Draft #43 - The Creation of the Alliance
A long, long time ago - quite a bit before the Vokkrus were even thinking of space travel - the Founders created the Alliance.
It had started as a dare.
The V'srk just started to explore space. The Anlam, along with the help of the Torra, had long since started traveling the star-speckled reaches above their planet, and with their assistance, the V'srk could get their own rockets and ships up to par. The three species had found the Wessuro stranded on a meteor and decided to help them, too.
The Anlam and Torra had boasted they could find more species than the other two, and the V'srk had claimed they would find even more than the Anlam and Torra combined. The Wessuro had found their bickering amusing and had decided to host the competition. They had set up an outpost on one of their rocky meteors and told the three species to return with new people in five years' time.
The two competing species returned with other people - those who have been living on their planets with nary a thought of space travel and those who were just starting to launch themselves into it - and they decided that they would be allies.
"What is the point of knowing that each other exists if we do not communicate?" the Anlam had said. The others had agreed. The four Founders were known, then, as they had brought the first species of the Alliance together and have since expanded their reaches into other systems and galaxies, looking for those who wish to join.
***
The Anlam was a deft-handed species known for its advances in technology. The Vokkrus were advanced in their own right, but after meeting with the Anlam and consolidating their knowledge, they had really expanded to the levels they were at today.
The Torra was an artificial intelligence hivemind created by the Anlam. There were many debates about the validity of its sapience, none of which were spoken near it. Personally, Rulshkka believed that they were sentient. After all, it had feelings and thoughts.
His eyes slid over to his companion. Besides, he thought, he wasn't one to determine sentience.
The Anlam had boasted they could create Spirits from nothing but cogs and bolts. They hadn't succeeded, as was obvious, but they had created something. The Torra was a robotic race that cohabited with the Anlam. They were independent of their creators but tended to stay close to one another. Rarely could someone find an Anlam without a Torra nearby.
The leader of the Anlam was an individual named Heth. Tall in his own right, Rulshkka was dwarfed by the long-limbed being. They were arrogant and boastful but incredibly intelligent. He supposed that one had to be in order to be the best of an already insanely intelligent species. The Anlam had short, stubby wings that were once used for flight but had since shrunk in their quest for knowledge. There had been little use for flight when they dedicated their time to learning.
They were usually gray in color. Rulshkka had heard the others joke that they had once been brightly colored, but since their studies had taken them indoors and away from their sun, all their color had washed away. He was unsure about the plausibility of that one. Their limbs were stick-thin, but they moved with the fluidity and grace of the most talented of dancers.
As Heth stepped forward, the Orb shimmered to life. It projected an image of Heth far above it, into the emptiness of the domed ceiling. It was easily seen throughout the room, and Rulshkka heard Kohgrash make a noise of surprise.
"His mouth," Kohgrash bemoaned quietly. Rulshkka gave him a look. He was suddenly glad that he hadn't added English to the translators, yet. That was rude to say!
"I hope I do not need to stress the importance of civility," Rulshkka stressed. He did not want to get into an argument because of Kohgrash's baseless disrespect.
"No, don't worry," Kohgrash said hastily. "I'll be nice." The human shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eyes flickering back and forth between the image on the Orb and anywhere else. "But man, his mouth is really fucking creepy."
Rulshkka frowned, looking at Heth. His mandibles were just like any other.
"He looks like a spider," Kohgrash looked like he wanted to cover his eyes and cower.
There were some species that were a part of the alliance that held visceral reactions toward other species, completely involuntary, of course. The Arnoxi, for example, could not be near the magma-born Roxn for fear of evaporation. He would have never expected humans to have an instinctive reaction against anyone else. They were always so... intense.
Rulshkka, not all that familiar with Earth fauna, knew what a spider was, vaguely. Some sort of insect pest that liked to sit on ceilings and make Internet pages. It was odd. But so was everything else on Earth.
"Oh," Rulshkka simply said, unsure of how to remedy this. "Well, you don't have to look at Heth. You can look at the Torra, instead."
Kohgrash grunted in reply, looking a little queasy. It wouldn't be easy avoiding Heth, especially as they were the spokesperson for the Alliance. While there was no real leader of the Alliance, Heth was the next best thing.
"Greetings, everyone," Heth clicked, mandibles moving as he spoke. Kohgrash shivered in revulsion next to him, trying to look like it didn't bother him. "I am glad to see that everyone has made it here safely. Here begins the next Alliance meeting."
