Free Guest Night on Union Station by E. M. Foner Page A

might attend.”
    Aluria’s beautiful face flashed red and then white, so quickly that a casual observer could be forgiven for confusing her with a Horten. Then Ortha arrived, his skin tinged blue, and the Vergallian’s creamy complexion returned to its normal, flawless state.
    “Aluria, my dear,” the Horten ambassador said. “Your arrival on Union Station was much anticipated, and I look forward to renewing the close relations that existed between myself and your predecessor.”
    “Of course,” Aluria replied, having completely recovered the poise she had lost at Srythlan’s obvious slight. “Quite the little gathering the Stryx have invited us to. I wonder what’s on the agenda?”
    The Chert ambassador appeared in his chair, the ever-present invisibility projector perched on his shoulder, and Kelly did a quick head count to compare with the number of seats.
    “Ambassador Ptew has a family emergency and won’t be able to attend,” Libby announced. “Everybody please be seated and give your attention to Ambassador McAllister, the host of our upcoming open house.”
    “Those polygamous birds always have a family emergency,” Ortha said in an undertone as he took his seat.
    “Thank you, Libby,” Kelly said, ignoring Ortha’s rudeness. “As the contractual host of the upcoming open house, the Stryx have asked me to arrange lodgings with ambassadors on this station for the visiting emissaries. This group will be arriving in advance of the body of guests, and while we won’t try to keep it a secret, I hope I can count on you not to publicize their presence until the open house officially begins.”
    “I will waive my claim to the honor of entertaining a foreign dignitary in the interest of group harmony,” Ortha declared immediately, not bothering to keep the sarcasm from his voice. Several of the other ambassadors silently cursed themselves for having immediately dug into the food and being constrained from speaking until they could swallow.
    “You do realize that it’s the Stryx making this request, not me,” Kelly said, taking advantage of catering-induced silence. “Our station librarian tells me that if we do a good job entertaining the emissaries from the Cayl Empire, it will greatly increase the odds of their joining the tunnel network, en masse. I have already offered to put up all five of the visiting dignitaries myself, but the Stryx…”
    “The Stryx have more sense than to gamble on humans to make a good impression,” Aluria interrupted. “The Empire of a Hundred Worlds has had contact with the Cayl Empire in the past and we will not be cheated out of our rights. I will host the Lood emissary, though I’ll thank him to keep his mask on.”
    “Perhaps I spoke too hastily,” Ortha said, turning a pinkish white. “After all, it’s not every day one has the opportunity to spend quality time with a diplomatic colleague from the other side of the galaxy. I seem to recall a species with silver skin from a Grenouthian documentary, and I’m sure we could make their emissary feel at home and, uh, influence the, uh, outcome.”
    “Is one of the visiting emissaries a Nangor?” Crute asked, spitting some crumbs into the air as he rushed into the fray. “We have occasionally traded with them in the past, despite the distance, as not many species manufacture tools and equipment that suit a four-armed operator. I’m sure it would be an error on your part to place a Nangor with anybody else.”
    “I didn’t receive any special instructions from the Stryx, so I guess ‘First come, first serve,’ is appropriate,” Kelly said. “I will be hosting the Cayl at Libby’s request, so that just leaves the turtles, I mean, the Tzvim.”
    “I,” Srythlan began, but the Grenouthian ambassador spoke right over him.
    “Of course we will host the Tzvim. It’s safe to say that over the last hundred thousand years, my people have had more contact with the members of the Cayl Empire than any of the