Chapter 5

The city they approached was wide and mostly low. A few buildings really towered above the rest, but in all it didn't feel as tall as human cities. But it was glistening. Buildings were white or light gray or silver, and it all looked clean and fresh and pure.

They passed over green stretches of park, and he could see that two rivers flowed through the city. There was one small black tower that mostly looked out of place, but even it shined in the sunlight.

Sunlight glinted in windows, and he saw balconies with hanging plants. They passed low to the rooftops. There were no antennae all over, and no rising chimneys. The only more elegant city he'd ever seen was the hovering city of the avian Aethel.

The shuttle descended again approaching the tallest building. It was a number of towers set in a circle that all angled towards each other, merging in a single peak at the top. There was a large fountain in the open space in the center, and colored lights played in the water. He caught a glimpse of a line of Rich'ti before the shuttle turned to land.

He felt a small bump as the shuttle landed to one side of the towers in an area that looked as if it was paved for just such a purpose. As soon as the shuttle engines began to wind down, the bars across him slid open and retracted back into the sides of the seat. After a moment, the hatchway nearest them opened and the ramp descended out and down for them. He noticed that the pilots stayed in the shuttle and the engine seemed to be kept on standby.

I wonder if they're expecting trouble, he thought to himself as he followed Sarsh'ta's indication that he should walk just behind Agronet. He hoped that there weren't going to be any Rich'ti present that were so against his being there that they would challenge him at the onset.

He noticed that the air seemed cleaner as he walked. His own home planet of Tangra Prime was considered one of the "greener" of the human colonies, and there were many instances where buildings expanded underground in order to maintain the wildlife above. Here, however, he had a feeling that they were just living in harmony with the environment. He had to admit that them having all of their heavy industry on one of their moons probably helped. He could only think of one human colony that didn't have some sort of heavy industry somewhere on the planet, and that was because they didn't believe in industry as part of their way of life.

Then suddenly the air quality was the last of his concerns. His eyes adjusted to the brighter sunlight and he could see better. There were eight Rich'ti standing in a line to receive him. To both sides were Rich'ti holding equipment to their faces. No matter what culture or race, you can always spot the journalists...

Gathering on all sides was a crowd. There were children, but he could only identify those by stature. It occurred to him he had no idea how to gauge the age or maturity of Rich'ti. But that wasn't what he wanted to be thinking just then.

He was to use the same prepared greeting as before. That had been agreed upon from the outset, knowing that this was the presentation that was really going to matter. Over the week he had had some time to consider it. At this point, he had decided, he knew more about the Rich'ti than the council back home. Whether they liked it or not, now that he was here he was on his own.

Agronet turned them so that their little line of three faced the line of eight awaiting them. Again, Kevan had no idea which of them was more senior. He could only assume that the more senior Rich'ti would stand at the middle. He took a step forward, still staying back enough that he could address the line without too specifically addressing any one of them singly.

"I am Kevan, and I greet you on behalf of my people," he said in Rich'ti. "May our alliance become one of friendship and respect. I also thank you for your hospitality. Agronet and his crew have given me an excellent first impression of your people and culture. I look forward to learning even more."

There was a moment of awkward silence, while he felt all the Rich'ti standing in the area scrutinizing him. He allowed his glance to pass over the line of Rich'ti in front of him, and saw that most of the expressions in the immediate eight seemed curious or guarded. None had outright malicious expressions, which he took as a good sign.

One of the Rich'ti directly in front of him stepped forward, and Kevan turned back to him, levelling his gaze. He knew that he needed to seem sure of himself and strong in this moment, and had quizzed Sarsh'ta on some of the more confident body language during their sessions. He could tell that the stance on the one who stepped towards him was a confident one, and mentally found himself taking note of the differences in stance between the males and females. He hoped his own stance was masculine enough, although Sarsh'ta had tried to help him with some of those differences already.

"I am Gertat, Takor to the Rich'ti people," the one who'd stepped forward said. "We welcome you as the first of your kind to visit Rich'ti lands." He paused a moment, and Kevan recognized the usual politician's trait of trying to work the crowd as the Rich'ti's head roll managed to allow his gaze to briefly take in everyone gathered. "It is my hope that this moment will mark the shift towards victory in our mutal war against the Brey-hahd. We have much to exchange with each other towards that end." Gertat turned back to look at him, and Kevan easily recognized his turn to speak again.

"We too forsee victory against the Brey-hahd as a result of these negotiations," he agreed. "It is also my hope to show you that some humans are worthy of Rich'ti trust and respect. It is my honor to be chosen as the first to take on that task." He carefully held back any smiling and let his head roll in an agreeable manner that he tried to also use to take in the remaining eight Rich'ti in the line. Most seemed to mask their response well, but he did see one seem to scowl in response, while a couple others seemed to be nodding approvingly. Gertat's reaction was unreadable, which he'd already assumed would be the case with a head politician. Some things are always universal, he thought to himself. He made careful note in his mind of the appearance on the scowling one, so that he could get more information on that one when he had a chance to browse the news archives again later. He knew he'd need to know who openly opposed his presence among them.

"I hope you find your stay with us interesting and comfortable, Kevan of the Humans," Gertat said. "We will talk more when you are settled into your quarters." The last sentence felt sudden and rushed. Kevan wondered why and was left standing wondering when Gertat turned without another word and walked away. The other seven turned in kind and followed.

