All That Glitters Ch. 46

The director pulled a flag stand between those of the Hwill'illiti'hallat and the Paacon and fastened the flag to it.

"With the exception of the Pod-Drran, who we discovered first, the flags here are arranged by the names of the Greater Community in the Standard language," Nar-Tre informed the Pemipinae. She named them all in that language denoting where the Maha-Rrin were.

The door opened and the Pemipinae was suddenly accosted by the most unusual smells, as people entered with carts and started to put items on the tables dotted around the room.

Junelliya came forward and explained how to use the comp as a medical scanner, showing a very nervous Pemipinae how it was done. The Pemipinae found herself to be more than a little nervous standing so close to the purported Atohan.

The child in her arms reached out and touched the Pemipinae. There was a brief glow from the child and the Chlaerge now riding the child's shoulder. The Pemipinae suddenly received some kind of image that she could not really interpret, however, she got the overwhelming impression of 'peace'.

"Zarrenia, what are you doing?" the Atohan asked the child, in a calm voice.

"She scare, make appy," the child said, the translator not quite getting the gist of her words.

"I believe that she is trying to tell you not to be afraid, Pemipinae. She wishes to make you feel better. I apologize if she surprised you," the Atohan said.

"Shall we try some of the foods?" the Atohan asked out of left field, as if this was an everyday occurrence, surprising the Pemipinae yet again.

Junelliya approached a table that had some of the most delicious smells coming from it. She used her comp to scan the food and the Pemipinae did the same. The comp indicated that there was nothing dangerous to her on the table.

"While the med scan does tell you if something is dangerous or not, it does not tell you if something is to your liking or not. For that, there is only one method to confirm this and that is to try the food for yourself. While some of the Maha-Rrin will not like some of the flavours others will. It will be a matter of choice for flavours, a choice that can only be made through personal trial and error," the Atohan quipped, smiling to the Pemipinae.

The Pemipinae watched as the Pod-Drran trio filled their plates with various foods, noting that each took items that the others did not.

She took two or three pieces of each of the items as she filled her plate, then sat at a table while she tried out the different flavours. They were surprisingly good. She noticed the little family sitting itself down on a table near her and her First Minister.

The children had been placed in tall seats so that they were at table height with their mothers. The two chatted amicably with each other, the translator unable to cover most of what they said. Junelliya noted her looking.

"The children are still quite young and unable to articulate properly most of the words they speak. On top of that, they are being taught to speak by all of the members of the Interspecies community. They are effectively learning to speak in twelve languages, plus our mother tongue, which is Anuuran, High Andanii, which is the language of our religion, French, which is the language of the company that controls this station, Union Standard, because it is the universal language in the Union, and now they wish to learn words in the Maha-Rrin language," she told the Pemipinae.

"Why?" the Pemipinae asked.

"Why learn so many languages?" Junelliya asked.

"Why is it necessary when you have the translation matrix?" the First Minister of the Maha-Rrin asked.

"Because you gain an insight into the way people think by understanding their language, First Minister," Junelliya answered the Pemipinae's unspoken question.

"Our children will be able to communicate with most members of the Interspecies Community without the need for a translator by the time they are adults. They will become de facto diplomats for the Greater Community, not just for the Union," Junelliya stated factually.

Just then, the members of the Byandi delegation came over to the table and greeted the children, fawning over them. That surprised the Pemipinae, who had never seen anyone treat children in such a manner.

The children reacted with delight, giving hugs and kisses to the delegates and speaking to them in limited words in Byandi, again surprising the Pemipinae. In return, the Byandi praised the children for the words they spoke, telling them how much better they were getting day-by-day.

Even the fearsome Asocans came to the table to greet the children, who again spoke to them in their own language getting praise from the massive beasts.

