Omega rubbed at her nose and sneezed hard enough she saw spots.

Then twice more before the tickling twitchy feeling from the Shearer’s Sponge settled back into a general scrubbed raw feeling that the rest of her skin had settled into.

The small collection of aliens were unperturbed. These ‘People’ had entirely different social cues and expressions. She had noticed it before but whatever Pylo was doing to make them able to notice the cues seemed to have stuck enough of an association she could still read them even though Omega could feel the strange absence of her coaching.

That was actually rather interesting.

She could if she focused even try to make a few of those expressions herself but she could kind of tell it amused them.

She would never be able to laugh properly, not enough eyes. But it was obvious as can be if you looked at them.

Her skill shares were getting uppity, more awake, more present and aware in a way that shamans were warned about.

It was not exactly unwanted by either party but normally souls were kept asleep and static in a crystal. Not awake and riding close on the prayer of the shaman.

Was less disturbing for all involved.

But carrying them the whole time was a necessity. Especially given the ominous portents and omens Quarti was catching about this place.

A soul asleep in a crystal was far too vulnerable.

So she got gushes and flashes of insight unasked for. Of will, of personality and communication.

It was not yet outright discussion, not with her breathing and thinking half the life for all of them.

But it was more than the partial-reincarnation of the skill share modern shamanism entailed.

It was much closer to the older traditions.

Still someone that had attended many diplomatic events in Terra’s history gave an insight welcome here.

Even if they were mostly incoherent half asleep impressions and ramblings when Omega was not remembering for them.

The Chief Hospitilator gestured wide, parted lips just enough for those thin teeth to show and then gaped in ascent to everyone gathered.

It was maybe just shy of seventy individuals. Clumped in pairs, trios or floating apart as individuals.

The strangest thing of all though was that the Chief Hospitilator was speaking a pretty solid Aorian. Not even much of an accent although with a very peculiar and deep timbre. The sound was rich and it was not really made by the mouth. With parted lips sometimes but there was hardly any tongue involved in enunciating those syllables.

No the sound was all in the throat and it had a buzz to it that was foreign in ways no human speech would ever be.

Almost a croak, a call, and rasp.

“It is now begun, As the first trial all speech of this convention shall be in the words of our guests and charges. To restate our pledge to the Ship Mistress Pylo of House and Clan Courtesan we are gathered here to assign companions of no more then seven and no less then three to serve as guides, interpreters and life pledged guardians for the well being, care and honor of Aleph, Quarti, Omega. To be assisted by the trusted advise of Squidgie and -”

there was a sharp and flat sound that almost resembled El-zie. But it was far harsher then any enunciation Omega had ever heard spoken by any other alien.

”Those who have come are to be judged by myself Tilafareidola, Chief Hospitilator.”

He gaped wide to another figure, the strangest of The People Omega had yet seen.

For he was completely naked of any fur, and lacked even the braids and buns that seemed a given among every other member she had seen.

The skin was awkward, wrinkled and very soft and translucent looking. She wondered if it was an ethnicity or a disease that had led to the complete lack of fur.

“You are joined in judging by Remefalado, Eldest master of Ape Shearers.”

He then turned and gaped to one of the people that Omega was pretty sure she remembered from the feast table

“You are joined in judging by Reilafeifei, Eldest master in care and tending of all beasts known and tamed by the people.”

And then he gaped to Omega and she had only a moment to try and get herself in order.

“Y-you are joined in judging by Omega, Shaman of Terra and Representative of the Valley and Steppe of Aoria.”

She gave a glance and a nod to Aleph who frowned a bit then nodded.

“You are joined in judging by Aleph, uh-um Youngest Terran Soul aboard Tunie a-and Representative of the Valley and Steppe of Aoria.”

Quarti spared Aleph and Omega a glance before turning to those gathered with a sweep of her gaze. Speaking suddenly in clear and concise Aorian with not a hint of accent. As if she was a scholar instead of a half mad prophet from time primordial.

“You are joined in judging by Quarti, Fourth daughter and Eldest Soul of Terra, Prophet and Representative of the Valley and Steppe of Aoria.”

Then she threw a look and nodded into a deep bow to the Chief Hospitilator.

Squidgie’s pictorial screen of a face fritzed a moment then shot glances pleadingly between all three of the terrans before settling in a stoic expression and her own tiny nod.

Omega winced a bit at that, she had not thought that Quarti was going to snub Squidgie like that. It seemed kinda mean.

Sure they had not been briefed at all in what to expect by anyone involved but she thought it was obvious.

Quarti however sent a quick message over the choir.

~esteem is important but but it shinies like sum fuk huge beacon. Squidgie will be able ta slip and slide behind places we can nevah go so burdensome in status we be!~

The half asleep soul that rode Omega was nodding half consciously like that, a scribe and reporter used to slipping into the background. Well okay, that's Why omega had brought her along. After all the eldest prophet would know best of cour-

Damn it!

Omega got a grip of herself again just hard enough to avoid losing the share.

Fanatics about Quarti were really awkward especially when she was RIGHT there.

It looked like only Squidgie was genuinely bothered by the slight, Elsie was nonplussed (or choosing not to express anything legible to a human eye anyway).

The Chief Hospitilator gaped in ascent and then nodded a bit too fluidly. It looked more like a motion performed by a bird then a proper nod.

“So it is, Then so begins the trials of judgement. Announce yourselves and present your honors.”