The reporters and the crowd started moving closer. "Say nothing, just try to look confident," Sarsh'ta said quietly.

"Come, human," Agronet said before leading them away. The crowd parted before Agronet, and Sarsh'ta stayed close behind Kevan. To Kevan it felt as though he were being penned in.

They led him to cylindrical tower across the grounds from the landing field. The journalists tried to get close enough to ask him questions, but acted as though they were afraid to get too close to Agronet. Agronet led them at a quick pace. Kevan felt like a celebrity being led out of a courthouse.

The tower was not very wide, and from the levels of balconies he guessed ten or twelve levels tall. Agronet led them inside, and the crowd remained outside.

"I know some of those that were trying to ask you questions," Sarsh'ta said. They are... known for their antagonism of most public officials. They make their own challenges by seeing just how much they can get away with. Some are better than others, but one in particular would have made trouble if he'd had the chance."

Kevan laughed. "Our news reporters can be like that now and then, too."

"We will wait here until the crowd had been dispersed," Agronet said. "There is a meal prepared while we wait."

He was led further into the building and up a center ramp that seemed to spiral upwards to the topmost level. In the center of the spiral was a clear glass-like shaft that had a round bubble-like contraption in it that seemed to serve as an elevator. He saw no wires or cables, however, and wondered how it moved up and down the shaft.

They only ascended a couple of levels to one that appeared more like a garden than a dining room. The entire level was covered in lush grass with areas where plants grew in clusters throughout. Rich'ti lounged here and there on the grass, eating from wooden bowls and talking in small groups. Agronet led them over to an unoccupied area and indicated they should sit there. Moments after they had settled into their spot, a female Rich'ti came over with a tray of bowls and handed them out.

"Did that seem to go well to you?" he asked Sarsh'ta, once they were eating. "It seemed a bit rushed at the end."

"There were some security concerns today," Sarsh'ta told him. "There are a few who seem angry about your being here, as well as our intent to negotiate with your race. There has been some concern about someone challenging the Takor over this matter."

"I see." Keven couldn't help but frown with concern.

"Given time, we hope that they will see that you are no threat to the Rich'ti, and become more comfortable with the idea," she added.

He noticed that Agronet said nothing, yet his body language seemed to be doubting Sarsh'ta's hopes.

"You think she's wrong?" he pointedly asked the captain. Agronet looked at Kevan as if surprised that he had been addressed.

"Opinions aboard ship were... mixed, Agronet said after some hesitation. "Gertat has enough time before the next election that he can get away with quite a bit. It isn't prudent to challenge him without justifiable cause. Yet if you were to cause some large embarrassment, there are some who would see that as justifiable cause. One might just make such a challenge in that case. We are in a war. Now is not the time to put leadership in question.

"You do not understand our ways. You have tried, and you have learned quite a bit since we first met. There are some who want you to fail. I do not think that you or your government understands what is at risk here."

"Agronet--" Sarsh'ta began before Kevan cut her off.

"No, I think I do understand. Your people are at war and you're loosing. Desperate times have led to desperate acts of considering an alliance, something you've never even wanted before. But now you feel you have no better choice.

"But you don't trust anyone. Out of all the races, you didn't find us preferable, you found us the least objectionable at best. And we're doing better against the Brey-hahd than you are. So you see us as generally inferior but find yourselves needing to ask our help, and that bothers you.

"So my presence is also a reminder of that embarrassment that a strong and proud people have to resort to asking for help. Now some of you aren't sure how to accept that help. Some of you wonder if when it's done if you'll feel like you defeated the Brey-hahd--or whether you were rescued.

"I think I do understand what's at stake, Agronet. You're losing, and unless something changes you're seeing the potential end of your race. Isn't that about the extent of it?

"Look. I might not be as strong, or as tough, or even as agile as you. But that doesn't mean I'm stupid. We all stand to gain by an alliance. My people want that alliance. I don't intend to be the one to ruin it." He stopped there, plucking a piece of meat out of the bowl with a deliberately casual motion.

"The only thing that makes you less objectionable, Human," Agronet said, "is the fact that the Brey-hahd are also attacking you and yet you have managed to keep them from reaching your planets so far. Beyond that point, I don't know that you are the least objectionable of the races we could form relations with. Your kind are known to lie and keep secrets in order to gain the upper hand over other races as well as your own. With that knowledge I find it difficult to believe anything that you might say."

"I find it unlikely, Agronet, that you did not monitor my transmission last night, to my government," Kevan replied. "Which means that you know I have advised them to be nothing but direct and honest in these negotiations. Why would I not heed that advice myself?"

"Besides," he continued, "there were plenty of areas of the ship's library that were unavailable to me, information I was not allowed to access. How can you be so concerned about any secrets we might choose to keep if you are keeping some of your own? I have noticed that while it is not acceptable to lie about something, it is alright to forego mentioning it at all."

"I told you," Sarsh'ta said to Agronet, with an edge in her voice.

"As Captain, I wanted to be sure you did not pose a threat to the ship or crew. I only restricted access to things that seemed sensitive in nature." Agronet put the wooden bowl down angrily.

