of imagination that filled the rest of the list." G'kar made his way to his desk where he opened a decanter of a ruby spirit, pouring himself a glass. "But I'm expecting another appointment soon, you should leave." While the statement was blunt it was typical narnish brutally limpid vocabulary.

Anaherin scooped the papers with a long scrape across the table with her pointed, matte black nails. "Very well," making her way to G'kar's now turned back, "but think… positively of this future venture."

Seeing that he didn't turn to more clearly dismiss the Tiatami, instead continuing to silently listen. Anaherin took an extra step closer to G'kar, now within arms reach. "Not only of the ensuing military dominance of uncounted worlds… sectors… but of the more… personal elements for both of our citizenry."

G'kar continued his stoic stance, only briefly feinting to end it when he brought his glass to his lips. Taking another step and pushing the tensing boundaries of this prolonged negotiation, Anaherin extended both her hands out, first gently placing the tips of her fingers against G'kar's waist above the middle of his back, before fulling pressing her palms and ever so slightly leant some of her weight against him. "… what we can share past economics and culture but also of the more… intimate nature… the humans have already begun diving this with us, and they may even allocate themselves with you, using us as a happy proxy to further understanding and cooperation."

Before she could state the next part of her highly suggestive tirade, G'kar swooped an around her back and almost scooped up Anaherin, making her giving a sharp yelp and fully pressing herself against him, from chin to 'toes' and all the things in between, pressing against the large narn.

Anaherin could feel herself getting carried away from the exhilaration of this whole scenario, far too carried away in fact. 'I need to put a damp rag on this candle before it burns the house down.' But before Anaherin or G'kar could suppress or act further, a chime quickly startled the two of them out of what was occurring, notifying the quarter's occupants of a new arrival.

It alarmed them both, but only G'kar was carrying a beverage, who's contents spilled over both himself and the floor in a perturbed tremble. Anaherin only dropped a bundle of papers, quickly leaning down to scoop them up again. "Y-you're correct. Should leave. Will-" Quickly carrying herself to the door, opening it, expecting another delegate or one of the earther crewmembers, instead she saw another kind of earther. "Well, hello." At once impressed by the daring of wearing so little in green-sector but coming to a narn for what Anaherin fully believes to be a specific kind of appointment.

The human was slightly taller then Anaherin herself was, but comfortably modest in size with the attributes of her figure, but her face was simply eye-catching. Anaherin spared a second to commend G'kar's choice, her large blue eyes, pale skin and yellow hair like corded sunlight from a burning dimthat was tied into a neat bun that matched her golden, tassel laden attire that just covered her loins and breasts.

Anaherin finally blinked, looked back at G'kar and gave the most devious smirk she thinks she's ever given, a tone of dread flowing over his face before Anaherin turned back to the human-lady and said, "Good afternoon, I… must make a request, what is your name?"

The human blinked quickly, "C-chastity, ma'am."

Anaherin nodded, "Whatever you intended with our friend here, give it your all, he's a bit… tense. I'll send a healthy donation to your workplace for it."

Chastity nodded and smiled back, "Yeah, sure! Thanks!" They quickly exchanged places on their respective sides of the door.

The door closed and she before walked too long away, Bo rounded a corner, nodding to Anaherin. "[Good visit]?"

Anaherin continued her pace past the man, "Speak english, you can use the practice."

Bo quickly walked in stride with his employer and asked, "You alright? You look… flushed?" As much as a question of his accuracy of the word as well as a personal inquiry of the woman's wellbeing.

"Talks became… heated, I shan't say more, but you are well aware of that narn's passion."

"Hm." Bo grunted, "That why the woman-human arrived? You needed reinforcements for his passion?"

"Tlitri's teats," Anaherin scratched her brow, "no, she was merely a disciple of one of their temple's."

Bo gave a long grunt, more of a 'errrh', something Anaherin deciphered to be something along the lines of skepticism on his part, "Speaking of temple duties; I've been requisitioned by a few members. Do you need me to cancel it for any future appointments of yours?"

"No, Nala and I shall 'couch the potato' this evening, or should anyways. Quarters only."

[][][]

Nala pinched the bridge of her nose trying to understand what she heard. "Explain it again."

The thick mustached freight manager sighed, "How many times do I have to say 'the raiders killed the crew of the ship and took the stuff you ordered from the Alliance'?"