They had long since stopped counting the times the Alliance had met. It had taken millennia to agree that they would go by the Core's frame of time - there was a particularly stubborn meteor that whipped around the Kindred and did not falter in its steady pace around the black hole. Every time it passed the Core marked one cycle, and there were ten in a Core-year. Every two years they held an Alliance meeting - and by then, it had taken even longer to figure out that they wanted to host it semi-regularly.
Rulshkka settled into his chair as he let Heth's speech wash over him. It was the same speech every time, and Rulshkka found himself guessing the next few words correctly. Kohgrash was enamored, though, even though the human kept glancing away from the Anlam every so often.
Heth's welcoming speech came to a conclusion as he said, "Thus, I hope you are all doing well. It is wonderful to see such a full room on this glorious day. The discussion will begin now. Is there anyone who wishes to begin?"
The room stayed quiet, as it always did when this question was asked. That was because as soon as Heth stopped speaking, the leader of the V'srk stepped forward from her podium beside the other three Founder. As she did every meeting, she dipped her head and started speaking.
The V'srk reminded Rulshkka of Chorsl, bovine and large. However, quite unlike the docile creatures, the V'srk were the strongest race in the known reaches of the universe. Their strength was unparalleled. It was rumored that they had moved their entire planet a few inches out of orbit by sheer force of will.
Their horns sloped out from their heads like daggers, curving up into the air. Thick, coarse fur draped across their shoulders and chests like a mane, threaded with jewels, ornaments, and other oddities that Rulshkka couldn't imagine being attached to him at all times. They had flat snouts that hosted sharp teeth. Often, they stood upright, but when traveling long distances or running, they reverted to using their forelimbs as legs.
"She's cool," Kohgrash whispered to him, barely audible. "Reminds me of a minotaur."
Rulshkka vaguely remembered reading about such a thing when he had been on Earth last, but it had been described as half man, half bull, and he wasn't sure if he knew what a bull was.
Nelcu was the strongest of the V'srk. They held a similar contest as the Vokkrus did to determine their leadership - though Rulshkka was inclined to believe his was much better - and she had remained the title holder for many, many years. Possibly longer than half of Rulshkka's life. The V'srk were long-lived, just like the Vokkrus.
"Hello once again," Nelcu said loudly, voice booming and filling the entire room with ease. She didn't even need the help of the Orb. "I would like to begin by thanking the Oculum and Plorax for their assistance with my planet's herahin invasion. They are skilled hunters and should be recognized. As it is, I would like to remind everyone that extraterrestrial species can and will run rampant on your planets if they are not properly assessed. Please adhere to the Alliance's Guidebook of Domesticated and Wild Species if you are planning on integrating any organisms into your ecosystems. Thank you."
Rulshkka let out a little sigh. "I need to take you out of that," he murmured. Kohgrash gaped at him.
"What? You seriously put us in a guidebook -" Kohgrash hissed idignantly before he cut himself off as the Wessuro leader stepped up in Nelcu's stead.
Wessuros were tree-like in every aspect of their being. Their feet - if one could call them that - were woody stumps that seemed to ooze over every piece of terrain in their path. They were amorphous in nature, never seeming to settle on a shape or form for very long. They made excellent climbers, as they could stretch themselves thin to get where they needed to be. Right now, the leader of the Wessuro, an individual named Birum, was mimicking the shape of a Torra, boxy and stiff.
"Greetings," Birum rumbled, sounding halfway between a cool breeze and a cracking tree branch. "Please remember that the next allied banquet is coming up soon and to attend it. This is mandatory. I am looking at you, Lordly Tri'kam."
Titters and guffaws followed that statement as several heads turn to Tri'kam, the leader of the Plorax race. They looked chargined but agreeable, if the flashing lights in their eyes were any indication.
Heth spoke up, "Now, is there anyone else? The floor is open for discussion - whether that be any issues on your planet you require specialized assistance with, technology that may be useful to other races, or possible grievances with other races that you would like to be mediated."
The Zoue leader, Omphu, stood up noisily, accidentally knocking over their chair. They didn't bat an eye at the noise, but several nearby podiums grumbled with distaste. Rulshkka could see the mxys rippling with brown irritation. Their mxy was covered with gleeful pink and yellow spots. Amusement.
"I have an issue," Omphu declared. The one Rulshkka had seen in the atrium sat beside them, looking slightly embarrassed but mostly resigned. "And I would like it addressed!"
