Chapter 4.7 : Under Another Roof

Chapter 4.7 : Under Another Roof

The hours following the Market pass without incident. After Sera leaves them at the Cutter with her final request to let her know if the Alejia reach out, the crew settles back into the uncomfortable routine that has defined much of their time on Marinagua: waiting while trying not to appear as though they are waiting.

The Market visit gives them plenty to occupy themselves with. Recordings are reviewed and purchases examined. Wilbur's memory stone receives more attention than its modest value probably deserves, if only because the simple exchange surrounding it now seems to carry more meaning than anyone recognized at the time. Chaala works through the language samples and observations gathered during the visit, comparing phrases, gestures, and sequences of exchange against the translation matrix. Doctor Shone reviews what little cultural information they possess concerning medicine, injury, and the Alejia reaction to medical insignia. Virel considers the layers of courtesy and obligation they witnessed, while JEEM quietly compiles everyone's observations and searches for patterns between them.

Progress is slow, but not absent. Several Alejia terms previously treated by the translator as variations of guest, custody, or protection begin to separate into distinct concepts. The words are not interchangeable. One describes a visitor received for a short period, another suggests someone held by authority, while a third is considerably more difficult. The closest Anglic interpretation the translation system produces is:

A person whose name is carried beneath another roof.

Even that, Chaala suspects, is incomplete. The meaning appears to extend beyond simple hospitality. The person providing the roof assumes some responsibility for the individual beneath it: their safety, their conduct, and perhaps even the consequences of their actions. In return, the sheltered individual accepts restrictions that remain frustratingly unclear.

It offers a possible explanation for the disappearance of Dominicus and the Harrier crew from the signal environment. Their communicators may not have been taken from prisoners; they may have surrendered them when they entered another group's protection. The thought does little to make anyone more comfortable.

The first day after the Market passes without contact from the Nine Tribes.
Captain Verik checks once in the afternoon. There has been no message and no indication at the checkpoint that one is expected. Before closing the channel he adds, almost casually, "No one has told us to prepare you to leave." Chaala lets the statement sit for a moment before Verik gives the faintest shrug. "On Marinagua, Captain, sometimes the absence of a door closing is the best news available."

Outside the Cutter, the Xá'kai presence continues much as before. Observers remain near the landing field, traffic passes through the checkpoint, and the distant city moves through its own rhythms, indifferent to the anxiety aboard the Scout cutter. Only Virel notices that one of the familiar observers has been replaced. The newcomer is older, his clothing carrying more markers than the younger Alejia who previously held the position, with several small witness-tags hanging from the upper portion of his staff. He does nothing unusual. He simply watches.

The second day begins much the same way, with no message, no summons, and no explanation. By midday, the waiting has become its own form of pressure, and JEEM eventually poses the question that everyone aboard has been circling. "What is the plan if they do not answer?" The question is directed to Chaala, but the silence that follows belongs to the entire crew.

Before anyone can answer, the Cutter receives a short communication from Verik. His voice is calm, but there is an unmistakable alertness beneath it. "Captain. You have visitors at the checkpoint." A brief pause follows before he adds, "A formal party."

By the time Chaala and the others reach the edge of the Cutter's access area, the Alejia delegation has already passed through the Xá'kai checkpoint. Seváhn of the Blue Cuff walks at its head, immediately recognizable by the blue cuff visible beneath the layers of his clothing. Two Xá'kai witnesses accompany him, both carrying staffs marked with small hanging tags. Between them walks an Alejia the crew has not met before.

He is dressed in pale sky-blue robes, simple in cut but carefully arranged. A narrow silver ceremonial spear rests upright in one hand, several rings and small fittings line one ear, and unlike Seváhn, he studies the humans openly as they approach. Seváhn stops at a respectful distance, his attention settling first on Chaala and then briefly on Virel. He speaks in Alejia and the translators begin processing, but before the system can complete the first sentence,....
the stranger beside him speaks in fluent Anglic.
"Captain Chaala Angushlii."

The pronunciation is careful but natural. There is none of the mechanical hesitation of the translator and little of the distortion the crew has grown accustomed to hearing from Alejia attempts at their language. For several seconds no one responds, and the Alejia inclines his head.

"I am Ziyótl Toha'kai, of the Zahá'to." He touches two fingers lightly against the shaft of the silver spear. "For this accounting, I speak under knot."

A small pause follows, his expression suggesting that he is searching for an exact equivalence. "Your language names such things poorly." There is the faintest trace of humor in his voice as he adds, "Envoy is near enough."

Seváhn says something quietly in Alejia. Ziyótl listens, then turns back to Chaala. "Seváhn of the Blue Cuff asks that I speak the answer carried from the accounting." The humor disappears from his expression. "Your petition has been heard."

No one moves as Ziyótl continues. "You asked for sight. Sight will be given." His eyes remain on Chaala before he adds, "Claim has not been given." Chaala does not need the translator to tell her that the distinction matters.

Ziyótl explains that four members of the crew may attend. They will travel under Xá'kai witness and must accept the route chosen for them. Weapons are not permitted, nor clothing that presents the appearance of preparation for violence. Active transmitters, navigational recording devices, drones, and independent sensor packages must remain behind. Medical equipment may be carried after inspection, and Doctor Shone receives a brief glance when Ziyótl says this.

The meeting will occur the following day, and the person they have asked to see will be present: Silvia Dominicus. The name changes the air around the Cutter. Voss takes a half-step forward before stopping himself. Ziyótl notices, and so does Seváhn, though neither comments.

Instead, Seváhn speaks again, this time delivering a longer statement.
Ziyótl's expression shifts slightly as he listens, and when the Alejia finishes, the envoy turns toward Chaala. "They ask that one question be answered before the meeting."

He pauses before continuing. "If the one you seek says she entered beneath the roof willingly, will you hear her answer?"

Virel thinks about the phrasing as it settles in his mind instead, turning over itself with quiet insistence: entered willingly, not remains. The distinction is small in sound but not in meaning. One speaks to the past, the other to the present—to consent that may have changed and to a choice that may no longer be a choice.

Virel has heard questions constructed this way before. What catches his attention is Ziyótl. The envoy's Anglic is exceptional and his translation appears exact, yet the younger Alejia delivered the question as given, cleanly and without examining the assumption contained inside it.

The shape of the question forms in Virel's mind, precise and necessary. If they only asked how Dominicus came beneath the roof, then they have not asked whether she wishes to remain there.

And if they have not asked, someone must.

After the market visit Victor spent the rest of the day writing about the behavioural idiosyncrasies of Alejia. The market visit was highly informative but it brought more questions than answers. If behavioral boundaries and cues played such a big role in this culture instead of facial expressions or voice pitch, then is emotions shown rather than heard? What happens during heightened stress conditions? Do Alejia use different type of communication when speed is of the essence? He would never say it aloud but now he was more interested to see how Alejian soldiers perform in action.

Apart from the research on Alejian, he also inspected the grain cakes for their composition. He tried to identify the ingredients and understand whether it would hamper human physiology in any way. His musings about Alejian behaviour also gave him a worried impression on how medical experts functioned in Alejian society. Was decorum more important than treatment? He wanted to see some Alejian doctors in action.

When the news of visitors coming was received, he immediately got alert and waited to see what was being conveyed. After all the information was passed by this new envoy, Ziyótl, Victor simply waited for the Captain and Virel to respond. But he already started making a mental list of the things he would carry when they would travel to finally meet Dominicus.

Dr. Shone’s Observations

1. Alejia Behavioral Idiosyncrasies

Dr. Shone’s observations lead him to believe that Alejia emotional expression is not absent, but is distributed across a broader range of physical behaviors than humans normally rely upon. During the Market visit, changes in posture, personal spacing, the angle at which an individual presented the body, the handling of staffs or carried objects, and the timing of responses appeared to convey information that humans would more commonly express through facial movement or tone of voice. In Dr. Shone’s opinion, the Alejia may regard visible control of the body as part of proper communication, making a deliberate change in stance or position more significant than a brief facial reaction.

He does not have enough information to determine whether Alejia facial expressions and vocal pitch are unimportant, culturally suppressed, or simply too subtle for an unfamiliar human observer to interpret. His best assessment is that the crew has been concentrating on the most obvious human communication channels and may therefore be missing signals carried through movement, distance, and changes in behavioral rhythm.

In Dr. Shone’s opinion, there is not enough information to form a reliable theory about Alejia behavior under heightened stress. The Market provided examples of routine social interaction rather than fear, anger, injury, or immediate danger. His best guess is that extreme stress would make their physical cues more pronounced or cause established behavioral boundaries to break down. Such a breakdown might itself be the Alejia equivalent of a raised voice, visible panic, or loss of emotional control.

There is also insufficient evidence to determine how Alejia communicate when speed is more important than decorum. Dr. Shone’s best guess is that soldiers, emergency workers, and medical personnel would rely on shortened phrases, standardized gestures, rehearsed movements, or clearly defined chains of authority. He cannot yet determine whether this would represent a separate form of communication or merely a faster and more disciplined version of the same behavioral system observed in the Market.

Dr. Shone cannot form a valid opinion regarding Alejia soldiers in action without direct observation. The disciplined control seen among the Xá’kai suggests that their soldiers may communicate effectively through positioning and practiced physical cues, but this remains an unsupported possibility rather than a conclusion.

2. Inspection of the Grain Cakes and Other Alejia Food

Dr. Shone’s inspection of the grain cakes leads him to believe that they are primarily composed of a processed starch or cereal analogue combined with a small quantity of plant oil or rendered fat. Their texture and odor suggest that the ingredients were ground, mixed with water, and cooked on a heated surface. He can identify possible traces of salt, mineral seasoning, and a mildly fermented ingredient, but he cannot reliably identify the native plant species without a proper biochemical database or laboratory comparison.

The grain cakes show no obvious signs of spoilage, dangerous chemical contamination, or active microbial growth. Based on their preparation and composition, Dr. Shone considers them unlikely to cause immediate harm to a healthy human when consumed in modest quantities. Cooking would also have reduced the risk from many native microorganisms and biological contaminants.

He cannot confirm that the cakes are completely safe. Unknown proteins could produce an allergic response, and native compounds harmless to Alejia physiology might affect humans differently. Dr. Shone’s opinion is that a small initial portion would present a low but not nonexistent medical risk. He would recommend retaining a sample and monitoring anyone who consumes one for gastrointestinal distress, skin reactions, respiratory symptoms, altered consciousness, or other unexpected effects.

The other procured Alejia foods require greater caution. Fermented pastes, uncooked plant material, and foods containing active native microorganisms present more uncertainty than the cooked grain cakes. Dr. Shone does not have enough information to declare those foods safe for human consumption. His best assessment is that fully cooked, low-moisture foods are presently the least hazardous Alejia food products available to the crew.