"Three times if this one makes sense, four if it does not. Why didn't the raiders take the ship here and earn their prey's pay?" Nala pressed the issue.

"They wouldn't want to do that 'cause they'd get arrested and mind wiped so hard that their grandparents would forget who they were." The manager scoffed.

"But... these ship-bound dynasties are allowed to maraud targets in the area, yes? Why would they risk this agreement and retribution from the station? It doesn't make sense." Nala sighed deeply, crossing her arms.

The manager's mustache moved to the side in a moment of thought as he stared at Nala. "Okay." He nodded then clicked his tongue, "I think I'm starting to understand; the raiders you are used to back where you are from were... 'allowed' to kill, plunder and loot ships but if they cross a line, such as not giving the ships they've taken to where they were going, this agreement is null 'n void and they kill the pirates?"

Nala gave a mix between a scoff and chuckle, "... this is a joke, yes? I've yet to adjust to humanity's sense of playfulness."

The manager smiled sarcastically and squinted, "I might've noticed." Then immediately dropping his grin, "Maybe you'd find a better sense of humor at the back of the line." Looking up to the next in the queue, "Next!"

[][][]

Anaherin looked away from her console as Nala returned to their quarters, noting the rigid posture and wry line that formed her mouth. "Trouble?"

"Troublesome individual. May I borrow Bo's skills with giving death to others for the afternoon? I aim for Borim to make a few orphans and widows today."

Anaherin smiled, "Unfortunately no, murder has too many rules to practice safely on this station, and he's busy servicing the needs of several women this evening, one of them was rather lavish with the offerings for their session of physical convocation." Deactivating her computer and standing. "The shipment did not arrive." Anaherin phrased it without question or tone of concern.

"Indeed." Nala confirmed, "The local pirate clan's doing. The humans can't even handle their own criminals."

Anaherin's face briefly winced at the statement but Nala wasn't sure why, the cargo didn't seem too important. "No matter," Anaherin stated a moment after, "There may be a situation at hand if the contacts we have within the Narn are indeed still loyal."

"'Still loyal?'" Nala inquired, confused at the statement.

Anaherin blinked, "Yes, do you not know? Many of our own former citizens, recognized as legally-Tiatami after their years of labor first being bought as slaves from the Centauri, were sent back when the Narn Regime was first recognized. Per the agreement we made with their new government, no narn could be held within the Confederacy whether it was by choice or not, and many who had prominent positions and garnered useful knowledge their brethren valued quickly became important members of their society, some staying loyal to their Tiatami friends."

Nala's brows shot up in familiarity, "Are... any of them aboard the station?"

Anaherin smiled coy-fully, "Perhaps." Putting a finger to her chin in mock thought. "Hardly part of my duties here to keep track of them."

'That doesn't mean you don't.' Nala thought. "But what do they say? What is about to happen?"

"Some strange military movements from the narn navy. Likely just trying to scare loose some dissidents or neighbors, nothing too spectacular from what we've been told." Looking over to the clock and said, "Ah, near the mid-day meal, want to join me?"

Nala was agitated by her mistress's avoidance of her questions, but instead asked out of instinct, "Human food?" Almost dismally.

"Of course! Do you not feel better for it? And the taste's are so... intense!"

Nala smiled, "I recall, you nearly vomited when you tried their 'five-bean chill-ee'."

"Are we not explorers in our lives? I shan't venture there again, mind you, but it was a worthy experience!"

The day soon became nearly as hectic as it was confused. Once, they were all going through the usual motions of a day, going to lunch at a restaurant that had this wonderful 'onioned-french' soup (theorizing the menu may have translation issues) but she didn't wish her mistress knowing how much she had been enjoying the food's of her people.

Afterall, for the longest time she never considered herself a member of the human race and would feel the service to their foods would be insulting or at least degrading of the Tiatami that have cared for her since as early as she could remember.

"Tlitri's teats; would you like to have seconds? Scarfed that one down!" Anaherin exclaimed, pointing at Nala's bowl with her spoon.

'So much for her not knowing I enjoyed it.' Nala chastised herself, "N-no, I don't know what came over me, I apologize."

"I do not accept for there is nothing to forgive my dear!" Anaherin smiled widely. "A second visit is now needed in the near future."

"Gods…" Nala sighed exasperatingly but barely hid the tinge of faux disappointment at the prospect. "Next you'll have me sit on one of their sporting events."

