Black Velvet

"Indeed I can," Torza rumbled, always eager for an opportunity to brag. "Elysia leads Borealis in science and technology, our economic growth under Patriarch Elysiedde's stewardship has been unprecedented. That I arrived here on an Elysian vessel crewed by Elysians is a testament to that fact."

Korbaz glared at him, drumming her claws on the table, seemingly irritated by his boasting.

"The more money that they can spend on defense, the better prepared we can be," Admiral Murray added. "Borealis is a remote planet, and Betelgeusian hive fleets could cross the border into Coalition space at any time or place. The more territories that we arm, the better chance we'd have of defending the planet. The Admiralty's biggest fear is that a hive ship will break through the orbital defenses and land its troops inside an unaffiliated territory, and we would be unable to coordinate with the local government."

They let Jules continue, and he went on to describe his encounter with the Rask prisoner. Word of the presence of the Rask in Araxie territory had already circulated, and so it wasn't much of a surprise to anyone at the table. Korbaz seemed to have been anticipating it, biding her time until the perfect opportunity to express her outrage presented itself.

"Preposterous!" she exclaimed, slamming a gloved fist on the table. "You have no proof that this prisoner was a Rask. What grounds do you have to make such baseless accusations against the Matriarchy?"

"Our guide was an Elysian Ranger by the name of Yuta," Jules elaborated, "she identified the prisoner as being of Rask origin. The Araxie also referred to him as such. I have attached a photograph of the prisoner if you'd like to view it."

"A more likely possibility is that the Elysian misidentified him on purpose," she spat, "or that this was an Elysian spy masquerading as a Rask. Borealans from territories across the world make their homes in Elysia, it's impossible to tell one breed from another."

"Why do they not flock to make Rask their home, I wonder?" Torza joked, grinning as Korbaz turned to snarl at him furiously.

"Even if this was a Rask, and the human has presented no evidence of that, who is to say that he was sent by the Matriarchy? Should my government be expected to reduce crime to zero, to know the whereabouts of every one of our citizens at all times? An impossible task!"

"If you'll turn your attention to the files that are attached to this section of the report," Jules interjected, "you'll find videos and images of a stash of weapons and equipment that was recovered from a Rask raiding party after a battle. They are undeniably UNN-issue. We also found weapons and equipment of Rask origin along with them. The Marines that were inspecting the items assured me that they weren't military surplus and that they had been provided to the Rask government at one point or another."

After viewing the files for a couple of minutes and seeing the videos of the Marines handling the gear, Admiral Murray turned to Korbaz, his tone dour. He angled the screen of his tablet towards her, showing her an image of a large, crude revolver sitting beside a Borealan-sized chest plate that had seen better days.

"So, the absolute best-case scenario here is that our weapons shipments are ending up in the hands of bandits? When the Rask became members of the Coalition, the Matriarchy agreed to respect the sovereignty of neighboring territories, and also to take steps to outlaw banditry and piracy."

"The Elysians could just as easily have supplied that equipment to the criminals," she complained.

"Miss Zuki," the Admiral said, turning his attention to her. "Perhaps you can provide some more insight into what has been happening in your territory?"

This was Zuki's chance to make an impression, and she stood up. She fiddled with her furry hands for a moment, unsure of where to let them rest, deciding on clasping them in front of her skirt as she cleared her throat.

"Honorable council members," she began, mimicking the way that she had seen Jules address them. "I would first like to thank you for allowing me to be here, and for giving me the opportunity to speak before you. I speak not only for myself, but for my Patriarch, and for the people of Araxie who have entrusted me with being their voice."

It was a good opening, Jules watching the reactions of the council members as they listened to her.

"My territory is a primitive one by the standards of most. Until mere months ago, we knew nothing of spaceships and alien wars. We fight not with rifles and bombs, but with spears and bows. Eons ago, my ancestors found refuge in the impassable jungles of Araxie. During the wars for the lakes, we leveraged its natural defenses to ward off those who would seek to displace us. Over the generations, our existence faded from living memory, the myths of forest spirits swooping down to carry away trespassers keeping away the curious. That was how we wanted things to stay. We were left to our own devices, content to live out our simple lives hunting and foraging. Once every few years, a Rask raiding party or a band of desert nomads would be bold enough to see if the legends were true, but they never posed an existential threat. Until now."

