Looking for answers.

“You always kept me honest during that dark time. Honest with myself and everyone around me.”

Taras snorted into his beer.

Snickering, he managed to choke out, “Are you all right, Kalil? It is not often that you sound this…grim.”

“Seeing outer space is all I have ever wanted all these years, Taras.” Kalil paused. “But what your leader’s doing, consorting with aliens,” he took an especially violent swig. “Madness!”

Still chortling, Taras leaned back and regarded his partner. “If THOSE people are aliens, what are YOU then.”

Kalil did his best to look indignant. “Why, a free and acknowledged citizen of this fine dimension. But that’s not the point.”

“Then, what IS, high and mighty Envoy of the Desert People,” Taras exclaimed, matching his comrade’s indignant airs. He leaned forward. “This wouldn’t be about the girl that just dumped you now, would it?”

Flushing, Kalil replied, “That has nothing to do with this.” At his companion’s disbelieving demeanor, he hurriedly continued, “The Treaty between our people is the result of YEARS of careful diplomacy! We have only known these ALIENS”, Kalil pounded the table for emphasis, “for a few filthy MONTHS. And your leaders are already talking treaty with them!”

Taras grabbed his beer before it could spill onto the wildly rocking table.

“Then what do you propose friend Kalil? These people are persuasive. For one thing-” Taras took another swig “-first contact with these people has been polite and blood free from the start. Unlike first contact with OTHER kinds of people.”

“Exactly, Taras! The meeting of our people was a worthy event! It WAS a dark time-”

“I know friend. I was there.”

“-but through conflict, we respected, got to KNOW, each other. These ALIENS-“ the table splintered- “Are too polite.”

Taras snickered again. “Seems to be ages ago when we first met. Hells bells, look at you now! A roaring lion!”

Kalil seemed to calm down. “Time and its events has forged us both to what we are today.” Kalil regarded his friend solemnly. “We will always be brothers-in-arms, Taras.
But I must find out the motives behind your leaders negotiations with the outworlders.”

Taras met Kalil’s searching gaze. “I ,too owe you a debt. You can count on me.” He pushed vigorously off the table. “Let’s go.”

Dusting sawdust off their uniforms, they both went to look for some answers.