3. Recognition of Dr. Shone as a Physician

Dr. Shone’s observations since landing, particularly during the Market visit, lead him to believe that the Alejia delegation identified him as a medical professional before Ziyótl explained that inspected medical equipment would be permitted. The brief attention directed toward him appeared deliberate rather than incidental. His equipment, visible insignia, and conduct during initial interactions may have been sufficient for them to infer his role.

The fact that medical equipment was specifically addressed suggests that the Alejia anticipated the crew would bring a physician to the meeting with Dominicus. In Dr. Shone’s opinion, this indicates that they understand the purpose of a medical examination and are prepared to permit one within defined limits. It may also mean that Dominicus’s physical condition is expected to become part of the witnessed encounter.

There is not enough information to determine whether Alejia society grants physicians special status, regards them with suspicion, or places them under particular obligations. The Alejia may simply recognize medical personnel as functional specialists. Dr. Shone’s best assessment is that his role has been acknowledged as distinct from that of the negotiators and other crew members, but the meaning of that distinction remains unknown.

The Alejia reaction does not yet provide enough evidence to determine whether decorum takes precedence over emergency treatment in their medical practices. However, the willingness to permit inspected medical equipment suggests that procedure and treatment are not necessarily in conflict. Dr. Shone’s preliminary opinion is that Alejia medicine may be tightly controlled by protocol, authority, and clearly defined boundaries rather than being delayed for purely ceremonial reasons.

Virel turns to Chaala expectedly waiting for some indication that she will respond or he should do so instead.

"We would certainly hear her answer, but it would not be sufficient to release our obligation to her. We would know more about her obligations to others and theirs to her." Chaala answers, trying to keep her expression neutral.

Ziyótl listens without interrupting. At the mention of Dominicus’s obligations—and the obligations others may hold toward her—his attention sharpens. He turns to Seváhn and renders Chaala’s answer in Alejia, carefully preserving the distinction between hearing Dominicus and releasing the Scouts’ existing claim upon her.

Seváhn’s reply is brief. Ziyótl listens, then faces Chaala again.

"Then you do not refuse her voice, and you do not abandon your obligation."

He adjusts his grip slightly upon the ceremonial spear.

"That answer is accepted. Tomorrow is for sight and hearing. It is not settlement."

Ziyótl pauses, choosing his next words with greater care.

"You may ask what obligations she accepted, what remains upon her, and what is owed to her. The answers may be carried into the accounting, but they will not be decided at the meeting."

His gaze moves briefly from Chaala to Virel before returning to the acting captain.

"Four may come. Doctor Shone may carry inspected medical equipment. We will return after first light to conduct you beneath witness."

Seváhn inclines his head, confirming the arrangement without adding anything further.

Day Three - The Journey to Sight

The Alejia return shortly after first light.

The delegation is visible before it reaches the Cutter, advancing through the Xá’kai checkpoint in the same restrained formation as the day before. Seváhn of the Blue Cuff walks at the front with two staff-bearing witnesses. Ziyótl Toha’kai follows just behind him, the narrow silver spear of the Speaker Under Knot resting upright against one shoulder. Four additional Xá’kai accompany them, their clothing practical and unadorned compared with the robes and markers worn by the others. None openly display firearms, though each carries equipment whose purpose is not immediately apparent.

Ziyótl stops outside the Cutter’s established access boundary and waits for the selected members of the human delegation to emerge. His attention passes across each of them in turn, lingering briefly on Doctor Shone’s medical case before returning to Chaala.

"Good morning, Captain Angushlii. The road has been opened for sight."

He inclines his head toward the checkpoint.

"What you carry must first be seen. What is permitted will travel with you. What is not permitted will remain here beneath your own people’s keeping."

The wording is courteous, but the conditions have not changed. The Alejia have come to conduct the delegation, not to negotiate the arrangements again.

The walk from the Cutter to the checkpoint is not long, but the formality surrounding it makes the distance feel greater. The Xá’kai do not crowd the party or place hands upon anyone. Two walk ahead, two behind, and the witnesses remain far enough to observe the whole group. The formation leaves the visitors room to move while making it equally clear where they are expected to go.

The checkpoint itself has been altered since the Market visit. A second barrier has been erected behind the familiar outer station, creating a narrow inspection court enclosed on three sides by pale fabric screens stretched between heavy posts. The screens block the landing field from view without forming a permanent structure. A long, waist-high table stands in the center beneath a layered canopy. Its surface is divided into marked sections, each bearing simple geometric symbols rather than written instructions.

An older Xá’kai waits behind the table. Several witness-tags hang from his staff, and a younger assistant stands beside him carrying flat trays, woven sleeves, and small clay seals. Neither begins searching the visitors. Instead, Ziyótl steps to one side of the table and addresses the delegation.

"Each object will be placed where it can be seen and named. Clothing worn upon the body need not be removed unless it contains machinery, hidden compartments, armor, or a weapon. Doctor Shone’s medical instruments will be examined separately."

His gaze moves across the delegation.

"Nothing will be taken without being named. Nothing refused will pass beyond this place."

The Xá’kai assistant places four empty trays upon the table. A fifth, lined with clean pale cloth, is set aside for Doctor Shone’s equipment. Beside them, the older witness positions a small container intended for anything that must remain behind.

Ziyótl rests both hands lightly upon the silver spear and waits.

Victor moved with others while trying to hold his sling bag full of medical equipments as casually as possible. He didn't like this particular situation where even the medical professional carried diplomatic risks. He became more aware when a separate section was given for his equipments. Taking out his bag, he started arranging the things that he carried. He kept his mobile comm, personal medscanner, a trauma pack, a field surgical kit and a medikit all neatly arranged in equidistance on the clean clothed tray. He further opened his medikit to place the antibiotics, oral supplements, protein bars, blood transfusion pack, cogulants, bandages, painkiller sprays, burn care strips, disinfectants and other small instruments supplied in the pack. Then he eyed the Captain and others once and silently waited for the verdict of the Alejia observers.

Chaala will wear standard issue gear(the ironhand armored polos and pant and the field jacket and boots). The experienced eye will recognize it as Scout/Ironhand partnership issue, but with full scout insignia noting her rank and service history. She will have her PRIS glasses and the mobile comm they are integrated with as well as a commdot for additional hands free communication, since she won't always be wearing the glasses. Pouches with her basic medkit, a small bit of food and three of her marker beacons. She leaves out her Starman Deluxe, but keeps the pouch on the belt.

Virel deliberately left his knife and sheath aboard the Cutter.

He dressed in plain, neutral field clothing with no visible armor, technical equipment, or anything that might seem out of place. There was nothing on him that suggested force, concealment, or preparation for anything beyond walking the path they have been given.

Bohdie dresses smartly, in personal semiformal clothing (no insignia of any kind). He walks easily to the table for inspection. His personal belongings are simple. He carries a small, leather pouch with a sheath with a Small Torch (UV/white light penlight), his Micro-IFAK and his Starman Deluxe. He slides the pouch off his belt and places it in his tray. In addition, he removes and places his Wristwatch (Luminox RECON Point Man 8820 Heritage analog) in the tray as well. From a breast pocket, he removes a simple digital audiovisual recorder (a pen-like item (It does actually write)) and a small notebook of blank paper which he also places in the tray. Finally, he takes a small pouch out with some freeze-dried fruit as a personal offering. When asked, he will identify each item.

When asked to name the items, he will show and tell. Pulling the torch out, he will say, "The pouch contains a small penlight, in case something needs to be examined under additional lighting."

Opening the first cover, he draws out the small kit. "This is my personal First Aid kit, containing just a few quick medical items In case of injury or incapacitation. I carry it as an adjunct to Dr. Shone’s medical kit."


Opening the second cover, he draws out his Starman Deluxe. "As force of habit, I carry a multitool for those unforeseen moments when a tool might be needed that I otherwise would not have." (If asked, he will reiterate that it is a tool, not a weapon - a characterization he will not make first.)

Picking up his watch, he says, "This is a simple timekeeping device. It does nothing more or less than measuring the passage of time."

Picking up the recorder/pen and notebook, "This stylus is for marking in this book. It also contains a simple digital audiovisual recorder, switched on and off by this recessed rocker switch."

As he names and explains each item, he picks it up, shows each item in multiple angles, demonstrates any switches or less obvious features, then places it back in the tray for further inspection. He makes no fuss over anything which is deemed to be left behind.

The Inspection

The older Xá’kai witness begins with Doctor Shone’s tray. He studies the careful arrangement before indicating each object in turn, allowing Victor to name its purpose through Ziyótl. The Alejia inspection instruments are simple by comparison with the equipment before them. They can identify active emissions, obvious electrical activity, metal edges, and certain chemical compounds, but they cannot meaningfully analyze the internal workings of devices several technological generations beyond their own.

Doctor Shone’s mobile comm presents the first clear problem because Victor identifies it openly as a communications device. Ziyótl raises one hand before the refusal can be interpreted as an accusation.

"There is no fault in carrying it here, Doctor Shone. You have named its purpose before witness. Because it can speak beyond this place, it cannot travel farther."

He indicates the secured storage container positioned on the human side of the checkpoint.

"It will remain beneath seal and be returned when you return."

The remainder of Victor’s equipment is accepted as medical material. The personal medscanner is powered and demonstrated, though the Xá’kai can understand little beyond the readings Victor explains. The trauma pack, surgical kit, medikit, transfusion supplies, pharmaceuticals, dressings, disinfectants, food supplements, and smaller instruments are inspected for obvious concealed weapons or active communications functions, but none are refused.

The surgical instruments draw attention because of their sharpened edges, while the painkillers and other medicines prompt questions about their effects. Ziyótl accepts Victor’s explanations and renders them carefully for the witnesses.

"The instruments of a physician may cut without being carried as weapons. The medicines may alter the body without being carried to control another’s will. Their purpose has been named."

Small clay seals are attached to the handles of the medical cases, not to restrict their use but to show that the equipment was inspected and accepted beneath witness. Victor may open and use the kits as medical need requires.

Chaala’s turn takes longer because she carries several objects the Alejia cannot easily categorize. Her clothing is examined through touch and visual inspection, but the protective fibers and advanced construction do not resemble the rigid plates, load-bearing carriers, or obvious defensive garments known to the Xá’kai. To them, it appears to be durable offworld field clothing bearing Scout and Ironhand insignia. No objection is raised.