One of the people flew forward, gripping something like a cannon that was melted into an axe head. It was stought, bulky looking but carried its passenger smoothly and with a grace that ended in stillness. It was all clean lines and a single piece of shining metal. It seemed neither molded, nor carved.

It was sheer and shining like metal but living and organic like the smooth forms of wood or gently worn away bone and rock crafts.

Hints of one of her shares marveled at the precision of formed material that would have challenged any soul with Omega’s ken of industrial work. But the anthropologist was besotted with the life and personality of the piece. A personal.

Like some combination of polish and unknowable erosions had gone into forging it, yet somehow had kept every grain of the metal unbroken and unexposed.

It was like pottery and ceramic and none of those.

Alone it could have stood as a mastery of abstract sculpture but it was also clearly a tool. And a well familiar one.

It rested against the hands and the bend of one sinuous leg with utter ease and familiarity that in terran debutante would have spoken of high esteem and old lifelong assurance in station.

The figure themselves had a ruff of intricate short braids that wove between each other and pale yellow pelt pleated in green beads that matched the figure’s four eyes. It gave the effect of old laminar armour as Omega had only seen in brief museum visits but the anthropologist in her share surged with curiosity and notes of similarity.

The voice was deep and resonant like all of them but also distinctly heavy in the way that Omega had come to realize also meant ‘male’.

“I am Fadoreidoreidorei, Expert Dragoon Rider. I and my family have shared the bond with our steeds since before the time of the Courtesan. We have moved between many orders, seen them rise and fall. As of my great, great, great grandfather and great, great grandmother's birth we have been of the order of middle canopy hunters in the boughs of Kahrkauloindi.”

He made a gesture, with one hand against the mid-point of one of his legs

“I would pledge to see no harm shall come to you as treasured guests and sacred beasts. Your safety is assured by the honor of my family while in my service.”

Quarti snorted a bit which made all eyes turn and settle on her. Then she spoke more clear and concisely than she ever did with any of the other terrans.

“You call us sacred beasts. Like we are owned things. Like we are claimed things. We are our own, we are passengers. We bought our way aboard the ship by the means of our people. We are no one’s property. ”

And with that the other judges widened their eyes, pupils flaring and then shrinking to pinpricks.

The figure retreated, but bits of that pleated fur had puffed out rattled the beads. The jaw muscles had clenched. The eyes were closed entirely and he departed.

The Hospitilator nodded both with parted lips and that awkward overly fluid up and down bob that was inhuman despite the obvious attempt to be more familiar.

“So is set a trial, Though they are strangers, though they are not of the People as we know them they are still A People. If you have come with your talent set in handling, in gentling, in fostering our guests as beasts, as animals, as tools then you have already failed.”

The voice was smooth, soft, and yet buzzing and so resonant that it rattled Omega’s bones and teeth a little.

In total silence more than a dozen of those that had gathered turned as one and slid into the vast distances beyond.

Then a pillar of metal, looking rougher, more worn and pocked with abrasions, etchings of acid eaten pores and a faint patina rose up amongst them from what Omega had been thinking of as below.

It rose and rose, meters on meters of metal, there was not really much to say of an edge or blade too it but the thing was a towering column, dark and slick with some kind of oil. It whispered of once having been just as exquisite a work as the previous one, but that was millenia of heavy use ago. And even so, there were subtle patterns in how it had worn differently harder and softer materials, that must have been laid down with this very wear in mind, art that'd have taken centuries to show itself.

Perched on each end was a dark skinned and furred figure with lopsided eyes, they were big and bulbous compared to any of the others and on each one eye had a single pinprick of a pupil while the other three were gaping open wide. Deeply golden eyes that shined.

Swallowed up the light like cups of black.

Fur like dark ash.

“Reimeidoe and Domeirei are we both.” they spoke in sing song duet and harmony lilting through aorian like performers.

Quarti smiled a bit. As one of them leaned over and bobbed a head.

“We are bonded pair, borne to fly and fire. We are least Masters of the Spearing Strike of Open Sky Snipers. We have trained and taught more of The People of every depth and canopy then any other who can be spared to you three.”

The one at the bottom stuck out her tongue in what Omega realized was a very terran teasing gesture of irreverence.

“We remember you eldest terran, we crossed our word and wit with you and we have learned many and more besides. We admit to have been bested by you once for our arrogance. We won’t see you as common beasts despite your strangeness. We won’t treat you like untouchable unflappable unbeholden greatest masters either.”

Quarti snorted and the smile broke into a grin.

Aleph’s face was looking a bit worried, why would? Oh... Oh no it was one of the pair that had started off the ceremonies.

“We have tasted your wit Quarti who has lived so long. We know you are fallible and a fool as much as any of us. But even so we will guard your life and you others, and no danger which enters our sights will go unchallenged by our ire.”

Before either of them could say anything Quarti nodded hard.

“I Accept your pledge, for as long as our time with you I’d be honored to have you guarding me and mine.”

Aleph threw the message over the choir.

~Quarti! If this is one of your jokes so you can rap for the entire time so help me I will-~

More of those that gathered gaped or nodded in that weaving way and departed. There were significantly fewer than they had started.

~Nae. I trust their character, anyone who can hold the gumption to come over to aide us after trying to flay me alive with her tongue is worth keeping.~

And then the next applicant came.

Omega was starting to wonder if it was all just going to be Quarti making all the decisions.

She was wondering if she could disagree with the prophet without causing a scene.