Star Crusades Nexus: Book 03 - Heroes of Helios by Michael G. Thomas

chamber was drawing shut. As the great metal slab slid into position, so did the volume in the chamber decrease. Harlan appeared at the raised platform in the center of the great room. He started to speak in his native language, much to Teresa’s confusion. Gun nodded to the bank of earpieces in front of them. She grabbed one and let it hang on her ear. It was unfathomable and evidently not designed specifically for humans.
    “…the representatives of the Centauri Alliance, a system of more than twenty worlds and billions of citizens.”
    Teresa touched the shoulder of Admiral Anderson.
    “Do we really want to share this kind of information with them?”
    He tilted his head in the direction of Ambassador Broby Ramir.
    “Terra Nova has given us red lines we cannot cross. This isn’t one of them.”
    Teresa turned back to Harlan.
    “…first of us to defeat the Great Enemy in open battle. In their system they are in complete control.”
    A hush of surprise, perhaps even reverence spread around the chamber. Teresa and the others looked about them at the hundreds of officials from the other Powers, as they were known. She recognized the Helion and T’Kari delegation from the people but also the standards and insignia being used. The other four had not yet been introduced, and she was extremely interested in seeing them speak.
    “As is our tradition, any sentient race we encounter is offered a place at our table. This place is where we can meet and speak in safety.”
    He then looked directly at the Alliance delegation.
    “This is not a place that has any military or political power of its own. I will now let each of our people introduce themselves, starting with my own.”
    Another Helion, this time a slightly taller man with dull yellow clothes and a very closefitting skull cap. A device was attached to the side of his head that ran down beneath his clothing like a tube on a gas mask.
    “Welcome to Helios. I am Baja Agar, Proconsul of Helios, and it is with great pleasure I welcome our long lost friends of T’Karan, as well as our new friends, the Centauri Alliance to our world.”
    The assembled dignitaries made positive sounds at this announcement. There was no clapping, though a large number banged hands down on whatever they could find nearby. This continued for almost thirty seconds before the Proconsul could continue.
    "As is our custom, I will leave it to the leader of each Power to introduce their own people.”
    He moved away from the raised podium to be replaced by a group of three. All were female looking, at least in their form and narrow faces. They were tall, easily two meters, and slender. Their skin was pale, and they moved with silent elegance, almost like dancers. The one in the center looked around the chamber before concentrating on the Alliance delegation.
    “Welcome to Helios,” she started but in heavily accented English.
    Teresa and the others looked at each other in surprise. This was the first person they had heard speak English since their arrival, and it was most unexpected.
    “I am the Ambassador of the Klithi. We are a people of thirty-three worlds and seven stars.”
    Teresa looked confused.
    “How is she doing that?”
    Gun had no answers, but Anderson looked less shocked. He moved forward slightly from his position in the middle of the group.
    “Ayndir has already given us a short brief on each of these people. According to her, the Klithi is a mildly telepathic race. They can read body language and minds like we hear language.”
    “What? They can understand what I think from how I move?”
    “Yes, your body movements betray you, and your mind and those near to you give them even greater details.”
    Gun raised an eyebrow at the information. The three Klithi were the exact opposite of him. Whereas he was wide, strong, and muscular, they were thin, weak, and poorly built. Even so, he was impressed with how they moved.
    “I would be happy to discuss political relations and