"That reason of yours… does not convince me." Zhao Chen shook his head.
Spider Queen Iris thought a moment; her lovely eyes rested on Zhao Chen, and she sized him up from head to foot before saying, "Then I can marry you and be your woman. Though I must see your starship technology first. Not all of it — at the least bring out one ship to prove your ability."
Ahem, ahem, ahem.
Zhao Chen was greatly startled.
Lilith beside him was more than startled — she was dumbstruck, and stepped straight out to say, "How can that be allowed!"
"How can it not be allowed? Are you worried that your Commander-in-Chief and I are of different races? It's no matter; there is record in our tribe's history that the human race and our tribe can breed together. And the child born of it can be chosen by gene technology to take after the father or the mother, and either way be perfectly healthy. And if you don't like my lower half, one need only put out the lights and it comes to the same thing. Besides which, you would be my first man." Spider Queen Iris blinked, and said it straight out.
Hearing that from Spider Queen Iris, the harpy Avina beside them went so red in the face that blood seemed on the point of dripping from it.
What had just happened?
Had she missed something?
How… how had the talk turned all at once to a matter of that kind?
Lilith's face changed color.
Seeing it, Zhao Chen spoke up at once. "Ahem, ahem, ahem — we need not speak of this matter. I can believe you for the present; though for me to hand the whole of the technology and production over to you is not realistic at this stage. Setting aside the question of trust— I already have engineers on my side who are responsible for this line of business specifically."
In truth, from the moment this Spider Queen Iris set foot aboard this starship, Zhao Chen had known this creature bore him no ill will — that being the effect of the System's golden finger.
At the time he had thought it strange; and only now, having grasped the workings of her brain, did he understand it.
Here was a starship-technology fanatic with an artist's genes on top.
"Who? Who can be better at industrial production than our Spider Queen tribe?" Spider Queen Iris pressed.
"The interstellar dwarves," Zhao Chen answered.
His own Annie might be a bit slow, and eat a bit much, and sometimes grumble at her employer besides, and sell his personal merchandise behind his back—
but at her work she bore toil without complaint, and was conscientious in her duty.
"The interstellar dwarves? Their artisan ability along that line is indeed very fine. But the abilities of our two sides are wholly unlike. If it is industrial production and manufacture we are speaking of, one spider of our Spider Queen tribe is worth three dwarves. Though in technological development we do not match the interstellar dwarves." Spider Queen Iris said it in the way of analysis — and the analysis was, astonishingly, most objective, without partiality of any kind.
"Then let us do it this way. You arrange a meeting between me and the interstellar dwarves' engineers. And when the time comes, you may see for yourself which of us is the better." Spider Queen Iris put the proposal to Zhao Chen.
This was… a bid to take Annie's job?
The corner of Zhao Chen's mouth could not help rising. It had to be said, the proposal was a very good one.
For one thing, if the Spider Queen tribe truly could join, it would ease the pressure now on the interstellar dwarves; and for another it would create a competitive setting, and healthy competition can bring an industry to better development.
"I agree to this proposal; but the industrial base is in my Owl Dragon star system. You are the ruler of the Spider Queen tribe — will it not affect your people if you leave your own tribal territory for a long stretch?" Zhao Chen asked.
Spider Queen Iris shrugged and said, as though it were nothing, "That's no matter. That crew of the Dragon-folk tribe have always given us a free hand; so long as we deliver the corresponding number of interstellar warships and industrial products on time, they will not inquire into our affairs at all. As for me… my reason for coming out this time is that I mean to work through a technical problem in the workshop, and no one whatever is to disturb me. A thing of that kind happens often, and no one will grow suspicious. For that matter, I am extremely interested in your industrial base!"
Within Spider Queen Iris's eyes there was a fanatical glow, for all the world like that of a mad believer.
"Then let us set your business aside for the moment."
Zhao Chen looked once more to the harpy Avina.
He had supposed that in this meeting, the hardest to handle would be Spider Queen Iris.
He had not thought that the first one settled would be Spider Queen Iris of all people.
So now it naturally came round to the harpy Avina.
"Let us speak plainly too, and come straight to the point. You must have guessed already what my purpose was in inviting you. I heard before that you had had dealings with Charlotte; so I imagine you have a good impression of the Revolutionary Army — that is, the Hundred Beasts Alliance as it now is. And so I hope that you may now take your stand in support of us." Zhao Chen looked at the harpy Avina.
The harpy Avina kept her head down and said nothing.
One could see she must be much torn at present.
"I know that you are much in two minds now, and worry over what is to be done if we fail after you have joined us. I understand that worry of yours. For the time being I need only have your sincere declaration of position; there is no need for you to announce your support of me publicly on your tribe's behalf. And this applies equally to the Spider Queen tribe. I can give you time to consider, but that time will not be very long. Because next, as you know— we shall be crossing swords with the Dragon-folk tribe face to face, and by then you will certainly have to make a choice." Zhao Chen looked at the harpy Avina.
"I… I…" The harpy Avina could not resolve upon it.
At this point Spider Queen Iris beside her cut in. "My proposal is that you, Avina, come with me to the Owl Dragon star system. I know that this Harpy tribe are in fact lovers of peace, but that owing to the wider circumstances they were pushed willy-nilly into the place of one of the twenty great tribes, and became the target of every arrow — while yet getting none of the treatment they should have. Consider it: the territorial range of a great tribe, and it comes to only 30% of a single star region! My lord, would it not be better to let her go and see for herself your Owl Dragon system's institutions and wider setting? If they truly suit the Harpy tribe, then I trust that Avina will make her choice of her own accord when the time comes."
Zhao Chen's eyes lit up; this Iris had a good head on her, and had thought out a method for him besides.
"Avina, I invite you to visit the Owl Dragon star system — are you willing to come along with Iris? Set your mind at rest; it will not take long, and if you wish to return you may return at any time. I will guarantee your safety as well." Zhao Chen said it in earnest.
At this the harpy Avina bravely lifted her head — whether on account of Zhao Chen's invitation, or of what Iris had said just now, there was no telling.
She clenched her fists and said, "I… I am willing to visit the Owl Dragon star system. If… your institutions… and setting… truly are… better suited to our Harpy tribe. And if… we can obtain a fair and safe environment to live in. Then I… am willing to consider the proposal you made just now."
In truth Avina too wished to change the Harpy tribe's present state.
But to speak honestly, the gift of their race was much like that of bottom-tier labor; even if they were not used, there were others to take their place.
Wholly unlike a high-technology trade such as the Spider Queen tribe's.
Which was what had produced the utterly opposed treatment of the two.
"Very well; then I shall arrange the business of your visit on my side. Within these two days, let us say. Go early and return early." Zhao Chen said it.
And so the visit of Spider Queen Iris and the harpy Avina to the Owl Dragon star system was set down upon the schedule.
The two of them were about to visit a star system past anything they could imagine!