Chapter 18:
The old diplomat was in his chamber, wondering if he made the right call. The Terrans were, well, they were horrifying. He had to admit to himself, not that he did not know that before; seeing them, talking to them, they even signed a document of what they called a non-aggression pact, which they said both their leader or “The Despot” and our leader had to sign. But the Strunin Collective didn't have one single leader; they had a collective of Chieftains who held leadership among their subordinated clans but stood together as said collective for all Strunin people. A Chieftain mastered over dozens of clans; he was just an old Clan Head, but he had the complete trust of his Chieftain. He may convince him, but would the others agree? A pact with the Humans, can there even be such a possibility? He looked at the document again.
"Rara, tell me, what do you think about this Terran Admiral? You are silent only when we are not alone. You know I love you like my own; why are you so quiet?"
Rara looked at her datapad. She had served her good master for decades; he was more of a father than a master to her. Not that Rara was a slave by any means; she swore her life to the old councilor of her own free will to show her gratitude and dedication. The truth was, she was afraid. Afraid of the huge black-furred Terran that talked to her as a professional, but the blood in his eyes and the way he looked at her made her quiver in fear. And that leader of theirs, the smaller one; his size didn't make him less frightening. He wasn't much taller than her, but his size and that dark fur on his face still made him look menacing. What frightened her more was the way he carried himself; he looked like someone who looked death directly in the eyes and made death blink first. A frightening thought. He wasn't worried about anything. She didn't know if he was trying to be friendly or not, but constantly curving his fur-covered lips to bare his fangs made her uneasy. She just tried to listen in, document the encounter, and keep her eyes on her datapad. What should she even say? She sighed.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
"Master… I know what you proposed was a risk, and I fear that my advice may have put us in a horrible position. I don't know if I should speak any further or try advising you. But that leader of theirs, I know what we planned was a huge risk, but somehow, somehow I feel that we made an error that may prove deadly to us and even harm the collective in its entirety. I know we were set on a mission we cannot complete now, but inviting the Terrans is something we shouldn't have done. And we involved the Luxur company and its escorts. Even if we do reach some common goals, how would the Terrans even aid us if they wanted to? I think they are not playing our game; we might be playing theirs. But, I'm just not sure."
He listened intently to Rara; she might be right. He had a similar thought. Only time would tell. But with the Terrans, they all might stand a chance. A slim one at best, but something, just something to tip the scale.
He was trying to think of a way to turn the situation in their favor when their intercom came on.
"Ambassador, we are nearing the provided coordinates. I am on my way to your location. Please wait by the main entrance of your craft. We sent a signal out as soon as we were in range that we come in peace, and that we are here as escorts providing aid, to prevent any misunderstanding."
Garden took one last look at the document, then at Rara.
"We should go."
She stood up and walked to the exit, waiting for him by the door.