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talk our way out of this. Barrore, open a
channel to the Iztapel ship.”
    “Ships, Captain,” the Mer
replied. “There are eight of them, but you have a channel to the lead ship.”
    “Thank you,” Tina nodded then
spoke to the Iztapellian ships. “Standing down as requested, Iztapel ship. This
is Captain Tina Linea of the Earth Ship Independent .
We did not intrude on your system intentionally…”
    “Your intentions are of no
interest to us, Captain,” the Iztapellian responded coldly.
    “We are chasing the Dark Ship
that arrived a few minutes before we did,” Tina tried to continue.
    “They broke connection, Captain,”
Barrore informed her, “and the Dark Ship just made another jump.”
    “Follow them,” Tina decided.
    “Our jump drive has not yet
finished recharging,” the pilot informed her.
    “And we’re surrounded,” Tragackack
added.
    “The Iztapellians are a jumpy
lot,” Park told them all. Whatever you do, do start re-energizing our engines.
Open a channel, please. Iztapellian, this is Ambassador Parker Holman of Earth,
do you read me?”
    “Greetings, Your Excellency,” the
Iztapellian responded, although there was no note of welcome in his cold voice.
“What can I do for you?”
    “I apologize for our intrusion on
your sovereign territory, but was wondering how my old friend Metipaitzel was
doing. I have not heard from him since he retired a few months ago and was
concerned.”
    “The Honorable Metipaitzel is
recovering nicely, sir,” the Iztapellian responded, the tone of his voice
warming noticeably. “It is kind of you to inquire.” Just then a video channel
opened between the two ships and Park realized that they were now on good terms
with the Iztapellians, who would only engage in video conversations with those
they considered friends.
    Out of the corner of his eye,
Park noticed Tina studying the image of the creature before them. Iztapellians
were not human, nor even humanoid in shape. Instead they were vaguely
turtle-shaped although they had six limbs and a prehensile tail that functioned
as one of the most efficient grasping organs known within the Alliance of
Confederated Planets. Their tails could grasp, but for detailed and precise
manipulation, they used the fingers on the hands at the ends of their forelimbs
and so they stood and their middle and hind limbs, keeping the forward third of
their bodies elevated. In effect they looked, to Park, like a cross between a
centaur and a tortoise, although their faces were quite flexible and showed a
full range of emotions.
    “As I say,” Park shrugged, “He’s
my friend and I have missed his company since he had to retire.”
    “Metipaitzel is my great uncle,”
the Iztapellian admitted, adding, “I have the honor of being named,
“Haritaizt.”
    “Pleased to meet you Haritaizt,”
Park replied. “Now as to the ship we were following…”
    “Yes,” Haritaizt considered.
“Exceptions can always be made for friends. I may have detained you too long,
though, I fear.”
    Park glanced at Tragackack who
gave him a most human-like nod. Park sighed and told Haritaizt, “I think it
would be a better use of our time if I were to visit my old friend, don’t you?”
    Iztapel smelled like a swamp to
the Earthlings. “It is not unpleasant really,” Marisea commented as though
trying to convince herself more than the others, “I suppose these are all
healthy smells.”
    “Just because they are healthy
sorts of smells doesn’t mean they have to be pleasant,” Iris commented, “at
least not to aliens like us. I’m sure this is good fresh air to the
Iztapellians.”
    “Not really,” Haritaizt corrected
her. “We have been experiencing a sort of air pollution as of late due to a
chronic seasonal temperature inversion.”
    “Smog?” Iris asked, and then
found she had to explain the term.
    “Yes,” Haritaizt agreed. “That is
the case, I fear. Truly fresh air is far more fragrant although I am told that
most humans