"The coordinates of this planet and the galaxy it is in? How could that knowledge endanger the ship or crew?" Kevan countered. "Would it not stand to reason that I might like to know just how far from home I currently am?"

"Such information could allow you to determine the speed of our engines." Agronet said flatly.

"Why would I care, further than knowing how long the journey would take?"

"Your kind spies on other races to try and steal their technologies."

"Have you even looked at information on me, Agronet? I study cultures of different races and the relationships between them, not engines!" Kevan found himself starting to get frustrated.

"You may be lying right now." Agronet narrowed his eyes.

"Agronet!" Sarsh'ta said. "Stop this! You have been given no reason to think such a thing. There is no need to make such accusations."

"It takes strength to trust," Kevan said, softening his voice to conversational tones. "I understand that can be scary. I don't blame you for it. But among my people, ship captains and fleet captains hold positions of responsibility, and are expected to be role models in every aspect.

"One of the things I have to report to my government is how well I think our militaries would be able to work together. I got a pretty positive impression of that working with Rosh'tur. But I do have my concerns, Agronet. What's going to happen when human and Rich'ti ships are in the same system fighting the Brey-hahd? Who do you want me writing my reports on? Commanders or cooks?"

"Careful, Agronet," Sarsh'ta teased, "diplomacy has never been your strong point."

"Take that tone with me again human. I will give you the opportunity to learn about our medical technology first-hand." Agronet leaned forward in one of the aggressive stances Sarsh'ta had warned him about.

"I'm not here to argue and fight, Captain," Kevan said, trying to sound respectful. "I'm here to observe and learn. Believe what you want about me. I've always enjoyed the irony that every race we've ever met has looked down on us at first and underestimated us. Yet we keep surprising other races."

Sarsh'ta's relief was apparent when another Rich'ti walked up to them and interrupted to tell Agronet that the crowd had been cleared. Agronet didn't say a word, but gestured that they follow him and strode out of the room and back down the ramp.

"You should be more careful," Sarsh'ta said quietly as they stood up to follow. "There are many reasons he has made it to become captain of our fleet. He is probably the most respected Rich'ti after Gertat. Not because of his title, but on his merit alone. My own position may have more weight here on the planet, but people would far more quickly side with him if a line were to be drawn between he and I."

"All the more reason to make him see reason," Kevan responded softly. "I can tell he would make a formidable ally if I could only get him to stop seeing me as a threat."

"He has great respect for Gertat, and is willing to do as the Takor asks him to, but very stubborn in his opinions from what I've seen," she told him. "I think it will take a lot more before he would change his mind about you."

They didn't speak further as they caught up with Agronet at the bottom of the ramp, where the captain seemed to be giving instructions to a couple of Rich'ti. They then followed him outside to another vehicle that was parked next to the shuttle. This one resembled a bubble, more than a tube, with a slightly flattened spot on the bottom where it rested on the ground. About half of it looked to be made of a slightly smoky glass, while the rest was made of the black shiny metal they used for the ships. He saw a panel in the back being closed over his luggage, which had apparently been moved from the shuttle while they were eating.

There was room enough in the vehicle for six. One seat was up at the front of the glass, with a panel of controls that seemed to slide out of the armrests when Agronet leaned back into it. Two seats were directly behind that, followed by another row of three before the glass became metal for storage behind them. He suspected that the metal area beneath their feet contained the engines, and had the suspicion confirmed when the floor vibrated beneath them upon departure. He and Sarsh'ta took the two seats directly behind Agronet, and the three of them were the only people in the vehicle when it left the landing pad. As he rose into the air, he realized he could see other, similar vehicles moving to and fro in the city beneath them.

They passed over more parks and over elevated monorail tracks. He supposed he'd have to make one entire report about the similarities and differences between human and Rich'ti cities. He thought somewhat skeptically about the potential for human tourism here.

They came to a large, round tower, maybe twenty stories tall at a quick and rough count. As they came over the top of it he could see that the center was all open, with a ring of building around an outdoor park. They coasted over the open courtyard and settled gently on the roof.

"This is the building you'll be living in," Sarsh'ta explained. I have arranged rather nice accomodations on the same level as my own." Doors opened and Sarsh'ta stepped out. Kevan followed, Agronet did not.

"I will return to the fleet now. Do not think I wish you to fail, human. And do not think of me as an enemy. I too will be filing a report, and it will say that you did not cause problems aboard ship, and that you took the initiative to integrate yourself and desired to be helpful. I may not like the idea of an alliance, but I do not disagree with it."

"Thank you, Captain," Kevan said with the appropriate nod. "Among my kind we discuss and debate and sometimes argue different ideas. It is one way we ...challenge each other. I hope you took no offense to it."

"No," Agronet said somewhat curtly. Three Rich'ti had emerged from an elevator opening and came to gather up Kevan's luggage from the back.
Kevan grabbed two of the last three smaller bags, and Sarsh'ta took the last one. Amost as soon as the compartment was closed Agronet closed the remaining door and lifted gently away.

They moved to an area of the roof that was slightly lower than the rest, in a large circle. Kevan saw that the other Rich'ti were setting the bags down on the circle and waiting, so he followed Sarsh'ta and did the same. A panel had risen up from beside the circle when the first Rich'ti stepped on, and Sarsh'ta tapped one of the glowing numbers being displayed.