Heth looked like he wanted to sigh irritably but barely refrained. "As I said the last few hundred times, Sir Omphu, we are not adding another room for the Zoue. Each race gets one aside from their sleeping quarters, and you already have two."
"But this is important," Omphu insisted, as they always did. "The Zoue need their daily dose of sunlight. Look at Woolm, here! Stand up, Woolm."
Woolm, the other Loue, slowly stood up. They were the Zoue representative, much like how Porrafka was Rulshkka's. They stood tall, even if Rulshkka knew they were embarrassed. Their mxy was a rosy pink.
Omphu grabbed the other Zoue's head with their claws, shaking it in emphasis. "Look how small he's gotten! Absolutely unacceptable! Are the Alliance a bunch of old farts stuck in their ways?! Why can't every race have more than one room!"
"Because," Heth stressed calmly. "The Core is only so large. If we add rooms every day, we will soon need to upgrade the Core's power supply, which we all know is expensive. We will add the necessary sunlight to your existing rooms, Sir Omphu. Perhaps some sunning rocks as well. Is that acceptable?"
Omphu looked incredibly pleased but made sure to act indignant and begrudging when they said, "That would be passable."
Heth nodded once, gesturing to the Torra behind him. "Please mark that down, Torra'ta."
"Of course," the Torra buzzed, robotic mouth flashing. The Torra were, simply put, robots. The Anlam gave them the freedom to choose their own form, but since they were a hivemind, they often looked the same. This time, they were tall prism-shaped beings. They had a few extra limbs poking out of its body, but it had four main appendages.
"Alien robots," he heard Kohgrash mutter under his breath. "Can't believe I'm looking at an alien robot."
Kohgrash looked up at him curiously, "When will we...?"
Rulshkka reached out and brushed some of the fur out of his face. In a whisper, he said, "In the next portion of the meeting, we go over new planets and species. I will introduce you, then."
Kohgrash nodded, and they both settled back into their seats.
Various species brought up their concerns: the Straytex brought up that several storms on their planet would impede trade, so they were going to be setting up a temporary outpost on one of their planetary neighbors. Someone, Rulshkka couldn't see who, suggested investing in ships that bore the brunt of severe weather, which garnered scoffs from several other leaders, whose planets were practically weather-free. Weather-faring ships tended to be heavier and more compact; several species didn't enjoy their looks.
Rulshkka thought it all ridiculous - each ship served a purpose, and if one ship looked ugly but bore the brunt of harsh winds and rainfall, what did it matter? Who was going to see it? The rain certainly wouldn't judge.
The matriarch of the Roxn claimed that the Arnoxi, their nearest neighbor, was encroaching on their territory and to back off.
"Lest we eviscerate the lot of ya!" Roxen shouted, ever persistent in upholding the fued between the elemental species.
"At least I don't have to rely on dirt for food!" Avo screeched in return.
"Enough!" Heth bellowed. The room quieted almost instantly, though Avo and Roxen glared daggers at each other. "We will go over territory lines at the end of the meeting, as we always do. Any fighting will not be tolerated here in the sanctity of the Core. I will only say this once."
"What happens if they break that?" Kohgrash whispered, ever curious. Rulshkka leaned closer to whisper in his ear.
"They will be tossed into the Kindred," he replied simply. At Kohgrash's widening eyes, he reassured the human, "But I have not witnessed such a thing in my time here. I do not recall reading about it in the reports of other Vokkra, either."
Kohgrash pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. "But what if someone accuses you? That you fought someone when you really didn't?"
"The Orb is able to determine what is genuine and what is fabrication. Don't worry," he added when Kohgrash looked unconvinced. "That will not happen to you or me."
"Vokkra Rulshkka," Heth called, voice slightly condescending but curious. "Is there a concern of yours?"
Rulshkka did not often speak at these meetings. As he had mentioned earlier, the Vokkrus were a private people; there was no need to debase themselves for assistance at a place like this. Not where tentative allies could quickly become definitive enemies. Thus, several species turned their gazes on them. He could feel Kohgrash start to stiffen with the attention. Well, he supposed, there was no time like the present.
He stood from his seat, brushing down the front of his tunic briefly. He gestured for Kohgrash to stay, which garnered a huff of breath from the human and a choked noise from Porrafka.
"Actually, yes, I do have a... proposal. It is of utmost importance, I assure you." Rulshkka said.
The Orb shimmered, shifting its gaze onto him and projecting him in the air. Rulshkka smiled genially, and Heth gestured for him to continue. Rulshkka spread his claws as he spoke.
