Arriving at the starport on the floating palace the party are informed that none of the royal family are currently available, but that Princess Rao wants to see them as soon as she can get free of her current engagements.
While they wait, the Captain sends the NPC crew to the Frontier Trader to wake it from its mothballed slumber. They arrive and start work, but it will take some time. He then goes with the party to see Rachando, who is just finishing up with a guest and will see him shortly.
When Rachando's guest emerges Sparrow is surprised to see that it is his good friend Kaisyl of the Ahroay'if, an Aslan noble. While Slaid visits with Rachando Sparrow accompanies his furry friend to speak with him.
After the small talk is out of the way, Slaid asks if Rachando can obtain a particle weapon to match that which is in the Harrier already. Rachando thinks that is possible, but will take a couple of weeks as the weapon will be sourced from the nearest Aslan world.
Sparrow finds out that his friend is here without any fanfare. Kaisyl is not in hiding as such, but his ship is hidden in the outer system and he is not insisting on any diplomatic or other rights that might usually be extended to him.
When Princess Rao is available, they meet with her in one of her private rooms. She is pleased that the pirate that menaced Torpol and Clarks has been brought to justice, and more so that those planets are now much more favourably inclined toward Drinax. She insists that while King Oleb is going to want to hear tales of daring and piracy in high space to disrupt trade, she considers diplomatic effort to be much more likely to succeed. The approach therefore is to be in parts piracy, trade and diplomacy.
Princess Rao also informs the party that they are all invited to a banquet to be held that evening, which means getting out the ball gowns, dress uniforms and evening wear once again. Lady Nitrane heads off to visit with Lady Hill, the most influential courtier in the palace, and an old dear friend. When Lady Hill sees Nitrane's Theev dresses she agrees that they are entirely fashionable, and they set to work to prepare for that evening.
Sparrow dusts off his old diplomatic attire, and Unter his tuxedo. Slaid polishes the trinkets and baubles on his admiral dress uniform.
Before the banquet drinks and nibbles are served while the guests mingle and talk. All are introduced to the King (who upon seeing the party mugs and hams it up terribly, winking and exaggerating to make it known that they are not at all doing something for him - with some eyebrow raising from the Imperial ambassador) and to the guest of honour, an Imperium scientist called Yutal Mirobar haut-Belzoni (who appears to be tolerating the backwater hicks to whom he is being introduced, and occasionally cleaning his hands).
Unter meets up with Chieftain Galx, the representative from the Vespexer tribes (those who live on the surface of the planet). She and Unter are very good friends, and she and her muscled companions chat with him while waiting for the banquet to start.
Chieftain Galx
Sparrow notices Kaisyl is there looking slightly frantic. He clearly does not want to make conversation with anyone so is either in motion or hiding behind a pillar until Sparrow catches up with him and Kaisyl relaxes.
Lady Nitrane does the rounds, in her regal manner, passing Lady Hill who murmers approvingly at her dress. Nitrane's ex-husband, Lord Wrax of the Star Guard, appears to be avoiding her however as he is always at some distance chatting to various people who at times turn to look at her.
Slaid notices Rachando in conversation with a number of people who look like merchants. Looking around, Slaid sees a few other people who are unknown to him. One, someone he finds out is called Faihlokh, gives the impression of being rather more than the humble merchant he is dressed as. This Faihlokh at one time is seen with Lord Wrax. Faihlokh looks over at Lady Nitrane, then at Slaid, before returning to conversation with Wrax.
When the gongs are sounded for the meal to commence, the party are split up. Unter and Slaid are with guests of no particular importance, and their meals pass uneventfully. Lady Nitrane finds herself next to Scholar Voha, chief scientists in the Scholars Tower. He is aware of their mission and while some innocuous chitchat indicates that the mission is well, they agree to talk later in more privacy.
Sparrow is seated next to the scientist haut-Belzoni who, it becomes painfully apparent, is a rather boring individual. It's possible that from others historical naval technology, and in particular Vilani logistics during the Fifth Interstellar War, could be very interesting. But not from haut-Belzoni. His droning voice and mannerisms that suggest he's explaining something interesting to a backwoods ape are too much, so it takes a good 10 drinks for Sparrow to be numb enough to nod in a friendly manner and not feel any more pain.
The only vaguely interesting piece of information that comes out of haut-Belzoni's lips is that he's found a message globe from the old Sindalian empire and he intends to open in the next morning in the presence of the King and Scholar Voha. Sparrow nods (at times alarmingly and exaggeratedly) and eventually haut-Belzoni shuts up.
After toasts are completed and the banquet guests start to leave or continue mingling Lady Nitrane, interested to hear what the scientist had to say, catches up with Sparrow and, noticing he is quite drunk, instantly sobers him with a medpack. It is then that Sparrow notices Princess Rao catch his eye, hold for a second, and then continue talking to her companion. The message is somehow clear. He is to come over and talk to her. When he does, she turns to him, as if to just wish him a good evening, and says that he and the party will attend the opening of the globe the next morning. She instantly turns to another guest - the conversation with Sparrow taking no more than two or three seconds.
After alerting the rest of the party, Sparrow heads off to spend an evening talking with Kaisyl while Nitrane, Slaid and Unter return to their lodgings for the evening. Sparrow learns more about why the Aslan noble is on Drinax. He's not very talkative - wanting to keep things even from his close friend - but some things do come out. Kaisyl is here because of something called Ihatei - an assemblage of unattached males who gather to make war. There is a gathering near to the Aslan border and somehow Kaisyl is involved.
The next morning the party are escorted to the Scholar's Tower where the globe will be opened.
Continued in Part 2.
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