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“Until you cease to buy slaves, K’tark’ah Exporters and all associates will do no business with you or any other government official,” Avra said.
“Why does this matter to you?” asked Vraeni’karidrojantirn, called Vrae. The Wunatt Extraplanetary Commerce Ambassador looked quite perturbed.
“Civilized, spacefaring societies do not deal in slaves,” Avra said frankly. “If you truly wish your people to advance, and to see more trade beyond the limited distance you have traveled from your homeworld thus far, this is an important matter.”
Vrae shuddered, which Avra equated to a shake of his head. He continued, “The Wunatt government need not do business with you or your associates.”
“That’s true,” Avra said. “But that would not advance your interests at all. You are ambitious, like many of your race. Your people have not been traveling long from your own system, and I am well aware of your negotiations to claim certain unclaimed space for your own exploration and colonization. My support can only help you.”
“You think rather highly of yourself, Avra Pii K’tark’ah,” Vrae remarked. “This would have no impact on that.”
Pira Delvi spoke up before Avra could reply. “You do not understand, Vraeni’karidrojantirn. Avra has personal influence far beyond commerce. Your superiors know that—which is why they requested that you arrange this meeting.”
“What of it?” asked Vrae.
“Slavery is an abhorrent practice,” Avra said. “Certainly, there are individuals that will always believe they can make a practice of this. In time, however, it will go badly for them. When a whole culture condones slavery, it speaks of their lack of character and ethics. No sentient race should be enslaved by another, and only those who renounce and forbid such practices will prosper.”
“The Druxt take slaves,” Vrae pointed out.
“Yes,” Avra agreed. “And look around you. See any Druxt here?”
Avra paused a moment. Xez and Pira were in an open café on Zravusq, a busy world in the Ravusq Q’suvar Bh sector, as far from Human territories as one could be. Pira was almost certainly the first Human to visit. But numerous non-Humans and other races were in evidence.
Avra continued. “You do not see the Druxt because they cannot trade with any outside of their immediate borders. Their unethical practices, which also include killing and consuming other sentient races with whom they may be in conflict, have made them unwelcome. Neither do you see any Oniadorv or Ni’zoparta. Likely, you have never heard of them.”
Vrae did not respond, but the look on his face was unpleasant.
“The Oniadorv occupy just one world,” xez continued, “and though they possess faster-than-light technology, they war among themselves and enslave the losers. The Ni’zoparta were like the Oniadorv but fought among themselves until their extinction. Both races have many similarities to the Wunatt.”
“We have not warred among ourselves in two centuries,” Vrae defended.
“Perhaps not,” Avra agreed. “But you still compete among yourselves in many unhealthy ways. You yourself hope for personal gain and advancement through negotiations with me. I take no exception to that, except that K’tark’ah Exporters and all my associates do not do business with races that take slaves.”
Vrae looked as if he would argue further, but his face slumped as he accepted the defeat. “Very well. I shall take your request to my superiors.”
“You do that,” Avra said. “In two months, I will meet with you here again. Show me a signed declaration against slavery from your government, and we will begin dealings.”
“Two months is not enough time,” Vrae said. “There will need to be a lot of votes and discussion among our leadership, and—”
“This is a simple request, Vraeni’karidrojantirn,” Avra interrupted. “It is in the best interests of the Wunatt people that this be done—and immediately, with no debate or discussion. If you truly wish to expand your placement and influence, this is absolutely necessary and requires immediate action.”
Vrae made a noise Avra took for a sigh. “I understand.”
“Good,” Avra replied. Then, more gently, xez added, “You could look up the Ravusq Enslavement Rejection Compact. It’s hundreds of thousands of years old, but not inappropriate for the Wunatt to adopt for themselves.”
“I will do so,” Vrae replied.
“Then this meeting is over,” Pira said. “Thank you.”
Vrae did not arise from his seat. “I request one more thing. What of the Ditufgne and the Xorcerizts?”
“What of them?” asked Avra.
“The Ditufgne, we have learned, have attacked many of the other races,” Vrae said. “My superiors also know that the Xorcerizts have provided a new source of protection. We wish access to this as well.”
“It is not necessary,” Avra informed him. “Your people are unknown to the Ditufgne, as the Wunatt were not spacefaring when Project Outbound encountered them. You have no need of this technology.”
“What if the Ditufgne learn of the Wunatt and determine we should be attacked?” asked Vrae.
Avra forced xerzself not to be catty, nor to laugh. “I assure you, Vraeni’karidrojantirn, the Ditufgne have no designs on the Wunatt now, nor will they in the future.”
“Besides that,” Pira added, “your technology—no offense—actually would not be compatible with what the Xorcerizts have shared.”
Avra was not entirely certain that was true, though xez had not looked into it. Xez trusted xerz assistant. Pira had likely stated a fact.
“Very well,” Vrae remarked. He arose. “Thank you.”
As he began to walk away, Avra called out, “Vraeni’karidrojantirn?”
He turned. “Yes?”
“I have a personal message I wish to be conveyed to an associate of yours. Do you know Traena’karafrovintirn?”
“Yes,” Vrae said.
“Tell her that our paths had best not cross,” Avra informed him. “Tell her exactly these words: her enslavement of a friend of mine displeases me.”
Vrae paused a moment longer, made a half-bow toward Avra, turned and departed.
“That was unlike you, Avra,” Pira said softly.
Avra sighed. “I know. Normally I am much more neutral toward members of a given race. But Traena’karafrovintirn was the Wunatt who enslaved Alvon Gargarm. You may recall that he told me this rather reluctantly.”
“Indeed.”
“I have come to consider Alvon Gargarm among my friends,” Avra said. “I do not like people who hurt my friends.”
Pira said nothing further.
Avra looked around. There were many different races in the café, though since it was a Ravusq world, they dominated. Zravusq, and this particular city, was a major trading point between the Ravusq and the more distant races.
After a few more moments, Pira asked quietly, “What if the Ditufgne expand their attacks?”
Avra considered xerz answer for a moment. “I rather doubt they will. Everything the Xorcerizts presented about the Ditufgne’s reasoning seems sound. So far, they have kept their attacks very much only to the races that made up Project Outbound, including that attempt on Yalifrey. Do you think otherwise, Pira Delvi?”
“No,” Pira replied. Yet her tone was questioning. “The Ditufgne only attack, and even when they were unable to strike, they would not communicate. If the Xorcerizts and their predecessors could communicate with them, we should be able to as well. Why do they just attack? And why just military forces? What is their real intent?”
Avra had been mulling this over xerzself. “I do not know. Do you have some thought about this?”
“Not a complete one, no,” Pira began. “But I have gone over all your data, and all the data the CSA shared. I’ve come to three conclusions. The first is that they intend to destroy our militaries to teach us a lesson, and then—maybe depart? Settle somewhere in this galaxy? Or, perhaps their goal is to wipe out the militaries first, so as to ease overrunning and enslaving the peoples that made up Project Outbound.”
Pira paused a moment and shuddered. “Or their goal is much more sinister. It is not impossible to believe they intend to destroy the militaries first, to make it easier to wipe Humans, Ravusq, Doolari, Zathru, and Yalifira out of existence.”