Kwaide (The Ammonite Galaxy Series, Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter 29

THEY HELD A meeting before all the delegations were due to arrive on Valhai.

“Why do you wish Diva and Grace to be present?” inquired the visitor, through the video camera.

“Because they know how the Sellites think. You forget that I have only been awake for a couple of years. There are still a few things that I am not yet familiar with. They have helped me before. I consider them as friends.”

“Do you think them capable of understanding the problems? Fascinating! The Dessites have never experimented the desire to communicate with inferior species. Until now, of course.”

“These Dessites are beginning to get on my nerves,” muttered Diva to Grace. “It is like listening to the Sellites all over again!”

Grace nodded. “They obviously like lording it over everybody else. I wonder how Arcan feels about that. He is just as powerful as they are, and he doesn’t go around looking down his nose at us all.”

“Looking down what nose?” said Diva, with a grin. “And he doesn’t have 552 billion others just like himself. I guess he would have felt pretty lonely if he hadn’t made friends with us.”

“Shh!” They turned their attention back to the others. Arcan was busy explaining his idea of how the meeting should go.

“I am bringing all the delegations over, so that should make them realize that to antagonize me would be a great mistake. Did you say something, Grace?” 

“Dream on.”

“I am awake.”

“It means that I don’t think they will realize that.”

Arcan shimmered. “You see?” he said to the sphere, “it is most useful to know the limitations of the participants. That is where Diva and Grace can help.”

“Delighted to be of help,” said Diva. Grace looked at her with a worried frown, and gave her a nudge. The Coriolan girl rolled her eyes, making Grace give a chuckle.

“So I shall simply state my case, and then point out to them that they really need me to travel about the system, and that it would be against their own interests to deny me sovereignty over Valhai.” Arcan looked around. “It should go well, I think.”

Diva muttered something, and Grace looked dubious.

“If you think I am getting too angry for any reason,” Arcan went on, “then all you have to do is stop me, and tell me to reason my actions before I continue.”

The visitor interrupted. “Would you like me to help? Do you wish me to announce myself as an envoy of the Dessites?”

Arcan darkened. “No. It is unnecessary for these beings to know of your existence. It would be better if you were to be blended during the meeting. I would not wish to subject you to any impertinent demands from these species.”

“Thank you Arcan. I appreciate your concern. You are quite right, of course. They definitely do not need to know of the existence of the Dessites. I will leave any talking to Diva and Grace here.”

THERE WAS A respectful silence in the Valhai Voting Chamber as the dignitaries of all the planets entered. 

Coriolis was now represented by Diva’s mother, looking very beautiful and unattainable in an exquisite Coriolan Ceremonious Robe. She swept in with immense nobility, inclined her head vaguely in the direction of the other dignitaries, and then took up a delicate conversation with one of her own aides. The rotund figure of her husband stood meekly two steps behind her, his head low. He appeared to have nothing to say to anyone.