The PRIS glasses are examined next. Their systems are powered down, and the Alejia detector produces no meaningful response. The lenses appear unusual but not visibly different from advanced corrective or protective eyewear. The integrated mobile comm and commdot remain silent, their components too small and sophisticated for the Xá’kai equipment to distinguish from the other electronics built into the glasses and clothing.

The three marker beacons receive only a brief examination. Powered down, they present no active signal and appear to be small sealed technical devices whose exact functions cannot be determined. The inspectors turn each one over, compare it against their detector, and return it to Chaala’s tray. Her basic medkit and food pass without concern, while the empty Starman pouch receives only a brief glance.

Virel’s inspection is completed quickly. The Xá’kai check the seams of his clothing, the soles of his footwear, and the ordinary locations where weapons or devices might be carried. His deliberate simplicity leaves little for them to examine. Nothing is produced, nothing activates their instruments, and nothing requires further explanation.

Bohdie’s careful presentation satisfies the form of the inspection. The small torch is demonstrated in both white and ultraviolet light and returned to the tray. His Micro-IFAK is opened, compared with Doctor Shone’s larger medical supplies, and accepted without restriction. The analog wristwatch is likewise approved after Bohdie demonstrates that it measures only the passage of time. The blank notebook causes no concern.

The Starman Deluxe receives more attention. Bohdie demonstrates its various tools and explains its ordinary purpose, but when the knife blade is extended, the older witness raises his staff slightly. Ziyótl listens to the resulting exchange before addressing Bohdie.

"They accept that this is carried as a tool. They also see that one part may be used to cut flesh."

His tone remains calm and without accusation.

"It may pass if you place your word beneath witness that the blade will not be used offensively during the journey or meeting."

The younger Xá’kai assistant places a thin clay tablet upon the table. Its surface is covered with several shallow geometric impressions. Ziyótl explains that Bohdie need not sign an Alejia name or understand the written statement. The witness will record the object, its blade, the restriction placed upon it, and Bohdie’s acceptance. Bohdie is asked to press his thumb into a prepared section of soft clay while speaking his agreement aloud.

Once he does so, the older witness presses the end of his staff into the tablet beside Bohdie’s mark. The clay is then placed inside a rigid sleeve to dry.

"Your word is now carried with the tool," Ziyótl says. "It may travel."

The final question concerns the pen-like stylus. Bohdie’s honesty about its recessed switch and audiovisual recording function prevents any misunderstanding. The older witness indicates the secure storage container as soon as the function is translated.

Ziyótl explains the decision.

"It may write, but it may also preserve sight and speech. Recording devices were named among the things that could not travel."

He gestures toward the container.

"It will remain here and be returned with Doctor Shone’s communicator. Nothing has been violated because you declared it before passing the boundary."

A plain Alejia writing stylus is placed beside Bohdie’s notebook so that he may still take written notes. His freeze-dried fruit is opened, examined, and returned, though Ziyótl offers a quiet warning.

"The food may travel. Do not present it as a gift until you ask me. A gift offered at the wrong moment may be received as payment, apology, claim, or obligation."

Doctor Shone’s communicator and Bohdie’s recording stylus are wrapped separately and placed inside the rigid storage chest. Each owner watches as the items are listed through Ziyótl. The lid is closed, mechanically secured, and covered by a clay seal impressed by the Xá’kai witness. The chest remains on the Cutter side of the checkpoint beneath the custody of the crew who remain behind.

The accepted equipment is returned to its owners. Small clay inspection seals hang from the handles of Doctor Shone’s medical cases and Bohdie’s Micro-IFAK. Bohdie’s Starman Deluxe is returned with the witnessed tablet recording his restriction. Chaala’s equipment is handed back without further comment, its more sophisticated capabilities remaining beyond the inspectors’ ability to identify while powered down.

When the last object has been accounted for, the older Xá’kai witness steps back and inclines his head toward Ziyótl.

The envoy turns to the four visitors.

"The inspection is complete. What has been refused remains yours. What has been permitted now travels beneath witness."

Behind him, the rear fabric screen is drawn aside, revealing the enclosed Alejia transport waiting beyond the second barrier.

Transport to the meeting

When the inspection is complete, the rear fabric screen is drawn aside, revealing a vehicle waiting beyond the second barrier.

The transport is long and low, supported by eight broad wheels whose surfaces are formed from overlapping flexible plates rather than conventional tires. Its exterior is the same muted clay-grey seen on many Alejia vehicles around Balac Pontli, but its passenger compartment is fully enclosed. Narrow windows run along either side, each covered from within by angled shutters that admit light while preventing a clear view outside. The rear doors stand open, revealing two facing benches and handholds fixed along the walls and ceiling.

No weapons racks or restraints are visible. There is also no obvious means for the passengers to open the doors from within.

Ziyótl gestures toward the entrance.

"From this point, the road is held by those granting sight. You will not be told where the meeting takes place. You will be returned by the same authority that carries you there."

His tone remains polite and matter-of-fact.

"This protects the roof beneath which the meeting is permitted. It is not a judgment against you."

Seváhn enters first and takes a position near the forward bulkhead. One Xá’kai witness sits beside him while the other remains close to the rear door. Ziyótl waits until the human delegation is aboard before entering last. The doors close behind him with a heavy mechanical engagement, shutting out the checkpoint and most of the morning light.

The transport begins moving almost immediately.

At first, the route seems familiar. The vehicle rolls over the compacted surface near the landing field, turns through the outer approach, and enters streets whose sounds resemble those heard during the Market journey: wheels over fitted stone, scattered voices, handcarts being moved aside, and the occasional hollow resonance of passing beneath an overhead structure. Through the shutters, the passengers catch only fragments—sections of plastered wall, hanging cloth, the lower portions of buildings, and brief flashes of sky.

After several minutes, the vehicle makes its first unexpected turn. It slows, doubles back, and enters a narrower route where the wheel noise changes from stone to packed earth. The turns come too frequently to preserve a reliable sense of direction. Some are broad and natural; others are unnecessarily sharp, as though the driver is deliberately folding the route back across itself.

The transport stops inside an enclosed court.

The doors open onto high walls and a roof of interlaced screens. There is no view of the surrounding district. The delegation is directed across less than twenty meters of open ground into a second vehicle of nearly identical design. The transfer is conducted without urgency, but the witnesses change positions and two of the Xá’kai escorts remain behind. New escorts take their places without introduction.

Ziyótl stays with the party.

The second transport has no windows at all.

Its interior is illuminated by narrow strips set into the ceiling, and the air carries a faint smell of dust, oil, and dried vegetation. Once the doors close, movement can only be judged through acceleration, turns, changes in road texture, and the low vibration passing through the benches. The vehicle climbs for a time, descends more sharply, then follows a level route broken by repeated stops. At several points other vehicles can be heard nearby, though whether the transport is moving through a crowded street, a depot, or another controlled compound is impossible to determine.

The journey is not designed merely to prevent the visitors from learning a street address. It denies them a continuous route.

When the second transport finally stops, the party is led through a covered passage whose walls are made from overlapping wooden screens. The passage turns three times within a short distance before opening into another enclosed loading area. Waiting there is a smaller vehicle with a higher passenger compartment and heavy shutters secured across every opening.

There is no discussion of why a third transfer is necessary.

The last stage of the journey is quieter. The surface beneath the wheels becomes smoother and the surrounding sounds diminish. The transport maintains speed for several minutes before slowing through a succession of turns. Once, it halts long enough for a muted exchange to take place outside. Ziyótl listens without comment, his ceremonial spear resting across his knees.

No one aboard is threatened. No one is bound. No demand is made beyond compliance with the route already accepted.

Yet every shutter, transfer, escort change, and unnecessary turn carries the same message.

The Alejia are allowing the delegation to pass through boundaries normally closed to them. They are not opening those boundaries.

At last, the transport descends a shallow incline and comes to a stop. The engine quiets, but the doors remain closed. Outside, footsteps approach and a short exchange follows in Alejia. Seváhn answers from the forward compartment.


Ziyótl rises.

"We have reached the place prepared for sight."

He looks across the human delegation, his expression composed but more serious than when the journey began.

"Remember what has been granted. You may see. You may hear. You may ask."

His hand settles around the shaft of the silver spear.

"Nothing is settled here."

The locks disengage from outside.The doors swing outward, admitting cool daylight and the smell of damp stone, smoke, and growing things. Beyond the transport lies a small enclosed courtyard surrounded by high, pale walls. Narrow strips of garden run along their base, planted with dark-leafed shrubs and low red flowers. The only visible exit is the covered passage through which the transport entered, now occupied by two Xá’kai witnesses.

Across the courtyard stands a single-story building of plastered stone and dark timber. Its broad entrance is open, but woven screens prevent any view of the interior. There are no signs identifying the place and no surrounding rooftops visible above the walls. It could be deep inside Balac Pontli or at its outer edge; the journey has left them no reliable way to know.

Seváhn steps down first. Ziyótl follows, then turns toward the human delegation and gestures to the waiting doorway.

"She is inside."

No guards block the entrance, but witnesses stand at every boundary. The meeting place is calm, private, and carefully controlled.

The Alejia have brought them to Dominicus. They have not brought them beyond their reach.

Chaala remains largely quiet during the ride. She tries to remember every element of the route but is overwhelmed by the conscious obfuscation. She focuses on sound tone and smells after that, comparing the possible routes to her memory of the orbital images of the city. She listens for areas that are not the urban canyons necessitated by the extreme population density. When they come out near a single story building sufficiently far from the nearly claustrophobic density of the city core that it eliminates a lot of possiblities.

Of course, this is almost certainly not where they are being held. Even if they are confident we don't have an inertial tracker they have to suspect we have orbital sensing capability.

When the vehicle stops she waits for everyone. "When we go in, give her the option to speak first. She may not want to or be able, but we don't want to deny her the opportunity if she wants to express something to us before we get into a situation where our words change things."

Bohdie, at first, thought of trying to make a mental map, but quickly gives up on the idea. He chooses, instead, to concentrate on studying the Alejia with them. He is careful not to hold his eyes in such a way as to cause concern. When they arrive in the courtyard, he checks his watch and notes both the time displayed and the position of the sun, but says nothing. He nods at Chaala’s instructions but says nothing unless directly asked.

Inside the vehicle, Virel noticed at a glance what Chaala and Bohdie were attempting and quietly made note of it. He then looked toward the Alejia accompanying them, offered a slight nod, and closed his eyes.

Outwardly, he appeared calm, compliant, and entirely unthreatening. He listened to the movement of the vehicle and the sounds around them. Inwardly, he used the silence to steady his thoughts and prepare for the next step in the process.

When they arrived, Virel listened to Chaala’s instructions without reply. He simply turned toward the entrance where Dominicus waited.

