- Ava -

“Let's hope they're in a talkative mood,” Ava said.

The planet Bosh looked so innocent from a distance. Just a bluish star, shining steadily straight ahead, with the moon Gideo as an even smaller little pinprick of yellow right beside it. The research station on the moon was now fully automated, keeping its telescopes trained on the Fire on the planet beneath. Its sensors had been ordered to scan the system for Kunuru activity, but nothing out of the ordinary had been detected with its inadequate equipment. 

“If they're here,” Xark'ion said with a tight voice. He clearly didn't relish being here. “Not in any great numbers, anyway. The instruments aren't picking up any movement.”

Ava tapped her lips with one finger, thinking. “This would be a good system to assemble in if they wanted to attack Acerex. So if they're not here with a big fleet, I guess that's not what they want. Unless they have something in mind like what they did to the Ysal.”

“I don't think so. They could have done that centuries ago. They seem to be determined to fight us by sending their minions our way. The Ysal I think they eradicated that easily because they could. They wouldn't fight back. We would. They can't get that close to us.”

Ava fidgeted in her seat. She was both excited and nervous. Excited because if this worked the way she thought it would, the Acerex might finally have peace. And Earth might be safe from this mysterious enemy. But if the Kunuru turned out to be too aggressive to deal with, or just not willing to listen, or just not able to understand her point of view, then she and Xark'ion would turn tail and leave again immediately.

The Fire Planet was much larger in front of them now, visible as a fat crescent with the night side in darkness, except for the thin line of light that was the Fire. 

Xark'ion flew the shuttle around the planet once, his attention on the scanners. He had turned the output to audio, and the cabin was filled with the hiss from the star's radiation, the irregular, angry crackling that the Fire sent out on every wavelength of the spectrum and the myriad of other, subdued noises that space was always producing.

“Nothing shows on the planet so far. But to know for certain we'd have to make many orbits, closer to the surface. Perhaps they're not on the surface, but on some other object-”

“Intruder spaceship, identify yourself and make peace with your deities.”

Ava jumped in her seat. That voice was not coming from her translator, but from the radio speaker. In perfect Acerex, as far as she could determine.

Both she and Xark'ion reached for the shuttle's communications panel, but she got there first.

“This is Ava Harris, diplomatic enjoy from Earth,” she said, and her translator repeated it louder in a melodious Acerex, using Ava's own voice. “I wish to speak to the leader of the Kunuru in this system. I come in peace, and as a friend.”

There was a long pause, and only the background hiss could be heard.

“Any idea where they are?” Ava said softly.

Xark'ion checked the scanners. “Not as such. This is not a military vessel, or it would have better sensors. If their ship is small enough, they could be almost anywhere. But that was a strong radio signal. They can't be too far away.”

The minutes passed, and a whole swarm of butterflies were doing cartwheels in Ava's stomach. The potential here was huge. If this worked, Earth would always approach new aliens unarmed and with only friendly intentions.

She glanced over at Xark'ion. He was tense, and his gaze shifted fast between the scanners and the side windows, as if he expected to have to do evasive maneuvers at any moment.

Ava hid a little smile behind one hand. He took his bodyguard duties extremely seriously.

And Goanesi had been right. Having some company on these missions really took a load off her mind. Right now, during first contact with a new and possibly dangerous alien civilization, she would have been biting her nails from tension if she'd been alone. But Xark'ion just radiated safety, and she wasn't too worried as long as he was with her. It freed up her mind for other things.

“Acerex craft with Earth inhabitant,” the speakers said again. “Our esteemed leader in this system, the Hierarch Nur of the Fifteenth Rank, has agreed to let Ava Harris speak with him. If indeed you come as a friend. Notice the comet almost at perihelion. Make your way to it and await further instructions.”

The speakers went quiet.

“There,” Xark'ion said and pointed. “There's only one object of any size. Though I would hesitate to call it a comet.”

Ava squinted in the direction he was pointing. “I can't see anything. Aren't comets supposed to have tails?”

Xark'ion changed the shuttle's direction and accelerated, then indicated one of the screens. “I think they commonly do. This looks like an icy rock in orbit around the star. There's a little bit of an atmosphere. Which I suppose technically makes it a comet. Though I must say I agree with you. I'd associate comets with more spectacular displays.”