Elevator, he thought to himself, preparing for the descent. He was not surprised when it began to lower itself into the building. It moved downwards through what seemed to be a glass tube, and he was surprised to see Rich'ti standing at nearly every section of glass, peering in as they moved downward. Children pressed themselves up against it, watching with wide eyes. Every one of them was watching Kevan.

He lost track of how many levels they passed before the elevator slowed to a gentle stop. Half of the glass tube at that level slid around, leaving them with a half-circle opening to leave the elevator. He, again, hadn't seen any cables or pulleys to make the elevator work, and tried not to think about what was keeping it in place as he reached down to pick up his bag. To his surprise, he found several Rich'ti children had swarmed in and were nearly pushing each other over to get to carry his luggage. The other two Rich'ti who had helped moved off to join a small crowd of others. Sarsh'ta beckoned him towards a line of Rich'ti assembled. He followed her, after a worried glance as his luggage made it's way off in a different direction.

"These are the elders of my community, and the other professionals that work with me," she told him as they approached the assembled line. "There are others who will arrive later to meet you, like the technician who will assist with your power needs."

They made their way down the line, stopping at each individual Rich'ti for an introduction. Kevan did his best to remember as many names as possible, attempting to connect their name and occupation or status with some physical feature. He found that the differences in fur shading were mostly what he used to associate with, but some were much less distinctive than others. By the time they reached the end of the line, he was sure he would forget at least half of them.

"This is Pergute," she told him. "He was my professor when I started learning about your kind. Now I am proud to call him a colleague."

Pergute had a slightly unusual splotch of reddish fur that ran across the side of his face, giving Kevan an easy way to identify him over others. The rather heavyset male Rich'ti gave Kevan a toothy grimace, as Sarsh'ta had tried to when they'd first met, and stuck his hand out for a Human-styled handshake.

"Finally! I've waited a long, long time to meet a Human in the flesh!" Pergute said in heavily accented English. It was all Kevan could do to not grin back at him.

"It's always good to feel welcome," Kevan said in Rich'ti, "thank you."

"You must not hold him for yourself, Sarsh'ta," Pergute said in a tone of voice that was probably teasing.

"Don't worry, Pergute, you are still a friend," she teased back.

"Well, now that introductions have happened, we should show you where you'll be living," Pergute said, putting a hand on Kevan's shoulder and steering him towards a hallway. "Come! This way!"

Eventually they came to a room. The door was already open. The room was spacious, and there was a glass door leading to a balcony. But mostly he was aware of the children in the room. All of his things were scattered about the room. Some children were jumping up and down on the sleeping furs, others were obviously trying to guess what the strange objects were.

One of them had discovered a toothbrush, and was brushing another youth's fur with it. Others were trying to make sense of clothes. A small group of them had his underwear and were just then trying them on as hats. The scene was anarchy. He couldn't help but laugh despite himself.

Then he saw two trying to open the case for his computer. They hadn't figured out the double latch yet. Both had to be pressed at the same time. Each youth was pressing at one, but the case was still closed. He swooped in and snatched it away from them. Those two shrank back, but the rest swarmed in on him. They grabbed and tugged at his clothes, and bombarded him with questions.

"One at a time!" he called out, putting his free hand up in protest. He quickly looked around and stashed the computer case up on a hammock in one corner of the room before turning his attention fully to the children and his strewn belongings. He saw Sarsh'ta trying not to laugh as she gathered items and set them off to one side. Kevan sat down on the edge of what looked like a sleeping mat similar to the one he'd had on the ship.

"Alright, one at a time please. I can't answer all your questions at once."

"What's this?" one child asked, holding up a sock.

"That is a covering for a foot," Kevan answered.

"Why do you need to cover your feet?" another child asked.

"Humans don't have as much fur as you do, so we get cold easier. The coverings help us stay warm. We also get burned if we do not cover our skin from the sun during the warmer seasons."

A chorus of 'oh's and 'oooh's came back at him in response, followed by a rush of questions about each item that remotely looked like something he might wear.

"Where do you wear this?" several children asked him, waving one item or another excitedly in the air. He waved his hands to settle them down and started by pointing to the clothes he was already wearing.

"This is called a 'shirt'," he began. "You've got a shirt there too," he pointed to one of the children holding a t-shirt he was sure he'd put into the bag with laundry in it.

He managed to stay tolerant as nothing was left untouched. He explained the toothbrush and floss, and learned that they had something they chewed to clean their teeth. He could have said that his dog had something similar, but that would involve far too many things to explain.

A couple of times he had to ask them to speak more slowly. He explained that he had only just learned to speak their language weeks ago, "...while you've had what, years?"

That got them saying how old they were. The oldest was seven. He wasn't sure how long their year was, but he expected that they probably matured quickly. Some were as young as two. Rich'ti numbers were the harder part of their language for him.

"Enough, young ones," Sarsh'ta eventually said. "Kevan has traveled a long way to get here. Let's give him some time to get settled in. You can spend some more time with him later with other questions."

"Yes, I'd like that," Kevan said.

Sarsh'ta practically shooed them out. Once the door closed behind them she offered to help tidy up. He declined, explaining it really wasn't all that much.

She showed him around his new apartment. It had what would work for a proper toilet. It had the right basic idea, although it was a little lower than normal. The balcony he liked. He was on the inside edge of the ring. He noticed that the walls were sloped just enough that at the balcony edge he could look straight up and see sky. There was a hint of green to the sky.