Anaherin's sunny disposition quickly dimmed as she looked down to her own meal, moving the bits of onion in the broth with her spoon. "These are your people, do not see them otherwise. Give them a chance, in some things please."

Nala's urge to declare to her mistress, 'No, they are not my kind!' was larger than it was likely healthy, contradicting her mistress in such a manner in public would be a massive insult when such an opinion was not asked for. Instead, she kept her tongue firmly behind her teeth and said nothing back to response.

The fears of acting rashly were dashed as they spotted a wild, frantic looking B5 security officer rushing through the sparsely populated eatery. "Ambassador, I have to escort you to the council chambers to meet with the commander, there was an attack on a Centauri colony, Ragesh-Three."

"[Thrice-damned-Whore-Be-Fate].• Anaherin muttered the curse quickly before standing, "You shall return home," The Tiatami directed to Nala, "I do not know how long I will be away, likely a while, Bo will return after his duties are done, and the time between now and then is yours to spend as you like."

Nala smiled, despite the horrible situation that seemingly was at hand, and nodded, "Thank you, mistress." Quickly departing from the restaurant, and following her usual path back to their shared quarters… only for her eyes to find something… interesting. "The Museum of Humanity?"

Wanting to go back home was great, but a strange curiosity made her pull out her Credit-Chit.

[][][]

"You know nothing about this attack, G'kar?" Ambassador Londo Mollari asked, a tone of uncertainty leaking through the question.

G'kar looked sincerely agast at the situation, rather then the question directed on him on a personal level, "I'm as astonished as you are."

Anaherin looked towards Delenn as the latter asked the Centauri ambassador: "Can you tell us something about the colony?"

"There's nothing to tell, it's an agricultural base, strictly a civilian operation, spare population and practically unarmed." Londo explained disdainfully, the distaste of the disgracefulness of the attackers quickly somehow leaving clear worry or dread in its place, catching Anaherin in a moment of flimsy interest from the brief dip into concern past the existential threat for the colony that the Centauri displayed.

Sinclair quickly reassured the council representatives that they'd contact Earth Alliance and assemble the League of Non-Aligned worlds, and while Anaherin knew it would take time to mobilize their representatives, it'd take significantly longer for their military forces if they even agree to lend them, the Tiatami ambassador concluded that those colonists were likely already doomed unless those who attacked the colony make demands relatively soon.

Anaherin gave a small sigh, retreating to her quarters to report to the Confederacy over the incident, despite her knowing the Red-Star Cabal and the Devara likely are somewhat aware of the situation.

Maybe two hours passed without issue, the hustle of trying to adjust for certain situations which might arise from this undisclosed state of affairs, with some loose lips saying Babylon command sent out a wing of fighters to contest with the predation of the local Raiders, but was unrelated to Ragesh-Three so, simply dismissed the whole element overall. Anaherin knew this would likely make the Narn Regime react, and sent word to several spies on the station and in the League worlds to keep an eye out for hints of activity. Then, Anaherin pondered the possibility of the Narn being responsible for the attack, but quickly changed her mind, knowing they had too little to gain from what was attacked versus what great deals they would lose in response, it'd have to be a League race, probably someone prideful and territorial like the Drazi, maybe the Hurr.

Nearly half the world-cycle later, the culprits were revealed; the bloody Narn. 'I hate being an optimist!'

[][][]

Of course, the Confederacy immediately demanded that they all distance themselves from the Narn as much possible, considering the outrage their actions would cause, but would vote against sanctions being placed on them, at least for this hearing. It was uncharacteristically quick and concise for the Cabals, and made Anaherin suspect something else was in the works besides trying to make a coalition with the Narn military.

But Narn's Regime's choices did, actively and passively, deter Anaherin's own plans, and due to this fact, was now marching towards G'kar's quarters, devoid of her bodyguard, stomps loud and clear.

While she had at least appear to be both supportive of what could be considered a 'partner' species in the Great Wheel of the Milky Way, she also had to seem to be condemning, judgmental of both the Narn representative and the Narn overall. Anaherin dreaded she did neither, the personal stake she had somehow revealing themselves in the harsher stomps she made or the fact that she does this alone, without Borim.

In the end, she regretted not bringing him when she was intercepted by the human's newest command officer; Susan Ivanova.

