They entered the area Security/Diplomatic Chief's office.
This alien was lovely, playful and congenial.
He considered the extensive collection of systems built into her and pondered whether it indicated an emotionless artificiality.
He made a request and kept his face away while asking. Facing away would allow her to consider the question without having to suppress any emotional response.
Chief: "This room has recording capabilities, and I expect you can also transmit. It is just the two of us, I think we are both familiar with alien negotiations, and have training for rare requests. I would like to perform a touch sensuality test with you."
He would accept any cause for refusal.
She stood looking forward, smiling with her hands down and slightly facing forward. That is a very open body language, one that I would hope to attain in a similar situation.
Chief: "I ask that you react in a manner representative of a normal Lan. This will be a sensitivity test, not an intimacy response test"
The chief walked behind the elLan. He placed both hands on her shoulders, moved one hand to stroke down the arm and other in a kneading motion down the spine musculature. Back along the arm to the shoulder, and further down the back. Bringing both hands gentle and kneading back muscles, both hands can to rest on each side of the hips. One hand stroked the front of one leg and the back of the other. He noticed the elLan unlocked knees. The hands then swap rear leg to fore leg to move upward. Then kneading back muscles to the neck. He stroked the other arm, and with his other hand gently drew along the neck, ending with fingers hovering away from her lips. He composed his expression and stepped around to face her.
Chief: "What is my current emotional state?"
elLan: "Same as always, the wroug are emotionally stoic. Just like the Lan"
The chief turns at once away and thinks, "Well there's that. We might need to keep that a secret."
Chief: "I notice that you unlocked your knees."
elLan: "Yes, is that an issue?"
Chief: "For a Wroug, weak knees are considered a flaw, unless the person is sick. Is there any request on your part?"
elLan: "Let's talk about our primary request. Lan culture is open to all sentient beings, in any bodily form or construct they have. We have practiced this openness for a very long time. There are alien beings in relationships with many Lans, at the belonging level. I think Wroug call this marriage. When someone that belongs to the Lan, there are levels and forms, it grants diplomatic equality. We treat those beings fully as Lan. When the Lan travel, we want others to respect this. Particularly, travelers would not want a belonging being ttaken away based on treaties meant to secure a favor from the Lan. We do not apply this in cases where the Lan find there to be a credible accusation of crimes that the Lan recognize. This is an extradition issue."
Chief: "That is an issue we could codify. I do not recall it being a specific issue, even in historical reports. Let me consider its viability while we consider another matter. I would like to show you a video. This is the Lan on Wroung yesterday. How would you describe the mental state of the Wroug on the street?"
elLan: "With alien cultures, the Lan are methodical and do not take short cuts. We would have enough information to predict the mental state."
Chief: "This is a wide, distressful condition. See, people are running away."
elLan: "Well, the crowds were growing, so some of those running away may have been going to tell others to come see us. Your perspective will rate very highly, we will adjust towards your view. Though, here let me move that video, because we have a question. It is what caught the attention of the Lan."
Chief sees the video display follow her direction. He still has the controls in his hands. This is an encrypted video display. Compromised. I will have to have it analyzed and THEN shredded.
elLan: "So that Wroug that just turned and ran. They get fuzzy right there?"
Chief: "Oh well here let me show you."
The chief walks to his desk, pulls out a bracelet. When he puts it on, he is couple inches shorter, longer hair, and is a female Wroug. "These are swap plane bracelets. Wroug has a mirror plane. Things are essentially equivalent, except our counter parts are opposite sexes."
The data connector on the elLans forehead had been changing colors throughout the day. It now glows yellow white. The elLan's expression say that she is clearly intrigued.
The Chief asks for a second test of her sensitivity, and the elLan agrees. Performs the same sequence, except finger nails are sometimes pressed and the fingers near the lips touch gently. The Chief composes briefly, thinking this is always hard. I will do my best. Chief walks around to face the elLan.
Chief: "What is my current emotional state?"
elLan: "Same as always, the wroug are emotionally stoic. Just like the Lan"
Chief: "I think you were more stimulated, by my female form."
elLan: "I do not agree. You were more assertive with nails and firmer with touching, also lips. It was an equivalent response, whether male or female."
Chief walks to bookshelf, dips down with bended knee and picks out a book.
Chief: "Here, this is my gift to you. It is my copy of the book that describes this technology. Part of our agreement in the alien council is that we do not give technology to any species that cannot demonstrate knowledge of technology." The elLan lets the book flip pages, and she then holds it close to her chest.
elLan: "I see there are some works referenced, that are now in two different Libraries in this town. May we send some Lans to review them?"
Chief: "Yes, but I ask that you have them walk a speed about 85% of the average Wroug foot pace. The Lan walk at a pace that engenders distress."
They stand in the office. The books are found and reviewed. The elLan reports that the reviews are collected and looks quite pleased.
Chief: "I want to warn you that this technology only works in areas where compatible swap planes exist. I think the area of the galaxy where the Lan are, does not support its use." The chief removes his bracelet.
Chief: "I think it would be good to reduce the visa count to 4000. I think the extradition issue will go better if I have a success to present."
The two stand close for a brief while, and the chief turns away.
The Lan holds the book like a dear heirloom. She hands the chief a card with contact details to one of her superiors.
elLan: "I will be unavailable for some time. Did you think you might visit Lan?"
Chief: "I suspect that I will be in a position that would prevent that for a fair while, years."
The elLan disappears (thinking as she does that she should have used the arrival area).
Chief is concerned. The Lan do not see Wroug emotion when it is clearly present. How long can such a thing stay secret? Just one person can spill it.
He knows it will force him to command a greater area of planet Wroug as the price for this negotiation. It was his deal, so he will be responsible for any bad consequences.
Chief was really quite upset that he could not have simply given her a really good kiss. They would have accused him of being compromised. He knew that, but it still stung.