"The elders are going to want to spend some time ...interviewing you before they really feel comfortable letting the young ones spend a lot of time around you. Some of them will want to ensure you won't fill their young minds with what they'll call 'foolish nonsense'."

Sarsh'ta also showed him the 'shower' that had been installed into one wall for him. She explained that it had been an area of drawers that had been removed from one wall to make a small enclosure into it for him. It had the proper drain at the bottom, and a sprayer-like piece hung from the ceiling. He saw that they had put in a knob for turning it on and off as well.

She also showed him a small spigot at one corner of the room for water, that reminded him of a small drinking fountain back home, but with more water pressure. She mentioned that the water was suitable for drinking or any other need he might have.

The room had lots of drawers and some hammocks for him to put his stuff into, similar to the room he'd had on the ship. There was the large raised mat that was for sleeping, as well as several other mats just lying about on the wood-paneled flooring. It was a light-colored wood, and the walls were colored in an ivory tone. The fur mats themselves were of an off-white fur, and the room had a bright and airy feel to it with all the light colors.

Once the tour was complete, Sarsh'ta took a seat on one of the mats, half-sprawled out in the sunlight that streamed through the open balcony windows. He surveyed the room from it's center, noticing that the Rich'ti seemed to like to stash things out of the way rather than have loose clutter lying about.

"There are no mirrors," he suddenly exclaimed. On the ship, he had used his small shaving mirror to shave with, but somehow he had anticipated an actual bathroom as opposed to a toilet that extended out of a panelled section of wall when he pressed a panel. He said it to himself mostly, and spoke in English, causing Sarsh'ta to look at him curiously.

"Mirrors?" she asked, saying the word slowly. "What is that?"

"To show me what I look like," he said in Rich'ti. "It reflects my image back at me so that I can... um... groom myself."

She cocked her head and looked at him a moment. "We... didn't think of that. I should be able to arrange something. Maybe by tomorrow."

"Good enough. It isn't a huge deal, but it helps."

"Occasionally your wording confuses me," she said. "Huge deal? Is that what you mean to say? It doesn't really make sense."

"It's a human expression, maybe it doesn't work in direct translation. Although now that I think about it, it doesn't really make sense. What I meant is that it isn't a major problem."

"That is much clearer. Even with the study I've done, some of your expressions just don't make sense."

"I'm sure there will be cases where your expressions won't make sense to me. I suppose the context takes longer to learn than the language itself. How am I doing with pronunciation, by the way?"

"Not bad," she said. "You still sound a little slow, and your ...inflection isn't always quite right, but so far I don't think it has changed the meaning of what you're saying too far from what you mean.

"Well, I should let you have some time to settle in. Tonight will be a ceremony and feast to officially welcome you. You have almost five hours. We'll talk more while we help each other prepare for it. I'll be back in about two hours."

He raised an eyebrow at the idea that it would take them three hours to prepare for the feast, but just nodded and remained silent. After all the commotion so far, he was looking forward to spending a couple of hours just getting his belongings organized and getting comfortable with his new accomodations. Sarsh'ta gave him a brief overview on the functions of the door panel and showed him a panel on one wall that opened to give him access to a computer similar to the ones he'd used in the ship's library. Then she left, and he found himself alone, randomly gathering his belongings off the various surfaces of the room.

He chose one of the larger drawers to serve as his laundry hamper and stashed all the items that needed washing in it before sorting out logical places to put the other items. He found a couple of panels that were long, thin strips and when pressed they extended out to give him some shelf space. After testing to make sure they were sturdy and would not retract by themselves, he chose one to be home to the computer, placing it closest to the receptactle that looked as if it would be used as a power source.

He found a large, closet-like area that he put the empty suitcases into and then headed out onto the balcony. He looked down and saw that he was a little more than halfway up the building from the ground. His balcony faced the center, and he had a view of the courtyard park he had seen briefly from the air when they had arrived. There were children playing it it, with adults nearby gathered in small groups lounged on the grass. He wasn't close enough to make out if he recognized any of the Rich'ti, but just watching them helped him feel more relaxed. The building itself was huge when you accounted for the entire ring of it, and he wondered just how many Rich'ti lived in it.

There was a chime from the panel by the door, and he went over to see it displaying the image of a Rich'ti standing outside. He pressed the button to open the door.

"I am Kreckan, I am the technician who will be helping you during your stay here." Kreckan spoke very slowly. Kevan tried suppressed a grin in response.

"Wonderful, I'm Kevan, but of course you know that. Please come inside."

Kreckan briefly looked surprised, and came in holding a small box. "Ah, you've already set up, good," Kreckan said at normal speed.

"It seemed the logical place."

Kreckan opened the box, revealing a small devise with cords at both ends. He explained it would convert the power to his needs. He plugged it into the wall, and found the power port at the back of the computer, and connected that.

Kreckan stepped back and Kevan powered the computer up. The usual icon came up to show it was receiving power.

"Perfect, thank you," Kevan said.

"I am also working on a signal amplifier. It will take the communications signal from your device and increase its range. Your systems normally connect to an orbital satellite, but we do not have such devices in orbit. There is a receiver in the ceiling, which connects to a relay unit on the roof of this building. We have some relay devices as well between here and human space. I am finishing a system that will route your communications through that. You will find the signal will reach your home twice as fast as you were expecting."

