"For many generations the ice's been stretching its glacial hands on Shishfirr, the frost advances, the land is barren, game is scarce. Some is expecting a calamity soon, plague, famine, or the lost clan's vengeance. Now this ship comes from the outer space. Are you the heralds of the end of time as that crazy monk says? Must we repent?" the lord asked. "Repentance is always a bless for our souls, my lord," the high priest interjected. "Some prophecies, however, claim the return of lost clan doesn't mean the end of the world, but a new era of bountiful prosperity." "You fool, don't you see the Gods' will is that I preach this way?" the battered monk managed to shout out. "Execute this heretic Lamenter, so he doesn't bother us any longer." the priest said, rubbing his hands. "Let us have the honor of knowing the ship's name and yours and your lineage, noble Swayer of the Universe," the lord asked. "This is Shaurr's clan's battleship Victory. I am her captain, Jay Sea is my name." JS announced in bombastic tone. "Jay, their telepathy is minimal!" Eve mind-shouted. "I don't perceive any telepath all around, and you, Vickie?" "All is silent!" Vickie said lapidary. "I don't like these gallows birds. Take the seat of power and let's go." "We have to make it shrewdly, Vickie. This place stinks of plots, poisons and daggers, so we'll stick to a cloak and dagger way." JS thought. In the lord's mind a breathtaking succession of maimed thoughts, feelings, images, and twisted desires was going on. His inner turmoil flavored with greedy lust for power and deep hatred and contempt for that stranger who stood proudly. The prelate, instead, had just one fixed idea: "A catastrophe! what a terrible disaster!" "Is Her Ladyship your Naga, Captain? Can you bestow us the honor to introduce ourselves to her?" the overlord said and the prelate flashed a slippery smile. JS nodded and waved the invitation to the tent. "If he touches me, I'll shoot him between his eyes!" Eve said, reading a fleeting plan to kidnap her on the spot and thus take the ship in the lord's mind. Suddenly a knight burst at full gallop into the plain. His colors betrayed him as belonging to another clan. "Don't be dazzled by this damn beggar, powerful stranger. His words are sweet but full of poison. Accept my invitation and come to my palace, you and the Lady!" "Get off the busaur, blackguard, and fight!" the first lord shouted, drawing his sword. "I invited them first!" "I'll drink from your skull tonight, knave!" shouted the newcomer, dismounting with a leap, while their warriors prepared for the battle and the prelates cantillated their blessings to their own group. Eve, furious, declaimed in a singsong: "Stop this war. We came in peace to claim what is ours, the Shaurr territories!" Both lieges watched Eve, then JS, then looked at each other askance, but re-sheathed their swords. How could someone not think war as the best possible thing? The clash of arms guaranteed wealth, power and wives of rank. In their hearts all the indigenous agreed that only the emasculated might not looking for war honors, therefore this Naga was an easy prey. A captain who left a Naga speak publicly, was a gelding for sure. The thought comforted the liege lords, and with a nod of the eyebrows, they agreed to a temporary truce. "Shaurr Country is in the north," said one of the prelates ostensibly addressing to JS, "I can show it on the maps." JS nodded and invited their guests to a reception. Everyone seemed relaxed and in good company. In one corner the two prelates were whispering to each other: "A synod, we need to convene a synod." At the end the representatives of the Huffers' party announced to JS: "The clan territories are largely covered by advancing glaciers, the rest is wasteland. We won't come over there, we will accept the invitation of the Overlords, instead." "Do as you like." JS replied with a concealed grin. -- Thanks!