The lift stopped at a floor Anaherin was not expecting and concluded it was the luck of the draw that somehow halted her fuming warpath, but instead found a human woman of surprising shoulder width, so much so that she thought she was looking up at the visage of a beautiful, human male, that was until she spoke with, "Ambassador Tui, I was ordered to send you and your bodyguard back to quarters, but seeing as said bodyguard isn't here, my job is twice as difficult."

'Hm, she sounds like Bo.' Anaherin smiled politely at the officer, "Ah, I've been wanting to get an audience with you, it is my good ple-"

"Save it, ambassador." Ivanova scoffed, getting into the lift with her and quickly commanding it back to the Blue Sector. "I was given the report of what you put the last officer in my place through and I have far less patience for your brand of yerunda, and have carried on my predecessor's policy of cutting you off from such foolishness before it is committed. Besides, a lot of people are having issues with Narn and Narn affiliated elements, that means you by the way, and I will make sure you are returned home safely on Commander Sinclair's orders."

Anaherin dropped her smile instantly, "I should have killed Taskashima when I had the chance." The Tiatami muttered, scrapping her eyebrows with a nail.

"If you ever want to try it with me, my door is always open."

Anaherin blinked, her brows scrunching in equal parts frustration and confusion, before she looked back at Ivanova, seeing her smiling, "Please, try something."

The Tiatami ambassador sensed the certainty behind her words, the human wanted a confrontation, both out of a desire to remove whatever threat the ambassador may or may not further provide in the unknowable future and as a sick desire to prove one' own mettle against the foolish.

"Hm." Anaherin caught herself smiling, but saying nothing further. 'I think I like this one.' She refrained from admitting aloud but was tempted to see what such a confession would do to the human's disposition. "Very well, Lieutenant-Commander." Anaherin offered, hoping to see what such a capitulation would reveal about the human. 'Would she revel in her position? Her power over others? What would she reveal with such submission?'

If anything, Ivanova showed only the barest hint of disappointment and it briefly inflamed Anaherin's anger for such insult, but she bit her tongue and refrained from further communication until she understood the nature of the beast, new and wicked, she must now contend with.

The day rushed by after that, with a beleaguered Bo soon returning from his Temple duties, both relaxed and immensely concerned this new 'War of Borders' may have begun in his brief absence away from his primary duties on the station, what he was hired for specifically, and if he was any unluckier, someone may have tried to harm his charge as a consequence.

However, retrieving Anaherin's slave wasn't as difficult as it was strange, finding her just outside of Blue Sector, strangely close to the ambassadorial areas and among the last places security checked to secure her. Nala returned to their quarters with a mixed expression; a shame from the trouble needed to find her and return her home, and a remarkable straightness to her spine, as if she found a wellspring of audacity, sipped of of it deeply and now stood straighter before her mistress from it. "My dear," Anaherin cooed, "is everything alright?"

"Y-yes, my lady." Nala bowed at the shoulder. "I apologize, if I had been home-"

"I released you, you are without fault." Anaherin's statement was loaded with judgement however, and her charge noticed it, feel a tremor of dread at the possibilities which may lay ahead.

Anaherin's various issues of the day made her consider that the issue on her protégé's mind might be far simpler and baser than she expected, and asked, "Are you shopping for a mate?"

Nala blinked and coughed, "No?"

"Then I fear for nothing, my dear, my Nala." Anaherin sighed and smile, reaching a hand to the human lady, "I've been dreading and dreaming of the issues that would arise of raising you to maturity among your kind, the mating practices here are… barbaric. Unpredictable. And, you are reaching the age to claim your first male, but wish you to practice such pursuits with caution, humans do not have the same level of control of their reproductive abilities as Tiatami."

If Nala felt anything at that moment, it was embarrassment. Nala shook her head, "Mistress, I would not uh do such a thing without your knowledge, if you'd even prescribe it." Feeling heat build on her face, "Please, I'd not risk my love for your companionship or the duty to the Confederacy for a mere… em, dalliance."

"Still." Anaherin pointed towards Nala a moment before bustling to her cabinets, muttering 'Where did I put it?' before returning to Nala with a smile and a strange, green square, thin as paper and wrapped in plastic, with a vague oval in the center. "Here."

Nala opened her mouth and then closed it, turning the object over in her fingers, "What is it?"