Murray and Torza were already captivated by her story, she was really going all out on the presentation. Rasheth seemed interested too, his yellow eyes watching her over his scaly snout. Korbaz just looked pissed off, and it was hard to tell what the Broker was feeling, if anything.

"About two years ago, the attacks by Rask raiding parties abruptly accelerated in frequency. They seemed to us to have been emboldened by something, forgetting their old fears and making incursions deeper and deeper into our territory. They were aided by new technology, weapons, and armor that we had never seen before. Where once they had carried powder rifles, and had dressed in leather, they now wielded electronic railguns and armor that was near impervious to our bolts. We fought them off time and time again, but as our casualties mounted, we realized that they weren't going to stop. It was as if they had a goal, a mandate."

Mandate? Great choice of words. She must have been reading the online dictionary because Jules hadn't taught her that one. He caught Murray glancing at Korbaz suspiciously. Everything was going to plan so far.

"By a stroke of pure luck, after one of the raids, we were able to secure a radio that they had been using to coordinate. We also took a prisoner who could teach us how to use it."

"See?" Korbaz suddenly interrupted, as if she had caught Zuki in a lie. "A Rask would never allow themselves to be taken prisoner, let alone give information to the enemy."

The other council members did not share her sentiment, and her gotcha moment petered out as she rested her face in her hand and allowed Zuki to continue, scowling across the room at her. She was becoming increasingly isolated, just as they had hoped.

"We learned how to operate the machine, and with it, we learned of the spaceships and satellites that were orbiting above our heads. We learned of the Coalition, and what had been going on beyond our borders. With the help of the Rask prisoner, we were able to contact a UNN ship, and we made our plea for aid. It was the opinion of my Patriarch and many of his most trusted Alphas that the Rask had been emboldened by their new alliance and the technology that it had brought. We saw no other option than to join ourselves, to gain access to the same weapons that had been provided to the Rask. It might be the only way to survive. There were fears that even if we got what we wanted, it would drastically change our way of life, erasing Araxie culture as we know it, but Mister Lambert has assuaged many of those fears. He describes a Coalition that is just, fair, that seeks equality and sovereignty for all. If I am here, it is because I have chosen to believe that too. I am told that the United Nations of humanity are a people of law and order, that the Krell embody compassion, that the Brokers find the hidden logic in all things. And Elysia, our noble neighbor to the East, show us that the tales of your Patriarch's wisdom and greatness are not unfounded."

She sat back down, having made her impression, Jules struggling to remain stony-faced. She had done marvelously, and he wanted so badly to congratulate her. This was the culmination of everything that she had learned.

"Thank you for your testimony, Miss Zuki," Murray said. "I want to assure you that even if membership is deemed unsuitable for your territory, there will be an inquest into the activities of the Rask. We must assume innocence until guilt is proven, but if it was discovered that any such activities had been taking place with the consent or the support of the Matriarchy, then the consequences would be severe."

The second part of his statement was directed more towards Korbaz than Zuki, and the Rask looked like she was about ready to explode. It had not escaped her attention that Zuki had not addressed her directly either, and that the Araxie had no praise for her neighbors to the West.

"Then launch your inquest," Korbaz snapped back at him, "and you will find nothing. The Matriarchy will expect an apology for these insults that you have levied against our people."

"I call for peace in the court," Rasheth said, his Krell rumblings translated by the synthesized voice of the device on his wrist. Even an angry Rask would not attempt to shout over the formidable creature, and she closed her mouth, stewing silently. "To our guest I would ask. If you had the guns and supplies that you ask for, what then the outcome would be? Will you make revenge against the wrongdoers?"

"We do not seek revenge," she replied. "We only want to protect ourselves."

