The home of the Rath'ani naturalist Aski Medes fits just over the storefront of a music shop in the Scholar's Quarter; the gilt paint cracks and flakes off of a harp just over Envoy's head as she is led up the stairs by a young Kavi in all black clothes. Despite the unprepossessing outside, however, the inside has been draped in silks and leather hangings made from numerous creatures, and skulls and hide-clad heads with strange horns cover the walls. Yellowed and cracking parchment drawings and sketches hang in frames.

Envoy smiles widely, looking at everything in wonder.

The raccoon looks up from where he was smoking a pipe with a huge bell, the top covered by a little lid that releases smoke. "Ah! The Exile of which Bridge Officer Nimiss spoke," he said. "I am honored to make your acquaintance. I hope that you will not be offended if I admit my interest in making some elementary measurements of your own physiology." He grins widely.

Envoy smiles, "Certainly not. I am only too happy to help in the expansion of knowledge."

"Of course the Temple's examiners have undoubtedly made their own lengthy and tedious inspections," Aski continues. "But there is always the chance that they might have missed something of interest. After all, they are not, ah… Trained observers of creatures in their own habitats." He smiles. "Ah! Excellent. This won't hurt at all. I'd like to sketch you first, if you don't mind."

Envoy says, "I don't mind. I can describe my internal structures to you when needed. You seem to have an extensive collection of specimens."

Aski takes a drawing board and sits it across his lap, gesturing to Envoy to avail herself of the seat and tea service across from him. He stretches a parchment and clips it into place, then starts sketching with a pointed charcoal stick. "Excellent! Wonderful. If you would turn your head just so?… Now, the esteemed Nimiss also suggested you had a certain interest in, ah, Zelaks? And yes, indeed, I do. They are invaluable teaching models."

Envoy turns her head as requested, and asks, "I have only seen the warrior drones that are on Rephidim. I would like to learn more about their biology and origins and thinking."

The raccoon sketches away quickly, then starts using some pebbly-looking leather to erase draft lines and a finer-tipped stick to refine details. "Indeed! There are at least seven known castes of Zelaks that have been observed about their hives… Though they are very secretive about their inner hive members, I am afraid. There are the warriors of course. Then there are workers of several different types, drones that appear to serve a largely 'administrative' role, relaying the orders of the Queen herself and her nurses. I speculate that Zelaks are even capable of creating new variations on old themes. Remarkable creatures, indeed!"

Envoy says, "Really? Do you know how to contact a Zelak Queen?"

"Eh? Contact one?" Aski pauses in his drawing to straighten his spectacles and look at Envoy. "Oh my. They grant audiences very rarely, and then only to those willing to, ah… Pay the proper respects. Tribute, you might say." He chuckles and continues drawing, motioning for Envoy to turn to the side somewhat so that he can capture her profile. "They're fond of fruits from exotic locales, and for some reason, they muchly appreciate liquors… I am not certain why. But, there is one thing that very much intrigues Zelaks of any kind."

Envoy turns, and asks, "And what is that?"

Aski explains, "Artifacts! They go absolutely wild if they think you're concealing any kind of information about the First Ones from them, and I've heard… " He whispers in a hushed voice, "Of course you understand, I have no dealing with ruin plunderers myself, but I have associates who've known such unpleasant folks." Sketch, sketch. "They offer high prices for any artifacts of definite First One origin, and they can afford such pay with the demand there is for their warriors and chitinous products."

Envoy hmms. "Do they have any interest in aliens?"

"But as a humble naturalist, of course, I had nothing such to offer. I was quite shocked and grateful, really, when the Zelak Queen – " Aski rattles off a set of clicks and rasps and hisses. "Agreed to allow me to inspect some of the outer extent of her hives. An amazing ecology, I must say. There's almost nothing visible above, just a hill of disturbed earth; beneath, they used the natural water flow to irrigate entire gardens of some sort of fungal growths… "

Aski pauses. "Oh, I shouldn't think so. They're more interested in ancient history… Those who are said to have lived upon Sinai long before any of our current lot. Perhaps they believe they're descendants and they practice some sort of ancestor worship?"

Envoy says, "Perhaps they are artifacts of the First Ones."

Aski Medes blinks. "A fascinating thesis."

Envoy shrugs. "I am an artifact of an advanced species. It is a natural assumption for me."

"Indeed? You seem perfectly alive to me," Aski says as he sets the sketch down and moves over to patpat Envoy's side, as if expecting to find machinery beneath the skin. "A Zelak I could see as a possible artifact; they're so dedicated to their purposes, such as they are, and without imagination, that they might well be part of some sort of… 'biological' machine. But you? Pshaw."

Envoy says, "All living things are machines. Some are created is all."

"Hah! Try and defend that in the College Naturalis and you'll be drowned by resentful scholars," Aski chortles. "As much say that magic is all sleight of hand to the Esoteric folks." He takes out a strange device with a bell-shape on both ends, then sets one bell against Envoy's drum cage. "Breathe for me? Deeply, now."

Envoy takes a deep breath, and doesn't exhale.

