He spent some time watching the news on the holographic unit that Kir'let had brought for him. While there was still some obvious tension showing in some of the Rich'ti that commented on the arrival of the Humans in their system and the inclusion of the outcasts as Rich'ti with a government of their own, the media seemed to be trying to put a positive spin on things in each instance. He wondered how much they had wanted to help and how much they had been told to do so.
There were interviews with Eesh'ket broadcast, as well as one interview via communications equipment with Commander Norlen, where Kevan was amused to see Lawrence on one end, next to the Commander, and some Rich'ti that supposedly worked with Pergute on the other end. Both sides were having their end of the conversation translated, which seemed amusingly cumbersome. Kevan knew, however, that the interview would likely also be broadcast back home, so having it only in Rich'ti wouldn't translate well there.
He noticed that while Eesh'ket assured the Rich'ti public that the offending rioters were being dealt with harshly, he left out the part about them being left to starve to death. Kevan suspected he had taken some of their conversation to heart. With Humans in the system, able to translate Rich'ti broadcasts, Eesh'ket wouldn't want to start off by immediately damaging the potential relationship.
Commander Norlen seemed surpisingly diplomatic in his answers to the Rich'ti questions. Kevan had been afraid his people would send some naval commander who was purely a military mind, especially after the intent to move him off the planet to safety. But Commander Norlen took each question carefully and answered after a moment's thought. He also said things that gave Kevan the impression that he had actually read some of the messages Kevan had sent about the Rich'ti people. He kept everything he said very non-challenging, but at the same time seemed to show that he had a strength about him.
After he had caught up on the details of what all had been happening recently, he laid back, tired but pleased.
"It seems as if things are getting better now," Kir'let commented quietly.
"Yes, Kirlet," he nodded. "Things are looking much better. I think we have a chance to build something very wonderful here." He had to love the irony that while he'd worked so hard to try and lay the groundwork, in the end the actual building of the formal relationship between the Humans and Rich'ti seemed to be falling together without any help from him at all.
"I think we're going to be alright," he said, closing his eyes. He wondered briefly what his role would be in the upcoming negotiations for trade and further military assistance. Then he set those thoughts aside, knowing that he would be far better qualified to deal with whatever task he was given than he had been to deal with what he'd done so far. As he let himself drift off to sleep again, he found that he was more relaxed than he'd really been since he'd stepped aboard the Rich'ti ship. He finally felt sure that things would work out.