Victor eyed the vehicle that reminded him of some containment vehicle carrying highly biohazardous materials. He didn't say anything though and quietly entered the vehicle. During the transport he remained focused on keeping his equipment close to himself and focused more on checking if they were alright. When the vehicle stopped, he finally disembarked and looked at the lone one-storey building wondering in what condition he would meet Dominicus. He listened to the captain's direction and followed the team towards the building.

The woven screens beyond the entrance are drawn aside one after another, revealing a short passage lit by filtered daylight. Pale plastered walls enclose shelves holding clay vessels, folded cloths, and several small marker-staffs. Nothing identifies the building’s purpose. It might be a guesthouse, a council annex, or simply neutral ground chosen because none of the parties can claim it as their own.

Seváhn leads the delegation into a broad rectangular room. Low benches line the walls, but the center has been prepared for a meal. Two tables stand at an angle to one another rather than directly facing. The larger is plain but sturdy, surrounded by several mismatched chairs. The smaller table is noticeably finer, with polished wood, thicker cushions, and serving vessels decorated with dark geometric bands. Two Xá’kai witnesses remain near the entrance with their staffs upright beside them. Ziyótl Toha’kai enters with the delegation but pauses near Seváhn rather than immediately joining either table.

Silvia Dominicus is already standing when they enter.

She is thinner than the images in the Harrier’s personnel files, and her plain Alejia clothing hangs more loosely than it was likely intended to. Her Scout field jacket has been cleaned and repaired, though the insignia has been removed. Her hair is shorter and unevenly cut, and fading discoloration remains along one side of her face. Doctor Shone sees no obvious indications of starvation, chemical impairment, or untreated major trauma. Dominicus stands without assistance, tracks every person entering the room, and appears fully alert.

The change in her expression when she recognizes the delegation is immediate and genuine. Relief breaks through the careful control she has developed, but only for a moment. Before addressing Chaala, Dominicus turns toward Ziyótl and offers a formal Alejia greeting. Her pronunciation is not perfect, but the phrasing is deliberate, and her posture follows the same restrained courtesy the crew observed in the Market.

Ziyótl’s expression brightens.

"Your words have improved, Silvia Dominicus. You placed the greeting correctly this time."

There is unmistakable pride in the response, though Ziyótl quickly restores the formal bearing of the Speaker Under Knot.

Dominicus answers in Anglic, allowing the human delegation to hear the exchange clearly.

"I had an exacting teacher."

She turns toward Chaala and the others.

"Captain Angushlii, this is Ziyótl Toha’kai of the Zahá’to, Speaker Under Knot for this accounting. Ziyótl speaks Anglic exceptionally well, probably better than most people you have encountered since reaching Marinagua."

The statement is delivered warmly rather than as a warning.

"Ziyótl has also helped my crew receive treatment, food, and an explanation when one could be provided. I consider Ziyótl a friend."

Dominicus looks briefly toward the envoy.

"A friend who also has duties."

Ziyótl inclines their head, accepting both the compliment and the qualification without protest.

Only then does Dominicus cross the room. The formal restraint falls away as she greets the humans according to familiar custom. Chaala receives the first embrace, firm enough to convey genuine relief but controlled enough not to disturb the careful arrangement of the room. As Dominicus’s left hand settles briefly against Chaala’s shoulder, the fingers of her right hand make a small, practiced motion close to her body.

It is an old Scout field signal: Safe. Functional. Not acting under immediate duress.

Chaala recognizes it immediately. Virel may know it from diplomatic work with Scout personnel, and Bohdie may have encountered it during operational training. To Doctor Shone, it appears to be no more than an incidental movement during the embrace.

At the same moment, Dominicus slips a narrow folded strip of material into the inner edge of Chaala’s field jacket. The movement is hidden by the embrace and completed without any change in expression. Dominicus gives no indication that Chaala should read it now.

The note says:

Do not discuss the Cutter, Harrier access, or the lunar site. Crew alive when last known, but separated. The ambush was arranged. Ask who benefited, not only who attacked. Do not demand release yet. Read only after return. Destroy this.Dominicus embraces Virel, Bohdie, and Doctor Shone in turn, adapting the gesture slightly to each person rather than forcing familiarity where it might be unwelcome. She is openly pleased to see all four, but the greetings also allow her to assess posture, equipment, injuries, and reactions at close range before the formal conversation begins.

Before anyone can begin asking questions, several Alejia attendants enter carrying covered dishes, bowls, cups, and warmed serving vessels. Dominicus steps aside and directs the arrangement with enough confidence to suggest that the meal was requested well in advance.

"I asked that we eat before the accounting begins in earnest. Standing strangers ask questions like opponents. People seated over food sometimes remember they are trying to understand one another."

The remark is directed to the whole room, but Dominicus turns respectfully toward the two witnesses.

"The witness-table was prepared with the better chairs and the better light. Those carrying the words of others should not be made uncomfortable while doing so."

Ziyótl renders the statement into Alejia. The witnesses examine the finer table, the cushions, and the placement of the serving dishes. The arrangement visibly grants them the superior position in the room without excluding them from the gathering. After a brief exchange with Seváhn, they accept the seats.

Ziyótl is invited to join them. As Speaker Under Knot, the place is appropriate, and refusing it would diminish the status Dominicus has publicly granted to their role. Ziyótl takes the chair nearest the end of the witnesses’ table, leaving the human delegation at the larger table several meters away.

The angle between the tables is not accidental. The witnesses can see the humans clearly, but they cannot easily follow every lowered word while eating, speaking among themselves, or receiving explanations from Ziyótl. Clay cups, serving utensils, the movement of attendants, and the ordinary sounds of a shared meal create intermittent cover. It is not privacy, and Dominicus knows better than to treat it as such, but it prevents the Alejia from controlling every rhythm of the opening conversation.

Dominicus seats Chaala beside her, with Virel close enough to participate without raising his voice. Bohdie and Doctor Shone take the remaining places. The food includes familiar grain cakes, cooked vegetables, sliced roasted meat from an unidentified local animal, several mild sauces, and a separate plate of human ration bars and preserved fruit. Dominicus has clearly learned which Alejia dishes the Scouts tolerate safely.

For the first few minutes, Dominicus speaks openly and at normal volume, asking about the journey to Marinagua, the condition of their vessel, and whether the crew has been treated correctly at the starport. The questions are harmless and give the witnesses nothing to object to. They also allow Dominicus to watch how the delegation answers and whether anyone has already developed dangerous assumptions about Alejia courtesy.

When the serving dishes begin moving and the witnesses turn their attention toward a quiet exchange with Seváhn, Dominicus lowers her voice slightly.

"Be careful with every answer you give here. I was trained to negotiate before I ever commanded the Harrier, and after six months I am still learning what I failed to hear in conversations I thought I understood."

She breaks a grain cake and dips one edge into a pale sauce, keeping the movement casual.

"The Alejia are masters of negotiation. That is not flattery. It is how so many tribes, courts, obligations, and rival claims occupy the same city without settling every disagreement through violence."

Dominicus’s gaze moves briefly toward the witnesses’ table before returning to Chaala.

"There are at least six factions or tribal authorities exercising control within Balac Pontli. Possibly more. I still cannot tell when two names describe separate powers, subordinate groups, temporary alliances, or the same people speaking through different obligations."

Her tone remains measured.

"Do not mistake that complexity for disorder. Someone here usually knows exactly which obligation is being moved and who gains when it moves."

Dominicus allows the conversation to rise again as an attendant approaches, thanking them in careful Alejia and asking that another dish be placed near Doctor Shone. Only after the attendant moves away does she ask the question she has clearly been holding since the delegation entered.

"Voss?"

When told that Voss is alive, Dominicus’s relief is unmistakable. Her eyes close for half a second, and some of the tension leaves her shoulders.

"Good. I did not know whether anyone reached the Harrier before they found him."

Her next question sounds equally natural.

"And the Cutter?"

As she speaks, Dominicus’s hand rests near the edge of the table. Two fingers make another brief Scout signal, almost hidden beneath the movement of reaching for a cup.

No. Do not answer. Not here.

Dominicus smiles as though expecting an ordinary report, giving the delegation every opportunity to provide a vague or harmless response.

The meal continues around them, bowls passing between hands and conversations overlapping across the room. Ziyótl remains friendly, attentive, and close enough to intervene if the formal boundaries of the meeting are crossed. Dominicus treats the envoy with genuine warmth, but never forgets that the Speaker Under Knot is present to carry Alejia obligations, not to protect Scout secrets.

The food, the seating, the greetings, and even the embraces have given Dominicus only a narrow advantage. It is not control of the meeting.

It is enough room to begin.

Chaala keeps her tone light when she speaks, yet chooses her words carefully, knowing there are several audiences.

"Sounds like you've had more opportunity than planned to learn about the Alejia. We are only starting to understand how obligation works and we're hoping to unravel the seeming tangle of obligation that holds you here so that you and your crew can return to your other obligations."

Virel remained close beside Chaala, watching both the exchange with Dominicus and the reactions of everyone else in the room. He recognized the Scout signals, but gave them no more attention than an expected greeting.

For now, he kept his expression neutral and allowed Chaala to lead the conversation. His attention moved quietly between the others noting what was said and how it was received without appearing to study any of them too closely.

There would be time later to discuss what they had seen in private. Here it was better to listen and observe.

When embraced by Dominicus, Bohdie says, "It is good to see you well, Dominicus. Please forgive me if I am too informal, we have not been properly introduced. You can call me Bohdie. I am acquainted with a friend of yours, Deyra Halsson, who has commanded me to convey her greetings. You, of course, know she awaits your return." Bohdie keeps his voice low, but not in a deceptive way, but just to keep the greeting low key. He does, as a matter of fact, know the silent hand and finger movements, but does not acknowledge them in any way. Beyond that, he steps back and lets everything else happen. It is only after the sit down that he really begins to take note of her behavior in that way a seasoned and trained investigator and undercover agent does. As he observes, he grazes on the food provided. He will periodically ask about a specific food and write down details about it in the notebook he brought, using the food entries as code about his observations, including the size and details of the room, which may, later, provide some insight into the nature of the building.

The moment Victor saw Dominicus, his mind started studying her like a patient. He noticed her face and her gait, her eyes and voice, even how she embraced. He thanked her and introduced himself as the doctor of the group and then sat silently letting Chaala and others do the important talking. After initial conversation was done, he mumbled and said, "I don't mean to imply anything or influence any obligations already working or placed upon us." He then eyed Chaala and Virel once and then looked at Dominicus. "It is just that being the medical professional of the team, I wish to do a preliminary check-up of you so as to record the current health status of yours. I can see you are doing fine. But if I don't collect the appropriate data then I won't have anything to log. Keeping an imaginary record can be false information and regarding health that would not be prudent. So I ask, can I do a check up on you?"

