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garden. It was rocky and sandy, with no benches or seats…but lots of hot flat rocks, the sort on which a lizard would sun itself. Interesting…
    “The formal motions of approaching the Imperial Highness are as follows,” and there was a great deal about the pace at which one was to walk, the incline of the head (don’t make eye contact until the RhalVai speaks to you), etc., the formal obeisance to be made at the foot of the throne.
    As they approached a set of towering double doors, they opened inward, revealing a massive reception hall. There was a long purple carpet leading down the hall, at least 50 meters from door to throne. The roof was 100 meters or more above, decorated with frescos of figures and scenes she didn’t have time to examine. Four massive purple pillars, similar to the stone of the colonnade, dominated the room, two on each side of the elevated platform on which sat the throne, and RhalVai Jekta, like the Wizard of Oz. It was revolting, the hugeness of it all, the waste, the waste…
    There were hundreds of Rhal in the room, and she noted the changing spectrum of their gowns as she approached the throne, glad for the need to avoid the RhalVai’s eyes. Near the door, robes in earth tones prevailed, tan, brown and pale yellow, their wearers sporting thin silver or gold necklaces with small discs emblazoned with symbols.
    Further down the carpet, the colors graduated to solid hunter green robes, then green and navy blue pairings, then solid blue, then blue and orange. Then there were the priests, wearing solid orange, until you got to the (she presumed) archbishops and whatnot, including the ArcVai beyond them in orange and red.
    Finally, there were the Vai, the generals, in their blazing red uniforms. The others along her route had their best court smiles on, but these men had, at best, stone faces when she met their eyes. And open hostility on many, she noted…
    When she reached the ten wide slate steps leading up to the throne, she stopped. She’d seen media orbs floating around, their lenses and mikes tracking her down the carpet.
    The formal obeisance, the DuVai had told her, was to go to her knees and then flatten herself out on the wide steps, in a gesture of total subjugation. But she was pretty sure that this feed would be shown on Earth, and that would not do.
    She bowed deeply, but remained standing. Instead, she bowed as deeply and as gracefully as a courtier at Versailles, elegant and deferential but that was it. A murmur of shock and consternation rippled through the room.
    But the RhalVai held up a hand and the silence was immediate. “Welcome, Director,” he said in a rich, warm voice. “My court is shocked at your breach of protocol, but of course, you are our guest, not our subject, and it’s not fit that you prostrate yourself.”
    The instant reversal of opinion in the room was interesting, indeed. Suddenly all those who’d been mortified began to applaud. Well, other than the generals, she noted.
    The formalities were exchanged, blah blah, peace and friendship, productive relationship. She didn’t ask how long she’d be here or what she was going be doing or what was going on back on Earth…none of those questions would ever be answered in such a situation. Instead she tried to get the measure of RhalVai Jekta. He had charisma, charm, and when he rose from the throne, the generals were the fastest to fall to their knees.
    “I look forward to meeting with you again very soon, Director.”
    “The honor would be mine, your Majesty.”
    And with a sweep of the robes he was gone.
    DuVai Kottaka was at her side immediately, the media orbs clustering in front of them, time for a photo op to show the folks back home how nice this all was…
    As they posed for the vids, HM took her chance. She reached for the DuVai’s hand and grabbed it.
    The room froze. She knew the Rhal didn’t like to be touched, or had said they didn’t, anyway. But with the cameras on them, the DuVai