"But you must understand that the Coalition is not a charity," Torza added, the golden thimbles that sheathed his claws clattering on the table as he leaned across it. "What can the Araxie bring to the Coalition? You cannot remain hidden in your jungles forever. Membership requires you to take steps to join the Galactic community and to tolerate the presence of foreigners. The articles of the Coalition treaty specifically state that the main determining factor for admission is, and I quote, whether their admission to the Coalition will strengthen the alliance and further the basic objective of Coalition enlargement."

"Perhaps I can answer that question," Jules said. "If you'll turn to page thirty-eight of the report, you'll find an attached video file, along with some written statements from the Marines who accompanied me on the assignment. With your permission, I'd like to sync it to the monitor so that we can all watch it together."

"Go ahead," Murray said, swiveling his chair to face the screen that was mounted on the wall to their right. Jules tapped at his tablet for a few seconds, and then the video began to play.

"This recording shows the views from the helmet cams of the Marines during their combat exercise with the Araxie warriors," Jules explained. "Besides simply increasing the number of Borealan auxiliaries that the Coalition can field, there are other benefits to using Araxie soldiers. They have some unique skills and abilities that the Marines believed could be of great use to the Navy."

The council watched as the scenes of ambush and misdirection played out. Torza seemed especially amused, laughing heartily when Edwards was caught in the net, and the view from the Marine's camera flipped upside-down.

"Now I see how these Araxie operate," he chuckled, "they use stealth and subterfuge to their advantage. See how they take the opportunity to strike and then fade back into the shadows? Without the heat vision cameras, they would be invisible. No wonder they were thought to be ghosts by our forebears. Look, Admiral, your Marines are being outwitted!"

"The Araxie possess natural night vision," Jules explained. "They are incredibly agile, and they're able to move almost silently. Their camouflaged cloaks allow them to hide in plain sight, and their crossbows are quiet, precise weapons. If equipped with more modern gear, they could be even more effective. If I can direct you to the quotes taken from Sergeant Simmons, he believes that they would be well suited to reconnaissance and sabotage missions behind enemy lines."

Yuta rolled out of the bushes on the video feed, wrestling with an Araxie and overpowering him. Torza slammed his fist on the table, gesturing to the monitor as he bellowed proudly.

"Yes! Our Rangers are not to be trifled with! Do you see that?"

Before Murray or Korbaz could reply, Yuta was shot with one of the practice bolts, and the Elysian sobered somewhat.

"We have what the humans would call a home field advantage," Zuki added, "but Sergeant Simmons and his Marines believed that we would be useful in other environments as well."

"We could have used you during the battles for Jarilo and Epsilon Eridani, that's for sure," Murray muttered as the footage came to a stop. He looked over the report on his tablet, reading the statements from Simmons, Velez, and Edwards. "These are some glowing recommendations, and I have to agree with their assessment."

"Aye," Torza added, "a very impressive display."

"I don't see what makes them so special," Korbaz grumbled, "what can they do that a properly outfitted pack of Rask cannot?"

"They defeated the Rask in combat despite being outgunned, did they not?" Torza asked. Korbaz hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

"A group of bandits with stolen gear, perhaps," she replied bitterly. The Krell representative spoke up again, his voice making Jules' teeth vibrate in his skull.

"I have only one question more. You have journeyed from home to this strange place. Crossed paths with foreigners and strangers not of like creed. Tell us what you have found. In the future of the Araxie, is there conflict? Is harmony foreseen? Do your kind accept the aliens?"

"During my stay on this station, I have found friendship in unlikely places," Zuki replied. "I have befriended humans and Elysians, I have crossed paths with Polars and Krell. Everyone has been kind to me, everyone has been accepting. I expected to be an outcast, but it is impossible to feel like a stranger here, like you don't belong. If the Pinwheel is a reflection of Coalition society as a whole, then I find it very difficult to imagine any problems arising."

"And you, diplomat Lambert," Rasheth continued as he turned his long snout towards Jules. The innumerable pendants that were draped around his neck knocked together as he moved, creating a sound like beads in a rainstick. "Your treatment by the Araxie, it was found favorable?"

