Jaya would rather not have been called over to the carrier at a time like this, but the opportunity had been unexpected.

"Some of the !Xomyi people we have brought up from the surface have agreed to meet with you, Captain. You should come soon - they have a different sense of timing than we do, so they may change their minds if they are kept waiting for too long."

She had been hoping to meet some of the !Xomyi for weeks, but the situation, especially with those who had already agreed to leave their world, was tense.

The Craton and the carrier kept a good distance between them; with two such large ships, a minimum of fifty kilometers was standard.

The shuttle trip was not long, but she found herself antsy. Diplomacy was not her strongest skill, and a poorly-known alien mind under great stress would test anyone.

Research-Major Nkosi and Ambassador-General Abashidze were both present to meet her.

"Greetings," she said.

"This way, please," the ambassador told her. "I know you have been wishing for this meeting for some time," she said, without preamble. She appeared tired and in a hurry, Jaya thought. "May I ask why?"

They began walking, wasting no time.

"I would like to meet some of the minds we work to save," Jaya told her. "I understand it is difficult. If the timing is poor . . ."

"This is the best it's going to be," Nkosi said. "We have stabilized the stress levels of this group. They do have an interest in meeting other humans, though we have tried to be very careful."

"Of infection?" Jaya asked.

"Of stressors of all kinds," he replied. "We are scientists, but our knowledge of !Xomyi psychiatrics is a new field, with no experts. Modelling of their minds has not been as useful as hoped, due to how differently their recent lifestyle has been in comparison to our own - and from each other."

"I thought they were all hunter-gatherers," Jaya said.

"Most of them," Abashidze answered. "But there are a few semi-sedentary agriculturalists. Even when the mode of production is the same, however, the specifics vary hugely. Those near the coast eat an entirely different diet than those from plains or forests."

"I see," Jaya said, wondering just how much they could really differ. They could synthesize a wide range of foods in a properly set up lab, so why should it be different if they were eating clams or grain?

The carrier was a massive vessel, and they boarded a tram to take them deeper. After several minutes, Abashidze got a call.

"I must excuse myself," she said. "We're having a problem. Major, would you please take our guest on?"

"Of course," Nkosi replied.

"What is occurring?" Jaya inquired.

"There is a fight among two groups of !Xomyi," Abashidze replied, distractedly, still looking at a feed into her HUD.

"I thought different groups were being kept apart?" Jaya asked.

"That is the plan, though these two groups were related neighbors, so we had hoped . . ." She blanched. "Computer, increase travel speed!"

"What's happened?" Jaya asked.

Abashidze did not reply. The doors opened, and she stepped out, a scene of madness beyond. Jaya could see no !Xomyi, but many aides and other Union personnel, running, and a group in armor hurrying towards a set of heavy doors.

Jaya looked to Nkosi, demandingly, as the doors began to close. She put her hand up, stopping them, and stepped out.

Nkosi hurried up next to her. "Captain, this is not-"

"What is going on?" she demanded. When he hesitated, she narrowed her eyes. "I am a ranking officer on this expedition. I need to understand."

"I believe that one !Xomyi has wounded another," Nkosi finally said, his face flat. "I . . . I think he is dead."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Jaya was rocked. "How did he get a weapon?"

"They carry their stone tools. Many refuse to part with them for cultural reasons. Thus . . ."

"They're still armed," Jaya said.

"Come," Nkosi said. "This is not the group we brought you to meet. They are still waiting."

The rest of the trip passed quickly. The level they came out on was superficially the same as the last, but far calmer. Stepping out, an aide took them to the airlock door. Inside, they were cleaned, and finally allowed into the !Xomyi living area.

The air in here was denser, heavier, though her system said it was a compromise between an Earth-standard atmosphere and that of Ko. It was also warmer - hot, even, though only by ship standards.

The room was huge; it was two floors in height, with sparse, fake trees across the area. A clear path through them led to a small cluster of hovels, which seemed to be made of long poles, covered with animal skins. The skins had been worked, being a uniform yellowish color, and on them in red paint were complicated symbols. No two had the same pattern.

A group of !Xomyi were in the center of the huts, and looked up as they came into the area.

They were distinctive from others in images she had seen. Their fur had been dyed red in parts, the same shade as on their huts. White had been mixed in some, and as they stood, she could see that the adults did not have the remnants of wing flaps. Perhaps ritually removed?

"You are welcome in our home," one of the !Xomyi said. His voice was deeper, and Jaya's system identified him as Speaks With Sky, seemingly the leader of this group. He had a black top knot of either hair or feathers, clearly from some animal, coming from the top of his head. In his hands was a baton of some kind. It was carefully carved, with images of !Xomyi faces - and at the top, a likeness of a human face. It was heavily stylized, and Jaya found it very interesting to see how they viewed her kind.

"I thank you for your kindness," Jaya said, offering a polite bow. Speaks With Sky did not seem to know what to make of the movement, glancing at his fellows before back to her.

"This is a way we show respect," Nkosi said, emulating Jaya's bow.

Speaks With Sky seemed to accept that, His eyes closing slightly. Her system told her this was a form of acceptance.

His eyes were smaller than most !Xomyi, she noted. Being descended from nocturnal animals, most had large eyes still.

This group must come from a place where there is less shade, and smaller eyes are a minor change in their features to adapt, she thought.