"As you know, the Vokkra have been exploring and liberating species from dying planets and stars. Preservation, while perhaps not the most pressing concern for my people, has benefitted the Vokkrus substantially. I know a few of you who have enjoyed the fruits of our labor," he said, thinking of Avo and the Arnoxi, who quite enjoyed one of the plants he had found - aside from looking rather pretty, it had the added benefit of storing any kind of liquid in its leaves granted that it had enough sunlight to thrive in.
Murmurs washed over the Alliance, some curious as to where this was going and others annoyed that it was taking him this long to get to his point. Rulshkka stated, "We have expanded our search outside of Andromeda Galaxy."
The murmurs turned curious and intrigued. A few who had met Kohgrash before the meeting had begun started to put the pieces together. With a closed-mouth smile, Rulshkka declared, "I have found the first sentient species in the Milky Way Galaxy."
The excited uproar was deafening.
"Let us compose ourselves!" Heth called, voice trembling with excited fervor. There hasn't been a new species inducted into the Alliance for quite a long time. "Vokkra Rulshkka, please continue."
"They call themselves humans," Rulshkka explained. Kohgrash was small enough that not everyone could see him in the room. He used that to his advantage. Besides, everyone's attention was on him, anyway. "They are from the planet called Earth located in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is a class five planet."
"Then how did you find life?" someone, Rulshkka thought it might be Gnaroi, the leader of the Gcit species, asked snidely. "Class fives can't host it."
"It does," Rulshkka replied simply. "Humans are hardy creatures. They are resilient and tough. The Vokkrus have been in contact with them for many A1-308 years."
Outcry erupted, and Heth had to call order once again. He took a big breath. "Vokkra Rulshkka," the leader said calmly. "Why has it taken you so long to notify the Alliance about them?"
Here is where Rulshkka hesitated. This could go poorly. He knew, however, if he hid the truth, it would only blow up in his face somewhere down the line - in a much bigger explosion than he could manage. At least here, he had some semblance of control.
He mentally apologized to Rukka for not keeping this under wraps, and opened his mouth, preparing for the worst.
"We believed them to be nonsentient."
Silence pervaded the room for one beat of his heart before noise filled it once again. This time, though, instead of shocked and curious exclamations of excitement, furious shouts of rage met his ears.
"This goes against every law in the book!" someone shrieked from his left.
"Nonsentient?! Did you employ none of the tests?" a growl came from his right.
"Outrageous! Those poor souls! Under the Vokkrus rule, no less!" a loud exclamation from behind him.
Rulshkka raised his hands, well-versed with vitriol coming his way. He splayed his claws in the submissive gesture of his people, out in front of his body to show that he was no threat. "I admit that we made a mistake," he spoke loudly over the cacophony of anger. It was only through the Orb that he could be heard, he was sure. "We have been bartering peace with the species ever since we found out they were, in fact, sentient. The humans and the Vokkrus are in an alliance. As Vokkra, I have decided to sponsor them."
He held his breath and was rewarded with more cries of shock and dismay.
"What?! That poor species probably got blackmailed into that!" someone hissed.
"They probably don't even know what it entails," someone growled back.
"The Vokkrus sponsoring someone is unheard of! You never go out of your way to help anyone!" someone else accused.
"That's enough!" Heth roared, slapping the Orb with the palm of his hand. It made a loud rattling noise, and Rulshkka was hit with a subtle wave of calmness. It did not completely erase the nervousness he felt, but it stopped his tail from twitching. "We will keep it civil in here!"
The room quieted at that, and Rulshkka was acutely aware of Kohgrash at his back. He wondered what his human was thinking.
Heth waved a hand at Rulshkka, motion harsh and snappy. "Vokkra Rulshkka, am I hearing you correctly? You wish to sponsor the newly-found species, these humans?"
Rulshkka nodded once, the movement short and full of nerves. He didn't think it showed, though. "That is correct."
"Have you contact with their leader? Whoever holds power on their planet?"
Rulshkka thought of the hundreds of governments he met on Earth and knew that trying to explain that to the Alliance, who were mostly comprised of species that held only one government, would be a headache. Still, he shook his head. "No, humans do not have one simple leader. It is far more complicated than is necessary as of now, I'm afraid. However, I have the official ambassador of Earth."
Kohgrash stood up at that, stepping out into the walkway as he couldn't exactly see over the podium from the ground. The Orb shifted its focus from him and went his friend instead. He saw Kohgrash shudder, just slightly, at its intense presence. He looked a little overwhelmed but held none of the edges of panic Rulshkka had come to associate with Kohgrash's need for retreat.
