Eirik woke up with a thundering headache. Lifting his head from the table he had fallen asleep at, he looked around the room. It looked as if a war had been going on in here.

"What a party" He mumbled as he staggered to his feet, trying not to accidentally kick any one of the sleeping people on the floor. They had partied until they passed out where they stood or sat. On unsteady legs, he got out of the party room and started making his way towards the pool area. He needed a swim and a soak in the sauna to sweat out the hangover.

Trasti and Las'Tai were relaxing in the sauna. Trasti had been very reluctant to go in, still not believing it was for everyone and not just for the Captain and the command staff. But the lure of the heat and humidity surpassed his hesitance in the end. Once he had settled in on one of the top benches, he breathed deeply with content.

"I told you it's a great place to spend your time. And the *jacuzzi* as they call the hot spring, has the same freedom of use Trasti. So you can relax and just use it whenever you have the time." Las'Tai was laying in her usual corner spot and pressed the button to release water over the heated stones. The steam cloud had them both stretch out their limbs in pleasure.

They could hear splashing from the pool outside, a rarity as most of the Terrans got their training in the gym. Jeanette would occasionally swim laps but otherwise, people mostly used it to soak. The splashing soon stopped, but moments later the door was opened and Eirik staggered in, not seeing the 2 Kloxna on the top benches. Picking up the ladle from the bucket next to the hot stones, he poured more water on them and let the steam cloud envelop him before sitting down with a long groan that turned into a sigh of relief as he got comfortable and leaned his head back, exposing his throat.

"Hi, Captain." Las'Tai said and Eirik jerked his head back into position before grabbing it with both hands "Aaahhh, too fast. Head hurts!" He mumbled. while slowly shaking his head. "That was quite a fright you gave me Las'Tai. Greetings, to you as well Trasti. Can you lower your voices, please?? I got a massive hangover right now."

"What are you hanging over?" Trasti asked curiously. Eirik's reaction to his presence confirmed Las'Tai's assurances that it was ok for him to be here.

"It's a Terran expression, Trasti. A night of heavy drinking can be quite fun but the price you pay in the morning is a big one." Eirik explained.

"Oooh, Knud said that you were poisoning yourselves with ethanol. Is that true?" Las'Tai asked.

"Huh? Well, I guess you could phrase it like that. Ethanol is a poison, sure, but diluted and dosed somewhat responsibly, it is not deadly. That being said, the hangover I mentioned is the result of my body filtering out the toxin. It drains the water around my brain which in turn causes a headache, sensitivity to light and sound, and a general feeling of being unwell. It was a fun party though." Eirik elaborated further and smiled as he recalled the party. It had indeed been great fun, a proper way to celebrate with your brothers in arms before going into battle.

"Wait... Didn't you have beer before??" Eirik directed the question towards Las'Tai who confirmed with a bit of confusion.

"Well, then you have poisoned yourself as well. Beer is consumed for the ethanol unless it's an alcohol-free beer, which makes no sense. Might as well drink water or anything else."

Trasti looked at Las'Tai with large eyes, "You poisoned yourself??"

"I didn't know it contained ethanol!!" She defended herself.

"Well, now we know it doesn't kill you and you apparently do not get hungover. Gee, thanks universe!!" Eirik interjected before the 2 could get into it.

"Why are you thanking the universe??" They both asked incredulously.

"It was sarcastic. Humans have cursed the hangover ever since we discovered ethanol consumption and your species simply get a free pass on it. That is not fair!!" Eirik grumbled.

Trasti suddenly remembered that he had a question for Eirik. "Captain, I have a question if I may."

Eirik looked at him and said, "Yes?"

"How can you be sure they will think you took me, prisoner?? What are you going to tell them?" some of his natural nervousness had crept back into his voice as he asked and Eirik was quick to reassure him.

"You can read it yourself if you want to? I sent the message yesterday before the party. But not now, I need to clear my head. in 1 hour, ok?"

An hour later they were walking into Eirik's room where he picked up his datapad and handed it to Trasti. Eirik sat down at the table and reached for his trusted wooden box as Trasti read the message.

_____________________________________________

Concerning the diplomatic envoy sent to negotiate.

"Honored" High caste member Tai'Tanu. On account of your treacherous deceit, cowardly behavior at our honor duel, and further dishonorable act by sending a, now dead, assassin with the diplomat and his entourage to the meeting has caused me to take drastic measures. Your diplomat will be confined as a prisoner on my ship for as long as I please, or, until I have you head mounted on the front of my ship. send more assassins, and I shall send one of my own. And I need only to send but a single one. As for the soldiers escorting your diplomat, they were taken prisoner, fed, and released back unto Amsilon prime when I left. How they get back and what you do with them is not my problem.

Hope to gut you soon.

Captain Eirik of the *Void Wolf*

_____________________________________________

Trasti sighed a sigh of relief as he read the message. This would guarantee his family's safety beyond any doubt. Eirik had worded it in a way that made it seem like the failed attempt at his life was to blame for this, along with the cowardly act Trasti had seen in the video.

"Is the soldier that tried killing you really dead?" He asked Eirik.

"Not at all. She is currently in the prison of the ship being questioned by Knud and Jesper" Eirik answered. Las'Tai shuddered at the thought of Jesper during an interrogation. She suspected Knud was there to keep him in line.

"What is going to happen to her afterward?" Trasti pressed for information.

"As I said back on Amsilon, we will eventually hand her over to the Terran government where she will be placed in a POW camp until the war is over. her health will be cared for and her basic needs will be covered. She will not suffer or go wanting." Eirik stated with an expressionless face.

".....That is most likely a better life than she had back home" Trasti finally mumbled.

Eirik was about to speak when a voice broke out over the intercom. "Captain, the first target of interest will be within range in a few hours. Better go wake up the boys!" David sounded almost happy.

"I wonder what makes him so happy today... that is not like him" Eirik wondered to himself as he got up from his chair, putting the box back on the table with a disappointed grunt.