Dominicus’s Response

Dominicus lets Chaala finish without interrupting. The answer clearly pleases her, though she does not show relief too openly. She breaks another piece from the grain cake and keeps her voice at a conversational level.

"More opportunity than planned, and less understanding than I would like."

Her gaze briefly includes Ziyótl before returning to Chaala.

"Your approach is sound, but do not assume there is one obligation holding us here. There are several, and they do not all belong to the same people. Some I accepted. Some were placed upon us afterward. Some may exist only because someone with standing has declared that they do."

Dominicus turns the piece of grain cake between her fingers as though considering the food rather than the political implications of her words.

"Before you try to satisfy anything, make them identify each obligation separately. Ask who holds it, what action satisfies it, and who possesses the authority to declare it satisfied. Those may be three different answers. If you ask only what will release us, you may receive a perfectly honest answer that creates another obligation before the first one is closed."

She glances toward the witnesses’ table. Ziyótl is listening, but makes no effort to interrupt or correct her.

"Ziyótl has helped me understand that a promise accepted, a duty recognized, and a claim spoken before witnesses are not necessarily the same thing. That distinction has mattered more than once."

The acknowledgment is offered warmly enough to include Ziyótl in the conversation without suggesting that Dominicus has forgotten the envoy’s duties.

When Bohdie introduces himself and delivers Halsson’s greeting, Silvia’s control slips for the briefest moment. The smile that follows is unmistakably genuine.

"That sounds like Deyra. Giving orders from several worlds away and expecting the universe to comply."

She reaches across the table and briefly touches Bohdie’s forearm in thanks.

"Bohdie, then. No apology is necessary. Tell her I received the order, and tell her I remain on duty."

Dominicus does not comment on Bohdie’s notebook or the regular pattern of his food questions. She answers naturally when he asks about a dish, identifying those she has eaten before and admitting when she does not know an ingredient. Her eyes occasionally follow his stylus for a fraction longer than necessary, but she does nothing that would expose his method. When he asks about the pale sauce, she says that it is made from a fermented root and commonly served with grain cakes. When he asks about the roasted meat, she explains that the Alejia began providing it after learning which local foods the Harrier crew could tolerate safely. Her manner gives Bohdie room to continue without making the questions appear unusual.

Dominicus then turns her attention to Virel. She has already noted his silence, his position beside Chaala, and the way his attention moves through the room without settling conspicuously upon anyone.

"Mr. Kilmire, I suspect the questions you choose not to ask here may matter as much as those you do."

She does not wait for him to explain himself.

"Watch who answers for whom. Someone may speak about an obligation without holding it, and someone may hold it without possessing the authority to settle it. I have made mistakes by treating the person explaining a rule as the person empowered to change it."

Her tone remains courteous, but the warning is direct.

Doctor Shone has remained quiet through the exchange, though from the moment he entered the room his attention has repeatedly returned to Dominicus’s face, gait, eyes, voice, and movements. When the first portion of the conversation reaches a natural pause, he shifts slightly in his chair.

"I do not mean to imply anything or influence any obligations already working or placed upon us."

He glances once toward Chaala and Virel before returning his attention to Dominicus.

"As the medical professional of the team, I would like to conduct a preliminary examination and record your current health status. I can see that you appear to be doing well, but without collecting appropriate information, I would have nothing reliable to enter into the medical record. An assumed record would be false information, and regarding a patient’s health that would not be prudent."

He keeps his tone restrained and professional.

"May I examine you?"

Dominicus does not answer immediately. She looks first toward Doctor Shone’s sealed equipment and then toward Ziyótl and the witnesses’ table. Her expression suggests that she recognizes the importance of the request beyond its immediate medical purpose.
"Yes, and I appreciate that Doctor. I believe you need me to say this, so I consent to an examination." she says with a smile on her face.

She keeps her voice clear enough for the other table to hear.
"I would also like the record to state that I am alert, mentally competent, and speaking for myself. That may become important when others describe what was said here."

Ziyótl translates the exchange for Seváhn and the two witnesses. A brief discussion follows at the other table before Ziyótl turns back toward the humans.

"A physician’s examination is permitted within the sight already granted. Doctor Shone may use the equipment accepted beneath witness. The examination must take place in this room."


Dominicus inclines her head in acknowledgment before addressing Shone again.
"There is nothing I believe to be urgent. I have lost weight, and there are injuries that have already healed or are healing. I will answer what I can."

Doctor Shone gets up and opens his medical bag and pulls out the scanner showing the device to Ziyótl. There is the usual whirling sound of the Medscanner, it's 3d display of Silvia Dominicus first shows her Scout medical log file that Dr. Shone was able to pull form the ISS HArrier's medical files and then is starts to show the changes from the six months of captivity. Dominicus's expression becomes more serious while he examines her. "If you are later permitted to examine the rest of my crew, ask to see each of them separately. Do not allow my condition to be used as proof of theirs."

After the quick but effective examination Dominicus lifts her cup as an attendant approaches the human table. Her voice returns to an ordinary volume, and she asks Ziyótl whether the next dish contains the same root used in the pale sauce. The transition is smooth enough that the quieter discussion appears to have concerned nothing more consequential than the meal.

The opening exchange has not resolved anything, but Dominicus has given the delegation a structure for what follows. They are not searching for a single lock and key. They are facing several overlapping claims, and the people describing those claims may not be the people capable of ending them.

What the Characters Can Determine

Chaala Angushlii

Chaala can determine that Dominicus approves of the delegation’s stated objective but is warning against treating the situation as a single custody dispute. Her distinction between obligations she accepted, obligations later imposed, and claims merely declared indicates that the Harrier crew’s situation evolved after they entered Hídaska protection.

Dominicus’s advice provides Chaala with three questions that should accompany every future negotiation:
Who holds the obligation?
What satisfies it?
Who can formally close it?

Chaala can also determine that Dominicus is deliberately avoiding language such as prisoner, captor, release, or detention. This is not necessarily because those descriptions are false. Dominicus appears to believe that using them before witnesses would narrow the discussion into terms the Alejia could reject without addressing the crew’s actual situation.

Dominicus’s acceptance of Shone’s examination is also deliberate. She is using a routine medical request to establish before witnesses that she is competent, coherent, and speaking voluntarily. Her earlier Scout signal supports that position but does not prove that she is free to leave.

Virel Kilmire

Virel recognizes that Dominicus is describing a negotiation divided among several forms of standing and authority. The person presenting a claim, the person benefiting from it, and the person authorized to settle it may all be different parties.

Her wording is highly deliberate. She does not say that some obligations are false. She says that some may exist because a person with sufficient standing declared them before witnesses. In Virel’s assessment, Alejia negotiations may make a claim politically real before its underlying facts are established.

Dominicus’s emphasis upon asking who may declare an obligation satisfied is especially significant. Virel can infer that performing the requested service or offering the demanded compensation may not be enough unless the correct authority formally acknowledges completion.

Virel also recognizes the diplomatic value of Shone’s examination. Dominicus has accepted it publicly, and Ziyótl has translated that consent before witnesses. A favorable medical assessment could later make it harder for another party to claim that Dominicus was confused, impaired, or incapable of speaking for herself.

Dominicus’s friendship with Ziyótl appears genuine. Her trust is limited by Ziyótl’s office, not by personal hostility. Ziyótl listens carefully to her explanation and does not correct it, suggesting that Dominicus’s distinctions are broadly accurate. However, Ziyótl’s silence does not mean the envoy possesses the authority to resolve any of them.

"Bohdie" Takanamè Tanè Hokuanokada

Bohdie can determine that Dominicus’s reaction to Halsson’s name is genuine. The brief loss of composure precedes her controlled response and is unlikely to be performed for the witnesses. Her statement that she remains on duty is directed toward Halsson but also communicates that Dominicus still considers herself an active Scout officer rather than someone who has accepted permanent residence among the Alejia.

Bohdie also notices that Dominicus recognizes his notebook activity as something more than casual culinary interest. She never looks directly at the coded entries long enough to expose them, but she answers each food question naturally and supplies enough detail to preserve his cover. In Bohdie’s assessment, she is cooperating without acknowledging the method.

From the room and its use, Bohdie can reasonably conclude that this is a prepared meeting location rather than the place where Dominicus normally lives or where the crew is being held. The mismatched human table, superior witness table, lack of personal possessions, controlled entrance, and meal brought in by attendants all suggest temporary or neutral-use space.

He cannot determine whether the building is routinely used for negotiations or was prepared specifically for this meeting. His best assessment is that Dominicus had enough advance warning and influence to request the meal and shape the room’s arrangement, but not enough authority to select the location or remove the witnesses.

Bohdie also observes that Dominicus immediately understood the additional value of Shone’s request. Her response was not merely that of a patient agreeing to treatment. She converted the examination into witnessed evidence of competence without appearing to alter the purpose of the meeting.

Doctor Victor Shone

Doctor Shone’s initial visual observations are confirmed by the personal medscanner. Dominicus is alert, oriented, coordinated, and capable of following several simultaneous conversations. Her speech is organized, her memory appears intact, and she demonstrates planning, situational awareness, and appropriate emotional responses.

The medscanner records stable vital signs: normal body temperature, blood oxygenation, respiration, pulse, and blood pressure. There is no evidence of fever, active infection, internal bleeding, cardiac instability, or an immediate medical emergency.

Dominicus has lost approximately eight percent of her expected body mass since the personnel records stored aboard the Harrier were last updated. The loss is distributed across both body fat and muscle mass. It is medically significant but does not presently meet the threshold for severe malnutrition. The scanner identifies mild protein and micronutrient deficiencies consistent with a restricted but generally adequate diet over an extended period.

Her hydration is within acceptable limits, though slightly below ideal. There are indicators of disrupted sleep and prolonged physiological stress, including elevated stress-hormone markers and incomplete recovery between normal activity cycles. These findings are consistent with sustained uncertainty, confinement, disrupted routine, and responsibility for other people. They do not, by themselves, establish mistreatment.

The discoloration along one side of her face is associated with a healing soft-tissue contusion. There is no facial fracture, ocular damage, or neurological injury. The scan also detects several older, healed injuries, including minor rib and shoulder trauma consistent with an impact or violent fall. None currently require treatment beyond monitoring, nutrition, rest, and gradual physical recovery.

Her gait and embrace show no signs of weakness, tremor, imbalance, involuntary guarding, or severe pain. Musculoskeletal imaging reveals mild deconditioning and residual stiffness but no current fracture or major joint damage.