"This is Lord Kohgrash of Earth, of A1-308," he tacked on the end, just to make his point that the humans were his.
Those familiar with some of his language tittered in shock. Avo, who had always expressed an interest in other languages, gaped.
"That cannot be his name, surely," he insisted. Confused murmurs surrounded them. "He is..."
"Would you like to find out why they call me that, Sir Avo?" Kohgrash cut him off, lips forming an icy smile. Avo didn't hear the threat behind his words and opened his mouth, probably intending to answer in the positive. Rulshkka hastily placed his hand on the other's shoulder, having to slouch just slightly to do so.
"He is called Victor on Earth. Kohgrash is his name on my planet," Rulshkka explained, squeezing the other's shoulder. In reassurance or warning, he didn't quite know himself. "Kohgrash can vouch that our species are on good terms. We have resolved the situation."
Kohgrash, Spirits bless him, nodded vigorously, even though he likely had no clue that taking a species without proving their sentience - or lack thereof - was the most greivous crime someone could commit. The Alliance's rage at him was justified, especially the species that had a history of being under someone else's rule unwillingly.
"Vokkra is my closest friend. I am free of mind. There is no blackmail," Kohgrash insisted. There were still some murmurs amongst the crowd, upset about the sheer audacity of someone finding a species and claiming they were nonsentient. To be fair, Rulshkka had tested them. They had sent out a message, but all it seemed to do was interfere with their floating devices. By the time Ghhvresh had sent him reports through the ship, they had already taken the humans onboard. Rulshkka figured that, if anything, the humans would make themselves known as sentient.
He had been too excited to find life beyond their Galaxy. That had blinded him. He could say that it was one of his biggest regrets, but if he had not done it, then he would not have met Kohgrash.
Heth cleared his throat loudly, quelling the curious murmurs in the room. They were less aggressive, now that Kohgrash had spoken on his own behalf, but they were still apprehensive. "If you are sound of mind, Lord... Victor of Kohgrash," he began.
Kohgrash interrupted him, slightly timidly, "Just Kohgrash is fine, Sir Heth."
"Lord Kohgrash, then. If you are sound of mind, then will you allow the Vokkrus to sponsor you in all its entirety?" Heth stressed, sounding unconvinced that the humans would ever do such a thing.
Kohgrash, who certainly didn't know what sponsoring meant, nodded resolutely and said, "Yes. Of course, I would. Vokkra is my ally." He wouldn't do anything to hurt me was left unsaid, but Rulshkka heard it nonetheless.
Rulshkka bit back the smug smile that wanted to crawl onto his face at the surprised expression on the Alliance leader's face. Heth's eyes locked onto his, and he nodded. There was nothing that they could do to him, now. Even if Vokkrus had suppressed the humans' freedom for a time, they were allies. And if the victim did not want to pursue action against their suppressors, the Alliance would be forced to mitigate their retribution.
"There were many factors that played a part in our discovery," Kohgrash continued, voice growing steadier as he spoke. His gaze avoided Heth for the most part, eagerly glancing to the other species instead. "Our planet was dying and we were not advanced in our technology."
Trade limitations would take a hit from certain species. With Kohgrash speaking on their behalf, the Vokkrus would see trade from other sources instead as their intrigue about this new species increased, but there would still be a decline.
"But what of the tests?" a Clorklaxt stood up from their podium to shout. They were hard-shelled quadrupeds that resembled spiky bow-legged lizards. When threatened, they rolled up into an impenetrable ball. "Are they simply not needed by the almighty Vokkrus?"
Clorklaxts were definitely on the no-trade list. Rulshkka had never seen the friendly species so angry. It wouldn't harm them that much, he thought as he ran through his mental list of all the trading contracts they had with each species. The most useful item they got from the Clorklaxts was their planet's clay, and he could get that somewhere else.
"It is not your concern how my species came to be known as sentient, is it?" Kohgrash snapped, tone tight. "I am here tonight to join the Alliance. I've been met with accusations against my only ally and insults on my name, instead."
Rulshkka felt proud at his words; he hadn't needed to worry so much about this meeting. Kohgrash could certainly hold his own.
Heth replied, somewhat frantically, "We mean you no disrespect, Lord Kohgrash. Civility here is of the utmost importance." Here, he shot looks at all of the angry leaders. They were rightfully subdued, and a few of them sat back down. "There are certain procedures in place whenever we discover new species - even ones that appear nonsentient."
