Guotin Sying blinked. Just like that, his guest had brought him to the expansive bridge of his ship, the Beautiful Snow Yeti. Two others just like it, the Created Doom Moon and the Ivory Horse Rider, were in his battle group, with captains appointed over each of them. But that was far from what was uppermost in his mind just then.

I was told this Undying Singer had strange powers with even stranger strengths and weaknesses. Teleportation over any distance with accuracy wasn’t said to be one of them. I thought that was something only the Archon Amethyst Bellatrix could do.

“Guotin,” said the captain of the Beautiful Snow Yeti, “how did you get here? And why has this ushi come with you to dishonor us and our noble bridge?”

“Ushi he may be, Captain Ling-Ling Xiao, but he holds a sacred power worth respecting. The Heavenly Emperor of this ‘round-eyed barbarian’ smiles upon him,” he added with heavy irony, “and so shall you all. That is an order, Captain.”

Captain Xiao stood stiffly at attention. “Yes, Guotin. You heard him, men. Show your respect, all who are able.” And with that, everyone not immediately occupied with some task bowed from the waist toward Alain. Alain bowed back with sincere respect.

“I apologize, Special Ambassador,” said Sying, “for not introducing you to my officers and crew formally upon arrival, and for not establishing protocol for your reception by them. It was my inexcusable negligence. It is true that we were en route to where we are now and at standby for battle stations…”

“Pay it no mind, Guotin. I understand. It was kind of you to give me a private reception in your quarters, and to see that my wife was properly settled in the family quarters. Have a care to thank whoever picks your tea; it is outstanding even by my people’s standards.”

Captain Xiao was not one given to understand another person’s feelings or to give up prejudices based on his logical framework easily. He was, however, a keen observer of people. Until this White Tribesman came along, the Yellow Tribesmen of the Middle Kingdom had made contacts with other Tribes of Man only as enemies – or as slaves. Yet there was something about the very presence of this strange barley-haired man, so obviously open-hearted though he was, that demanded treatment as an equal, quite aside from any office he held. He seemed eager to serve, yet he would never be a slave under anyone’s duress. Something in his bearing said so, pointing to an inner forging of character and will that no one had ever subverted or likely ever would.