"In our nation we have severe punishment for pirates like the ones we intend to apprehend. If they were given back to us, they would be held up for execution no doubt. Perhaps it might be a more fitting image if you were to do this yourselves, with Stoinian supervision. Of course if that would fit Treecuu law that is. It would certainly prove your claims that you want to bring order to the galaxy. I am sure our populace would agree with you. We have a saying for that: killing two birds with one stone. I am sure you can understand what I am getting at."

Douglas Hague was, as one might suspect, a military man. But his appointment as Strategos after Anson MacArthur's death has given him a lot of insight in the political mechanism in his nation. This was due to the lengthy conversations with his King. Perhaps this could come as a surprise to the Treecuu, but his guts told him that he wouldn't. Nonetheless this action would prove the Treecuu a valuable ally, a lesson which the Stoinian populace would need to learn.

"As for the procedures, we wouldn't want our observers to be left without their job. Our military procedures can be noted by your observer. We will transmit the exact transfer point to you tomorrow morning. Now I believe you should head to your room and relax after this long day. I am sure you will have plenty to discuss with our King at the diner table."

He pointed to a Royal Guardsman to escort Chairman Tham.

The Strategos may have come over as uncooperative to Tham, but the Stoinians had a clear military policy. Xenos only learned it through combat and they certainly wouldn't spill it out to them. That much had to be made clear to them. They would either write it down themselves or face it. That was the new policy that had been made for any foreign nation. If the Treecuu believed they had gained the Stoinians complete trust, they were wrong. The King was already pushing things too far for the populace to digest. It had been a wonder the people in Sinaia were so receptive, surely the outer colony worlds would be much harder to convince.

The three Treecuu were escorted to their respective guest rooms. All three next to each other. Their rooms were in the old neo-classical style from Earth with chandeliers serving as light. Their beds were big. but nothing grandiose. As for the insectoid Ivict there may appear problems as the bathroom may prove difficult, because there were no changes for his biological set-up. They were each guarded by two guardsmen. One Stoinian and one Treecuu. They were free to move to each others room, but for now the Stoinian Guardsmen would insist on them staying in their rooms.