Cal and Nyla strolled into the room. Cal seemed to wash across the floor like a shadow. Nyla hoped she looked even remotely as confident, but she doubted it. Nyla decided she would like nothing more than to return to the ship and wait for Cal there, but the looks of the other Jix and the thought of trying to brave the crowds outside on her own made her decide to stay.

"Welcome Bearer of Sin." A female Jix said, sitting at the head of a long sloping table, clearly designed to make anyone who sat at it seem superior to those addressing the council. Cal fell into a wide stance, his hand loosely clasped behind his back. Nyla could feel that even though he looked relaxed, Cal was ready to move at a moment's notice.

"Hello, Jix Council of Something or Other." The scorn in Cal's voice did not go noticed as he very clearly misnomerized the council,. 

"Why you filthy, disgusting, unclean, heathen..." A male Jix moved to stand but was interrupted by the woman sitting at the head of the table raising her hand.

"High Priest, I understand your anger, but I assure you, from what I hear, standing up to this man could and would cost you more than you are willing to pay. As one of your young acolytes found out only moments ago." The woman waved her hand at the wall and it suddenly began replaying the events from outside, the ten sickening snaps of the priest's fingers.

"He assaulted a priest!" the high priest yelled. "That is death." 

Cal surprised everyone, interjecting into conversation. "No, I am death. I am the Bearer of Sin, here on official request from your people. I, in good faith, came with all haste and was assured by your ambassador, Pinetil Axshram, that my party would not be accosted. And yet, your young priest there decided he could do as he pleased, so he paid with his fingers for using them to touch something that was not his. Be glad he bought what he did." 

"Oh, and what is it he bought, Bearer of Sin?" The priest said, his tone still flippant and disbelieving.

"Hebought you peace." Cal said, addressing  the woman at the head of the table. "I take it you have been informed what I am, and what I do for a living, and that in all matters of war I am the ultimate decision?"

The woman nodded, not speaking and looking slightly concerned. Cal smiled a predatory smile. "Then would you, in my position, be as lenient as I have been, especially when I found out you have five of the Shen, which is surely a breach of the temporary peace that we have agreedto. You struggled to fight the Shen, I am the might of Humanity. While you slaved your way across the galaxy, my people fought wars the likes of which you could not imagine. The weapons we have are beyond your limited comprehension. I. Am. Death. I bear the sins of the entire human race, and the limits I am willing to go to to ensure that humanity and its allies are safe from harm are beyond anything you can conceive of!"

Cal unconsciously released waves of power with every word. And when he felt Nyla gently tug on his clothing, he suddenly realized that the council was physically pressed into their seats. He took a breath and gave an appreciative nod to Nyla. "I apologize, but this is what I am. Many of my own people call me a monster, and normally anything political is left to others. But you requested me personally. So speak. Tell me what you wish to know, and then I will leave and hopefully, we will never meet again."

The council members adjusted themselves in their seats, and the woman at the head of the table cleared her throat. "Well, yes, we did request you. But to be totally honest, we did not expect you to be as, shall we say, blunt, as you are."

Cal smiled that wolf's grin again. "I am a predator through and through, Divine Empress Axshram. Just as your daughter is a politician through and through. Why would I bother to play coy with the prey?" 

The Empress laughed. "You are a clever man, though I suspect that the AI next to you has something to do with your knowledge." 

Cal shrugged and nodded. The Empress continued. "So I will be blunt as well Cal, but in a moment."

Just then Pinetil returned and whispered into the Empress's ear. She brought in five Shen women and one Shen man, all of them nearly naked, revealing their royal purple skin and herculean physiques. They did not seem like slaves, despite the red and black collars around their throats, they walked tall and every movement seemed to defy the Jix. 

When the Shen laid eyes on Cal and saw his uniform, they all smiled. The man chuckled. "The Bearer of Sin himself is our hero huh? Might just have to do a jig."

"Remove their collars." The Empress to one of the men at the table. 

"Empress!" The high priest said. "These slaves are my personal prop..." 

"I said remove their collars!" The Empress hissed to the man she gestured to, then turned on the high priest. "And I do not remember asking your thoughts on the matter. I also do not remember sanctioning the taking of new slave races. Maybe the collars would look better on you, High Priest?" 

When the collars were removed, Cal faced the six Shen. "How many of you were there?" 

"Just the six of us." One of the women said. "We were all in an escape pod together. After they sucker punched our ship, they scooped the pod and booked it back here. Can't say they had a good time with any of us." 

"Good. Artie, please escort these six to the ship." Cal said.

"Understood Cal." Artie said, stepping forward. "If they try and stop us?" 

"Let them try, I don't have a collar on now." The male Shen said, shrugging his shoulders and seeming to grow larger.

"If they try and stop you, let me know, and then destroy every computer system you have infiltrated so far." Cal said, turningback to the Empress. "I trust they will not face similar issues I faced in coming here."

