I looked at Ry’nao, and he thought about the Council as it was thousands of years ago, when he argued for the creation of the Alliance, our mostly Elshar-run trade network. Elshars look like us, but listening to their arguments, they were a careful, rational people. Marin Mar stood and smoothed his medium blue robes. “We built a trade network and have mostly resolved our differences.” Heden glared at him. He’s the reason they colonized Elshar Mashai without terraforming it. He’s Mashai and they believe in physical endurance. Their lifespans went from 200 like Zheien to 65 because of him. His secret plan to weaken the Elders so he could take over. He used the poisons in that soil to decimate entire colonies they thought just didn’t thrive because of other dangers of colony starts.

  Satauuver represented the Aryllans. His deep blue skin shone with rainbows, and he waved up his Councillor, a beautiful tree that also shone like rainbows. Every leaf was a different, brilliant, metallic color. “We agree to adopt the Mashai model, and consolidated our languages into one Aryllan language.” His Councillor drooped a bit. She doesn’t agree with him. She’s thinking Wtensau should be here to say what she wants said.

  Kirnonos stood. He’s grieving his father, who died inspecting Alb Seer. Now he lives in his father’s vast, empty cities underground there. He is healthy, but when his father died, the colonists went back to Bisillipia. He has gardens and farms enough to sustain half Bisillipia’s population, but they stopped most of their colony starts. “Trade will save our worlds. I agree for King Tlentas and his Council. We will have King Nonosuan to replace Tlentas, my father.” He didn’t click as much. He’s not happy about this.

  Rentappenen stood. “The Wausen rose. Ty’nirrhans agreed to stay, and I shall lead them.” He smiled at Eriganh, who represents Kajar. He just got his Cube.

  “I object. You misbehaved in the Test Of Levels, and I do not believe you when you say you will lead with honor.” Ry’nao stood. “All Elders of Xchou, met in our Council, and I convinced them I would speak for them. We oversaw the galaxies of the Thirteen and helped them establish trade with the Jain. All of you see how Rentappenen influences the Jain to steal tech from others.”

  The Council got noisy.

  Ferassmoranen Of S’ai, who represents all Zheien, stood. “I agree that Rentappenen is not who he seems to be.”

  Rentappenen bowed to him. “Oh, I assure you that my Ty’nirrhans listen to me. Opseh Wenh Cet agreed to take no more Zheien slaves.”

  Kirnonos glared at him. “No, you told our Council how you can put their enemies in your mines. He holds many of my people. This is unacceptable!”

  Eriganh stood. “Nonosuan told me that he wants to have peace on Bisillipia. How can he, with all the arguments in every one of your Councils? I have peace in the Six since we established the Tiers.”

  “The Six? You united the Six?” Ferassmoranen looked shocked. His purple eyes turned light.

  Wally rose and laughed. “I didn’t think anyone could do that! Eriganh is a great leader, and Rentappenen has many good ideas. I will bring my people to observe his methods.”

  Ry’nao sighed. “What do others think of this? Our people think there is much oppression in the Six now.”

  A man stood. “I am Kaswpas, Councillor Of the Blue Lens Of Secrets.” He bowed, then rose.

  People seemed surprised to see him! Ry’nao bowed and stayed low. “Eriganh, Satauuver, and Rentappenen. I am here to watch you. I brought Wally, who seems to like your new ways. But I warn you that the 5th is unhappy that you all lead, and with the methods you use. We brought many observers to keep this Council’s level safe.”

  None of them bowed. They argued.

  Another man rose and the other members bowed low, like Ry’nao. “I am Cunigundae, Host Of Blue Lens Of Secrets. I can find them, no matter how well they hide!” He glared at Rentappenen.

  “I have nothing to hide—”

  “I think you do. When I have evidence, I will come back to you, Kawspas.”

  “Good. I warn you, Imwa, I will also have evidence from your people.”

  Wally laughed. “We are happy to bring it all here, next time we meet. I think you will be pleased with what Rentappenen is doing.”

  Pirad clicked his face into an exasperated expression. “As if you can judge—”

  Satauuver slashed across his front. “You speak when it is not your time! Listen to the Imwa.” Pirad and Satauuver glared at each other, and the Tree withered a bit. What’s going on with them?

  “The 5th created the Test Of Levels, with 5 levels forming this below the 1st.” Kawspas sighed. “This Council, a level below the 5th, lowest in the Test, is formed as a last resort to keep higher tech from contaminating the primitives below them. Many entire civilizations have been destroyed, and it is their task to figure out why and how. Many of these once traded with Erigan’s Kajarians and former species now extinct that he once represented, and well. We are pleased that Pirad is born, clone of Kirnonos, 1st Bisillip Elder on this lower level.” He smiled at Pirad, and Satauuver scowled.

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  “You are very friendly with Bisillipia.”

  Kawspas ignored him and motioned to Pirad. “Kirnonos’ parents and the Old Elders are allowed to stay in the 3rd with Bisillipia that gave up slavery, but all of Bisillipia here was made to give up higher tech.”

  Kirnonos stood and his green, metallic robes swirled about him. “My parents died before they could return in the 3rd! King Tlentas came to inspect his work on Alb Seer, and met with Satauuver. I am still waiting for an explanation of why he was in my father’s city!”

  Satauuver smiled. “Merely a social visit—”

  “Then tell this Council how my father died!”

  “We had an argument and I left. Pirad caused it. You should ask him what happened.”

  Pirad shook his head at Kirnonos, and he sat down. Why?