The medscanner’s toxicology sweep finds no active sedatives, intoxicants, stimulants, psychoactive suppressants, or other substances likely to impair judgment. There is no indication of repeated chemical restraint. It also detects no implanted tracking device, concealed medical implant, or unexplained foreign object.

A brief neurological assessment shows normal pupil response, motor coordination, speech processing, memory recall, and executive function. Dominicus demonstrates the capacity to understand questions, assess consequences, and provide deliberate answers. Based upon the examination, Doctor Shone can medically record that she is conscious, coherent, mentally competent, and not displaying signs of intoxication, sedation, delirium, or acute cognitive impairment.

Doctor Shone cannot determine from the scanner whether Dominicus is under political, cultural, or psychological coercion. Medical competence does not establish freedom of action. Her earlier Scout signal and her conduct during the meeting indicate that she does not consider herself under immediate physical duress, but that conclusion remains separate from the medical findings.

Dominicus’s request that the record include her competence is medically and politically significant. Doctor Shone now possesses objective data supporting her claim that she is speaking knowingly and voluntarily in the immediate medical sense. The examination would make it more difficult for another party to dismiss her statements as the product of injury, confusion, medication, or incapacity.

Her warning concerning the other crewmembers remains equally important. The scanner establishes only Dominicus’s condition. It provides no medical evidence regarding the health, competence, treatment, or freedom of the remaining Harrier crew.

Doctor Shone’s preliminary medical record would state:
Silvia Dominicus is medically stable and presents no immediate threat to life or health. She displays moderate weight loss, mild nutritional deficiency, physical deconditioning, healing soft-tissue trauma, older healed impact injuries, and physiological indicators of chronic stress and disrupted sleep. No active intoxicating, sedating, or judgment-impairing substances were detected. Neurological and cognitive assessment supports that she is alert, oriented, mentally competent, and capable of understanding and answering questions. These findings do not determine whether she is subject to non-medical coercion or free to leave.

Victor listened to Dominicus's advice and started noting all the parameters that he analyzed. Then he smiled and said, "I am pleased to see that you are alright but I will suggest that you take some Vitamin and nutrient supplements. You are alright but you still lost some weight. If you will allow then I can give you some of the supplements that I carry with my medkit."

Doctor Shone’s TreatmentDoctor Shone studies the medscanner readings once more before looking up at Dominicus.


"You have my consent, Doctor."

A faint smile follows.
"I have been eating better than I did during the first weeks, but I will not pretend the diet has been ideal. If you believe the supplements and treatment are appropriate, administer them."

She begins rolling up one sleeve, then pauses.
"Please record exactly what you give me, including the expected fatigue. I would prefer no one later describe a predictable treatment response as illness, weakness, or incapacity."

The request is characteristically careful. Dominicus is accepting medical care while also preventing the effects of that care from being used against her in a later accounting.

Doctor Shone provides the oral supplements first, explaining their purpose as Dominicus takes them with water. He then cleans the injection site and administers the vitamin-mineral preparation, followed by the advanced antibiotic and medical nanobot treatment. The injector produces only a brief pressure against the skin before its indicator changes to confirm delivery.

Dominicus lowers her sleeve and flexes her arm once.
"That was considerably less unpleasant than the local remedies."

The remark is light, but the gratitude behind it is genuine.

Doctor Shone’s Treatment

Ziyótl has listened closely throughout the explanation. Once Doctor Shone has finished, they translate a concise account for Seváhn and the witnesses, emphasizing that Dominicus consented and that the treatment is restorative and preventative rather than an attempt to alter her judgment.

Ziyótl then addresses Doctor Shone in Anglic.
"You named what you observed, what you intended to give, what benefit you expected, and what burden might follow. You asked before acting."

Ziyótl incline their head respectfully.
"This is well done, Doctor Shone. The witnesses understand that any tiredness during the next days may come from the treatment and is not evidence that Silvia Dominicus cannot speak or decide for herself."

Ziyótl looks toward Dominicus with evident approval.
"Your health has been strengthened without placing another unspoken obligation upon you. The care was offered, explained, and accepted before witness."

Doctor Shone’s Treatment
Dominicus meets Ziyótl’s gaze and gives a small nod.
"Then Doctor Shone has managed something useful and politically uncomplicated. I am beginning to think that may be the rarer achievement."

"We look forward to continuing to untangle the knot of obligation and not complicate it to gordian proportions. Such a tangle would serve no one's interest." Chaala acknowledges Dr. Shone's work and Dominicus' appraisal. She hopes Dominicus picks up the reference and that the Alejia cannot.

Dominicus’s mouth turns upward by the smallest degree. She does not look directly at Chaala, instead breaking another piece from the grain cake as though considering only the meal.

"Agreed. A solution may look clean and still destroy the record of how the problem was made. I would rather leave every strand visible until we know who placed it, who tightened it, and who benefits from declaring it impossible to untangle."

She takes a bite and adds in the same conversational tone:

"The quickest answer is rarely the safest one."

The response is entirely appropriate to the discussion of Alejia obligations, but Chaala can tell from the faint amusement in Dominicus’s expression that she understood the reference. Ziyótl may recognize that the two Scouts have exchanged a layered meaning, but nothing in Dominicus’s words gives the envoy or the witnesses reason to challenge it.

Sub-Chapter 4.7.2 The Accounting Opens

As the meal begins to wind down, the attendants remove the larger serving dishes but leave the cups, grain cakes, and smaller bowls in place. The change is subtle, yet the room’s mood shifts with it. Seváhn straightens at the witnesses’ table, and one of the Xá’kai places an old, worn computer tablet between them. The device is sized for Alejia hands, larger and broader than a human tablet, with a casing scuffed by long use and repaired in several places. Compact lines of Alejian script fill its faded display.

Ziyótl sets aside their cup and rises, the silver spear of the Speaker Under Knot held upright beside them.
"Sight has been given. Health has been seen and spoken before witnesses. What follows may be carried into the accounting, but nothing said here will settle it unless those holding the obligations later accept the settlement."


Dominicus does not appear surprised. She folds her hands upon the table and waits until the witnesses are ready before speaking.
"I want the record to distinguish what I know personally from what has been reported to me. I will not claim certainty where I do not have it."


Ziyótl translates the statement into Alejia. One of the witnesses lifts the old computer tablet, enters a brief notation in Alejian, and presses a marker against the display. The action formally records the distinction between what Dominicus knows through direct experience and what has only been reported to her.


Dominicus looks first toward Chaala, then briefly toward Virel.

"After the attack, Troulin was dead. Kade was badly injured, Larsen and Corvan were wounded, and Gruber was still mobile. We had lost transport, communications, and any practical means of returning to the Harrier. The people pursuing us had already demonstrated that surrender to them did not guarantee survival."

Her voice remains controlled. She does not dramatize the memory or attempt to soften it. "The Hídaska offered protection. I accepted it for the surviving members of my crew who were with me. I entered beneath their roof willingly because the alternatives available at that moment were worse."

Dominicus allows Ziyótl to translate before continuing. "The protection was not offered without consequence. The Hídaska assumed responsibility for our shelter, treatment, and conduct. In return, I accepted restrictions upon our movement and communications. I also offered the Cutter as surety."

There is a small movement at the witnesses’ table. Ziyótl glances toward Seváhn before translating the final sentence with particular care. Dominicus watches Chaala’s reaction.

"Surety. Not a gift. Not salvage. Not payment."


Ziyótl speaks before the distinction can be lost.
"In the Hídaska record, the smaller vessel was placed beneath holding as proof that Silvia Dominicus accepted the roof and would not depart while the obligations remained open."



Dominicus inclines her head.
"That is close enough."

She keeps her voice even, but the next words are directed firmly toward the delegation. "Do not demand the Cutter’s return before you understand what its return would mean. If the surety is withdrawn before the protection-debt is closed, the Hídaska may no longer be required to carry the risk they accepted on our behalf."

She pauses before adding:
"That risk is not theoretical. Other people have made claims upon us."

Virel can hear the precision in her wording. Dominicus does not say that the Hídaska would harm the crew. She says that removing the surety could remove the obligation requiring the Hídaska to continue protecting them from others.

Ziyótl translates. This time, Seváhn gives a small confirming inclination.

Dominicus turns toward the witnesses’ table.
"With permission, I would also like the current reports concerning my crew spoken in Anglic."


Ziyótl consults briefly with Seváhn and the witnesses. The exchange is quiet and formal. The witness holding the tablet scrolls through several Alejian entries before adding another notation. After a moment, Ziyótl turns back toward the human table.
"The reports may be carried, but they are not all reports of direct sight."




Dominicus nods. "That is understood."



Ziyótl begins with Feng Larsen.
"Feng Larsen lives. Larsen is able to walk and perform ordinary tasks. The injuries received during the attack are described as healed, though not without lasting discomfort. Larsen remains beneath Hídaska protection."

Dominicus’s expression does not visibly change, but Doctor Shone can see a slight release of tension around her eyes.

Ziyótl continues. "Ilse Corvan lives. Corvan no longer requires continuing treatment for the wounds received during the attack. Corvan is sheltered beneath a house allied to the Hídaska and has not been returned to the same place as Silvia Dominicus."



Dominicus looks toward Chaala. "I have not seen Corvan recently. I have received reports, but no direct meeting."

Ziyótl acknowledges the correction before continuing. "Tomas Kade lives. Kade remains under medical care. The condition is described as stable, but Kade has not been declared ready for travel."

Doctor Shone immediately understands the limitation. Stable does not mean recovered, and an Alejia declaration of readiness may include more than medical fitness.


"Freja Gruber lives. Gruber is described as physically capable and not presently receiving medical treatment. Gruber remains under watch because of unresolved conduct following entry beneath the roof."


Dominicus’s jaw tightens slightly.
"Gruber resisted being separated from Kade. No one was seriously harmed, but the event created another claim."

Ziyótl does not dispute the description. The witness holding the tablet records another entry in Alejian.

Dominicus looks around the table, allowing each name and condition to settle before continuing.
"Those are the reports as I understand them. I cannot personally confirm their present conditions. Doctor Shone was correct to distinguish my health from theirs."

She rests one hand lightly beside her cup.

"There is no single door holding the crew here. Larsen remains within the original Hídaska protection. Corvan is beneath an allied roof. Kade’s care has created medical obligations whose limits I do not fully understand. Gruber’s actions created a separate conduct claim. The Cutter supports the original protection, but it does not automatically satisfy everything that followed."

Her attention shifts toward Virel.

"This is what I meant when I said you must identify each obligation separately. Who holds it. What satisfies it. Who can declare it closed."

Dominicus glances toward Ziyótl, offering the envoy the opportunity to correct her.