"That will help greatly, thank you."

"There are some that think that your technology is not interesting because we have better technology in most areas. But your kind has thought up different ways of doing things, and it is my opinion that studying your technologies will give us new ideas."

"That's one of many ways we hope that an alliance can help both our peoples," Kevan said.

"I was told to give you these," Kevan continued, pulling out the schematics for both his palmtop and computer. "They are the diagrams of my computer devices in case they should be damaged at any point."

"I don't need them," Kreckan replied, waving them away. "Our listening devices heard the transmission that sent them to you. I've been studying them for months. He pulled out a second double-corded device and handed it to him. "That should provide the power to recharge the smaller device when it runs down."

Kevan nodded silently and took the device.

"Thank you," he said.

"Let me know if there is anything else you require for your electronics," Kreckan said. "You can reach me through the panel, just ask for Technician Kreckan." Kreckan turned and headed out the door without waiting for a reply.

Kevan stood with the device in his hand, his thoughts whirling.

Just how far into our space can they listen? How long have they been spying on us? He knew that his government would not take kindly to that. He would need to get some clarification from Sarsh'ta of just what they were listening to and why before he reported it. A part of him felt angry, as he knew his government would be, at the intrusion into Human privacy. Another part of him worried that it could hurt relations between the two races when the Humans found out about it. He absentmindedly checked the battery levels on his palmtop before putting the corded device into a drawer for safekeeping until he needed it. His thoughts, however, were unraveling the possible scenarios for when and how the Humans found out how extensive the Rich'ti spying capabilities were.

If all else fails, I suppose spying technology would be something we'd want from the Rich'ti in exchange for weapons and ship tech, he thought to himself. We'd love to be able to get this much intel on our enemies.

Then, a more disturbing thought occurred to him. If they can so easily get the schematics from our computer, then they likely don't actually need the schematics for our weapons designs. If that's the case, then why are they opening negotiations? Why am I here if they can just take what they want from us without any contact at all? His stomach was in knots as he realized how much the casual comment from the technician had implied. Schematics for ships were transmitted all the time, although usually those transmissions were scrambled. He doubted that they would have a hard time decoding them, however.

That thought led him to wonder if everything he did was being monitored and recorded. He looked at the power adapter for a moment, thinking that any number of spy toys could have been hidden or built into the room. Just installing the bathroom components would have provided an easy opportunity.

He couldn't decide if they had a motive to do so or not, but at least having considered it reminded him to be mindful of everything he said and did. He was, after all, acting as the human ambassador here.

He had represented human interests with other races before, but generally in cases where some diplomatic work had already been established. Governments would agree to a trade deal, but the details of it, establishing trade contact points and routes, what goods should or shouldn't be traded, some of the finishing touches were more the kinds of things he'd negotiated in the past.

He tried to put those thoughts behind him for the moment. This was just a different situation, and therefore a different opportunity and challenge. Having settled that in his head, he was able to lay down and relax, napping for an hour before Sarsh'ta returned

When Sarsh'ta returned, she was followed into the room by four children carrying pitchers, bowls, sponges and combs. He saw that the bowls were steaming, and thought he smelled something as well. It wasn't quite a floral scent, but a pleasant and somewhat earthy aroma. Seeing the children, however, forestalled his questions for Sarsh'ta on the Rich'ti listening in on Human communications.

"We don't exactly have a ritual designed for meeting people of new races," she explained. "So we're adapting from the one we use when leaders of different planets meet. Gertat is the Takor for all Rich'ti and also for this planet, but each planet has a Takor that is responsible for the people on that colony. When two Takors meet, we do something similar to what we will be doing today. It is a welcoming ritual for high-ranking people."

"First, as you might already expect, we must bathe you." She gave him a head roll smile and gestured at the children who set down their bowls. He noticed that all four children were older, and had all been present earlier when he'd arrived at his room. They moved forward and began removing his clothing. He suspected that they'd already been taught about buttons and zippers, as they seemed to have no trouble with either. They made quick work of it and moved in right away with sponges of warm, scented water to wash him with, the tallest of the four starting on his head and shoulders, while the others worked on washing the lower areas of his body. He stood there awkwardly, feeling very self-conscious despite his sessions on the ship with Sarsh'ta.

The children didn't ask him any questions while they bathed him. They took some time combing his hair, deciding which way it should lay. He tried to tell them but was ignored. In the end they found something that seemed a close approximation of how he wore it.

When they were almost done with him, a couple of them started on Sarsh'ta. She looked relaxed and enjoying herself. When they finished up with him they focused on her. He took the opportunity to pull out his formal suit.

"Humans dress differently for special events," he explained. "Sometimes other purely decorative items are worn. What, if anything, do Rich'ti do?"

"There is an attitude, a ...mindset that goes with important events. It affects one's bearing and how we carry ourselves."

"Yes, with us it's about being more formal."

"I think that translates," she agreed.

"So, if I may ask, what else should I be expecting for three hours of preparation? How much is there to do?" he asked.

She leaned her head, looking confused. One of the children came around and focused on the raised side of her head some more.

