Nick watched as they cleared everyone out of the cargo bay, and allowed the alien shuttle to enter. Almost the moment it stopped moving, its hatch opened, and figures in trim spacesuits hesitantly stepped out, looking around carefully. The first couple seemed to bounce in place a few times, as if testing the gravity. Oh, yeah, the Goldaskians have artificial gravity, but these guys might not, Nick realized.

A few moments later, they started gesturing, and a few more suited figures emerged. Quickly, they pulled out something that seemed to act like a pallet jack, and began unloading the shuttle. Nick wondered whether they always worked this fast, or if they were rushing because they were spooked and wanted to get the hell out of there.

"Wow," Nick laughed. "They're not wasting any time at all, are they?"

"No, they are not, and I am happy," Geh!aoa replied.

The Arrurrans unloaded the shuttle quickly, then reboarded at once and asked to leave. The Captain didn't delay in granting permission, wanting things to go as smoothly as possible. Another shuttle was already waiting just outside the ship, and they swapped places, with a lot of chatter in their language between the craft.

The second shuttle unloaded, then the workers loaded up the old Goldaskian gear and broken equipment Gooraroo had asked for in trade, treating it as precious treasure. When they left, the first shuttle returned with a third load of foodstuffs.

The natives asked whether it was acceptable to park both shuttles in the bay at the same time. Once they were told yes, they brought in eight loads in all. When they finished, one of Gooraroo's shuttles stayed put, while the other made an extra trip.

"What are they doing?" Nick wondered.

"I'm not sure." Geh!aoa turned and signaled that she wanted to transmit. "Gooraroo, you did give all food?"

"Yes, Captain Geh!aoa. I want to make one more trade."

Does he want to sell us his shuttles? Maybe for one of ours? Audacious, but this guy isn't exactly lacking in hutzpah. Half the Arrurrans are probably still arguing about whether we exist, and he's treating us like old trading partners.

"We don't need..." Geh!aoa caught herself. "What do you want to trade?"

"My son, Grrmyip, is on the shuttle."

"Yes?"

"He will go with you, please."

Nick blinked. What?

"As an ambassador?" the Captain asked.

"Yes. He can stay in our shuttle, in your bay, if your air is not safe."

"Doctor Vik!ah, what do you think?"

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The Goldaskian looked at the ceiling a moment, then nodded. "That gives us time to learn to make air good. Yes."

"Do they need both shuttles?"

"(beep) on how well they are (beep), but probably not. We can always (beep) them (beep) oxygen..." Sana stopped talking, rolled her eyes, and sighed. "It will be good. One shuttle is good."

Geh!aoa looked at Nick, checking if he had an objection. He shrugged. I guess she was trying to see if I knew something obvious that she was missing. The Captain turned back to the transmission.

"Yes, Gooraroo. Your son can stay. One shuttle is good. You keep other shuttle."

"Thank you very much. You send Oorraffan ambassador?"

"Can you give air, water, food, no sick?"

The Arrurran spread his arms wide. "I, Goorarro, say this. I want good friends. They are welcome."

Geh!aoa nodded and had Petra place a call within the ship. "Teacher Nua!kea, you are listening?"

"Yes. Four of us will go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. We need to (beep beep beep.)" Nick didn't ask for clarification, because the fuakalas understood each other and that was the important part.

"Gooraroo, can you take four fuak!a as ambassadors?"

"Four?" The alien tilted his head, thinking, and Nick bit his lip so as not to react. Just like a dog...Nick, keep a lid on it, don't make a diplomatic incident... He bit his lip harder. Ow.

"I will call Grrasa. I will need their help, for four."

That's a good sign. If Gooraroo had just promised immediately, I would be more worried that he was just telling us whatever we wanted to hear, like a used-car salesman.

"We will wait." Geh!aoa shifted. "Teacher Nua!kea, they may not be able to take four, but get your people ready."

"We are ready, Captain. We have four spacesuits created by Petra."

It was the better part of an hour before Gooraroo reported that people on the moon Grrasa had agreed to guarantee the safety of the diplomats. He asked how long they could stay in their suits before their quarters had to be ready, and planned accordingly once he had the answer. It took yet another hour before the four fuakalas marched into the shuttle bay and hesitantly climbed aboard the alien shuttle, pulling containers full of supplies behind them.

Before they left, Nick managed to have Petra print a display for them that held all that was known so far of the Kthufu and Niranar languages, sort of a tourist translation dictionary. They would be on their own otherwise, without Petra doing all the processing to translate for everyone. At least they'll only be dealing with two languages, Nick thought, theirs and Niranar.

Petra didn't translate much of the goodbyes between Nua!kea and Geh!aoa, and between Gooraroo and Grrmyip. He could only imagine what it was like. I got blown off of the Earth with no warning. I have no idea what I would have said to my friends or the government if I had had a chance to say goodbye.

"We'll be back in seven days," Geh!aoa told the diplomats finally, which Petra translated for Nick as four Earth days. "Please tell the Arrurrans that we will be happy to answer many questions when we return. Good luck."

The Arrurran shuttle docked with the transport again. Then, Yulliksu carefully maneuvered the Kalash-Quovo away from the them, without damaging either ship with whatever lethal exhaust their engines produced. They answered messages from all over the system for about a half hour, then engaged the faster-than-light drive and headed for home.

An hour later, they were settling into orbit around Ooafa. Nick marveled at how quick the trip was. It's like driving to visit a relative or something. And even at that incredible speed, it will take months to get to Earth.

How many civilizations might we run into, between Ooafa and Earth? Who are our neighbors? Nick desperately wanted to find out. He'd have to figure out how to persuade the others aboard to "look around the neighborhood" for him. Maybe we can drop off a bunch of NASA space probes in different systems, or something.

I guess I should watch carefully how Grr-yip or whatever his name is deals with everything, and what questions he asks. His civilization is more advanced than Earth's. Maybe I should take notes.

Man, I don't know who to talk to first when I get home...

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