The landing craft for the diplomatic team was much larger and more luxurious than the stripped down one-man pod Jayce had used. It descended in a masking cloud of rainbow-colored smoke and flames, a trick obviously intended to impress the Atsileighan authorities.
Jayce was not impressed. From their expressions, most of the chiefs were not either. Although they did not use much of it, they were not unaware of technology or as simple and naïve as the Uni-Council thought them to be.
The Council will not get their base here for a few strings of beads and other trinkets. Jayce gave a bitter smile at the thought.
The first day’s parlays were little more than a meaningless diplomatic dance, every word and gesture stylized and theatrical. By the second day, serious negotiations began. After thr
