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"And communication technology," Sanyra added. "We have local systems that work within our solar system and for short-range planetary communications, but we're essentially cut off from the rest of the universe. We need to send and receive messages reliably, access Alliance databases, and stay informed about political developments."

"That's actually one of the easier problems to solve," I said, making mental notes. "Communication infrastructure can be upgraded relatively quickly once we understand your existing framework."

I paused, choosing my next words carefully. "The Alliance can provide the technology and expertise, but implementation will take months, possibly longer depending on how much of your infrastructure needs rebuilding. We can't simply hand you advanced systems and expect them to work seamlessly with what you have. It has to be done incrementally. The Alliance wants you to succeed, wants you to be full participants in the galactic community again. But that success has to be built on a solid foundation."

"Does it?" Kavan asked. There was an edge to his voice that made me look up sharply. "Or does the Alliance want to keep us dependent and controllable?"

"The Alliance isn't perfect," I said carefully. "But I don't think the goal is control. I think it's stability. Peace. Making sure that what happened seven hundred and fifty years ago doesn't happen again."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Kavan's expression hardened, and I realized I'd touched on something painful, something he wasn't ready to discuss.

"What happened seven hundred and fifty years ago," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "was a tragedy I don't wish to—"

"Kavan," Murdette said gently, and he stopped mid-sentence, his jaw clenching.

"Forgive me." He didn't sound particularly sorry. "It's a sensitive subject."

"I understand," I said, though I wasn't sure I did. There was clearly a great deal of history here, pain that hadn't healed even after centuries. "And for what it's worth, I think the Alliance has learned from past mistakes we well. The protections for Earth are much stronger now."

"Are they?" Kavan asked. "Strong enough to prevent another massacre? Strong enough to ensure no one else loses—" He stopped abruptly, his hands curling into fists on the armrests.

The silence that followed felt heavy and uncomfortable. I wanted to say something, wanted to ease the tension, but I had no idea what the right words might be.

Binwee finally broke the silence. "Perhaps we should discuss the specific technologies you need in more detail. I can compile a list and send it to the Prime for review."

"Yes," Sanyra said, clearly grateful for the change of subject. "That would be helpful."

The conversation shifted to safer topics. The specifics of what medical equipment would be most useful, which communication protocols the Alliance currently used, how long it might take to get engineers to Drakhone. I participated where I could, but I remained acutely aware of Kavan at the head of the table. He was present in the conversation, attentive, sharp, asking precisely the right questions, and yet I noticed how rarely he addressed me directly. He'd route a question through Sanyra or respond to something I'd said by speaking to Binwee. It was deliberate. Careful. The kind of behavior I recognized from classrooms when a child was trying very hard not to look at something they desperately wanted or despised.

"I have to say," I ventured after a while, "I hope you don't lose too much of this in the process of modernizing." I gestured to the room around us. "The castle, the village, the way everything feels like it's from another time, it's special. It would be a shame to see it all replaced with standard Alliance architecture."

Kavan's expression softened slightly. "I agree. Drakhone has a certain quality I have no intention of sacrificing for the sake of efficiency. We can have advanced technology without abandoning our culture and traditions."

"That's good to hear," I said, and meant it. "Some planets get so caught up in modernization that they lose what made them unique in the first place."

"You appreciate beauty." There was something almost like approval in his tone, and then, immediately, a flicker of something that looked like annoyance at himself for saying it. He reached for his goblet and drank.

Our eyes met across the table anyway, over the rim of the glass. The rest of the room didn't exactly fade, but it contracted, narrowing to the distance between us and the inconvenient fact that I couldn't stop noticing the exact color of his eyes in candlelight. His scent seemed stronger, wrapping around me without permission, and I forced myself to look away before I did something stupid like blush or stammer or crawl across the table and kiss him.

"The real challenge," Kavan continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "is going to be interstellar travel. Not just for trade or diplomacy, but for more pressing matters."

I looked up at him, confused. "More pressing matters?"

He exchanged a glance with Sanyra. Something passed between them, some unspoken communication I couldn't interpret.

"The Drakhoni have a problem," Sanyra said bluntly. "We only birth one female for every hundred males. Without access to mates from other species, we'll eventually go extinct."

My eyes widened. "One in a hundred? That's..."

"Catastrophic," Kavan finished. "Yes. For centuries, we solved this by traveling to Earth to find human mates. Humans are the most compatible species for us, genetically, culturally, in terms of lifespan after envenomation. But we haven't been able to visit Earth in seven hundred and fifty years, and our population has suffered for it."

"Many of our males are unmated," Sanyra added. "And with each generation, the problem worsens."

The weight of what they were saying settled over me. This wasn't just about technology or trade agreements. This was about survival.

"I understand," I said slowly. "And I can see why interstellar travel would be a priority."

"That's what we're hoping," Kavan said, leaning forward slightly. "With modern propulsion systems, we could reach Earth in weeks rather than months. We could re-establish the program for finding mates that was sanctioned by the Alliance."