Mistaken Identity by Blaze Ward

Author:Blaze Ward
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781644703922
Publisher: Knotted Road Press

THIRTY-SIX

Uly was back in the nice uniform. Cleaned and shaved and ready for company. Dan was next to him. Her warrior women were all close by and armed for effect, plus Suka Kuri in a gloriously blue, kimono-style robe she’d dug out or had made at some point.

Him, and females, with Haydar and Sterling watching things from up on the bridge.

Factor Bitrus was a shorter, plumper version of Rabiu Khadijan. Lawal Bukra fell in between them. Uly was one hundred and eighty-five centimeters tall. Nasrin was one hundred and seventy. Rabiu was almost Uly’s height. The other two were closer to Nasrin’s.

And Uly continued to be skinny, regardless of what Dan or Vahid had tried to put weight on him. The three Khet were simply squishy. Bureaucratically overweight.

Still, smiles and polite friendliness.

Other Khet accompanied Bitrus. Generally dressed in slacks and tunics comparable to Bukra, so Uly assumed Directors. Muted colors across the board that faded against his maroons. Most appeared to be either Bukra’s peers, or spies for other Factors who were friendly enough to be included in a small dinner to plot a new foreign policy for Z’Gosza.

Or whatever this qualified as.

Rabiu stepped into the middle ground from Uly’s side, turning sideways like a referee at a sporting event, though he seemed to be the most nervous person present.

“Factor Ahmadu Bitrus, I present to you Ulysses Fortier, the Corsac Fox,” Rabiu said. “Conductor, Factor Ahmadu Bitrus.”

Uly stepped forward and nodded deeply. Z’Gosza didn’t shake hands like Human cultures still did, in order to show that one was not holding a sword or pistol.

The others got introduced as well. Mostly Directors, but Uly would need a complete corporate Table of Management in front of him for the Factor to be certain if all these people reported to the Khet.

They all feared him, that much was obvious.

Except Rabiu. What did that say?

“Factor and friends, welcome aboard my vessel,” Uly said.

The camera crew had come along, shooting more footage from a corner. Uly would need to sort them out after he knew which direction dinner was going.

And he didn’t call the ship Corsac Fox. Apparently, the Khet locals had fully embraced that as Uly, instead. Yet another case of mistaken identity, right up there with this no longer being the Iron Wasp.

He smiled. They smiled back.

“Our chef has worked all day to present a meal he believes is representative of the many species and cultures that have come together today,” Uly continued. “If you would please join me, we’ll break bread first, then have a long series of small courses over which we can discuss business.”

That seemed to be the right thing to say. Rabiu had suggested it, business being the highest art form to these Khet.

He led. Rabiu escorted Bukra and the Factor. Dan and her team gathered up the guests like wayward sheep and kept them on track.

Vahid had recruited everybody not directly on duty somewhere, reporting to either him or Omid as they had baked, chopped, stirred, or even set tables.

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