"The Araxie were gracious hosts," Jules replied. "A little wary at first, perhaps. They were very protective of their village, but everyone that I met there made a genuine effort to engage with me, and I don't recall a single negative interaction. I've gone into a lot of detail concerning the Araxie social structure and their way of life if you'll take a look at the relevant pages of the report."

"Let's go over those now," Murray suggested, Jules clearing his throat before continuing...

***

They had finally reached the end, and the council members had asked all of their questions. Between Jules and Zuki, they had been able to paint an extremely detailed picture, both of Araxie life and the attitudes of the people living there. Jules had been as thorough as possible in his documentation, and now everyone on the council was almost as informed as he was. Murray and Torza had all of the information that they wanted on the military applications of the Araxie warriors, and the Broker had a good picture of their economy. Rasheth was only concerned with the people themselves, it seemed that the innate empathy that his kind displayed also extended to their leaders and government as well.

"I think we've heard enough," Murray said, leaning back in his leather seat as he took a draw from a bottle of water that an aide had brought for him during one of their short recesses. The meeting had been in session for almost four hours from start to finish, and even the more stoic of the council members was beginning to get antsy. "Does anyone have any more questions to ask?"

The two Borealans shook their heads, and neither Rasheth nor the Broker spoke up.

"Very well, then," the Admiral continued. "Let the record state that we're about to vote on whether the Araxie territory of Borealis shall be admitted to the Coalition. Patriarch Bozka has agreed to the terms presented to him by Mister Lambert, and everything seems to be in order."

Jules realized that he was holding his breath, and Zuki's tail was flicking nervously behind her chair as she awaited the verdict. She shared a glance with him, and he gave her a subtle nod. Everything was riding on this vote, the fate of the Araxie people, and their burgeoning relationship. If Araxie was not admitted to the Coalition, then Jules might have no excuse to keep working with Zuki. They would send her back home, and then that might be it, there was no guarantee that he would ever see her again.

"All in favor of admitting the Araxie territory to the Coalition?" Murray asked. "My vote is yes, they meet all of the requirements, and I see no reason to refuse their request."

"I vote yes also," Torza followed, giving Zuki a glance across the table. "The Araxie have proven themselves worthy fighters, and my Patriarch welcomes all friends of Elysia."

"I vote no," Korbaz spat, crossing her arms over her chest and making her leather creak as she scowled at Jules and Zuki. "The territory is clearly hostile to Rask, and I will be reporting what happened here to my Matriarch. What good are alliances that support belligerent states above their own members?"

Murray looked like he was about to argue, but then rightly realized that it was pointless. Jules' heart was hammering, and his hands were sweating. He had known that Korbaz would vote no, but they weren't out of the woods just yet. If the Krell and Broker representatives voted no for some reason, then Korbaz would have a majority.

"I cast a vote for the Elders," Rasheth began, "we welcome new friends to collective. Yes."

Jules felt a swell of excitement and relief rising up inside of him, and judging by the way that Zuki's tail was loudly batting against the metal supports of her chair, she did too. It didn't matter how the Brokers voted now, they already had the majority required to pass the motion.

"The Brokers vote yes," the robotic construct said through its tinny speaker. The wording suggested that it might be in direct contact with its peers right now, how many Brokers were casting this vote? Jules met its gaze for a moment, making eye contact with one of its telescoping lenses, and he could have sworn that he saw a spark of emotion in there somewhere. "We look forward to opening trade routes and assisting in the territory's development."

"The motion is passed with a vote of four to one," Admiral Murray declared, Jules no longer able to contain his grin. Zuki sagged in her chair, exhaling a long sigh of relief. "Effective immediately, the territory of Araxie is to be made the sixth member of the Coalition. We will be diverting some UNN ships from their holding positions in Borealan orbit to make contact and begin the process. As per the request of Mister Lambert, we will be dispatching peacekeepers to ensure that no more raids occur, whatever their origin might be. The next steps will be establishing a permanent embassy, and shipping some Araxie soldiers to the Pinwheel for integration training. We will keep you updated, Mister Lambert. As the foremost human expert on the Araxie, your help will likely be required."