Finally, a Break

We've been having some issues. First of all, I got cut off. Apparently the crystal rigged up to that router back on Earth blew, which explains my silence. It's taken a heap of trouble to get that fixed, as they had to send people in covertly. I don't know how they got it done, but I know I'm back online now.

Turns out you didn't miss all that much, though. Shortly after sunrise we docked at a housing unit to change crew to find out that they weren't all ready. The yela'kaja explained that most Xala are not built for working during daylight -- which I can understand. They don't use artificial light here and I just recently learned how dark it was outside until the sun came up. It gets really bright for days and days until the sun gets high enough and goes behind Coaxta. Then it's normal for a while until the sun comes out again. I've completely lost track of time here. The only way I know what time and day it is on Earth is through this computer's clock.

Anyway, we didn't have the crew together back at sunrise and now it looks like we're not going to be going back out until sunset. The Kesata have gone into stasis pods to wait it out. The Xala offered to put me into stasis, but I didn't really like the idea of being locked in a solid crystal. The Ngana didn't want that either, they seem a bit suspicious of it because of their spiritual beliefs. So I've basically been hanging with them all this time (they managed to find two new yela'kaja and give them some quick language training and transformation). Really fun little guys, though. They're pretty good at breaking the boredom.

I've also been trying to get more information about the Xala while I'm at it. My biggest problem is that they seem to be holding back on me. I ask about their history and they just give me the brief "We discovered the portal four thousand of your years ago and currently operate a trade network."

Yes, they really are that general. When I asked the yela'kaja whether their new contacts are not always friendly, he said, "It is our policy to avoid the possibility of armed conflict when possible. Since we have access to an entire multiverse, it is not uncommon to find several planets that have resources we need, and a conflict on one world is usually not in our interests." Now, that's all well and good, but when I asked for a specific example, they wouldn't give me anything.

The only thing I've gotten really specifically was from a Kesata diplomat that had come out of stasis for a swim. (They don't keep you in more than a few days at a time unless they have to. Something about certain species developing psychological problems -- which is why I refuse to go under.) We talked a bit using two yela'kaja interpreters and he explained to me that there was a conflict when the Xala discovered Kesata involving a third intelligent race that was trying to take over the planet. The Xala loaned their weapons and men to the Kesata to repel the attack and received free access to parts of the planet in return. Apparently there's not much land there, but the Kesata only really use the coastlines and just a little bit inland. (They like salt water -- which explains the briny pools on their level.)

I'm going to see if I can find out a little more about this stuff when we get back underway, which I'm sure will mean talking to more Kesata -- the yela'kaja is dodging it with general statements about alliances and ethics and all that crap. I'm glad I'm not epileptic, otherwise I think the light show would kill me when I get back to looking into this.

Meanwhile I'll pass some time hanging with theŊãna. They can't tell me anything about the Xala -- this being their first trip in -- but they're quite fun to hang with. Might even learn some Ngana while I'm at it.