"Well, you said there were five hours before the feast. You were coming back in two, which you did, leaving three. You said we'd talk more while we prepared."

"I never said it would take three hours to prepare. I had something I had to do for those two hours, but thought you might like my company, so I've come back to spend time talking with you before the feast. I thought you might have questions and want to know what to expect."

"Oh. The way you said it made it sound like you were going to come back for the three hours of preparation. I must have interpreted what you said wrong."

He thought back, trying to remember precisely what she had said, but he couldn't recall exactly.

"You will find we tend to speak very directly," she said. "We say what we mean. Maybe there are some subtleties of language yet. In the future, don't be afraid to ask me for clarification on something. So far I haven't been aware of hearing you say something that seemed to be understood wrong."

"So what should I expect?" he asked. "You said there will be a feast."

"First we will introduce you formally to the community here," she replied. "That will involve speeches from myself and a couple of others. Then there will be an opportunity for you to say something if you wish."

"I'd like that," he told her, running through any number of speeches in his head and wondering which would be best used here and translate well into the Rich'ti language. There had been a few occasions where he'd needed to give a speech upon his arrival. He suspected one or two of his would work, depending on how his introduction went.

"Good," she nodded. "After that will be the food. Fortunately we've already seen that you do not seem to have any adverse reactions to our foods. It will be expected that you sample each item that is presented to you. The Rich'ti of this building will be in attendance, and there are twenty communities here - one living on each level of the building. Each of them will be preparing something different for the feast. The first plate will be offered to you for your approval. It is polite to approve of everything you receive in this instance. To do otherwise would be considered an insult to the entire community."

"Noted," he replied, nodding.

"You are not required or expected to eat everything on each plate, but you must sample them all. Most sample from each plate first and then return to finish the plate that appeals to them most. It is considered an honor for the community that cooked the meal you eat the most of. Some Takor will use this as a tactic and find out in advance who cooked what in order to gain favor of a specific community if they need their vote on something. In this case, I would ask if you'd consider a similar move? There is one community in this building that is particularly resistant to your being here."

The children kept combing while she continued. "Once you have been introduced to the immediate community, you will be introduced to our people in general. Gertat will give a speech, which will be broadcast throughout our space.

"Takor Uurnat of Et'arach'nur, the colonized moon, will also be present, although he is attending as a guest, and will likely not speak publicly. He will be interested in meeting you, however. He is another one you should be watchful of. We will review pictures before hand so you can familiarize yourself with the markings of some of those you'll meet.

"You will also have a chance to address all Rich'ti. What you say will also be broadcast. After Gertat's speech he will show you to the recorders, and it will be your turn. To speak longer than him would be insulting him before everyone, and a very foolish thing."

"Okay, I won't do that," he said, thinking that he would have kept whatever he said shorter than the Takor even without the warning. He did appreciate the warning, however. "Thank you."

"Have your people prepared words for you for this as well?" she asked.

Kevan laughed at that. The children paused in their grooming and looked over at him.

"There are several ...pieces of speeches prepared. If any of them seem better than anything I can come up with on my own, I'll borrow from them. I've always preferred speaking naturally."

"This is good," she nodded approvingly, and the children returned to grooming her. "I know that among your kind are some who spend their time writing speeches that others will say. Rich'ti speak what they mean, we do not try to tell each other what to say."

"It is more how to say it," Kevan explained. "Those who write speeches excel in putting words together to more clearly get a point across. They are also good at helping someone sway opinion in their favor if needed. They don't change the idea of what someone intends to say, merely makes it easier for the crowd to understand, as well as more entertaining to listen to. Have you never heard someone speak and been made tired just from listening to them?"

The children seemed to be chuckling at that, and he saw an amused look on Sarsh'ta's face as she tilted her head at him.

"I have," she acknowledged.

"Some speech writers can weave words together so that they sound more like poetry to the listener," he told her.

"I see," she said. "However, we judge people on their merit and their merit alone. To employ such a person to write your words for you would seem deceptive. If I should borrow someone else's words while speaking, I give them credit for it."

"Generally, our people are aware of who is writing the speeches," he replied. "There is nothing deceptive about it. It is a well-known tool for many politicians, especially during an election. Anyone who wishes to know who is writing a person's speeches can easily find out."

"I do prefer to use my own words unless I've been given instruction to do otherwise by those who employ me," he said, trying to reassure her. "I am not the most eloquent speaker, by far, but I usually manage to get my point across."

He noticed that the children seemed to be taking an extra amount of time on Sarsh'ta than it usually took him to do alone. Sarsh'ta must have noticed it at about the same time for she made a noise in the back of her throat at them and they hastily finished. Afterwards they gathered up the items they had brought with them and headed quickly out of the room.

Once the children had left, Sarsh'ta led him to the data terminal. She called up several pictures, which she lined up on the screen. One by one she enlarged them and explained who each was.

The eldest of this level of the building was one of the ones most favorable to an alliance. That was why Kevan was living on this level. A few had flat out stated they would not allow him to live on their levels.

Another one she made a point of showing him was Artok. "Artok is possibly the most outspoken opponent to your presence here. He will probably try something to slip you up. He will not overtly oppose you tonight, but if you leave an opportunity, he will probably seize it."

"I'll watch myself. What about after? What kind of trouble is he likely to cause?" Kevan asked, wanting to feel better prepared.

