While she had hoped that Totlya's tale might better illuminate the inter-cultural predicament, it confused the duchess more than it lent any clarification. Despite her mounting questions she was patient and silent while she waited for the younger Kalderi to finish. Long ago she had learned that people were seldom completely truthful, not always purposefully, but because perception was so heavily influenced by their individual bias. Members of the embassy and the aristocracy that engaged in certain social roles underwent exercises in an attempt to eliminate their skewed sense of reality, yet it was never really purged. Glancing towards Andalyll and Lithyll, the linguist was beginning to appreciate that these were universal struggles not limited to their species alone, that their race was not able to divest them from their emotions perfectly and passively.

"Forgive me for asking," she began slowly, "but if Bouradine was off ill repute, why was he allowed to have a shop?" The answer would have come out when they spoke with the human merchants, but she wanted to confirm some of her suspicions here if she was able, and avoid having to possibly insult the man's peers. Potentially they would have best clues as to where he had apparently vanished. That they hadn't shared anything with the Kalderi themselves could be for a variety of reasons, but the one that sprang to mind was that they wanted to put as much distance between themselves and the transgressor, and if they admitted he was a friend of any sort they might fear retribution from the aliens. For the exclusive few that were allowed on the planet it was not violence that they feared, but more likely being incriminated by proximity or familiarity, and then being ejected from a profitable arrangement. Above all else the brokers valued coin.

"His true nature was not known," Totlya impetuously replied before he could be stopped by either of his seniors.

A knowing glance was exchanged between Solae and Rene, who she knew had come to the same conclusion: Bouradine was no pirate. Trading with the Kalderi was a privilege that his colleagues would not let be jeopardized. There was peace between the races, but a treatise was not a guarantee of warm relations, impunity for crimes, or continued business. Almost certainly the man in question had been relatively upstanding, thus why he was given the honor of being here, and why he had not been ousted by the others. When news spread about the abduction everyone had gone into self-preservation mode, probably genuinely surprised by what he had done, and quickly disavowed him to save their own skin. The Kalderi were not so innocent as be ignorant of the concept of lying, or that humans could be deceptive, but she doubted they truly understand the complex nuances of human civilization. Issues were dealt with collectively as a team in their culture; they would not have the same type of selfishness prevalent.

"She could have gone along willingly," the duchess began, earning her an expression of anger on Totlya's features, "but been misled about where she was being taken, for what purpose, or for how long. We will do our best to find her," she promised, which was much as she would guarantee. They would return her as well if possible, but not by force if she resisted or argued that it was for her own benefit that she left in the first place. As dedicated as Solae was to improving the rapport between Kalderi and the empire, if not the empress herself, she would not compromise her values to do so- not that she thought Lithyll or Andalyll expected that she would be callous. The latter of the pair was reserved and more restrained what he had revealed to them, but she had to assume he trusted her to some degree to be so accommodating in facilitating this meeting, and that she could infer he had faith in her judgment. Sending her on a mission to investigate a lost female Kalderi would be dangerous if they thought she might harm their citizen.

"Would it be possible to have a list made of the other human merchants with shop near Bouradine? And human ships that were here at the time she was taken? I'd like to compare it against our vessel's database," she explained, spreading her palms in a placating gesture. "Rene, myself, and our artificial intelligence assistant, Mia, should be able to narrow down the routes he would have taken when he departed if we can narrow it down to where he's been before. It's also possible," she continued, "that the other humans here might know something without realizing they know." It was a kinder way to assert that the wrong queries were posed, with the best intentions, although she still believed they had been less forthcoming with the Kalderi than they would be with fellow members of the human race.