Yes, those procedures were rather irritating. As the Vokkrus explored far reaches of space and discovered new species, they were required to conduct sentience tests. On every single species. Even the ones that were obviously not of intelligent thought! It was ridiculous, but they had followed the rules. They had just... grown lax in the last forty years.
They had only sent a few questions to the humans when they had discovered them. Can you understand us? Their method of communication had, in all fairness, destroyed some of the humans' forms of communication, but they hadn't figured that one out until they were halfway back to A1-308.
They had tested the humans in other ways, of course. The reaction to the threat of danger and death was one they had quickly discarded as useless, considering almost all animals reacted to such a thing. Though, Rulshkka should have realized that the humans had reacted to their weapons as well, instead of simple brute force or posturing.
There were other things to test for, of course. Writing, tools, memories... but those were all things that other animal species on alien planets had demonstrated as well, so why would Rulshkka think these humans were any different than them? Those animals were still animals, after all. They were just able to use a stick to scrape against a food source or able to tell who had been cruel to them days later.
Perhaps it was just Rulshkka's luck to find the first sentient species in another Galaxy and accidentally assume they were simple animals.
"There are no hard feelings between my kind and Vokkra's, despite what has happened," Kohgrash said firmly. He looked over at Rulshkka, silently pleading for his help.
Heth caught the look and inclined his head at the human. Kohgrash stiffened, just slightly, but he held fast in the face of his species' aversions to whatever it was Heth had. The mandibles, Rulshkka recalled. "Well, Lord Kohgrash, if you are certain you do not want to pursue retribution against the Vokkrus for their crimes against your species," he said, but Kohgrash shook his head.
"No, not at all," he said firmly. Rulshkka felt his heart warm.
"Then, let us continue this meeting, shall we?" Heth called.
***
"Oh, man, that was scary," Kohgrash sighed explosively as soon as they were relatively alone.
The meeting had carried on like normal. Rulshkka hadn't been around when the last species had been introduced to the Alliance, so he was mildly surprised about the hologram the Orb showed.
It was an introductory video. It was horribly vague and frankly lacked in every aspect of quality video, but Kohgrash had stifled some laughs at the cheesiness of it, and it had been semi-informative, so Rulshkka supposed that it hadn't been all bad.
They then went through species introductions. It had taken almost two hours to get through every species. Even if the entire Alliance had just said their name, it would've taken forever. As it were, each species had decided to add a little tidbit about themselves, which had spiraled into showing off their attributes, planets, and trades. By the time the last species - the Zoue - had spoken for twenty minutes before Heth had kindly ordered them to stop.
All in all, it had been a long meeting.
If looks could kill, Rulshkka would have died thrice over before he had left the room. While he knew that animosity never lasted in the Alliance - it completely ruined the point of such a treaty - it would certainly make the next few years a little awkward. Hopefully, when they saw how unaffected Kohgrash was toward him, the supposed suppressor, their attitude would warm.
"You did really well," he praised Kohgrash, glad that it was over. "I hope you weren't too overwhelmed."
Kohgrash patted his side. They were walking to the library, which held most of the species' knowledge about seemingly infinite subjects and most importantly, the Guidebook. "Don't worry. It was a little intimidating, but it's over and done with, now, so I'm fine. Hey, where'd uhh... Porrafka go?"
Rulshkka glanced behind him, only seeing Thrin and Vrol'ma. "Odd, he seemed intent to walk with us. I will fetch him."
"Should I come with you? Oh- Hello, there," Kohgrash said suddenly, and Rulshkka turned to find Avo, the Be'turian leader, Zzir, and the Zoue representative, Woolm surrounding his friend. They looked friendly enough, but Rulshkka stopped in his tracks nonetheless.
"Greetingsszz," Zzir buzzed, tilting their wings that signaled curiosity. Kohgrash eyed them warily but smiled at them, close-mouthed.
"We wish to have a friendly chat with you if that's okay?" Avo asked. He was looking directly at Rulshkka. He tried not to grow defensive. He wasn't some sadistic captor!
"Of course," Kohgrash replied in Vokkran before switching to his mother tongue to say, "I'll meet you in the library, Vok'Rul?"
"Yes, I'll see you there," Rulshkka said, taking the hint. He turned again, gesturing for Thrin and Vrol'ma to stay with Kohgrash. They looked like they wanted to protest, but a sharp glare from Rulshkka had them stalling.
He had a representative to find.