"He will not challenge you outright. Elders do not do that. Authority between elders and leaders is sometimes difficult. Elders agree to step down from running things directly when they take their place as elders. So while they'll try to persuade leaders one way or another, they don't contest authority.

"On the other hand, elders are presumed wise, and directly disagreeing with one is an implied slight on that elder's wisdom. So while leaders make decisions and say 'we will do this,' or 'we will do that,' elders give advice, and say 'we should do this,' or 'we should do that.' When a prominent elder speaks out on a controversial topic, leaders listen and think very carefully how they will respond."

"Why is the eldest on this level agreeable?" he asked. "It might help if I know why certain Rich'ti are willing to welcome me while others are not."

"Before he stepped into his role as an elder, he studied other races and the relationships they had with one another. He wrote several highly regarded works on the subject. Although he never spoke outright for it, his writings indicate that he thought we should broaden our understanding of other cultures to eventually develop relationships of our own with them. Rendat is one of the reasons I chose this level to live on. The other being that Pergute also resides on this level. To his credit, Rendat gave the idea of your being here careful consideration. I believe he was concerned about how it might effect the rest of the community here if things went badly."

"What convinced him?"

"Pergute did," she replied. "I'm not sure what all was said, but Pergute took your file with him and spoke with Rendat at length. Since Pergute stepped aside so that I would become Proonk Takor he has taken a place supporting me in my endeavors."

"Stepped aside?"

"He was my professor first and then I worked under his authority for most of my career. Pergute made the initial suggestion that Gertat make contact with your people. When Gertat wanted an advisor with a good understanding of your kind, however, Pergute stepped aside. He recognized that I had more capability as a speaker and that I would fare better with the competition, being younger than he. A few of my colleagues did challenge for the position, but I was able to hold my own. Having Pergute's support has helped me greatly."

"It is my understanding that Rendat approves of having you here," she continued, "but an eldest takes on the responsibility of making decisions for the whole community. He could not put his personal opinion before the needs of the others. Pergute was able to convince him that it would not be a problem to have you here."

"Rendat has never been afraid to take risks. You have to challenge the strong. Overcoming those weaker than yourself doesn't prove much. From that perspective, I think Rendat thought to wonder what would happen if everything worked.

"What would happen if the alliance happen and turns out to be a great thing? What if there are other, unexpected benefits? If that happens, he wants to be the one to lean back and confidently say, "I told you so."

"But he's risking if it doesn't work, right?" he asked.

"Yes, although it may be that the detractors are risking more if they are wrong... We have fought wars with other races before. We've never had to consider so seriously the possibility of losing."

"I do wish it was some other circumstance that had brought us together," Kevan said softly.

"You wonder what will happen if the alliance is not enough?"

"No, not that. No, we have a long history of helping when we're needed. But since we first started meeting other races, most of them have kept us at a distance until it benefited them. Most waited to make trade agreements until it was going to be favorable to them one way or another.

"Look at the Moodra. They showed no interest in trade with us, or cultural exchanges, or anything...until they started having viral problems that their doctors couldn't treat and found that we had cured one very similar. We've both benefited from exchanges since then. It would have been all the better if it had happened sooner."

He made himself stop talking, remembering the possibility of recording devices. For a moment all he could think about was one of many briefings he had attended.

"Remember," one councilman had said, "they don't want to be our friends. They don't want to be our neighbors. They don't want trade or cultural exchanges. They aren't interested in technological exchanges for mutual growth. Instead they've contacted us because they're trying to decide if dealing with us is preferable to defeat at the hands of an enemy."

He sighed, chiding himself for even thinking about it when he should be focusing forward. "But you have invited me here. Opportunity should not be overlooked merely because of circumstances."

"So, there will be a lot of food from the sound of it," he said, deliberately changing the subject. "What happens after eating? And is there anything I should know about table manners for this?"

"Table manners?" she tilted her head to one side, confused.

"In some cultures it is rude to be the first to finish your food, in others it is rude to be the last," he explained. "There are also cultures where washing ones hands at certain points in the meal or using a specific utensil to eat with are important. Bodily noises can also be either very rude or a signal that the meal was enjoyed."

"Oh, I see," Sarsh'ta nodded. "We do generally finish our food before the elders have finished eating, although it's not specifically a rule. The elders tend to take their time with things, they've earned the right to enjoy life's pleasures. We don't use utensils for eating, as you have already seen..." she trailed off, seeming to think about it a moment.

"It would be rude to leave the table before everyone has finished at any important event such as tonight's. It would be seen as if the Rich'ti leaving was not wanting to be a part of the community they are dining with. Most times, when we eat as a community, we remain together until everyone is finished with the meal. It was different on the ship, although you will have noticed that it is a very rare thing for a Rich'ti to eat alone."

"Anything else?" he asked, nodding.

"Not really. After the meal has finished, there will be music and a short period of mingling. You should be prepared to answer questions that I expect most of the elders will be waiting to ask you. Then there will be a performance by the children. It will be music and dance, reminiscent of our ancient ways when we were just scattered, warring tribes. After that, there will be a performance by some professional musicians and dancers of something more modern. You will find that we prefer live entertainment over viewing it on a screen."

"Most humans do as well," he agreed. "But the screen has proven a useful way to bring performances to people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to view them."