The Empress smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't think they will. We should talk candidly Cal. Council members, please do me the favor of letting me talk with Cal and his young associate in private. Also escort these people to Cal's ship so we don't end up with a war on our hands."

Several people looked as if they wanted to object, but a glare from the Empress convinced to follow her orders. Moments later only Cal, Nyla, Pinetil, and Empress Axshram remained.

"Firstly, allow me a moment to check on my daughter, if you would Cal." Cal nodded. "Pinetil, how are you, is he treating you well? Are you eating enough? Do you need anything?" 

"I am well mother, he treats me just fine, and I eat plenty." Pinetil said blushing slightly, as Cal chuckled.

"Something funny to you Bearer of Sin?" The Empress asked.

"No, it is always amusing to me that no matter what race, no matter how evolved a people are, a mother is still a mother. Some twisted law of the universe I guess. You simply sounded much like my own mother when I come home from a long time away." 

"True enough." The Empress looked at Cal with a deep sense of appraisal in her eyes, before turning to Nyla. "You there, small blue one." 

"Yes?" Nyla said unsure of how to act or talk.

"Tell me of this man. Tell me why you side with him rather than fight your own battles, rather than submit to the Jix, why did you pick him?" 

Nyla thought for a moment. "If you are asking about me personally, I think I have fallen in love with Cal. That would be the simplest explanation. But as to my people, Cal is not giving them much of a choice. He is rather dead set on dragging them into a modern world that I am unsure they are prepared for."

"Spoken with truth, if ever I have heard it." The Empress said, turning her attention back to Cal. "Cal, if I were to tell you there are forces that haunt our people in ways you could never understand, what would you say?" 

"There is always something new to learn." Cal said. "But I can also see where that would put my people's superior tech in a place of value for your people." 

"Correct. That is a problem for another time. As it stands, I want to ask what it would take for you to stay out of any war fought between humanity and the Jix. If you name it and it is in my power to give, then it will be yours." The Empress looked at Cal expectantly.

"There is nothing you could give me other than my death to keep me from war." Cal said, his tone dropping into that dangerous range again. "Of the seven races who have thought to kill me, and then my people, only one remains." 

"Not just a psychopath, but a principled psychopath." The Empress said. "Very well, I will leave it at that, as I assume nothing else I have to say would matter. At the very least, please take this as a token of my appreciation for your understanding in the events of today."

The Empress offered him a crystal, embossed with what Nyla could only assume was her signet. The Empress also handed one to Nyla. "For the stupidity of the priest."

"Thank you." Nyla said with a smile. 

"Well, I guess that is all I needed. I am sorry we could not have a longer discussion, but it seems that fate would hold us at odds with each other. Take good care of my daughter, Bearer of Sin." The Empress said, then made a dismissing move with her hands.

Cal turned and followed Pinetil from the room, with Nyla close behind him. 

The walk back to the ship was uneventful. It seemed word got around about what Cal had done earlier, and people moved out of his way as if he were a rock in a river. Nyla walked quickly, nearly jogging to keep up, she was rather winded when they finally got to the ship.

Inside, Artie waited with the six Shen, and Cal talked with them. "So, ladies and gentleman, where is it I can drop you off?" 

"If you could drop us on Kallantis, it would be much appreciated," one of the women said. 

"Not a problem. Do any of you need medical treatment, or anything else before we get on the way?" 

"No, Artie has been taking good care of us. We just want to get home," another woman said. 

"Very well. Artie please see to their seating. Nyla and I will get us underway. Pinetil you can wait in your seat." Cal added the last bit when he noticed two of the female Shen eyeing Pinetil in a way that Cal worried would lead to a dead Jix Princess.

Within twenty minutes, with Nyla mostly just following Cal around the ship, they finally strapped into their seats. Cal looked back, "We are going to jump to Kallantis, then to Nyla's world. So bear with me and just stay seated. Artie will make sure they get out okay and tell us when to jump.

Nyla nodded. She gritted her teeth moments later when the pain began in her head. It subsided like normal, then for five minutes, they sat quietly. Nyla looked over at Pinetil. "Your mother seems nice." 

Pinetil looked shocked. "You know she is the woman who leads our people. The people who want to cleanse the galaxy of the impure and turn all those who we deem worthy into slaves. you understand that right?

"Yes, but still, she seems nice." Nyla said, shrugging in confusion at her own feelings on the topic.

Pinetil looked strangely emotional when Cal spoke. "Alright, jumping again." 

The pain came once more, and when they exited the ship they found the Clan hall exactly as they had left it. Other than the three Narvish youths sitting at the firepit outside the hall.

When they saw Cal, they jumped to their feet, and dashed over, falling to their knees and pressing their heads to the floor. The words that came out their mouths surprised Nyla, but Cal just smiled.

"Clan Lord of the Clan of the Storm Dragon, please let us join your Clan." The three said in unison.

Through the mental link Artie passed on a message from Cal who was pulling the two men and one woman to their feet and welcoming them. "Let the games begin!"