The original fish tank had been destroyed by the time torpedo, it was placed exactly in the sector crashed by Heereen's attack, Jeremhia's Sector. However, Sot'Quan engeneers still had the schematics and the chamber was quite easy to build so they made a new one in another cargo bay in less than two earth-days.

I evaluated to let all the races communicate just through intercom, everyone staying in their own territory, but a situation like that needed all of us to leave our comfort zone. Having Heereen's ship docking again on the Sot'Quan was already a remarkable victory. Heereen obviously didn't trust Rafkins but both races knew that while they were so close it wasn't a good idea to try anything too dangerous. 

Compared to the last time we tried a meeting, best improvement was that this time Teculpa would attend to it. Yutan wasn't exactly a good diplomatic representative of his race, but he could speak for prefect Hiraku, enough to give him the right importance.

When I entered the cargo bay, deja-vu flooded my mind. The Heereen's ship was already connected and the black liquid was flowing to fill the fish tank. As the first time I met her, Cassandra was attending to the translation device, tuning it to allow Heereen to talk. Balthor and few Rafkins from the Citadel were walking around, nervously. In that moment I missed Jeremhia most.

As I did the first time I saw the fish tank, I walked toward it and I put an hand on the glass. The glass was vibrating a bit for the huge amount of liquid injected in the chamber.  I was still calling the liquid black water, but I knew its real name was first essence because Heereen told me. I decided to keep that knowledge for me, as many other pieces of information.

Like the obsession of the Heereen for time.

Balthor reached me. "Do you think this will work? Who has authority here? Are you talking for the Human Senate? And what about the Teculpas? Only one empire of four..."

"This is not the great assembly this galaxy needs, Balthor" I explained "It's just a discussion to avoid any of us to kill someone. My target is to leave this system. All of us. All alive. It's a project more ambitious than yours, but still realistic" I was angry with Balthor and all the Sot'Quan. I collaborated with their race for years, they showed me how enlightened they were about collaboration and galactic peace. I had to conclude that just that particular colony ship, just the Citadel of the Sot'Quan was so dumb to change their attitude as they did. So dumb to let my dear friend Jeremhia die.

Heereen shot the missile that killed Jeremhia, but someway I couldn't stop thinking about Sot'Quan leaders as responsible for his death.

"Teculpa Tau and Teculpa Origin..."

"They're stuck in a siege we don't know enough about, so it's very difficult to think they could interfere. If they had a chance to do that..." I made a bad grin "why didn't they come here to save you?"

At last, Balthor was worried enough to speak open with me. He wasn't able to raise his head enough to look at my face but his voice was firm. "The Teculpa Origin... they said something to the Tau... something that made them... scary. You know... Teculpa could become quite fanatic in the right conditions... I think the Origin found a way to lit up the hearts of the members of the Orthodox Empire"

"I know. As I know that Teculpa Tau and Teculpa Ryon hasn't fought a real war for ages... still being two of the most powerful and fierce clan of the galaxy. And a clash between them is probably unavoidable"

"But here we could..."

"We're not here for that, Balthor"

The fish tank was full, a loud noise, coming from the speaker connected to it announced Heereen's emissary was ready to come. Again, at start we just saw a movement inside the black water, as something massive swimming in it. Then the red lights on the head of the squid-like creature lit-up, letting us see it through the dark liquid.

"Here we go" I whispered, just for me.