"When we were back on Irillith's homeworld, you mentioned that you wanted to catch up with Ceraden. I've got through to him," Rachel said to John, as they all sat up on the Bridge. "He's coming through on a secure channel."
They were only an hour away from Geniya Space Station, and John had been about to ask the tawny haired girl to reach out to his old Maliri friend. Impressed with her initiative, John smiled at her and said, "Thank you. Put him through."
Ceraden's handsome blue-skinned face filled the holographic view screen, and he looked relieved when he set eyes on them. "John! My old friend, you really are a sight for sore eyes!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.
John smiled at the Maliri trader and replied, "I was getting worried about you, Ceraden. When we left Geniya just over a week ago, I tried to reach out to you for some advice. I saw your message about being called away on business..."
Ceraden's expression darkened as he said, "It appears I was the victim of a cruel practical joke. I received an update from an automated mining facility in my possession, that has proven quite lucrative over the years. It reported catastrophic damage to the ore storage section, courtesy of a meteor strike. I assembled a repair and maintenance team at no small expense, and mounted an immediate expedition to salvage my property. You can imagine my surprise when it turned out there was nothing wrong, and everything was working perfectly."
John and Alyssa exchanged knowing glances. *Irillith?* she asked him with certainty.
*Sounds just like her M.O.* John replied. *She must have wanted Ceraden out the way, just in case we reached out to him about the Fulmanax.*
John turned to look at Ceraden once more, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry Ceraden, I think that was our fault."
Ceraden frowned and asked jovially, "My friend, how could my recent woes have anything to do with you?"
"Irillith," John replied grimly. "When we couldn't get in contact with you, I was worried she'd done something to you."
The Maliri trader's dark blue eyes narrowed with anger as he swore vehemently, "That fucking bitch! You're right, she must have faked the message. How she got her claws into my private stakeholdings I don't know. I'm going to have to have stern words with my digital security team." He then looked puzzled and asked, "But why? We don't get on, but I operate a trade license for House Valaden. Sending me off on a fool's errand for a week will have hit her House's profits."
John sighed and said ruefully, "She asked us to help her on a little side mission before we could meet with Edraele Valaden. She duped us into going to Quanthos and a run-in with the Fulmanax."
Ceraden's eyes widened with alarm as he exclaimed, "I tried to warn you my friend! You can't trust anything those scheming hellions say!" He then calmed a little when he glanced around the Bridge and saw all of the girls looking fit and well. "I'm relieved to see you seem to have escaped the encounter unscathed. The Fulmanax are extremely dangerous, I'm surprised that you got away so lightly. They've been a vicious hazard of that planet for centuries."
"Not any more," John said regretfully. "We escorted Irillith deep into the nest, and she set off some kind of incendiary device that triggered a volcanic eruption. The mountain range blew, and the Fulmanax were incinerated."
Ceraden looked shocked, and he sat there, stunned into silence for a long moment. He looked up and studied John's drawn expression, before he said gently, "Don't lose any sleep over the Fulmanax, my friend. They were an aggressive, hostile species, which suddenly announced their presence on the planet, by brutally slaughtering a Maliri colony several centuries ago. Thousands were lost, and the Fulmanax spared no one. Women, children, all butchered."
The girls turned to look at John, and he could see their expressions brightening as they glanced at Alyssa, having a telepathic chat with her.
*I don't feel quite so bad now,* the blonde girl thought to him, sounding relieved.
John nodded to her, then said to Ceraden gratefully, "Thank you for that, it's good to know. We actually have Irillith aboard the Invictus if you wanted to have a little chat with her about the mining facility diversion she sent you on."
Ceraden's eyes glinted, and he looked sorely tempted. He sighed with frustration though, and said, "I appreciate the offer, but she's entirely beyond my reach. House Valaden holds enormous power, and as tempting as it would be to have some kind of revenge, my life would be forfeit afterwards."
John nodded understandingly and said, "No problem. Let me know if you change your mind."
The Maliri merchant smiled at him, and said, "Now, enough of this kind of talk. I see from your call signal you are nearly back at Geniya. I do hope you are planning to drop by, and bring me up to speed on your recent adventures?"
John smiled back and said, "Yes, I was planning to come and have a drink if you're not too busy. We're heading to the Trankaran Republic next, so I'm still interested in electronic goods if you can set up a meeting with your friend, Meruan. We also enjoyed the food we had in Natralis so much, the girls have been asking me to resupply the ship with Maliri cuisine."
Ceraden chuckled and said exuberantly, "Do not worry about a thing, my friend! I will speak to Meruan and invite him to join us. You'll find him a most agreeable fellow, and a pleasure to trade with. I'll also arrange to have you provisioned out of my own pocket. Consider it an apology for the females of my species."
John grinned at the cheerful merchant, and said, "You don't have to do that Ceraden, thanks for the offer though."
"Nonsense, I won't hear another word of objection!" Ceraden smiled. "There is a condition to this offer however..."
John frowned and asked, "Condition? What might that be?"
Ceraden grinned at him and said, "You must bring your delightful companions for a drink! You've met the women of my species... You don't know what a rare treasure it is, to experience pleasant female company!"
The girls laughed and looked pleased at the compliment from the extravert Maliri trader.
