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something. After all, it's only been two months since we even knew they existed. But still …"
    Chan Baskay nodded again, wishing his stomach muscles weren't tightening the way they were.
    "One thing I'm certain of," he said slowly, "is that they don't have any intention of actually negotiating any sort of real resolution. For one thing, they're still lying their asses off about a lot of things."
    "For example?" Arthag raised his eyebrows again.
    "Exactly how Shaylar died, for one thing," chan Baskay said grimly. "And these repeated assurances about their eagerness to reach some sort of 'mutually acceptable' disposition of the portal junction, for another."
    "And about who shot first?" Arthag asked.
    "No." Chan Baskay grimaced. "On that point, they're actually telling the truth, according to Rothag.
    They don't have any better idea of who shot first than we do. And oddly enough, they also seem to be telling the truth when they insist that the officer in command at the time tried to avoid massacring our survey crew."
    "I think maybe Rothag better have his Talent checked," Arthag said bitingly.
    "I know, I know!" Chan Baskay had the air of a man who wanted to rip out handfuls of hair in frustration. "I've Seen Shaylar's message myself. I know chan Hagrahyl stood up with his hands empty and got shot down like a dog for his pains. But they insist that wasn't what their officer wanted, and Rothag's Talent insists they're telling the truth when they say it."
    "They may believe they are," Arthag snorted. "But if they do, it's because the bastard lied to them about what happened out here."
    "Maybe." Chan Baskay shook his head, his expression half-exasperated and half-hopeful. "I keep wishing Shaylar had managed to contact Kinlafia sooner." He grimaced. "That sounds stupid, I know.
    The fact that she managed to reach him at all under those circumstances, much less sustain the link through what happened to her and all of her friends … Gods, it was nothing short of miraculous! I can't even imagine the kind of guts it took to hold that link. But we didn't actually See or Hear anything until after chan Hagrahyl went down."
    "But we know what happened, anyway," Arthag pointed out. "Darcel-Voice Kinlafia-was linked deeply enough to know that from the side traces. Besides, she told him so."
    "Granted. But she Told him, and she Showed him her memory of chan Hagrahyl' going down with his hands empty and the crossbow bolt in his throat. That's not the same as Seeing it happen for ourselves.
    We have what she told Kinlafia, but we don't have anything before the actual event, don't know if there was something Shaylar didn't see herself, or saw but didn't recognize, or didn't realize it had happened at all, in those few seconds we didn't actually See."
    "I'm sorry, Dorzon," Arthag said after a moment, "but I can't think of anything which could possibly change what happened or why. And even if I could think of anything now, it's too late for it to have any effect."
    "I know. I know." Chan Baskay gazed off into the depths of the forest. "But they're still insistent that they didn't want any of this, that what happened was against their standing orders to establish peaceful contact with any new human civilization they encountered, and Rothag's Talent insists they're telling the truth about that. Which presumably means it accurately represents their government's long-term policy, no matter how badly things have gone wrong on the ground. To be honest, that's the only hopeful thing I've heard out of their mouths yet! Unfortunately, it's outweighed by everything else … especially what your Talent is telling you."
    "Well," the Arpathian said slowly, "what do you plan to do about it?"
    "Gee, thanks," chan Baskay said. "Drop it on my plate, why don't you?"
    "Well, you are senior to me," Arthag pointed out reasonably. "My promotion was only confirmed last week. And you're the official diplomat around here, too."
    "I know." Chan Baskay drummed the fingers