Namek
Ernest was stunned by the foreign dignitary's uniform. With the strict rationing imposed on all non-essentials by the overstretched military economy, fabrics became increasingly more expensive over the years. Civilian garbs for non-workers grew thinner, shorter and tighter to save as much fabric as possible and even military uniforms took a similar hit. Rubber, plastic and carbon nanofibre were also in short supply, which slowed down the production of everything from weapons to combat armour. To most people living in the United Moons Directorate, it would almost seem as if the only two things that were still cheap and in abundance was electricity and steel. Thus, the long white uniform worn by the Nordic head representative implied a level of wealth and prosperity that was unheard of in the wartorn state and was as captivating as it was likely expensive.
The Ellian officer's uniform, by comparison, was a simple garb composed of a plain white dress shirt and a miniskirt, cut asymmetrically to add a bit of flair without increasing the amount of material or effort required to produce each unit. A standard-issue armoured belt was wrapped around the waist, often at an angle just to add a little bit more flair, and armoured boots protected the feet from hazards of the occupation. Ironically, the most expensive thing any Ellian officer wore was likely their gloves (unless they had elected to wear some sort of personal accessory, which would likely be classified as a 'luxury good' and thus heavily taxed by the state).
He sensed Eidth trying to shuffle behind him as the aliens approached, as if somehow intimidated by their presence. Knowing her, he guessed that she was probably embarrassed by the fact that the only pretty things she had were a pair of hair ribbons and a scarf. He did not necessarily blame her for feeling that way, though it was unbecoming of an Ellian officer such as herself and it was also disrespectful to their guests. About as discretely as he could, he grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her back out beside him, much to her dismay.
The Vice Admiral listened intently as the alien introduced herself and her business. Since the alien's grasp of the Ellian language was still choppy, it was necessary that he paid extra attention to unravelling their grammar, accent and intonation. From what he could gather, she worked for a company called "Nordic" which specialised in medicine. He was not exactly sure what "body enhancements" were, but he assumed that it was likely irrelevant to the business of diplomacy and so elected to ignore it for now.
"I'm sure that Jakachotakya Mossford-jan would be very interested in your goods," he told her after she had finished, "I will tell my superiors that you wish to discuss trade and friendship. I'm sure that they will be able to arrange a meeting with the Jakachotakya for you." He paused for a moment, as if unsure if he should continue. "Pardon me if you already said this, but what is the name of your country again?"
