Admiral Terrence of the Joint Coalition Navy was having a shit week. First, the orks pulled back. Next, this fiasco of a first contact. Then, politics. If he had to choose which to face, it would be orks. Simpler that way.

  But, one problem lead to the other. The aliens had contacted a patrol on a contentious system, told they they would be by in 2 days, then pissed off to the void. This led to scrambling and bickering.

  The system governor was notified, and things just went down hill from there. Now, there were three admirals, three generals, 4 politicians, 7 first contact specialists, 50 honor guards, and building tension.

  The military was on one side, politicians another, and the negotiators, translators, and probably 50 other things in the middle, trying to quietly talk like excited children.

  He, however, was just nervous. These things were never simple. And he couldn't help but feel nervous.

  Suddenly, they were notified of an approaching craft, a mere minute before it was to land. Everyone scrambled to their positions, and the guards stood straighter.

  A very short minute later, and a ship arived in the bay, and startedto hover above them. It was crescent shaped, with two long barrels hung beneath. He figured they were guns of some sort.

  It was thin. He couldn't figure how the diplomats of this race fit inside unless they were short. In retrospect, that wasn't unlikely. But suddenly, the ship lit with a purple glow.

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  Suddenly, from beneath the hovering ship, a hole appeared, and out walked... giants.

  They came out in a column of two, then spread out they were skeletal, thin figures, and as they walked slowly out of the (what had to be) portal, they clanked. So they had to be encased in metal. But... on closer inspection, they were metal? Artificial beings? They were broad and thin, colored black, with gold accents here and there. Oh, and glowing purple!

  They spread out around the ship, armed with shields and swords, they stood head and shoulders above even the tallest of them, all straight backed and precise.

  Then, two more came out after the twenty shield soldiers. They were similar to the shield warriors, but carried staff like weapons, with crescent blades at their ends that were longer than themselves. They stood at either side of the portal as a final three skeletons came out of the portal.

  These three were different. One had a singular eye, had strange out crops on his head, was hunched, and had lengthy ropes of metal tabs covered in runes hanging down his legs. The next was straight, with red and gold coloring his body, similarly glowing purple. He looked around, observing everything behind the tallest of the lot.

  It was bigger then everyone here. It had to be 13 and a bit feet tall, it had a cape of tatered cloth, and had an aura of superiority compares to all the others. It looked down at them with unreadable emotions.

  "You stand in the presence of Lord Neheret of the Vkeroketep Dynasty. His Lordship bids you greetings, and his permission to remain standing in his presence." The hunched one stated. It continued a moment later.

  "And this" He waved at the red and gold skeleton, " is Xet'ketekpt, Royal Warden of His majesty, Overlord Verotep, may his reign be eternal. I will speak for Lord Neheret. He again, greets you, and bids you be welcome in his presence. He knows the honor is yours, and that you might feel overwhelmed at his presence. He gives leave to take a kherekt to calm yourselves, so that you may hear his words clearly."

  The Lord then turned, and walked back to his ship.