After Cheerwind finishes speaking, Mneta takes the mic.  “Excuse me, could you please explain how you can verify my statements?  I’m sure people are going to ask how they can trust me.”<br/>“Certainly Miss Ulara”, says Podzevitch and gestures toward several guests.  “Auril Verithorne, Aasimar Diviner (the “gold” woman nods), Kalind Everess, Githzerai Psion (an old man stares impassively) and Evan Gilland, Priest of Good (a middle aged blond man bows).  They’ll be using magic and psionics to judge your character, since the technological methods haven't been calibrated for your species.   Please begin”.   The Diviner chants a spell, the Priest holds his holy symbol and the psionic simply stares at her.<br/><br/>“Yes, well…”  Mneta trails off, not sure how to explain that she doesn’t believe in magic, but she’s witnessed several psionics so she trusts that at least.  “Our crew consists of two humans, Captain Rogers and physicist Enocxi.  We have one mantid insectoid, Security officer Vaath and two Europans, ships cook Mnaar and teamster Hnoorth.  There’s one Millerite acquisitions officer, Garth and a Hephastan computer tech, Saluk.<br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Captain James Woodes (Woody) Rogers </div></div></div><br/>We have 3 Larisian engineering techs, Flassi, Mhassi and Pityr.  Finally, our medical officer is a hive mind of a few thousand of the Arkanian collective, 2 inch long insects who share one mind.  All of the crew is very professional and we all get along no matter how strange our biology seems to each other.<br/><br/>Our current cargo is minerals easily mined from the asteroids furthest from your world, such as dilithium crystals.  This is what we were doing when we detected your signal. low effort, high re-sale value and minimizes contact with low tech cultures to prevent exploitation.  We make sure our cargo is legal for pickup from the world where we purchase, and for distribution where we sell it, because there are much fewer hassles that way.  We have scanners that detect infestations and infections, so we refuse to buy such material or sterilize it by some means if we find it after it’s on board.  Interstellar sentient trafficking is tightly controlled and harshly punished, so you needn’t fear that.  Some worlds practice slavery as a cultural identity, but the Galactic Alliance treats taking slaves off world as a capitol offense and I’ve seen some of my own species executed for it.  We’re neither stupid nor evil enough to try it”.  Mneta visibly shudders at this memory.  The psionic Githzerai remains poker faced but the Diviner gasps seeing the memory.<br/><br/>“In conclusion, we came to ask, even beg for your help.  If you’re concerned, I can’t blame you.  Though we and anyone I know would treat you with respect, I can’t say that we’re all saints.  If you have a way to help that couldn’t be mass produced, that would protect you as well as help us.  But if you think leaving us stranded will protect you, you’re already on the star charts and noted as having a low tech society from the radio signals you’ve already emitted.  Maybe Joining the Galactic Alliance would protect you better than isolationism?  Thank you for your consideration.  Do you have any questions”<br/><br/>The investigators announce they’ve pegged Mneta as mostly neutral with some good and found no evidence she’s lying.  There’s a pause and some questions (which will be worked in if asked) and refreshments.  The Bigwigs start to talk among themselves.  The crowd seems mollified and starts to disperse.  Thava’s dad neither encourages her to join and observe, nor forbids her.  She could either try to persuade her to let her sit in, or give her opinions before the bigwigs begin deliberation.  On one of his passes through the crowd the spokesman, Dr. Podzevitch, tells her she’s had good ideas like the break and the infest control, but crowd control by reassuring them and finding out about the aliens was the biggest goal.