“Explain the workings of this structure,” the Alpha said, finally moving on to a new topic.

“I’m not sure I understand the question, Alpha,” I said.

“How can this building maintain and establish environmental areas suitable for both our species?” She said, clarifying her question.

“I’m not sure how exactly.

“Zui? Do you know?” I said, allowing her to demonstrate just how capable she was while wondering if this was another land-mine that was about to go off.

“The pavilion is constructed using formation arrays, Honored Alpha,” Zui answered after a bow of respect. “The crafters have embedded arrays within the floor and ceiling that detect each individual’s Qi signature when they enter and adapt the environment to that person’s signature.

“The array can differentiate between the minor variances in Qi that exist between Hindel and Elves and responds to a set of programming arrays that have been created that manage water, air, and temperature.

“Those programming arrays are instructed to provide a suitable environment for each Qi signature. It also makes allowances for sight, sound, and smell to travel without distortion or refraction. This allows each of our people’s senses to process what is there in the manner we are most familiar with.

“Once activated, the formation is capable of running for months. It is a simple matter to power the formation using cores or spirit stones. ”

“And how long have you been able to create these arrays and formations? Is this a new invention, or have you been able to do something like this for centuries?” The Alpha asked, her anger now evident even across species.

“Have we offended you somehow, Alpha?” I asked, responding to her increasing anger.

“You?

“No.

“Every Elf that we have met with and hasn’t offered this type of building and array to meet in? I think so. Even if we agreed to negotiate and trade on land, the least those we met with should have done was offered us a place for discussion similar to this.

“That they didn’t, speaks to the type of people we have been dealing with.

“The Hindel will be discussing what we have learned here today,” she said, the inflection of her voice coming across clearly enough through the translation devices we were using to know she planned on demanding changes.

She was pissed.

And I understood her reasoning when she informed us that no other meetings between Hindel and Elf had made use of the environmental arrays that were easily inscribed into rooms or buildings or using formation flags to make the environmental arrays mobile.

I would have to send a missive to Patriarch Umbra and explain what had happened here today. She should be able to contact the Emperor and let him know about this meeting and the conclusions the Hindel had drawn. It was too late to head this off, and it was better to give the Emperor some warning. He would be angry but not as mad as if he had been blindsided by accusations and recriminations the next time he or one of his proxies contacted and met with a Hindel delegation.

“This one apologizes for any part in your anger, Alpha,” I said, bowing deeply and changing the use of pronoun to punctuate the sincerity of my words. “This one must point out that she is young, barely a year past her majority, and newly installed as Baroness of this Fief.

“It is possible. This one does not understand the reasonings and nuances involved in how discussions between our two people formed or evolved. This one may be confused about what is acceptable and what has been based on tradition.

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“This one can only beg for forgiveness and plead with the Alpha to temper her anger and consider this one’s ignorance about historical and political matters before making any decisions.

“This one hoped to host this meeting, here at this site, to honor you and beg forgiveness for past slights the former Lord might have given. We selected this place to show you the damage done to the coral reef so that you might understand more clearly why we are desperate for your help.”

I considered performing the full Dogeza as I spoke, but I wasn’t sure she would understand the significance for a people who lived and moved in the water; that type of deep remorse and respect made little sense. And I realized there was no amount of back-peddling or apologizing that I could do that would change things by this point.

The Alpha had experienced for herself what the Elves were capable of if they made an effort. The pageantry and expense the Empire could waste for appearance. To assume the Hindel people were being deliberately slighted, that the Empire didn’t find them worth even a token gesture of respect was probably close to the truth.

“Enough,” the Alpha said, becoming embarrassed at my effort to smooth things over. “I realize you had no part in your peoples’ past actions, and your attempt at honoring us today may gain the leaders of your Empire’s attention you did not seek. But we are not so petty as to punish the messenger for the message. Or to act in a manner that will affect you and your people.

“It would be spurious of us to return the honor and respect you have shown with actions that will bring harm to you and your territory. I hold you blameless. You are no more responsible for the previous insults we might have received or responsible for Lord Chon’s actions than the Hindel are for their ignorance when dealing with the Empire.

“We have a long memory, and we will remember your kindness here today.

“You hoped to gain help with the damaged coral?” She asked, changing the topic.

“We do, but please feel free to sample the dishes before we discuss our request. This one hopes you might enjoy them,” I said, trying to use the food artfully displayed to help her find her center and calm. “Our chef is only apprentice level in his craft, but I hope you will find something that is pleasing.

“The chef focused mainly on raw fish dishes, but he did create a salt-baked lemon fish and two different curries, one containing fish, another containing Entelodont. The curries might have an interesting flavor profile you haven’t sampled before. It is a favorite dish from the area I was raised.”

The Alpha floated past the banquet table, using her Qi as an appendage to select a few of the dishes offered to sample. She hesitantly tried the curry, ignoring the lemon chicken leaving me to believe she had it before and it was not to her taste.

The curry, though, received an interesting reaction. She was able to smell the blend of spices used in the dish. Her ability to smell was similar to how a shark filters smell from water. I probably should have warned her that the dish was spicy, but I hadn’t thought of it, too concerned about her anger and my part in it to remember.

The interesting thing about animals that live in water is that a large part of the water they absorb is by osmosis through their skin and gills. On the other hand, mammals like dolphins and whales get the liquid to stay hydrated from their food.

The Hindel were a strange blend of fish and mammal. They gave live birth and produced milk for their children, but they didn’t breathe air. Because of their physiology, they didn’t have the luxury of drinking a glass of water or milk to quench the fire from the food prepared with a bit of heat. Because of that, the Alpha had no choice but to begin stuffing her face with some of the sushi to deal with the hot chili added to the curry.

I was aghast watching her actions as pieces of fish were manipulated by her Qi and funneled into her mouth. I was confident that this negotiation would go down in history as a case study on what not to do when engaged in diplomacy. I was sure it was doomed to failure until she surprised me by moving to grab another bite of curry.

There were some people like that. Brave enough or stupid enough to eat spicy food that caused such an extreme reaction. For some, the spicier, the better. The Alpha proved to be that type of person. The heat from the curry was a surprise for her, one that she enjoyed even if she did have to temper that heat occasionally with sushi or ceviche.

After seeing her reaction, one of her aids was brave enough to try the curry.

Once.

She darted away immediately after, hunting down a few of the live fish swimming near to cut the heat and salvage what remained of her taste buds.

Gwen and Zui watched the event unfold with wide eyes. I think they would have maintained their composure if the other Hindel hadn’t started laughing. But once one started, it became infectious until the entire pavilion was either watching in wonder as the Alpha ate or laughing in amusement at her perseverance.

I had to admit I found it funny too. Who would have guessed that the Alpha was a gourmand? One that had just become a lifetime member of Flavortown.