Nariel's Negotiation

Read how the story of Niatheo's Envoy continues:

Nariel escapes to see Atticus once more before a surprise visit from Councillor Sade nearly spoils the whole encounter. Given the dangerousness of the situation, Nariel's father demands that she not participate in the peace negotiations with Valmyke anymore, but the stubborn Princess goes about things her own way.

Once they arrive above Valmyke, finding it littered with giant, dead Niatheonese ships, Atticus is inclined to agree with the King: Nariel is not safe here. He introduces Nariel to a hologram bracelet she could use to send a hyper-realistic version of herself to the negotiations, while she stays safely onboard the Lunov. Nariel has more… imaginative ideas about what to do with her hologram, and she and Atticus share what could be their final night of intimacy.

Atticus thought she had agreed to send the hologram in her place, but after a terrifying journey on a Valmyki escort to the planet and the clearly hostile start to the negotiations, he begins to question whether or not Nariel is safely on the Lunov after all.