Heereen needed few hours to prepare an environment on their ship suitable for us (me and Cassandra) that could last more than few days, to allow us to join them in the trip to Arata System.

I spent all the time on the Sot'Quan. First I talked to captain Valtair to ensure she understood her task. She wasn't truly happy to be the watchdog of the Rafkins, but, at last, she found that mission better than launching her ship in the middle of a Teculpa war. 

We said goodbye in a very kind, friendly way. I don't think captain Valtair was a good diplomat and I don't think she was a good soldier, her problem was probably being incapable to understand what she truly was. But she was still a good person and a great captain, that cared for her crew and knew how to behave in most of the situations. That wasn't the last time a saw Valtair, but I didn't know that so I tried to transmit her how much respect i felt for her. I think she understood, she smiled before reaching the Queen Charlotte.

My last meeting was with Balthor.

I succeeded to meet him alone, away from the people of the Citadel and away from anyone else. I didn't trust him, but I knew joining the Teculpa wasn't his decision, so he was the best choice to speak a last time between the Rafkins.

He surprised me, talking first. - I didn't knew Jeremhia very much - he said. - He was a man of talking, i'm a man of war.

- Rafkins are peaceful people.

- Rafkins are peaceful because they're feared.

The look on the face of Balthor was something i never saw on the face of a Rafkin before. I started thinking that probably there were things about that race that I didn't know.

- You're a bit of an historian, diplomat Callus - he went on - You should know what we did during the last centuries. We fought, when necessary.

I just nodded, there was something Balthor was trying to say and I wanted to hear it, so I didn't contradict him.

- You were right - he said - This thing with the Tau was dirty. It was dirty at start, for our honor, then people died and it became dirtier. But I understand the Citadel, the Heereen are creepy and there's something... gloomy about them, something that makes my fur tingle. We are travelers, wanderers, we pay attention to our instinct.

- And you knew how to barter with the Tau, right? - I was grateful to Balthor for his words, not because he said I was right, but because he understood how precious the memory of Jeremhia was to me. But I had to do my work to the end and my time with him was little.

- What do you mean?

- I know about your time weapon.

All the fur of Balthor raised on his back, but he didn't get angry. He was beyond anger, that was the reason he was so wise. - What do you know?

- There's something that you can use to fight the Heereen. I saw the behavior of  both of you when they appeared. That was the true reason the shot you the torpedo, wasn't it? You scared them, they didn't expect to be fought back by someone like you, without the time technology.

Balthor grasped the air with his little hands. - You're really a great diplomat, Callus. And you could probably be a great general, too, like your mother before you. You see the field.

- And I know what that thing means.

We were in a corridor of the Sot'Quan, one of those long aisles that cross the body of the ship from head to tail. We were quite alone, there were Rafkins around us, but spacenoids like Rafkins walk around only when they have a reason, so everyone was concentrated in their own businesses. Balthor wasn't the captain of the Sot'Quan, but he still looked around as the whole ship was under his responsibility. Probabily because he thought that the torpedo was his responsibility.- We're heading back to other Rafkins ships. - he said - As you asked. But we accepted your plan just because we know what we know. We will use it to raise again.

- If I could know about your technology it could be useful for my mission too.

- But you can't.

-  Balthor, I'm going to stop a global war between all the races of the quadrant. You need I succeed as I need it.

Balthor nodded no. - I'm not the right man to avoid your war, Callus. I'm just here to make my people survive to it, when it will come.