"Report Rasta."

"Do you want the technical details, or the personal ones?"

"Put the tech in your written report for your log. I'm more interested in who they sent you for the day, and what you learned about the social structure." Greta knew he would run on for hours about the more scientific aspects of his day with the engineer Qwaiter sent.

"He's extremely intelligent and capable as an engineer. Delighted to be chosen to to this. He's considered a dwarf of his race, though," Rasta frowned as he said it.

"Why should that make a difference?"

"You wouldn't think so, would you? I mean what you look like should make an iota of difference, neither should your gender. But the women on this planet are all powerful from what I heard. And he didn't even seem to understand it was wrong. It just is. We must be wise not to offend them by putting our standards on them."

"For once you have a sensible suggestion Rasta. But be aware there are pockets of resentment in amongst the males. The games shopkeeper, the one who handed me that exquisite ruby bowl? He wanted me to remember it was him who gifted it to me. I don't think all is well here."

He nodded. "Zbera didn't have a problem. He says all are educated equally and tested to help them decide where their specific talents will do them them most good. There was an argument with his mother when he wanted to be an engineer until the school backed him. His mother is a noted crystal organ dancer."

Greta laughed. "Nothing new there. Children have defied their parent's dreams for them since the beginning of time."

"They have a sense of humor. I think I offended him at first, when he introduced himself. He's got a most unusual skin coloring and with his name, I couldn't help it."

"I noticed. The black and white of him? Is that associated with his dwarfism?"

Rasta shook his head, "Not at all. It's a particular trait of families who originated from their great plains before a shift in their planet orbit brought the first sonic storms. Increasing wind speeds drove them underground."

"So why the misunderstanding?" She had an idea, with the recent development of reintroduced extinct species.

"Zebras, of course. Once I showed him the pictures, he understood and almost hurt himself laughing. Which is a most unusual sound. Like a trumpet that is out of tune." Rasta explained.

"I heard a hint of that with Qwaiter, yesterday."

"We enhanced our stabilizers even more. I won't bore you with anything more, but it's incredible what they have done with programming alga rhythmic response to harmonics. We adapted and installed the parts he brought with him. Zbera is hands on like me. Truly a genius. I hope I see more of him."

"I'll made sure you do. You are going to their space facilities with him in one of the other cities. They will provide you with a child's sled similar to Zbera's. The one he brought with him is similar and has been adapted for others like him. Do you think you can learn how to drive it?"

"You insult me. A good pilot can adapt to any vehicle they are provided." The derision in his tone made her snort.

"I know. I had to ask. SOP."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Rasta shook his head and his dreadlocks whipped out.

"Recorder on tomorrow, take a couple of extra memory blocks with you as well. I'm heading out for a tour of their infrastructure. I'm hoping we can get our hands on some better solar processing tech." Greta knew it was an issue for every one of the allies in the Galaxy Federation. As an afterthought she added, "I wonder if I misunderstood the merchant. I had the most disturbing thought on the way back yesterday."

"I bet I know."

"Really?"

"Reading between the lines, I found some of Zbera's comments hinted at a disturbing event in their history. I know they had visitors from space in the past. I don't think they were all friendly."

Greta nodded. "So, I wasn't wrong in my suspicions."

"We need find out more about the unfriendlies."

"I'll let Freddie know about it too. I'm trying to decide whether or not to mention this suppressed hint of trouble in my reports to the Federation."

"Above my pay grade Captain. Discuss it with our insect friend. Permission to leave the bridge?" Rasta asked.

"Since when do you ask?"

"Zbera reminded me of command structure. Qwaiter picked him personally and said how impressed she was with the way we run our ships. I guess they got into the manuals with the crystals."

"Tell him thank you." Greta couldn't help herself.

"Figured you'd say that." He gave her a crisp salute and turned to leave.

Freddie was next. She checked the screen looking for his location and found him still at the underground city. Knowing him well, she sent a message to his wrist unit, reminding him of the time.

As long as the Scilari diplomat and scientist got back in the next hour, there would be enough time to make a decent MRE meal and enjoy the moonrise. This time, no Mach storm as the gift of a full orange moon. Apparently not for another fourteen or fifteen days. She wondered if she would ever understand the complex rhythm of weather on this planet.

On a whim, she compiled the files of the astro-survey, adding the data for the wind curves from the storm they survived. She retrieved the deep sonar scan of the planet's core. Similar to old Earth's, the volatile nature of a molten iron center was another factor.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain." Freddie sounded tired and elated at the same time.

She pushed the ramp control to open and sighed. Rasta needed to go out to assess what happened to their water supply hoses. Water filtration stopped halfway through the storm, and she assumed it was because of a clogged supply line. Now she wasn't so sure as she watched the pond outside their observation window fill further, bringing the level within five meters of the ramp. Startling considering it was almost twenty-five when they landed.

"Captain, I know why the pond is bigger," Freddie crowed. "I've got so much to tell you. Solar conversion enhancement is the least of it! Rasta's going to be ecstatic."

"Give it a minute and stow the explorer. Get it charging and come up to the bridge. I've got some interesting data about the interaction of the moons, suns, and planet core, I just discovered as well. I'll want an expert space meteorologist to confirm, but the mechanism of those Mach storms is now apparent."

"Considering how famished I am, could we do my report after we eat?" Freddie asked, bringing Greta back to their need to eat.

"Good idea. One thing." She held up a finger and called Rasta on his wrist unit. "We need to re-establish our water connection. I'll get our meal ready if you two," she stopped talking to point at Rasta, "deal with the hoses."