The two Kalderi were silent and, at first, the Bonaventure's crew worried there had been something lost in translation. Belatedly Solae noticed their mouths were moving inside their helmets, the pair of aliens utilizing a private communication between their suits, undoubtedly discussing how they wanted to respond. The duchess waited patiently; they were the guests arriving uninvited and imposing upon what little good will the Kalderi had for the Stellar Empire. Rosaria discreetly glanced at Rene, who stood stoically, taking his lead from his fiancee. No one truly knew what they were doing, but they had no better strategy than relying on the intuition and expertise of the only diplomat present.

"We would know the names of everyone on board," one of Kalderi finally announced. Their armored attire was so bulky it was impossible to discern gender with any certainty, but the voice sounded pointedly more feminine than either of the two that had been channeled through their speakers on arrival. It was somewhat reassuring to know the species at least had sexual dimorphism. The similarities between the races would make their negotiations significantly easier. Slavers like Thorne chose to ignore shared traits because differences were what allowed them to claim superiority, subjugate, and reduce others to the status of animals. This ignorant way of viewing the universe was what she hoped would lead to the downfall of the prejudiced.

"This is my Lieutenant Colonel Rene Quentain, my chief of security," Solae introduced, deciding she would disclose his duty as a military attache at a later time. She did want to give the impression she came to their system with any warlike intentions. "My other companions are my handmaiden, Rosaria, and my two bodyguards, Yarue and Dasin," she continued with a gesture to each. The Kalderi gave short nods of acknowledgment but lingered the longest on the two Syshin. There were no records of the Kalderi and Syshin ever having met, although it was possible they had and humanity had simply not been privy to the information.

"Duchess Solae Falia, did you buy these Syshin?" the secondly Kalderi asked candidly, the deeper voice indicative of the individual being male. If she had been the typical noble she would have not hesitated to assert she had proudly, but as lucky would have it she was not, and instead interpreted the query as a thinly veiled accusation against her moral character.

"Absolutely not. They are here by choice and their own free will. I value [i]all[/i] life, whether it be human, Syshin, Kalderi, or synthetic. If you were to come to a mutual agreement with Yarue and Dasin for them to stay on one of your planets, they would have my blessing, as I would never prevent them from living their lives as they see fit," she bristled slightly. Typically this sort of first greeting ought to be full of warm smiles or professional detachment, but her flare of anger and indignation proved her words genuine, and conveyed to the Kalderi how serious she was about her philosophy.

"Many of your people own Syshin as slaves," the female Kalderi pointed out, glancing to Yarue and Dasin for any sign they were unwilling captives that were in need of a rescue. All she saw was the two shifting their weight uncomfortably, restless in their garments, apparently bored or frustrated with the formality of the discussion.

"That is true, and something I hope to change," Solae declared with honest passion. "No Syshin has, to the best of my knowledge, [i]ever[/i] been appointed as a bodyguard, much less by a duchess. I come to you prepared to forge those new paths with both the Syshin at my side and with you, the Kalderi." The empress had given her legitimacy but she doubted that the ruler of the human empire was prepared for her newest appointment to be quite so bold. There would be ripples when word reached Capella what she had done, negative consequences along with the positive, and a risk of social stigmata. She had made a monumental gamble, but a gamble none-the-less. Taking risks was the only chance for progress, but Rene probably appreciated better than most the price she could potentially pay if her plan failed.

"We will inspect your ship," the male Kalderi declared, satisfied for now with her response. "If the conditions reflect what you say, you will be permitted to land."