"Very good – " the Rath'ani looks up at Envoy as he hears silence where he had expected to hear an exhalation. "Oh! Nimiss warned me that you tended to be rather literal. No, do please breathe out as well." His striped tail flicks, showing gray amidst the black rings.

Envoy exhales.

"Ah! Good. Healthy lung action there. Straightforward, good old fashioned bladders. Not like those continuous exchange systems you see in Zelaks, or the compression system that eeps employ. Utterly explosive, those creatures, very hard to obtain a complete carcass for study." The Rath'ani tsks to himself.

Envoy says, "I use my lungs for talking mostly."

"Indeed?" Aski lays fingers on Envoy, searching for a pulse. "I must say, you certainly seem to have a certain odd worldview, even for an Exile. So, why this interest in Zelaks?"

"They can be very dangerous if they believe their hive's safety is threatened," Aski comments. "I've lost more than one colleague to mistakes… Don't even think about making jokes about eggs in there!"

Envoy says, "They seem more familiar to me than the other sentients on this world. I would like to know how they view other races and deal with them."

Aski says, "Ah! An interesting topic. Perhaps Nimiss should have sent you to a social scientist! I confess that I don't see the resemblance at all." He pauses, then continues, "But to the best of my knowledge, they seem rather stand-offish. Neutral, uninterested in ordinary chitchat, if you understand what I mean. Very dedicated to their purpose… Obscure though it may be." He takes notes as he works, then holds a strip of some plastic against Envoy's neck. It slowly begins to change color.

Envoy says, "What is their purpose?"

Aski takes the plastic and compares it to a chart, then writes the number down. "Who knows? They appear unwilling to confide such knowledge to mere naturalists. If they are artifacts of the First Ones, perhaps they wish to regain knowledge of what that purpose is." He grins momentarily.

The plastic starts to revert to its usual white color.

Envoy hmms.

Envoy says, "I will prepare an offering for them then."

"Still… It might be possible for you to see a Zelak hive at some point," Aski muses. "I've been asked to advise some merchants on the basis of my prior experience with Zelaks. Perhaps if I introduce you as my assistant, they will be willing to bring you along as well." He momentarily prevents Envoy from speaking by getting her to open her mouth so that he can inspect her teeth and dental structure. "Ah! Very interesting."

"I would appreciate such assistance," Envoy says, once Aski has finished looking at her teeth.

The Rath'ani sketches details of the teeth and gum and palate structure, his trained hand making quick work of it. "Well then, I will introduce you to him soon. You're free to travel, of course?"

Envoy says, "Yes."

"Ah! Very good." Aski beams, "It's so good to see such an interest in knowledge among today's youth. The desire for knowledge's bright gleaming seems at times to gutter rather fiercely."

Envoy blinks. "It is my purpose to learn."

Envoy glances at the scholar's notes, and asks, "What conclusions have you drawn from your measurements so far?"

"Purpose? Ah, the mysterious makers which you claimed created you," Aski says with twitching ears and a smile. "Thus far, to all appearances, your physiology conforms to the expected… A humanoid, possessed of normal respiratory and dental equipment. To the ordinary person, you would appear to be a cross of an Aeonian and a Solus… An arrangement which is of course, not physically possible – though there are rumors as to the unexplored potentials of wild magic upon the surface… "

Envoy says, "I do not operate at peak efficiency on the surface."

"Indeed? I wonder why that would be," Aski says. "You will have to let me compare your metabolic rates here and below, dear Envoy. I'm sure there's an intriguing mechanism at work here!"

Envoy says, "There is too much interference on the surface, it seems."

Envoy looks over the collection of skulls again, and asks, "Have you ever seen an animal with ceramic bones?"

The Rath'ani looks quizzical, and then blinks. "Ceramic bones? I cannot say that I have – bone matter is quite unmistakable. Why do you ask?"

Envoy reaches over her head with her right arm, and digs the claws into her forehead just above her left eye to peal back several inches of scalp. It's quite clear that her skull is not made of bone.

"Eek!" Aski puts his hands over his eyes. "Please, don't mutilate yourself in such a way – think of my delicate stomach!"

Envoy says, "Oh, I'm sorry… "

Envoy pats the flap back into place.

The Rath'ani shudders.

Envoy says, "I just wanted to show you that I really am an alien. Everyone seems to think I'm a crossbreed."

"As a naturalist, dear friend," Aski reproves Envoy mildly. "It is my ambition to glorify and exalt life and the process of living. I would suggest that you avoid similar demonstrations in the future, lest you upset someone of less, ah, restrained reflexes than I." He smiles weakly and takes some of the tea.

Envoy nods.

Aski is about to speak again when a bell rings one in the distance. "Ah! My apologies, young Envoy, but it seems that I should be teaching a class at this time. I'm afraid I've quite lost track of the time." He stands with a smile and gestures toward the door. "If you'll see me again tomorrow, I'll be honored to introduce you to the merchants who are travelling to visit a Zelak hive soon."

Envoy stands and bows, "Thank you for your time. I will return tomorrow."