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“I don't know if I can do what you request, Lord Eiipul. I've never tried, at least not intentionally, to share the experience with more than one other sentient at a time.”

“You sshared with me.” From the dispenser at his side the AAnn noble drew forth a fresh libation. “You will find the Emperor an admirable entity, and there are many in the Gathering who are wiser and more knowledgeable than mysself. None, I think, will be immune to the importance of what you musst reveal to them.”

“Speaking of immunity,” Flinx reminded his host, “there is danger involved. You now know that.”

“Better than I would wissh to,” Eiipul admitted. “Yet all knowledge concealss within it danger to a greater or lesser degree.” He gestured third-degree amusement. “If it did not, governmentss would not be sso anxiouss to regulate it.” Coming closer, he lowered his voice.

“I give you, Flinx of the Commonwealth, Flinx LLVVRXX of the Tier Ssaiinn, a chance to interact with the ssupreme leaderss of the Empire. It iss an opportunity no human hass ever been offered before. Not the head of your government, not the Lasst Ressort of your United Church, not the mosst eminent among your sscientissts, not the resspected leaderss of your military. You musst sshow my own kind what iss at sstake.” He stepped back. “Only then will you be assured of a ssafe departure from thiss world, and the chance to carry on your essential work.”

Flinx found himself pondering what was at once an offer and a command. If he refused Eiipul's request, his options would be seriously limited. If he agreed, and could bring it off, there could be ancillary benefits. Thinking back to his time on Jast among the Tier of Ssaiinn inevitably led him to fond remembrances of one exceptional AAnn: the female, Chraluuc, who had looked after and taken a special interest in him. She had wanted him to be a bridge between humans and her kind. Here was an opportunity to do so on a scale neither of them could ever have foreseen.

Of course, if he failed in the effort not only would humans and AAnn not be drawn closer together, but he could quite easily end up dead.

He refocused his attention on the noble nye waiting in front of him. His emotions elevated but under control, Eiipul awaited his answer.

“If you can really get me that kind of audience,” Flinx sighed, “I'll try to do what you ask. I'll try as I've never tried before.”

“Excellent, my illicit friend! I will sstart work immediately.” Eiipul gestured to his left. “Meanwhile, you are my guesst. We will enssconce you in a part of the ressidence that iss clossed to vissitorss, even to family. There you can resst and recover your sstrength. You will need it all, I think,” he concluded solemnly.

“Honored ssire,” his daughter protested. “Thiss iss madness! If the ssoftsskin iss found out, if it becomess known we are harboring a human illegally arrived on Blasussarr, that will be the end of our family sstatuss as ssurely as if all of uss perisshed at the human'ss handss!”

“Then,” Lord Eiipul told his protesting offspring firmly, “it will behoove you and your brother and your friend to enssure that that eventuality doess not come to pass. Azzissn?”

Taking a respectful step backward, she dropped her eyes and mumbled reluctantly, “Azzissn.” In this unhappy acquiescence she was joined by her brother and also by the attentive Kiijeem.

“It iss decided.” Turning back to his unforeseen guest, Lord Eiipul started to extend a welcoming tail tip. Remembering that his visitor was conspicuously deficient in that department, the noble quickly substituted a proffered hand instead. Four scaly fingers gripped five decidedly softer ones.

“Now then, can you eat proper food?”

“I find most AAnn cuisine quite agreeable, as does my companion.” Flinx added a slight nod in the direction of the minidrag riding comfortably on his left shoulder. “Though after a while a steady regimen of meat and its synthetic derivatives does become tiresome.”

His host responded with a visible shudder. “I undersstand. I am