Space Stations

Advantage here is that coming in on the diplomatic level, you can take care of the entry forms later.”

The man glanced back toward the broad tunnel leading into the station interior, then raised a hand. “Ah, here he is. Someone you'll be wanting to meet. Meresin, over here.”

Claire recognized the name immediately and followed the line of Flynn's gaze even though she had no desire to do so. There, dressed in black, came the Unvorite chaplain of the Mephist faith. Tall and strongly built, he strode forward with the gait of a conqueror. Long, unbound black hair streamed back past his shoulders. At his hands, throat, and face she could see his blood-red skin, and as he smiled, he flashed black teeth. Seven black thorns jutted up through his hair, the largest sprouting from just above his hairline at his forehead, aligned with his strong, narrow nose. And his eyes, his red eyes, burned with a light she could only describe as infernal.

The Unvorite paused and executed a flawless bow. “Komban-wa Yamash'ta Claire-san.”

If Flynn's familiarity had shaken her, Meresin's greeting in Japanese shattered her. By dint of habit she bowed in return, then looked at Flynn. “If you will forgive me, Father, it has been a long journey. Our arrival interrupted my daily devotion. I… I need to pray and rest. Please forgive me.”

“Understandable, Father Yamashita, right this way.”

Claire held a hand up. “I've studied the station. I can find my rooms. Thank you. And thank you for meeting me. Again, I apologize.” She slipped past the Unvorite and insulated herself with the anonymous press of the crowd leaving the docking bay.

II

Flynn frowned as he watched her go. “Well now, I wasn't thinking that was how this would start.”

The Unvorite nodded, his black brows arrowing down beneath the large horn. “I didn't say anything incorrect, did I?”

“Oh, no, no, your greeting was perfect.” Flynn smiled at his friend. The Mephist faith was one that had been decried and dismissed by the Catholic Church as being wantonly hedonistic, but Meresin had always sought to do that which comfortably brought others pleasure or showed them respect. “Like as not, it's as she said, it's been a long journey. I don't know but what she's not met any Mephists before, so that might have come as a shock.”

The Mephist priest laughed. “And if she spoke with your previous aide's wife, I am certain her image of me is something beyond diabolical.”

The human priest nodded. “I'm thinking that could be another piece of it.” There is more, though, lots more, I'm sure.

Meresin looked up toward where the Haxadissi were hissing loudly. “Then again, traveling in that pod would be enough to put anyone on edge.”

“Not speaking any Haxadissi, I'm not understanding what they're going on about, but they don't sound pleased.”

“It's that this is an unscheduled stop. They were on their way home, but the Ghoqomak lost a seal on its jumpdrive. Standard procedure is to get pods to port, then send a crew out to fix it. Problem is that the station doesn't have the right seals to fix the ship immediately, so it will be at least a week before they head out again.”

Flynn raised an eyebrow. “I know the worlds of Haxad and Unvoreas are relatively close to each other, but I was not aware you spoke Haxadissi.”

“I don't, my friend.” Meresin pointed back along the way he had come. “The kind soul who directed me up here told me about the damaged seal and the delay. I have merely intuited the rest. The Haxadissi are not known for their patience, and a pregnant noble would seem to gain in fury as well as girth.”

As Flynn watched, the ambassador shoved a smaller Haxadis aside and began hissing angrily at the Qian official before her. As the sibilant complaints grew louder, Flynn caught a flash of fangs. At that point the other large Haxadis intervened, interposing himself between the ambassador and the Qian. The ambassador pounded her fists against his broad back, while the smaller aide again moved to the fore and drew the Qian aside for more consultation.

The human shivered. “We didn't have any snakes in Ireland when I grew up. In light of what I've seen in my time on the station here, I'd not be thinking I'd react to them that way, but it's visceral.”

“Well, the serpent in the Garden, after all.”

“A bit of that, I'll warrant, and more.” Flynn smiled as he looked back at the Unvorite.

“The Haxadissi call their faith Lyshara, if I'm remembering right. We've no one here affiliated with it or a sister sect, do we?”

Meresin pressed his black-taloned fingertips together. “No, I am afraid we don't. The Void, of course, embraces all, but the Haxadissi had been hostile to Mephisti ever since a malignant sect of ours slaughtered a colony of theirs several of your centuries back.

They do hold grudges, the Haxadissi.”

“Well, then, I'm guessing if they have any spiritual needs that want to be tended, I'll be the one doing the job.” Flynn sighed. “Before that, though, I'm thinking someone else might need some help.”