Ziyótl remains silent for several seconds before speaking.

---

"That is an accurate beginning."

Not a complete account.




A beginning. Dominicus turns back to Chaala.
"The attack placed us in the position where these obligations became possible. I do not believe that was accidental." She keeps the statement measured enough to remain within what she can support.
"The attackers knew our route. They arrived where they could divide us from our transport and communications. They drove us toward territory where only another Alejia authority could shelter us. The attack was a means to an end. What end, I do not know."

Her gaze remains fixed upon Chaala. "Be very careful in your negotiations. Someone wanted this situation created. Until you know why, assume every agreement may move you closer to whatever they intended."

Ziyótl translates the statement without softening it. The witnesses listen, but neither objects nor confirms the allegation. The old tablet passes between them, Alejian characters appearing across the screen as each statement is entered into the record.

When the translation is complete, Ziyótl returns their attention to Chaala.
"The names and conditions have been spoken. The surety of the Cutter has been spoken. The existence of other obligations has been acknowledged."

Ziyótl places both hands upon the ceremonial spear. "You may now ask about what has been carried into the accounting. Answers may be given here, or they may be carried to those who hold the obligation."

The room falls quiet again. The Team learns that the surviving Harrier crew are alive. They have also learned why bringing them home will not be a single negotiation.

Questions to Ziyótl or Dominicus? Or any clarifications required by the players?

"That is more distinct obligations than I had hoped but fewer than I feared. We do not wish to leave any unsatisfied nor to destabilize Balac Pontil by offering what should not be offered. In honesty, I will need to be educated as to what is required to satisfy these obligations. Surety is not satisfaction but it points to what types of things may be accepted though I have little sense of magnitude." Chaala ponders aloud, knowing that her words will be heard. "Would it create new obligation to request that Dr. Shone have visibility to Kade?"

Ziyótl does not answer immediately. They lower the ceremonial spear slightly and look toward the witnesses’ table, making it clear that this is not a question they intend to settle through interpretation alone. One of the witnesses draws the worn Alejian tablet closer. A brief exchange follows in Alejian, with Seváhn listening but not intervening.

At last, Ziyótl turns back toward Chaala.

"A request does not, by itself, create an obligation. It may be heard, refused, or carried to the one who can answer it. But the granting of a request may create burdens, and burdens must be named if they are not to become obligations afterward."

They glance toward Doctor Shone.

"To see Kade is one request. To examine Kade is another. To provide treatment is another still. Transport, escort, disclosure of Kade’s location, and the carrying of a medical record may also be counted separately, depending upon the roof beneath which Kade is held."

One of the witnesses speaks at greater length. Ziyótl listens carefully before translating."The witness says that Kade is not presently beneath the same immediate roof as Silvia Dominicus. The request may be entered into this accounting without debt, but permission cannot be given here. It must be carried to those responsible for Kade’s shelter and care."

The second witness adds something more sharply. The old tablet is turned between them, and another line of Alejian text appears across the display.

Ziyótl continues translating.

"The other witness asks whether Doctor Shone seeks sight, judgment, or responsibility. These are not the same. If he only observes and gives an opinion, the obligation may remain where it already rests. If he treats Kade, accepts continued care, or declares that Kade should be removed from present care, then the existing obligation may be challenged or transferred."



Dominicus has been watching the exchange with close attention. She looks first toward Shone and then toward Chaala.

"That is the distinction you need. Do not ask for responsibility before you know who holds it or what they believe they have already provided."

She rests her fingertips lightly against the table.

"Ask for medical sight and an independent assessment under the accounting already opened. State that Doctor Shone is not assuming custody, replacing the present caregivers, or accepting a new debt merely by examining Kade. If treatment becomes necessary, that can be discussed separately before witnesses."

Dominicus glances toward Ziyótl.

"And ask that his findings be carried back into the same accounting. Otherwise, they may permit the examination and still treat the result as a private exchange with no standing."

Ziyótl gives a slight head inclination.

"That wording would be understood."

They turn toward the witnesses and speak in Alejian. The response is shorter this time.

"The request may be entered as follows: Doctor Shone asks to see and medically assess Tomas Kade beneath the present accounting. He does not, by that request alone, assume Kade’s care, remove any existing obligation, or create a new one. Any treatment, transfer, or continuing responsibility must be separately spoken and accepted."

Seváhn finally raises one hand, signaling agreement with the formulation.

Ziyótl looks back toward Chaala.

"If that is your meaning, the request can be carried without adding another knot. Whether the other roof will accept it is not yet known."


Dominicus gives Chaala the faintest approving look.

"That is better than asking simply to see him. Here, an imprecise kindness can become a promise before you realize you made one."

Victor listened to all the exchange with a worried expression. Then he spoke up, "Will it be an obligation if I suggest and give some medications after my initial examination? I don't want to sound boastful but being an human our medicines might be more compatible with the physiology of Kade."

Ziyótl listens carefully, then turns toward the witnesses’ table. A longer exchange follows in Alejian. One witness consults the worn computer tablet while the other asks several questions concerning consent, the distinction between examination and treatment, and whether providing medicine would transfer responsibility for Kade’s continuing care.

When the discussion ends, Ziyótl turns back toward Doctor Shone. "Recommending treatment does not, by itself, create an obligation. It is medical judgment offered after examination. The recommendation may be accepted, refused, or carried to those who presently hold responsibility for Kade’s care."

They pause to ensure the distinction is understood. "Giving medicine may create a burden, but it need not transfer the obligation if the terms are spoken clearly before the medicine is given. You must state whether the medicine is a single treatment, a gift freely offered, or the beginning of continued care."

Ziyótl glances toward the witnesses before continuing. "If you provide a medicine once, explain its purpose and risks, obtain Kade’s consent, and do not claim authority over later care, then the existing obligation may remain with those who already hold it. The treatment and its expected effects should be entered into the accounting so that no later illness, improvement, or complication is assigned to the wrong cause."

Ziyótl expression changes and Virel can note the seriousness in the tone and what he assumes is a facial expression. The Doctor notes the change in t eh voice as do the others. "If you prescribe continuing doses, require repeated examinations, direct the present caregivers, or state that only you can safely manage the treatment, then responsibility may begin to move toward you. That would require a separate agreement."

Ziyótl head inclines toward Doctor Shone. "The witnesses also accept that medicine made for humans may be better suited to a human patient than treatment adapted from Alejia practice. That does not make your medicine automatically superior, but it gives reasonable cause for your judgment to be heard."

They rest one hand against the ceremonial spear.

"Therefore, you may examine Kade and recommend treatment without assuming the obligation. You may also offer a specific medicine, provided its purpose, limits, risks, and duration are named before witness and accepted by Kade and those presently responsible for Kade’s care. Anything beyond that must be separately spoken."

Ziyótl looks around the room and then to Dr. Shone "Is this acceptable Doctor?"

Victor listened and looked at Chaala and Virel once and then at Dominicus before turning back to Ziyótl and replying, "Yes, that is acceptable."

"Is our asking under witness here sufficient or is there another request that needs to be made and witnessed?" Chaala hopes she's getting the hang of these things but Alejia negotiation is proving to be exceptionally complicated.

Ziyótl does not confer with the witnesses. Chaala’s question concerns the procedure already established in their presence, and the answer falls within Ziyótl’s authority as Speaker Under Knot. Ziyótl glance briefly toward the witnesses, giving them an opportunity to object, but neither does.

"Your request has been spoken clearly beneath witness and entered into the accounting. No further request is required from you here."

Ziyótl head inclines head toward Chaala.

"It will now be carried to those who hold responsibility for Tomas Kade. Their permission, and Kade’s consent to examination or treatment, remain separate matters. But you need not ask again unless the terms of your request change."

Virel’s Observation: Virel recognizes that Chaala has met the Alejia procedural requirement. The request now possesses formal standing, though granting it remains with Kade’s present roof.

Virel gave Victor a slight nod of acknowledgment but otherwise remained silent.

His expression stayed neutral as he looked toward Ziyótl, simply observing and mentally cataloguing everything he had heard—and all they would later need to unravel.

The Shape of the Accounting

With Chaala’s request concerning Kade formally entered, the witness holding the worn Alejian tablet makes one final notation and turns the screen slightly toward the other witness. Neither raises an objection. Ziyótl waits until the entry is complete before lowering the ceremonial spear and returning their attention to the delegation.

"There is another part of your earlier question that should be answered before you begin offering anything. You asked what sort of thing may satisfy these obligations, and of what magnitude. The Cutter should not be used as a measure."

One of the witnesses speaks briefly in Alejian. Ziyótl listens, then continues.

"The Cutter became surety because Silvia Dominicus possessed authority to place it beneath holding and because its loss would matter to her. That demonstrated seriousness. It does not mean another obligation requires something of equal value."

Dominicus gives a small nod. "That distinction cost me some time to understand."

Ziyótl gestures toward the tablet. "The obligations now spoken are different from one another. The original Hídaska obligation concerns protection accepted for Dominicus and those who entered beneath that roof. Larsen remains within it. The Cutter stands as surety for that obligation. Corvan is presently beneath an allied roof, so anything required there must be spoken by that roof. Kade’s obligation concerns care as well as protection, and your request for Doctor Shone’s medical sight will be carried to those responsible. Gruber has the original protection obligation and an additional claim arising from conduct."

The witness with the tablet adds another short statement. Ziyótl translates it carefully.

"The witness says you should not ask, ‘What is the price of the crew?’ There is no such price. Ask instead what action allows each holder to say, before witness, that their obligation has been answered."

Dominicus looks toward Chaala and Virel. "That is important. If you begin by offering equipment, money, transport, technical assistance, or anything else you think they might value, you may define the negotiation before you know what they actually want."

Her glance passes briefly toward the Alejia witnesses before she adds: "And once something valuable has been offered aloud, it can be very difficult to make it unheard."

Ziyótl does not disagree.
"The holders may ask for property. They may ask for service. They may ask for acknowledgment, restitution, restraint, or the assumption of another responsibility. Some obligations may be satisfied by something that has little material value but considerable standing. Others may require more."

Ziyótl pause. "That is why the next step is not payment. It is naming."

Ziyótl turns toward the witnesses. After another exchange in Alejian, the witness holding the tablet brings up a different page. Several separate entries are visible in the Alejian script.

"The witnesses are willing to carry requests asking each responsible roof to state three things: what obligation they claim, what would satisfy it, and who possesses authority to declare it closed."


Dominicus’s expression shows quiet approval. "That gives you something you can actually negotiate."

