FangTheCat
(For telepathy,and passive mind reading,thought is a universal language understood by the Unity. Yes,they casually invade the minds of everybody present,for the sake of smooth communication.)
The soldiers,one final time,snap off smart salutes to the alien delegation,just as Discipula Zymun bowed his ninety degree bow. Straightening himself,he spread his arms wide in welcome.
"Welcome to the Clear Vision. Unfortunately,our mouths are ill-suited to speaking most languages of the galaxy,and we've yet to truly master any of them. I pray you will forgive our use of telepathy as a substitute. We are all assembled; Please,follow me to the conference room. Please,mind the crew as they carry out their duties."
With that,the Discipula lead his guests to one of the many doors on the far side of the hangar,while deck crews swarmed over the alien ships to secure them,and soldiers stood sentry outside them. The door opened in silence,revealing a relatively small room,with a door on the far side. An airlock. Zymun ushered them inside,and gestured to the benches which lined the walls. Curiously,there wasn't a single computer,display screen,or even electrical light fixture to be seen in the ship,so far; All of the light came from odd hovering light sources set into the floor and ceiling.
"Please,take a seat,if it would be comfortable for you to do so. It will take me some time to cycle the airlock."
With a nod,Zymun snapped a look to a pair of sealed ports above the door deeper into the ship. They opened with a hiss of rushing atmosphere. A few minutes later,Zymun nodded,closing the ports,and opening the door deeper into the ship.
"If the New Hegemony delegation is so inclined,they may now remove their vacuum suits."
Zymun removed his own vacuum suit,coming off in pieces. He stored the pieces in a nearby storage container,and turned to address his guests.
The alien was humanoid in shape,as evidenced by the vacuum suit,but now unburdened of the suit,his true appearance was visible to all observers. His skin was the colour of ash; An off-white grey. His entire body was long and thin,limbs included,with hands ending in four digits. His neck was long,and hooked. The head was long,and home to a short,yet broad,beak. He beheld his visitors with two glowing amber eyes,arranged in triads. In place of hair,he instead had what appeared to be a mess of tentacles growing from the top of his head,adorned with glittering brass bands. He wore a sleeveless robe of murex purple,with a black hem. A white sash was draped from his left shoulder to his right hip,secured in place with a gold-and-teal pin. At his right hip was a scabbard,containing a knife with a pronounced crossguard,a knuckle guard,a nagel,a blade trap,and an undulating blade. With the polished brass that dominated the hilt,guard,pommel,and scabbard,it was obviously a symbol of some sort.
"Whenever you are ready."
The corridor behind the Discipula was made of immaculate metal; The floor was a textured black surface,to ensure grip,while the walls and ceiling were white. The corners were tapered,and homes to grates,revealing ducts and pipes,but not a single wire. There were purple decals at assorted places,usually by doors.
