Bel'sian seemed to consider it for a moment before lifting both her palms in what Rene had come to recognize as the Kalderi equivalent of a shrug. Creatures that evolved to fly were more deliberate in shoulder gestures than humans.

"I do not know Your Grace," Bel'sian admitted in her mellifluous voice.

"Such a question would need to be decided by the elders, precdent for an action is respected among my people, if you can convince them that such a precdent exits they may honor it. There are those who are fearful of your people, who will seek to prevent any accommadation," she concluded. Rene cocked an eyebrow.

"Fearful of us?" Rene asked in a quizzical tone, "the last conflict between our people didn't exactly give you much reason to fear." Rene choose not to mention that the massacre of colonists, no matter how deserving, and the subsequent collapse of human civilization had nearly destroyed the race. Bel'sian made a dismissive guesture.

"You misunderstand Colonel," she replied, "though I think you may overestimate the capabilities of the Kalderi as a... a race, it is not the technological threat your people pose that worries them." It was possible that Bel'sian was the best source of information regarding human/Kalderi relations alive, her time with and obvious affection for Bouradine gave her a grounding in things human which simply would not be available to her venerable elders. Rene could tell that Solae was paying keen attention, having sized on an invaluable conduit of understanding.

"It is not your technology that we fear, though the numbers and ruthlessness of human warriors," she paused and inclined her head towards Rene to prove that she didn't mean it as an insult, "is not insignificant and we recognize that there could be significant loss of life and theft of technology before the Kalderi as a people were able to respond." Rene considered that. It had taken the Kalderi almost a generation to bring the Jeweled Armada to bear, what that said about their internal decision making processes or governmental structure Rene was not sure. During his time on Ranal Pindi there had been almost no mention of the wider Kalderi galaxy, the focus remained almost entirely upon the community. Perhaps they were like an avalance, difficult to start into motion but inexorable after that.

"Then what?" Rene asked curious and eager to keep the girl talking.

"It is our ideas," Bouradine piped up unexpectedly. All eyes swiviled to the merchant who looked suddenly uncomfortable.

"That is why they find our art so fascinating, our ideas are... alien to them I suppose you would say. Individuality, freedom of movement, collective solidarity, these are strange ideas to them." Bouradine, just as Bel'sian, was uniquely qualified to comment, he probably had more practical insight into the race than xenothropologists who had spent their entire careers studying the Kalderi.

"Dangerous ideas," Bel'sian confirmed, though she looked excited rather than scared.  

"Our society is entirely communal in mindset as well as in practice," Bel'sian continued. It was evident that this line of thought had been well developed, and Rene could easily imagine the two lovers debating the topic over long hours.

"The idea that someone would voluntarily cut themselves off from one community, and join another, as you did when you joined your Marines Colonel, is unthinkable to them, a virtual suicide" she magnified. Them, as opposed to us, Rene thought. It was possible that Toltya's motivations were not purely romantic or sexual, but part of a broader cultural impulse to control Bel'sian, who might well be the Kalderi equivalent of a radical free thinker and potential political firebrand. He choose not to comment on her analogy of his decision to join the Marines. Rene knew that Solae would never allow the Kalderi to forcibly enslave Bel'sian, regardless of political calculus, but it was clear that there was much more going on beneath the surface than the simple elopement of two lovers. The fact that there was such an interest in art though, probably suggested the existance of a faction within the Kalderi that, if not allied, was at least not hostile.