The Maha-Rrin were tall, the Asocans taller still, however, where the Maha-Rrin were rather thin in comparison, the Asocans were large framed, especially the females. They intimidated the Pemipinae without having to try to deliberately do so. Like the Pod-Drran Warrior Class, the Asocans wore weapons at their hips.

The one thing that the Pemipinae came away with from this sharing of food, was the obvious comradery that the delegates showed each other. There was no apparent animosity here, which very much surprised the Pemipinae.

After the meal, Nar-Tre asked for the Conference Room for a special call to Pod-Saar. The other delegates, having seen the schedule, bowed and left, leaving the little family, Dir. Marsh, the Pod-Drran and the Maha-Rrin in the conference room while Nar-Tre contacted the Imperial Palace on Pod-Saar.

An image of several people, that the Pemipinae instantly recognized, showed up on the screen, the Kumar-Pair, holding their children in their arms.

"Good day to you Pemipinae, I am the Kumaraie Na-Maj Se-Lam Pod-Raie, this delightful male is my mate, the Kumaroe Jarl Se-Lam Pod-Sai-Roe, and these are our children, Prakesh Se-Lam-Raie, Nal-Jarl Se-Lam-Roe, and Sun-Jarl Se-Lam-Roe, the Kumaraie introduced them. The Pemipinae was very surprised. It had been less than a month since the brood had been born yet they seemed surprisingly alert.

As soon as the Kumaraie introduced the children, the Pemipinae watched as Ikekia and Zarrenia called out to the three, saying hello in Pod-Drran and waving. The brood waived back and smiled! That gave the Pemipinae another shock as children this young should not be this responsive.

The Kumaraie correctly interpreted the look on the Pemipinae's face. "Yes, they are definitely responsive, Pemipinae. This is prophecy in action as this brood was slated to be 'exceptional in their growth, especially their mental growth, more so the female'. They are living up to prophecy, Pemipinae.

"Would you like to say hello?" the Kumaraie asked.

The Pemipinae cautiously said hello to the brood in her own language, hearing the translator speak to the children, who smiled and waved to the Pemipinae. A frisson of excitement ran up her spine when she saw that. Prophecy indeed!

"Pemipinae, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, even if it cannot be in person," the Kumaroe said, speaking for the pair. "We hope that you will help us break the isolation of the people of Ruhm-Oran and bring us all back together."

"That is not something that will happen instantly, Pemipinae," the Kumaraie interjected. "However, the first steps on the journey have been taken. We hope that you take advantage of the embassy there on Liramor-23, now called Ard Mheydeh, or 'Neutral Ground' in the language of high Andanii. It will be the start of something good for your people, and hopefully for all of our people.

"Prophecy states that Prakesh will lead the combined people. That will be sometime in the future. Probably when the both of us have retired or have passed on. Before that time, there are a great many things that must be discussed between our governments and, indeed, between the people themselves.

"This is not something that we, as leaders, should pass up, Pemipinae, as the very life of the people hangs in the balance of our future reunification. Without each other, the other half of the people will eventually die out leaving the legacy of Ruhm-Oran nothing more than a memory.

"I will do what I must to ensure that this does not occur and, I hope, that you, Pemipinae, will do the same. Until we meet face-to-face, let me give you my personal thanks that you have taken the first steps of many toward our reunification. That took a great deal of courage to go against so many years of tradition.

"We will both need to be even more courageous in future. Where we will find that courage is where you are sitting now, on Ard Mheydeh. The Greater Community has found a way to help us with so many of our present problems. I am sure that they can help us with this, our greatest upcoming issue.

"That is why we wished for you to meet with the Interspecies Community." The Kumar-Pair bowed to the Pemipinae and her entourage while their children waved and spoke nonsense words that the children in the conference room responded to.

"Nar-Tre, it is time to have the scientists of the Greater Community come in and discuss what they can do to mitigate the problems that the Maha-Rrin are having on Maha-Oran," the Kumaraie finished, getting a bow from Nar-Tre. She went to the doors and asked the ambassadors to return. It was time for negotiations.

