Balthor refused to talk more about their battle and about the weapon that ripped an hole in their flank. He wanted to talk us face to face, at least he wanted us back on the Sot'Quan, after having banished us away with funny reasons. Something only a diplomat could manage.

"Obviously i'm going" I said "and I think Cassandra should come too" I didn't want Cassandra with me just because I was considering her my pupil, I wanted her because I needed to show the Rafkins something like a... "delegation" with people. I needed numbers and I already knew what captain Valtair was thinking.

"I'll stay here" she stated, no possibility of objection "I'm not sure they want me on their ship"

"They don't want anyone of us there" I answered "but they know they need us. They need any kind of help they can find, because they're shocked"

"They can remain shocked forever, in my opinion"

"Captain Valtair, we know the Rafkins for dozens of years, we fought on their side, we fought against them, hundreds of battles. They never received a damage like that before. They are shocked, but I'm shocked too"

Valtair stood still, looking at me to underline that having a little chat about her past didn't change my authority on her. At least, I could let her win that time and I did, knowing how difficult could it be for me to manage her on the Sot'Quan. I nodded, she just went back to her seat, pretending to looking something on a console.

But she was the easier part of the game. "I don't know if we should wait for your return, diplomat Callus" said Yutan. She had moved from his position to talk to me, staying in front of me with all his height, full of Teculpa pride.

"I should remember you we're together, commander" I answered, firmly but respectfully.

"We're heading to another system and in my opinion Sot'Quan shouldn't slow us down"

"Our mission is to investigate about the crisis between Hereen and Teculpa-Origin, in my opinion understanding what happened here is precisely our duty"

Yutan hesitated. He wasn't a diplomat (few Teculpas are) and he hasn't the arrogance (or fancy cruel titles) like his general, prefect Hiraku. He wasn't comfortable arguing with me. "I should remember you that the Sot'Quan is allied with the Teculpa-Tau"

Loranna Artell didn't wrote that trick in her books, but she told me about it thousand times. If something matter just for the other side, go on behaving like it's not important for yours, just because that's simply true. "I can't see the problem, commander. Teculpa-Tau are kind neighbors of us and, as far as I know, Teculpa-Ryon are not at war with them"

"But they follow the wrong emperor"

It was a matter of respect to pretend to find that interesting. If I wasn't a diplomat, if I didn't need Yutan to being my friend for some more time, if I could just show the world how much I was pissed off by all the Teculpa question, I would just yawn in his face. But I was... me, so I put a worried face on, instead. "I understand your concern and I'll be glad to help you avoiding any embarrassment, but Teculpa-Tau are not here"

"And what if they appear?"

Yutan was not concerned about Teculpa-Tau coming to that system, Yutan was concerned about having Teculpa-Tau at fire range and not having a reason to shoot them dead. When Teculpas see a target they behave like children with candies. "How many Teculpa-Tau are you expecting, commander?"

"How many...?"

"They're allied with the Rafkins and they were the fastest responding about the crisis. What if a legion of Teculpa-Tau appear? Do you think it could be a good time to speak about who is right about the emperor?"

"It's always a good time for..."

"Yes. But we both know Teculpa famlies don't start wars just because they come to the same system for different reasons. At least not the Tau and your family. Any scenario I can imagine sees you and the Tau holding your position, while the Rafkins talk to me, both keeping your honor intact. What if you leave us, go to the system we were headed to and find there a Tau legion with something really important to hide? That's the moment a human witness like me could come handy, don't you think?"

Hiraku sent me a clever commander, I should thank him for that. Yutan tried to say something fierce enough to make his decision sound bold, but in the end he just nodded. "However, I will not come with you"

"I wasn't expecting that, commander. You can stay here with captain Valtair"

And I could only dream about the lovely atmosphere of the ship with just those two ones on the bridge.