"Sit by our fire," Speaks With Sky said, gesturing. "I am told you are friend to us."

"I am," Jaya said, sitting. She looked to the others, but Nkosi leaned over to whisper in her ear. "He is the speaker for this group. Do not acknowledge anyone else unless they talk."

"As a friend, then, I offer you a gift," Speaks With Sky said. He offered to her the baton.

Nkomi stiffened next to her, but she reached out automatically. "I thank you again," she said, eyes flickering to the researcher.

As she took the baton, Speaks With Sky put his hand on hers. It was only a touch, but the feel of his rough and wrinkled skin was surprising. It was warmer than a human hand.

He let go, and she took the baton.

"I ask you now for a gift," Speaks With Sky said.

Jaya had an uneasy feeling. "If it is in my power, I will give it."

"Good," Speaks With Sky said. "We have spoken," he continued, gesturing to the others around him. "When we came, we were two tens. Now, we are less than one ten."

Jaya recoiled slightly, glancing to Nkosi. "What has happened to your people?" she asked.

"We met your son," Speaks With Sky said. Jaya was confused, until a message from Nkosi came up in her HUD, hastily written.

"Gifts require reciprocity," it said.

"My son?" she asked aloud, pointedly.

Another message; "son is generic; young man".

"Yes. He is the one who told us of the coming trouble." Speaks With Sky said. He leaned back, closing his eyes. "Long it was foretold. When he came, we felt the prophecy had come to pass." His eyes opened. "But now we understand that we were wrong. He was not the one who would bring us to safety. He was the Liar, who misled us."

Jaya had had a bad feeling as soon as he'd mentioned a prophecy. Such immaterial things were far too easily stirred to one side or another, to madness as well as mission.

"I am sorry you think so. However, there is a disaster coming to your world."

"Since following your son, we have lost over ten of our number."

"Why did they die?" Jaya asked again.

"Your son-"

"I understand that. But my . . . son did not slay them. What was the specific manner of their death?"

The words must have been lost in translation for a time. These !Xomyi had been given ear implants, like everyone else in the Union, that translated her words into their language. But that didn't mean their language had the same sorts of specifics.

After a time, Speaks With Sky spoke. "They grieved. They grieved for a lost home, and ceased to eat and drink. Their spark dwindled, and then they were gone."

Jaya leaned back. "What is it you want to ask me for?"

"We wish to return to our old homes," Speaks With Sky asked.

"If you do, you will all die," Jaya said.

Nkosi suddenly spoke up.

"She means the disaster will befall you all."

Speaks With Sky glanced at him, then back to her, but he was stony-faced.

"Your words needed clarification not to be a threat," he said to Jaya softly.

"You may speak out of turn," she told him. She looked to Speaks With Sky. "He represents his people. My people are different, and I speak for them. We are three speakers, not two."

Speaks With Sky did not seem to like that, and still did not want to look to Nkosi. "You have my request."

Nkosi said nothing. Jaya had a feeling that, despite what she'd said, if he spoke out of turn again it would make things worse.

"It is difficult, your request," she said slowly. "I may not have the power to grant it. But I will try. You must give me time."

Speaks With Sky was silent for a long time, then he gave a single, sharp nod.

With that, he turned away.

The audience was clearly ended, and Jaya rose. She and Nkosi made their way to the airlock.

The room was an incredible reproduction, she thought. It almost looked natural. But how could it possibly fool people who knew every plant, every tree, every animal and type of rock, with the combined knowledge and culture of countless lifetimes?

Was it any wonder they were unhappy?

Stepping through the airlock, Nkosi spoke again. "I apologize, Captain, I did not expect that he would ask-"

"It's fine," she said. "I know you would not have sprung such a thing on me intentionally. But what has happened to his people? Why are so many dying?"

"They feel they are caged," Nkosi said. "I have told them that this is only temporary, but their conception of time is very immediate." He shook his head sadly. "They are among the worst-afflicted, though the survivors bear it well."

"How many are dying overall?" Jaya asked, shocked.

"The range of death varies from 18 -55%. Many simply fall into a deep depression, or shock, and pass away. It is worse amongst the groups who were brought here under circumstances they feel dishonest. And worst of all are those who were sedated-"

"Sedated?" Jaya asked sharply.

"Yes. In a handful of instances, field leaders have made the call to have a group sedated and transported up without their permission. It is a barbarity, I feel - but even if the majority die, some believe it is still the right thing to do, as then some will survive. If they stay . . ."

They would all die, Jaya thought. There would be no more of their people, no descendants, no one with even a memory of their people. No traces, no artifacts or structures of them would even survive the moon crash.

It would be as if they had never existed.

She could see why some would make such a call. But the scars from such an act would last for generations, if they would ever go away at all.

"What do we do about this request to return?" she asked. "I do not want to lie to them, but I do not want to send them back to their deaths, either."

Nkosi took a deep breath. "They do have the right to die, if they wish. But all we can do is stall - and hope they change their mind."

There was no easy answer.

"I do not know how," she said. "But they must have hope."

"This is not something that has escaped us," Nkosi has said. "But we-"

An alarm came up on Jaya's HUD.

"Response Team One is approaching the target site."

"Thank you for allowing me to meet with the !Xomyi," she told Nkosi. "But I must get back to my ship."