Ava peered at the screen. The small dot in the middle looked most of all like a fuzzy snowball.

“Could that be a spaceship camouflaged as a comet?”

“It could.”

“Should we just assume that that's what it is?”

“We should.”

Ava smiled at the tightness in Xark'ion's voice and his brief replies. He wasn't as sure about this as she was. Somehow that made her more confident. “This is looking really good so far. They didn't attack us, they're talking to us in your language, and they seemed to appreciate that we're here as friends.”

“That you're here as a friend, anyway,” Xark'ion said. “I noticed you didn't mention me.”

“One thing at a time. We're here as friends. Both of us. It's easier to explain the situation to them when they can actually see you. Do you think they might notice that you're not attacking them, like any enemy would?”

“They might.”

“They definitely will. An Acerex warrior not attacking them will get the point across better than anything else. Remember, this is a peaceful mission. I will go first. You can hang back. But don't lose sight of me.”

“I advise against entering the alien craft.”

“Oh, I'm not going in there until we're both sure that it's safe. What usually happens when I meet aliens in space is that I stay inside my shuttle and talk to the alien either by radio or through an open hatch. That usually gives me a decent sense of how things are going to go. Then, if they invite me in and I have a good feeling about it, I'll accept. And you come with me. Or we'll invite them in here. But that way, we don't learn as much about them as if we see them in their own environment.”

Xark'ion just grunted, clearly not happy about the situation.

The comet grew bigger outside the windows, but it still looked just like a dirty, brownish snowball with  fuzzy edges.

“Weird disguise for a spaceship,” Ava said.

“Comets are small and innocent. An effective camouflage for when you want to have a presence in an Acerex star system. We do consider this system ours.”

“The Fire Planet is sacred to you, I know. But after the Trials were moved away from here, there's not much happening, right?”

“Right. Only your Earth base on the small moon is tolerated. Acerex rarely come here, except for funerals. This is as close to that comet I think it's safe to get. Its gravity is erratic.”

The comet might be small, but still it totally filled up the front screen and the side windows.

“Acerex craft with Earth passenger,” the speakers said again. “We will extend a bridge so that you may come over to us.”

“Ah,” Ava said in to the comms. “There's a hatch in our side, right-”

“We are familiar with this type of Acerex craft,” the voice said.

A section of the comet started moving, and Ava watched mesmerized as a bridge of clear ice appeared to grow out of the comet's side, very fast, an irregular latticework of frost. A minute later, the ice bridge had reached their shuttle, and there was a crunching sound as the ice attached itself to the hull around the hatch. Translucent panes of ice grew into the spaces in the spars of thicker ice, and then the bridge was complete.

“It's like something out of Frozen,” Ava mumbled to herself.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. It just reminds me of an old animated movie. But whatever we find inside that comet, I don't think it'll be Princess Elsa.”

“The diplomat speaks in riddles,” Xark'ion said and got up, checking his sword.

Ava released her harness and followed him to the hatch, pulling on her gloves and an innocent-looking woolen hat that was made from something very different from wool and doubled as a helmet. “Don't mind me. I'm just excited.”

Xark'ion peered out the clear pane in the hatch, into the inside of the icy tunnel that the comet had reached out to them. “The arch enemy of the Acerex people. I'll be the first to meet them.”

“No, no,” Ava said, alarmed at the flat tone of his voice. “This is a friendly encounter. I thought we agreed on that. No enemy talk.”

He flashed her a tight smile. “Don't mind me. I'm excited, too.”

She held his gaze. “If this works, the Acerex people can finally enjoy peace. We must not endanger this contact. We are here as friends. Both of us.”

The warrior grinned and grabbed her under the arms, lifting her onto him and kissing her lips. “I think we're more than friends by now.”

Ava embraced his neck. “Hey, you know what I mean. Everything rides on this. It could be the most important thing that's happened. Ever. For both our peoples. We must do this the right way.”

He kissed her again and set her down. “Very well. Here they come.”

Ava looked out the hatch. A dark shape was coming down the icy tunnel. It was tall and so shadowy it was hard to make out its shape.