---

Ziyótl continues. "Those answers do not become agreements merely because you hear them. You may accept, refuse, question, or offer another means of satisfaction. If an agreement is reached, it should return beneath witness so that what was promised and what closes the obligation are both clear."

For the first time since the accounting began, the structure ahead becomes recognizable. The delegation does not need to solve every obligation in this room. The immediate task is to force each obligation into the open, identify who actually controls it, and establish what that party believes will close it before the humans offer anything in return.

---

Dominicus rests her hands on the table.
"My advice is simple. Learn every demand before satisfying the first one. If someone benefits from keeping us divided, they will prefer that you negotiate each problem without knowing what the others require."

---

There is no reaction from the witnesses beyond another entry on the tablet, but Ziyótl studies Dominicus for a moment before turning back toward Chaala.

"The request concerning Doctor Shone and Tomas Kade will be carried with the accounting. The requests for the holders to name their obligations may also be carried from here. Nothing further must be offered today."

That last sentence changes the atmosphere around the table. For the first time, the delegation has a clear stopping point that does not represent refusal, retreat, or failure. The obligations have not been untangled. But the Alejia have agreed to identify the strands.

GM: Actions? Any questions?

Chaala listens carefully and nods at several points. "About as expected and as clear as we can hope for at this point. Yes, we should ask those questions of those who hold or might reasonably claim to hold obligation."

After a moment's pause, she speaks again, this time quietly and pitched for Dominicus alone, "Do you know what was done with the mortal remains of Troulin? If they were treated appropriately it might be good for future relations to acknolwedge that in some way. If not, we'll need to discuss that after the rest of the crew's obligations are settled."

4.7.3 Dominicus on Troulin and the Obligations

Dominicus does not answer immediately. Chaala has pitched the question low, but Silvia knows better than to assume that means privacy with Ziyótl nearby. She turns her cup slowly between her hands before replying in the same quiet tone.

"Troulin was recovered. The Hídaska brought him in after they brought us under their protection. I was allowed to identify him and explain enough of our customs that they understood the body mattered to us."

Her expression tightens slightly, but there is no anger in it.

"They did not strip him beyond what was necessary to identify his possessions and injuries. His effects were recorded and kept separately. They wrapped him in the emergency shroud we had with us and placed him in a sealed stone resting place above the wet ground. I was permitted to be present."

Dominicus pauses before adding:

"They treated him with respect. Different from what we would have done, but respectfully. If we recover him, I believe his remains can still be returned to his family."

There is the smallest movement from Ziyótl. Whether they heard Chaala’s original question or simply recognized where the conversation had gone is impossible to determine. They address Chaala without reproach.

"The dead do not cease to carry obligation merely because they cannot answer it. Ramon Troulin was beneath the protection accepted for Silvia Dominicus and the others when his body came into Hídaska keeping. His remains were not taken as payment, surety, or property."

Ziyótl glances toward the witnesses before continuing.

"The care of his remains is recorded. If his people ask for their return, that request may be carried. Asking does not create a new obligation. If transport, escort, or another burden is required to return him, that burden should be named before it is accepted."

Dominicus gives Chaala a very slight nod.

"If you decide to acknowledge what they did, make it gratitude, not compensation. They did something decent when they did not have to understand why it mattered to us. I would not turn that into a transaction."

For a moment it appears that she will leave the matter there. Instead, she takes another piece of grain cake and speaks in the tone of someone continuing an earlier explanation about Alejia procedure.

"As for the other obligations, I know enough to tell you where to begin, but not enough to name every person who can close them."

She breaks the cake into several pieces and arranges them almost absently beside her plate. "The first remains the Hídaska roof. They accepted us. The Cutter and Larsen remain tied most directly to that obligation."

She moves a second piece slightly away from the first. "Corvan’s roof is allied to them, but do not mistake allied for subordinate. Whoever holds Corvan’s obligation will expect to be approached in their own standing."

A third piece follows. "Kade is different. The people providing the care have standing because they are providing it. Do not ask the Hídaska to simply overrule them. Find out who among the healers can say the medical obligation has been satisfied."

The final piece remains closest to Dominicus. "And Gruber’s problem began with a person before it became a matter for a roof. Find out who believes they were wronged before you ask who judged the wrong."

Only then does Dominicus look directly at Chaala. "If you are trying to decide which knot to touch first, start with the original Hídaska protection. Everything else grew around it."

Ziyótl has watched the explanation without interrupting. Ziyótl head finally inclines.
"Silvia Dominicus describes the structure accurately. There is no single authority who may release every obligation because there is no single authority who holds them."

They glance toward the worn Alejian tablet. "The accounting will identify the roofs and those who may speak closure for them. Until those answers return, what Dominicus has given you is a useful map, but it is not yet the formal record."

Dominicus raises her cup slightly toward Chaala, a gesture that could mean nothing more than acknowledgment.
"Useful maps are sometimes enough to keep you from walking into the wrong country."

Chapter 4.7.4 - Under Another Roof-Closing the Accounting

The conversation does not end abruptly. Instead, it seems to narrow toward a point that everyone in the room recognizes before the humans do. The witness holding the worn Alejian tablet reviews the entries with the second witness, scrolling slowly through lines of Alejian script. A few short corrections are exchanged between them and Ziyótl before the tablet is finally placed flat upon the table.

Ziyótl rises with the ceremonial spear held beside them.

"The accounting beneath this witness is closed for today. The request for Doctor Shone to receive medical sight of Tomas Kade has been entered. It is recorded that examination alone does not transfer responsibility for Kade’s care, and that treatment, transfer, or continuing responsibility must be separately spoken and accepted."

The witness moves to the next entry.

"It is also recorded that you ask each roof holding, or reasonably claiming to hold, an obligation concerning the surviving crew to answer three things: what obligation is held, what may satisfy it, and who possesses authority to declare it closed."

Ziyótl looks toward Chaala.

"Those questions will be carried. The answers must come from those with standing to give them. Nothing further is required from you here, and nothing more should be offered until those answers return."

The statement carries something Virel has already recognized from the structure of the exchange: permission to stop is itself procedural information. The accounting has reached its proper boundary. Continuing now would not demonstrate determination. It could introduce another statement, promise, or offer into a record that has already achieved what it was supposed to achieve. Bohdie reaches much the same conclusion from a different direction. To him, the room has the feel of an interview that has reached the point where additional questions are more likely to contaminate the record than improve it. The witnesses are closing the session because the useful information has been captured and the next answers must come from elsewhere. Chaala is beginning to recognize the same Alejia rhythm. Here, knowing when not to speak may be as important as knowing what to ask.

Ziyótl head inclines.

"You have asked what may properly be asked beneath this witness. More words today would not make the answers arrive sooner."

Neither witness objects. The tablet is locked, its display going dark beneath scratches accumulated through years of use. Seváhn gives the delegation a brief formal inclination of the head. Whatever happens next will not be decided in this room.

Dominicus remains seated for a few moments after the formal exchange ends. Only when the witnesses begin gathering their things does some of the careful rigidity leave her shoulders.

She looks first toward Doctor Shone. "Thank you, Doctor. The next day or two of fatigue will be considerably easier to tolerate knowing what caused it."

Then toward Bohdie. "And you may tell Deyra that I received her order."

Finally, her attention settles upon Chaala and Virel. "You came here asking whether we were still here and whether there was a path through this. You leave knowing there is one. That is considerably more progress than it sounds like."

A slight smile appears. "Learn what every obligation requires before satisfying the first. You are doing better with this than I did."

There is no opportunity for a prolonged farewell. An attendant appears at the doorway and Ziyótl steps aside, signaling that the visit has reached its proper end. Dominicus rises. The embraces this time are brief and unremarkable enough for the Alejia observers, but when she reaches Chaala there is no second message, no additional signal, nothing that might draw attention to what has already passed between them.

"Good luck, Administrator." Then Dominicus steps back beneath another roof.

The Return

The return journey is as deliberately uninformative as the journey in. The delegation is led from the meeting house into the enclosed courtyard and placed aboard the first transport. The shutters remain closed. Several turns are followed by a stop, a transfer, another enclosed vehicle, and another section of travel whose direction becomes difficult to judge. Bohdie can retain impressions of movement, road surface, acceleration, stops, smells, and elapsed time, but there is still no continuous route from which a reliable location can be reconstructed.

Chaala does what she can with sound, motion, and memory. Virel pays more attention to the behavior of the escorts than the road. Doctor Shone has his medscanner records and an exact accounting of everything administered to Dominicus. None of them are given any opportunity to see beyond what the Alejia intend them to see.

Eventually the final vehicle slows, and when its doors open the surroundings are familiar again.

The Xá’kai starport checkpoint.

Their equipment is returned in the same deliberate manner in which it was taken. Bohdie receives the recorder-stylus. Doctor Shone’s communication equipment is returned. The oath attached to Bohdie’s Starman Deluxe is acknowledged without comment. Their other equipment passes back into their possession with no indication that the Alejia consider anything unusual to have occurred.

Ziyótl accompanies them only as far as the controlled side of the checkpoint. "The questions have been carried. When answers return, they will be brought to you."

A brief pause follows. "Do not mistake waiting for refusal."

Then Ziyótl turns back toward Balac Pontil.

Only after the delegation has crossed the pad, entered the Cutter, closed the hatch, and completed the normal checks against unwanted transmitters or surveillance does the atmosphere finally change. They are back inside their own walls. Chaala waits until the Cutter’s systems confirm that they are secure. Only then does she remove the small folded note Dominicus slipped into her clothing during their first embrace.

The handwriting is compact and hurried.


Do not discuss the Cutter, Harrier access, or the lunar site.

Crew alive when last known, but separated.

The ambush was arranged.

Ask who benefited, not only who attacked.

Do not demand release yet.

Read only after return. Destroy this.

For several seconds, no one says anything. Everything Dominicus said beneath witness remains true, but the note changes the shape of it. Virel is the first to recognize the implication, with Bohdie reaching the same conclusion from an investigator’s perspective: the Cutter is not simply surety, the separation of the crew may not be the natural accumulation of Alejia obligations, and the attack that began all of this may have been intended to produce exactly the situation they are now attempting to unravel. The public accounting has given them the strands, but Dominicus has just warned them that someone may have tied the knot deliberately.

"We're overdue to report to our colleagues in orbit." Chaala says, memorizing the note before destroying it. "As for Dominicus' concerns, I put priority on getting the remaining crew back, living having priority over the dead. If Troulin was given as close to a proper burial here, it may be best to express gratitude and leave him. He wouldn't be the first Scout to have their final rest in the field, and it sounds like he has a far better than many. If we unravel who caused the state of affairs along the way, that's extra for the paperwork, but I'm ok with leaving that alone if it accelerates returning everyone safely."