This whole experience was still so surreal to her, Renaya half-expected to awaken in her canopied bed with her sinuous silk-furred Orgsli wrapped around her shoulders. All the highborn had them and she was dearly attached to her little golden Pah Pah. The affectionate but high-strung creature had fled shrieking as soon as the explosions had begun and Cedri had wrenched her charge aside before she could chase after her beloved pet. And now-<br/><br/>"A<i>slave</i>?" she protested, her head snapping upright as the ridiculous suggestion wrenched her back out of her reverie. "No one would ever believe<i>you</i>" the dismissive tone was unintentional but there, "had a Serilline slave. The Great Emancipation was centuries ago, and even before then you wouldn't have seen, well..." She traced a finger down the ash-grey skin on her arm, then shot Aodha a nervous glance. "I mean, I know you might have some experience in<i>transporting </i>slaves - I saw the pods - but do you even have any idea<i>how</i>to fake a compliance declaration?" Renaya had never heard or seen one for real, but you'd have to go deep into one of the Libertarian sectors to find someone so indoctrinated they hadn't at least heard of the procedure where a freeborn sentient accepted their rightful servitude.<br/><br/>She wanted to suggest another way out of this. She wanted to suggest any other way out of this, but try as she could the sheltered highborn maid couldn't think of anything more likely to work. She'd been told never to let herself fall into the hands of her House's rivals, and though her tutors had likely never imagined her facing a situation quite this bereft of allies or servants, the truth still held. "Maybe... could we disguise me as someone else? Another race maybe, one they might believe could be a slave?" Renaya was still thinking in terms of a masque, some sort of charade that could convince the boarding party of the<i>Asaring Supremacy </i>that she was something else, someone else. Fortunately no-one had ever expected much of her, so she didn't think anyone would know who she was if she wasn't garbed and wrapped in ceremonial robes with half a dozen attendants and guards.<br/><br/>"I am Renaya San'tiorno Tehlu" Brivine, although she left off her most unmistakable name. Introducing herself at last, she extended her hand for the hairy human to kiss and favoured him with a smile. "I appreciate your assistance in my time of need, most sincerely. May I know the name of my protector?"