“Recognize that?” Ava asked softly.

“No,” Xark'ion said firmly. “There should be adequate pressure and oxygen on the other side. Not the same mix of gases as on Acerex, but we can breathe it without any ill effect. Shall we open the hatch?”

Ava nodded, and there was a sharp hiss as the hatch opened and equalized the pressure with the air in the tunnel over to the comet. The cabin was filled with the sharp smell of ammonia, and the temperature dropped far below the freezing point.

The alien coming towards them had no obvious face and a long, black robe that made it look as if draped in darkness. It stopped halfway across the bridge.

“Let's go and meet him,” Ava said. “I suppose you can come. He gives me a creepy feeling. Stay behind me, and keep your hands off your sword. Can you handle this cold okay?”

Xark'ion only snorted.

Ava took one step out onto the ice. The artificial gravity from the shuttle extended a little bit out onto the bridge, which was frosted enough to not be slippery.

As she took another step, another gravity field took over, pulling her to the floor with somewhat less force than the shuttle would.

She fastened her eyes on the tall alien and walked to the midpoint of the bridge, making sure her steps were determined and that she held her head high.

The alien was clearly draped in some kind of soft material that absorbed light. It was impossible to tell if it had legs or if it even had a head.

Ava stopped four paces away and lifted her right hand, palm out. “Greetings. I am Ava Harris, from the planet Earth. I have the authority to speak for my people.” A plume of mist escaped her mouth with every word. It was very cold in the ice tunnel.

The alien didn't move. “Acerex,” it said. “Acerex warrior.” Its voice was cold and airy, almost ghostly. It released no mist from anywhere.

“Captain Xark'ion is indeed an Acerex warrior,” Ava said calmly. “He is my associate. We from Earth are friends with the Acerex. And now we wish to be the friends of the Kunuru. Both Earth and Acerex. We are here to represent our peoples.”

“The Acerex is here to surrender.”

“Nobody is here to surrender. We are here to represent our peoples in friendly talks with the Kunuru.”

“Friendly talks,” the alien repeated. “Brings an Acerex for friendly talks. Not to surrender.”

“That's right,” Ava said. “The people of Earth and the people of Acerex are friends. We wish to be friends with the Kunuru as well.” She was repeating herself, but that was one thing she'd learned: if you have a message, harp on it until the other party gets it.

“Friends,” the alien repeated. “The Kunuru have no friends. None are sympathetic to our cause.”

“Then this is a good time to get some,” Ava suggested. “Friendship is better than war. Much better.”

“Perhaps,” the alien said. “We have never had friends.”

“Then consider Earth and Acerex your first friends.”

“Friendship,” the Kunuru said, as if tasting the word. “A strange concept.”

“A natural concept,” Ava countered. “We are all advanced, sentient species. Space is big enough for all of us. Why not be on good terms? Notice that I'm not armed. Earth prefers peace to war.”

“Brings an Acerex warrior for friendly talks.” The alien must also have learned that thing about harping on one message.

“Yes,” Ava said. “Captain Xark'ion is armed with his sword. Can you imagine an Acerex without his sword? It's as much a part of him as his hands are. And yet, he does not have to use it. He has no intention of using force against the Kunuru. He is here as a friend, too.”

Behind her back, Ava signalled to Xark'ion with their secret signs: Stay calm. Trying to establish common ground.

“An Acerex without a sword is a absurd image,” the alien agreed. “What are the terms of friendship?”

That was quick. “The terms of friendship are easy. No war between us. No violence between us. If there's a conflict, it is resolved by talk, not by war.”

“That is all?”

“That is all,” Ava confirmed. “With certain details added as our friendship grows deeper, our sympathies grow firmer.”

“Friendship is the absence of war,” the alien stated. “We would not have guessed it. We are Kunuru. I am Nur, Hierarch of the Fifteenth Rank.”

Ava bowed very slightly. This seemed like a small breakthrough. “I'm honored.”

“Earth,” Nur said. “How many worlds?”

“Inhabited? Just one.”

“One world. Blue and white, like Acerex?”

“Yes.”

“Rich in everything, lush and blessed, filled with resources and life, like Acerex?”

“Um ... sure. Yes.”

“How many Earth beings?”