He waved off the protests, promising that he would return within a day at most, so they could either keep the transport and troops with them for protection, not that he expected anything to attack them, or head back and marshal the Companions to have another committee meeting and mob shaming waiting for him when he got back. He gave them a grin, though as he got on the transport, he sent the REAL reason he had done it. That he had planned it from the beginning, and that they would be the most pleasurable for the companionship, though he still felt bad about lying to them, by omission rather than actual lie, as well as easiest to slip from. That he had planned to slip off at some point to meet with Barid. That Barid might not respond as well if Draiss brought someone else with him. And that he had absolutely no INTENTIONS of turning this meeting into a war, but had dozens of PLANS on what to do if it did become one.<br/><br/>He watched the projection screen as the transport circled lower, and resisted the urge to snort in amusement. Barid was suffering just as much from his slight inferiority complex as always. So small most would never had noticed it, except when he went and did something like this. Though Draiss would admit he was getting better about controlling it, since in their first lives, he had gone and built a warship literally comparable in size to a dwarf planet, or moon, and had been mercilessly mocked for it, despite the fact it was an entirely logical size. He simply shook his head, and was quietly glad he had taken the sensible option to get there, rather than falling from orbit. He would likely have been shot. He wated for the transport to settle, and the two remaining guards to get out before him, before he did, and looked around for the inevitable escort.