"It has something to do with the reproductive act of humans; it… halts the process? Stops it, somehow." Anaherin ran a knuckle across her chin in thought, "I haven't properly investigated the object, but they exist almost everywhere a human settlement does, their healers giving them to their youths and inexperienced to prevent couples from, apparently, accidentally producing offspring." The Tiatami laughed. "Though, considering the habits bound to your body and its thirty-day cycles, I dread the possibilities of such a…rugged culture."

'Barbaric, you mean?' Nala scoffed internally, feeling both shame and a tinge of anger at her ignorance of the matter, a resentment bound to both not being more like her mother-figure and, yet, this being deeply tied to what Nala is as a sentient being in the universe. 'Hm.' Nala blinked at herself, 'Where'd that thought come from?' And concluded that maybe she lingered in the museum of her people's petty moral triumphs and small-time victories just after leaving their homeworld.

"Sorry if I'm fussing over you," Anaherin laid a hand gently on Nala's own, "but so many things are just insane at the moment and it's great to be here to help you with your next stage of life."

"I… understand?" Nala nodded and smiled, bowing her head slightly towards her moth- mistress, "Thank you, my master."

Anaherin gave a small, almost sad, sigh, "You are most welcome. Now, when I am again called to Council, please stay here with Bo."

Only just reminded that the man was even in the same room as them, Nala snapped her gaze around their quarters and saw the man standing in the corner, unmoving and unfazed by the conversation at hand. If anything, the presence of their beloved, well-paid protector made Nala feel even worse, her mouth forming a strict, stretched line of mortification, "Mistress." She said aloud as she looked about and scratched her head in frustration.

Anaherin looked between the two, quickly understanding the issue but then smiled, sighed and nodded, "If anything, he knows more about this subject than either of us could dream; he's quite popular at wherever temple he gains commission in!"

Now Bo turned his head awkwardly, giving only the slightest fidget from his discomfiture.

"His silence is a luxury much sought after, if for whatever reason you'd prefer me not answering you, he will always be at your disposal." Anaherin smiled before having a sad grin, "I had such plans in the near future for you, bloody Narn mucking things up… but this I can at least help with."

Nala blinked, "What do you mean?"

Anaherin gave a long breath, "It doesn't matter anymore. I should return to the Council Chambers soon, coming Bo?"

Bo grunted an affirmative before they departed.

The session over the now official Narn invasion of Ragesh-Three was… odd. Commander Sinclair was replaced by his new First-Officer, Ivanova, who did everything in her power to drag the proceedings out, voting for sanctions against the Narn Regime, atop G'kar making long winded rants over the legitimate ownership of the planet, then a 'live' broadcast from said colony as Londo Mollari's own nephew, having another and as the final vote was going to be cast; recess was declared. Anaherin lifted both hands slightly in vexation, with the vote being close to vote and having it go the Narn's way would have saved her and the Confederacy a galaxy's worth of amending and re-direction of intent until things were a little quieter.

Worse still, when she was close to relaxing back at her quarters, probably light up her pipe and get a quick puff in before the next part of the warcrime that is this headache of a trial, a security officer intercepted her and Bo, guiding them back to the Commander's office.

As they did so, Anaherin saw G'kar and one other, unknown narn, on his knees, seemingly supplicant to his people's ambassador. While there was a sizable population of the aliens aboard the station, Anaherin was confident she knew most of them. And behind the newcomer narn was the Commander, Sinclair, still in his flight suit, seemingly fresh from the fight. Before more was said, the sexurity officer and Garibaldi picked up the Narn under his arms and dragged him out of the office.

"Your choice, ambassador." Sinclair seemingly giving the last word in a clearly decisive flourish to what subject matter they had been discussing.

G'kar gave Anaherin only the briefest glance when he looked at the door, storming out, mired in equal parts frustration, defeat and rage without a word to anyone else.

The Tiatami gave a confused look between Sinclair and Ivanova, before the former nodded. "Please, come in." Picking up a data-crystal off his desk, "As I understand it; you and the Narn Regime have a few trade agreements, does one of them include materiel?"

'Shrak.' Anaherin cursed internally, "Why? What's happened?"

"We recently uh found a Narn arms-dealer, he's been providing weapons to the local Raiders, we found a few sensor modules and heat-synchs that had were distinctly Tiatami." Sinclair shook his head lightly, "But we don't know from who specifically, and the signature on who made them isn't on our database. Care to enlighten us?"

