I asked for the Queen Charlotte just because it was the nearest ship, not because of the quality of it. The sector where we were with the Sot'Quan was one of the less important of all the galaxy, just a wasteland with few space stations and no interesting planets. The patrol of an area like that was nothing to be proud, I had bad feelings about the spaceship assigned to it.

Indira Valtair, the captain of the ship, was a tall woman of my age, well built body, fierce eyes, rude expression. As many women left in space too much, she didn't show any vanity, she didn't use any makeup and her hair was arranged with a crew cut. That left her gross features exposed, making difficult to see beauty in her, but the energy under her skin pledged a more fascinating aspect hidden behing her face.

"Diplomat Horeblood, I suppose" she said, seeing me coming towards her. I went to the docking bay just after taking off the EVO suit so I was just with a loose shirt and syntetic shorts. On a spaceship there's no shame to wander dressed like that. 

"Diplomat Callus will be enough, captain" I asnwered. For many reasons, I always try to keep a distance from my family name.

"You asked for my assistance and I'm here. What can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry captain Valtair, for now I just have to ask you to wait. The Rafkins are proceeding with the dismantling of the unknown ship and I need to assist to the procedure"

She looked around a bit. "So you need to stay with the rats..."

I had a short shiver. Humans can be very colorful when they want to express their racism and that's something I usually forgive with no problem. I know that a lot of people finds aliens too different from them and that they can't go over it, as I know that forcing them is usually self-defeating. 

What I didn't like was hearing the captain using such terms on a Rafkin ship, while she was hosted by them.  "We need the help of the Rafkin Caravan, captain. They're very important and I need you to understand it very well"

She heard the scolding in my voice, but she just nodded, smiling. "Understood, diplomat. You're in charge of the mission and it's your prerogative to decide targets and priorities. I have just to ask for  a short briefing because very few informations arrived to us with the orders to help you"

Considering Yarn, those few informations were also probably wrong. "I'll organize a meeting very soon, calling you, my collaborator professor Cassandra Opender and the Rafkin Sector Chief Jeremhia. We will summing up there all the informations we have on the situation"

"Good. I'll use the time until that to organize our stay on the Sot'Quan"

"Very well, captain" I was sure I behaved as a true diplomat until that. Gaining respect of captain Valtair was a difficult matter. I didn't know at that time why she was exiled in that part of the galaxy but I felt the pride of the soldier and the toughness of the warrior that survived the battle.

I however needed to address a very personal matter. "Captain, are there on the Queen Charlotte empty cabins?"

"Empty cabins, sir?"

"Yes, places where I could stay"

"We have two guest cabins that are free at the moment, sir. But we're talking about military fashioned cabins, spartan, with very few comforts"

I grabbed the root of my nose. "Captain Valtair, as I said Rafking people is very important for us and very kind, but the housing they can give... is not well suited for humans. I hope you understand"

I wasn't intended to strengthen the bad attitude of Valtair towards the Rafkins so I felt myself a bit guilty when I saw her smile. "I'll arrange one of those cabins for you, diplomat"