"How does it feel to be back again?"

Erwin smiled weakly. "It's been a long time. Strange, place seems larger now. Is usually the other way around."

It had been a long time, over ten years since he was in command of the construction of the launch port. He'd been a lowly lieutenant then, and life somehow easier.

"That's because it is larger now. We're expanding the launch port. Should be able to launch twice a week within the year. At least that's the plan."

Erwin looked at the insignias on the uniform. A major. By the looks of the man he had to be some bureaucrat given rank to continue turning papers here.

"Are you within schedule?"

"As of now, yes, but you know how it is with a construction project. Anything that can go wrong probably will. Especially here."

Erwin grunted in response.

"Admiral?"

"Any accidents?"

"Accidents? Ah, no, this time we're expanding with the leave of the local government. Actually they're requesting we do so."

"And why would that be?"

"Come with me. They can explain for themselves."

They left for the terminal building. It had been expanded as well. Most of it had to be rather recent. Well, it would be needed if they were drastically increasing the number of shuttles handled each month.

When they entered Erwin was surprised to see the luxurious furniture. Definitely an improvement. He was approached by a middle-aged woman when he noticed that the major had left him alone.

"Pleased to meet you," she said and bowed.

The woman knew English. Maybe she could explain what this was all about. Erwin stared down at her and smiled back. "My pleasure." Forgot how short they are here.

"Please have a seat. I'm Mairild de Felder. I'm representing the Council of Twelve, what you would call our government."

"Erwin Radovic. I'm a Terran diplomat with the rank of admiral."

"Excellent! My position is Minister of Arts."

Erwin sat down in the chair offered to him.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Mairild de Felder. Minister of Arts you said?"

"I did."

"And for what reason are you negotiating with me. I may be a diplomat, but my background is a military one. I have little to offer if we are to discuss cultural exchange between our worlds."

Mairild smiled. "I have, ah, other responsibilities as well."

"How so?"

"Let me put it this way. In Keen all information is considered to be of interest to the Ministry of Art."

Erwin considered this for a while. "I'll be damned," he growled. "You're just like Clayton."

"I don't know who this Clayton is, but from your reaction I guess he or she is your superior."

"Just like Clayton," Erwin murmured.

"Well, if we're in agreement that I'm indeed the person to negotiate the matters at hand, could we please proceed?" She smiled at him and he wondered who'd taught her English. Well, if she was in intelligence she probably had access to the very best of any resources available here.

"Yes, yes I guess we should," he sighed. Damn Clayton! You'll pay for this surprise later.

"First, there's the matter of your taleweaver here."

"Taleweaver? Oh, sorry, yes Arthur Wallman. How did you find out he was in newscasting?"

"That was quite evident after he paid a visit to the Taleweaver's inn in the Roadhouse."

"Are you telling me that the idiot made a public announcement?" At least he's still in the capital if she has news of him.

"I'm not entirely familiar with your terminology, but yes, I guess you could call it that."

"Bloody hell!"

"I understand that you want him to return."

"Oh yes, very much! We apologize for the problems he's caused you." Erwin smiled faintly. Let Arthur Wallman loose for a couple of months and he managed to become a national calamity.

"No need to. I'm here to tell you that we'll not accept your forcing him to return against his own will."

"What?"

"I fail to see my being unclear." There was a hardness in her tone making Erwin wary.

"He's a Terran citizen," he tried.

"He's also a human being, and more importantly for our negotiations, he's an honored guest here."

"I can't promise you anything, but you've made yourself perfectly understood."

"Good. Now there's a more pressing problem to be handled first."

"Go on. I think I know."

"A mercenary band of yours is stalking Arthur Wallman, and they're all but discreet."

"That would be Christina Ulfsdotir, I guess."

"We don't know the name of their leader, but we want all of them gone as soon as possible."

"I'll send your request to my government."

"That's not good enough. I demand that you send troops after them immediately."

"Why the hurry?"

"They've already burned down one town and killed hundreds of our citizens."

"What!" Oh my God! I have a bloody military conflict on my hand!

Memories came crashing down on Erwin. He'd been wrong. Life had not been that much easier back then.

Minister Felder gave him a quizzical look before she continued. "I suspected you might not know. Anyway, you're permitted to send in whatever troops you need to hunt them down before they kill more people. As you may have noticed we've agreed to let you increase the number of sky ships you can handle here should an event like this ever occur again."

"I see." Damn! The first piece of news was bad in itself, but this was a first class disaster.

"It's our hopes that after this incident is cleared up we'll see more trading and other exchange between our cultures."

"As is ours," Erwin agreed, silently relieved the local government wasn't in more of an uproar than it was. "As for extracting Christina Ulfsdotir and whatever personnel she's brought along I think the troops we sent here earlier should do."

"That might, ah, how should I put it, present a minor problem."

"How so?" Erwin asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"They seem to be busy elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?"

"We learned that they were sent here to hunt for Arthur Wallman, who, I earlier did state, is considered an honored guest of ours, and we had to divert them."

"Divert them? Where?"

"To the coast, I'm afraid."

"But bloody hell! Your entire coast is a war zone!"

"I know. Your troops have made splendid work of breaking the blockade."

"Are you telling me you got them involved in your internal affairs?"

"Not at all. We only made certain they were present there. They got themselves involved without any coercion from our side."

"Oh hell!" Erwin buried his face in his hands. Goldberger, you'd better get your sorry ass out of there damn quick!

"You should know that we consider them heroes. We are very grateful for your unsolicited assistance."

That was small consolation. Clayton would have him skinned for this. Erwin deeply regretted ever coming here, but now it was far too late, and he could only make the best of the shredded remains of his diplomatic mission.