Handing the crystal over to the Tiatami, she wordlessly used the nearby computer terminal, on it it displayed technical readouts, materials it consisted of, and at the end of it, a symbol, one she knew all too well. 'Shrak!'

"Well, ambassador?" Ivanova asked after a moment or two too long.

"It's a Tribe, one of the older ones."

"Tribe?" Ivanova asked aloud,

Sinclair nodded, "Roving civilizations, Tiatami societies that live almost entirely in spaceships, moving in fleets from system to system like gipsies or carnies."

"Or hobos?" Ivanova slowly blinked at Anaherin.

'That was definitely an insult.' Anaherin blinked and then grinned, "Oh, I definitely like this one Commander, you should keep her and see if you can order two more while you're at it." But then dropped the subject, and continued the one prior with, "I know of these terms in passing and while somewhat accurate, Tribes are nevertheless as technologically sophisticated and self-sufficient as any Cabal within the Confederacy, with their own means of harvesting resources from astral bodies and the industry to refine them, then eventually sell them. They maybe… a bit rustic now and then, and without a doubt very violent, law and order is a foreign concept, and most Tribes are closely regulated to keep in them Confederacy space, as they're lack of decorum and brutality would likely cause international issues if left to interact with aliens without check."

"Then the Narn likely purchased these through a third party. Maybe one of the Tiatami's subject races?" Sinclair proposed.

"I doubt it." Anaherin shook her head, taking out the crystal from the computer port, "Why bother with finding a Tribe? Sedentar- I mean Cabals are far more reliable, and usually cheaper, for every regulation and form of self-discipline a race places upon themselves for good reason, their's likely a Tribe making a joke about it somewhere." She handed the crystal back to Sinclair, "The Tribe is known as the Vankodo, they date as far back as the Sharpening with the Minbari, they are descendants of the original warships that survived the war and vowed to protect our people from alien discovery. They are as xenophobic as they sound, which makes this only that much stranger."

Sinclaie exchanged a glance with his First Officer, "You know anything more about them? Why they're out their home territories?"

Anaherin blinked before shaking her head, "No. No, I have no idea why the Confederacy would allow them to leave their usual cluster of worlds, let alone trade with outsiders. Commander," she sighed deeply, "we have a saying, 'Fear the Cabal Marine, but forever dread the Tribal Rider', if this Tribe is in this area, and if one of your fighters spots one of theirs; run. Your clan of criminals is one thing, but I am disquieted of how many may be hurt or worse if human pilots encounter them. The dead would envy the living at the end of the engagement."

"Some of us had been around since the Minbari War, we'd give 'em a run for their money." Sinclair gave a small grin to try and reassure her.

"Perhaps." Anaherin stated, unconvinced. "I will notify the Red Star Cabal, they will be able to launch an investigation or…" she grimaced, "Maybe a fleet to bring them back, if they really are around here."

"Speaking of…" Sinclair lifted a finger, "When we took control of one of theRaider Command ships, we found something labelled to be delivered to you?"

Anaherin instantly beamed, "And…?

Sinclair smiled, "Looked expensive… and more or less intact."

"I owe you, Commander!"

Sinclair glared comically, "Who said I was giving it back? Raiders had a pretty nice stash, it'd be hard to do away with."

"Don't tease me, Commander." Anaherin chuckled.

Captitulating, "I already had it sent to your quarters."

"Thank you, you salvaged my day!" Anaherin started walking back, briefly distracted from the veritable hell-storm that waited for her on the horizon.

The ambassador and bodyguard returned to the former's quarters, Nala already having brought inside the large parcel, wrapped in thin, colourful paper, and in it was a human 'music-box'.

The trio quickly set up the device to the best of their abilities, and when finally satisifed, found one of the large, black disks it came with, a black and white picture of a human with 'greased' his bangs combed sharply backwards. The needle slowly dropped onto the circling disk, where, out came, a bit too loudly: "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog, Crying all the time!"

Anaherin quickly took the needle off the still rolling disk, making the device giving an unpleasant 'Skreet'!

"The hell was that?" Bo quickly demanded.

"I asked a musical curator on Earth to send me a collection of their best music, this is their 'King'. Bah, and they argued why we see the human species as a collection of half-insane bards, they make their best singers their rulers." Anaherin smiled.

Nala pulled out a second set of disks, "Why does this music have the word 'sexy' written on it?"

Anaherin blushed, looking away, "I was… curious. And he did special orders."