  Ry’nao looked at Pirad with a deep frown.

  Marin Mar stood. “Friends, let us form this new trade alliance. I suggest we call it The Alliance, to commemorate this day, in which we put aside our differences and join for the good of the Thirteen. I know Kirnonos put knowledge into Pirad, his cloned son, that is forbidden on our Level. But, I have his promise to only use it to correct leaks from the upper levels. We have the Imwa to watch, and friends in other places, like Pinda.” He waved a hand and Pinda stood.

  “My people are in place, from the Thirteen to worlds of the Padrisa. Many of us have Lenses—”

  Rentappenen stood with a jerk! “I object! We are not children to be watched by the Laruu!”

  “You didn’t object to the Imwa. Why should you object to us? I like the idea of this Alliance. I would also like to see our Zheien friends create a trade network. They will not insist on Mashai methods.” He sneered at Heden.

  “Colony starts are very difficult. A Mashai knows how to survive!”

  “And, you ignore tech that saves lives. We have observers on Elshar Mashai and Gowa, too.”

  “I demand you remove them from Elshar worlds!”

  Marin Mar slashed across his front. “I asked Pinda to give us observers, and they will stay. Unless you have more members of this Council in favor of removal?”

  The Council agreed to the Alliance, to the Zheien’s Unified, yet to be formed, and for the Laruu and other species from higher levels to observe. Barely.

  Then, Rentappenen started an argument. “I think all of us should be allowed to keep our slaves.”

  The Council was about evenly divided on that issue. That’s why Kirnonos and his Bisillipians split with Bisillips on the 3rd Level and came to this one! He stood. “Our economy functions because we have slavery, but people can work for their freedom. We stand with that decision.”

  Satauuver glared at Rentappenen. “Our economy also functions because we have your enemies working to build energy structures on our worlds. Wtensau wants to free them as Kirnonos’ faction wants, but I will not do this. Will you sentence our civilization to Failure over this?”

  Rentappenen bowed to him. “No, I will allow Bisillipia and Aryll to keep slaves. We also disagreed with our Wausen over this, and came here so we could keep slaves. Marin Mar, you also disagreed with the Chor over slavery, did you?”

  Marin Mar got red in the face. “Our worlds have yet to resolve this, but I believe we can prosper without slavery as our Chor do.”

  “They are not prospering, and neither are the Wausen, the Kajar-mehamin, or other species on the 3rd, are they? How are your Bisillip brothers and sisters prospering when they gave up their slaves, Pirad?”

  Kirnonos stood and slapped both hands on the table. “It is too early—” A crack in the table widened until it fell apart.

  He didn’t do that. His expression of frozen surprise shocked everyone. Except, Rentappenen.

  “It is clear that this Council is dissoved—”

  “I did not put that much force on the tas—”

  “The tas is destroyed! All discussion on slavery is ended!” With a smile, Rentappenen pointed to Pirad. “Prepare the Cubes. The only way to resolve this is with a War. I will choose a world. The White Cube Of Light will battle the Red Cube Of Fire in 300 years from now.”

  Ry’nao frowned. “Our diplomats can—”

  Satauuver stomped his foot at Kirnonos. “I will withdraw my diplomats! There is no other way to resolve this!”

  Kirnonos held his arms out. “There are much better ways than Cubes to resolve conflicts—”

  Gedda Dier stood and glared at Rentappenen. “Lisbaar and all of our worlds will fight you! I will unite the Ty’nirrhan and the Chouha against you!”

  “I will go and remove all traces of forbidden tech. I was sent here to do this, as my penance, and you know this, Kawspas, Pinda, Imwa! Because of this, you cannot fight me, Gedda Dier.” He glowed gray.

  She glowed red. “My people crave war! We will unite with all of these others who disagree. Beware, Rentappenen. You will not take our slaves, or keep them.”

  They all nodded, Kawpas, Pinda and Wally, but the first two didn’t look happy. Cunigundae pointed at him. “I will be watching you, all three of you!”

  Rentappenen vanished.

  Satauuver smiled, and also left. So did Eriganh.

  Ry’nao watched with a dismayed expression as the other Councillors left. They all looked scared. That was the last meeting they had. Ry’nao repaired that table, and it’s in his palace on Vohl, waiting for the Council to meet there again. The Elders of Xchou used to meet there, back when it was a beautiful, lush world. Rentappenen left the Council and his forces attacked Vohl. Only Ry’nao survived, on purpose. Kirnonos went into hiding on Alb Seer. But he created thousands of clones and sent them to also observe on key worlds of the Thirteen. Many died because of these three, casualties of the War. But they seeded Cubes, and their recruits are fighting.

  Rentappenen, Satauuver and Eriganh are all bullies. Everyone else wanted to negotiate, peacefully. Rentappenen secretly broke the table and blamed it on Kirnonos, who stood up to him.

  Ty'nirrhans lost their place on the Second Level. Aryll and Bisillipia lost theirs, on the Third Level. Aryll, Bisillipia and Ctral were warned to get along or face expulsion.

  I made time go backwards on Vohl. Elders came back who had plans for Rentappenen. One grieved his son’s family, who died on Esta Faho. I brought them back.

  On the ship, Ry’nao smiled, and didn’t look as gray. On Vohl, all the Elders gathered for a meeting. They had Elders on Lisbaar who let them know of Gedda Dier’s plans. Lisbaar blew up, but I didn’t let any of the Xchou Elders die. They all ported back to Vohl.