Itxaro and Zey made the long walk to meet the new arrivals. The landscape was nothing new to the engineer, but she took it in with eager eyes nonetheless; there was nothing like this untamed wilderness left on Earth, unmarred by human touch. Aside from the scorched grass crumbling in the wind, it felt pure. As the two strode down the steep hill, electricity crept up Itxaro's spine. Not fear this time, but excitement. She felt like a medieval knight, seeking to parley with her enemies on the battlefield to prevent Christian blood from being spilled. Then again, she wasn't Christian, and she was fairly certain the Glen weren't either. All the same, she hoped to avert conflict. 

As they approached, Nellara held up a hand to the two. "Wait. Enemies." The commander breezed past her though, and Itxaro followed, giving the Castigator an exaggerated shrug. She knew Zey was right, though. They might be [i]Nellara's[/i] enemies, but the humans didn't need to share that animosity. [i]For all we know, our new friends aboard the Jotunheim might be thieves and killers.[/i] She doubted this, but they had barely exchanged thirty words, all told. Not nearly enough to know them, or their intentions. No, it was best to see all the angles before planting their flag on any side.

The two women stood before the Glen, the equine warriors towering over them like fabled storybook beasts. Itxaro didn't often look up to meet another's gaze, but had to quite often with the giant inhabitants of this planet. The air was thick with tension, and she knew one wrong move from any party could end in bloodshed. Already the natives were speaking to each other in raised tones; Itxaro absently wondered how they could even understand each other, their voices so different. Kareet closed in behind her, and she wasn't sure whether to feel reassured or threatened by their hovering presence and blood-red eyes, so Itxaro chose the former. 

Then, the Glen at the head of the group stepped forward. Itxaro understood this Glen was important, or at least [i]thought[/i] he was important. His armor and weaponry were both brilliant, and Itxaro couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. He addressed the two humans in a lengthy introduction. Itxaro had no idea what he said, and she assumed the Glen knew this. Perhaps it was just tradition, like the gesture he performed. It was a stark contrast from the rocky meeting with the first group, instead a greeting practiced and honed over a lifetime at a royal court. From the emphasis placed on the word, Itxaro guessed his name was [i]Silbermine[/i]. Not wanting to offend or disappoint, Itxaro stepped forward before her commander tore the gun from her belt and let daylight shine through his shining breastplate.

"Hail and well met, sir Silbermine of the Glen," Itxaro began, returning his gesture, "I am Dr. Itxaro Ibarra, of the United South American Socialist Republic of Earth. This," she continued, flourishing a hand towards Zey, "is our leader, Commander Zeynap Kadıoğlu of the Jotunheim." Itxaro spoke in Spanish, but any native words she was able to pepper in were pronounced with an Iriad or Tekeri accent. "We thank you for your hospitality, and we hope to become your friends with these gifts." She provided the three nearest to her with simple, engraved metal pens, favoring her organic hand. The pens disappeared into the metal gauntlets, so she took this as a good sign. 

Aside from a few choice words, Itxaro knew the Glen wouldn't understand any of it; to anyone in the crowd who [i]could[/i] understand it, the reply's content was ridiculous. But it was the manner in which she spoke, with confidence and regal cadence, that was important. If Silbermaine was considered nobility, then it would be prudent to meet him at a similar level. 

"I hope that we can become great allies. If not, we will glass your continent from orbit and render it uninhabitable for ten thousand years," she finished reverently in her native tongue, with a slight bow for good measure. 

Itxaro glanced at her commander. "What? They might know Spanish. Doesn't hurt to try," Itxaro offered as a quiet aside as she waited for the Glen's response. She could feel the eyes on her, but she didn't waver under their gaze.