The Kumar-Pair smiled and closed the link as the ambassadors came to speak to the ministers on the issues that plagued the Maha-Rrin.

VIP Reception, Liramor-23, The Piscium System

The Maha-Rrin were leaving, the ambassadors of the Interspecies Community smiling and speaking to the Ministers of the Maha-Rrin.

"Thank-you Dir. Marsh for allowing us to come here in this unofficial format," the Pemipinae acknowledged the work of the humans.

"It was my pleasure, Pemipinae," Fiona said." I hope that you will shortly designate an Ambassador and Ambassadorial team for your embassy here on Ard Mheydeh. While we cannot open your embassy officially until we have an agreement between the Maha-Rrin and the Union, we can and will allow you to unofficially work in your embassy.

"However, the business consulate at the Johal Compound on Terra, will not be allowed to have a representative until such time as you officially present your Ambassador's credentials to the Union Government. So, the sooner we have that agreement, the better for all of us," Fiona finished.

"So noted, Dir. Marsh," the Pemipinae replied. "We look forward to doing business with the Union and having the opportunity to purchase our own ships as well. A future item," the Pemipinae ended with a smile.

The little family came forward. "Hugs, Ikekia said, extending her arms, her sister following suit. The Pemipinae smiled and gave her hands to the children, who clutched them for a moment before letting go.

"Book!" Zarrenia said, getting a laugh from Fayad.

"Very well, Zarrenia. Pemipinae, this is a gift from our family to your people," Fayad said, presenting a large book to the Pemipinae. The book was bound in some kind of leather that the Pemipinae had never seen before. On the front was a script that she could not understand.

"Open," Said Ikekia, all excited.

The Pemipinae smiled and opened the book and was stunned by what she saw inside. The book was written in the script of four languages, High Andanii, Standard, Pod-Drran, and Maha-Lei! Her own language, each in a unique colour that Maha-Rrin eyes could clearly see.

"This is the Book of the Prophet Andanii. It is in part a religious book, in part a book of daily living, and in part a book of wisdom of the words of our Prophet Andanii," Fayad explained.

"We have just finished the translation into your own language, Pemipinae," Hanalei said, tapping her comp to that of the Pemipinae. "I just sent to your comp the electronic version of this book. It also includes the spoken words for each of the languages. High Andanii is voiced by me, Fayad voiced the Standard Version, Junelliya voiced the Pod-Drran version, and Mind-Ur has voiced the Maha-Lei version. If you find errors in Maha-lei, you can correct them on the electronic version."

"This is a very thoughtful gift, Fayad, Hanalei, Junelliya. We will make copies for our Ambassador and her staff to read," the Pemipinae pronounced. She turned to Junelliya.

"Junelliya, your singing was just as spectacular in person as it was via the ICS. You, your children, your family, and friends, have never ceased to amaze on this excursion," the Pemipinae said. "Maybe next time, you can sing some songs in Maha-Lei?"

Junelliya laughed. "If you include someone who can teach me in your Ambassadorial team, I will do my best to learn," Junelliya told her. "We look forward to meeting whomever you send, Pemipinae."

The Pemipinae gave the book to her High Priest who quickly scanned it. She was shocked at the words she found within, as they mirrored many of the teachings of the Goddess. She looked up into the smiling eyes of Junelliya.

"Yes, the Pod-Drran mentioned the same thing," Junelliya told her, correctly deducing the meaning of her look. "We have found that the religious books of many of the Greater Community, profess the same thoughts in them."

That got a blink of surprise from the High Priestess. She reverently closed the book and gave a bow to the little family, who returned it.

"It is time to leave," the Pemipinae stated. She waved once to the crowd of people (an affectation she learned from the children as the Maha-Rrin did not wave), turned, and led her people to the waiting shuttles. She was looking forward to the Denders Summit in a little over a Terran month.

End of chapter forty-six.

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