Chapter 5 #3
“Splendid,” Peony beamed at them, smothering her own giggles. “And you’ve had a good morning I trust, Scarlet?”
“Quite good,” Scarlet smiled, saluting her with her glass before turning back to Tuvo. “See? We just normally don’t have time for all that, so we just shorten it to, ‘morning’.”
Tuvo still looked confused as to why, of all things, that was their greeting, but he grunted in acceptance of what they were saying.
When Scarlet’s eyes turned, focusing on Havali, it was to find him watching her thoughtfully. His dark eyes piercing and direct, like he was absorbing everything she was saying. It warmed her belly and she had to quickly look away lest her heart do that funny fluttering again.
Nope. Not catching feelings. That wasn’t going to happen.
“I’ve spoken with Fellaseen in her capacity as representative of the High Imperium,” Atem said, directing the conversation back to the reason they were here in the first place.
“The opening ceremony will take place in three days. There are still a few members who have yet to arrive, but the last should get here tomorrow. That will give everyone a day to rest, then we can get to work.”
“Did you talk about us?” Alanna asked, leaning forward curiously.
He affirmed he had with a grunt. “We mentioned you briefly. She expressed her surprise. Rumors of you have reached even here, so they knew to expect a… sensual species. But she wasn’t ready for just how enticing you smelled and appeared.
The High Imperium already knows of you as well.
Your case will doubtless be the talk of the gathering this year. ”
“Is our sexual nature going to be a hindrance?” Alanna asked.
Scarlet’s brow cocked in surprise. The question wasn’t one she had considered, but it was valid. She looked to Atem curiously, pretending she didn’t notice Havali shoot her a quick glance out of the corner of her eye.
“There are a few species more conservative than the domini. But there are also those more liberated. They should balance each other out.”
Scarlet really should think of something to ask. If she was going to be the one stuck arguing the case for humanity, she should know what she was walking into. But her stupid brain could provide her with nothing but a mixture of human and domini medical knowledge.
Alanna, however, came through again. “Do you have any idea of who our greatest detractors might be?”
Scarlet looked at Alanna in shock before sharing a look with Peony.
She couldn’t believe the girl who had just talked about good omens because she didn’t have dreams also just asked something like that.
Scarlet hesitated to say ‘intelligent’, but it was certainly more down to Earth than she would have expected from her hippie friend.
Earth being, of course, metaphorical in this instance.
Atem looked thoughtful for a moment before answering her question.
Giving a short list and descriptions of a few of the more rule obsessed species that would not want humans as part of the Coalition no matter what because they hadn’t yet breached their solar system in a manned flight – the single requirement that would normally invite first contact.
That was followed up with Alanna asking about their potential allies.
Fellaseen, according to Atem, had seemed rather interested in humans, though he couldn’t be certain she would vote their way. However, he did promise that he had already received word from the representative for the ratchi that he would side with them.
“The ratchi?” Scarlet asked, surprised. The dinosaur-lizard aliens were the species that had abducted them in the first place.
And while, intellectually, Scarlet knew that not all ratchi were like the rogue clavas they had met, she only had bad experiences with them.
It just seemed odd that their leader would have preemptively promised his support already.
“Elder Haviss is an imminently reasonable male,” Havali assured her, turning her eyes to him. “He deeply regrets the part his people played in the kidnapping of you all. He assured us that it was his honor and privilege to put his power behind Atem’s in this matter.”
“You will all meet him at the opening ceremony,” Atem said.
“He is an older male, well past his prime, and very kind. Besides being a representative, the only thing he wants in life is to watch over his grandhatchlings. I assure you, you are all perfectly safe around him. I would not have accepted his help if I were not sure of him.”
Alanna was nodding along eagerly, like she was perfectly capable of accepting that. Personally, Scarlet felt like she was going to have to work to get over a prejudice instilled in her by people she knew did not represent the whole. It wasn’t even a true prejudice so much as a trauma response.
“Will the High Imperium be on our side?” Alanna asked next.
Scarlet just kind of sat back, watching her friend with surprised amazement. She didn't know why Alanna was so eager to take control of this, but she certainly wasn’t going to fight her on it.
“The High Imperium does not take sides,” Atem said. “At least, not publicly. They have a vote, just as everyone does, but the role is meant to be neutral presenting. A High Imperium accused of favoritism will be replaced by the next year.”
“The Coalition decides this?”
“The vitulli decide. Though they are the leader of the Coalition, the High Imperium is still, first and foremost, a representative for their people. The same as myself. Any time in history a High Imperium showed preferences for one species above another or publicly announced their support for a cause instead of merely voting at the end of discussions, they were always replaced by the next meeting.”
“All right. Anyone else?”
Instead of answering, Atem looked to Havali who, in turn, smiled at Alanna.
“Those are just the ones we know right now. I will have more information by the end of today. Even more by the end of tomorrow. We’ll have another meeting the night before the opening ceremony so we can discuss everything I’ve discovered.
“Until then, I want you all to be seen by the people. There were combots recording you when we landed. The formal report on it is scheduled to start in…” he checked his combot, “another quarter mark. We’ll see how you’re presented on the vids, then go from there.”
“How we’re presented?” Scarlet repeated, looking at him curiously.
He gave her a gentle smile. “Presentation is everything. The entirety of Holotulle already knows about you. New species don’t appear that often.
And a new species meeting or joining the Coalition is even less common.
You’re going to be famous and popular, and it is in our best interest to cultivate that to our advantage.
“Your species is alluring. Fellaseen’s species is great at scenting things, and she says that your scents were almost intoxicating. Your bodies are sensual, your moves are sexual, and your voices are pleasant. You seem designed to draw people in, and we need to capitalize on that.”
“That sounds so manipulative,” Scarlet frowned.
Havali nodded once. “Sometimes, you have to manipulate people. For your own good, or theirs.”
She frowned, somehow offended. “I just don’t believe that.”