it all, I realized. For that, we had to play nice with the hosts. I did not regret my decision not to carry weapons off the shuttle.
“Derek, there’s a lot of them out here,” Sofia murmured beneath her sun mask.
Indeed, at least a hundred soldiers had gathered, each of them watching us carefully, their eyes glinting in the sunlight. In front of them, I recognized what had to be some kind of welcoming committee. Three males and one female of different ages, wearing elegant tunics and a long, dark red velvet dress, respectively.
But before I could truly focus on them, I looked at the soldiers again. Their lack of weapons was an encouraging aspect, but my reserve still did not falter. Our swords and pulverizers had come in handy before, even though we ourselves didn’t really need them. These people had to have something, some kind of ability, at least, that allowed them to confidently stand here before complete strangers. They didn’t fear us in any way. It was written all over their faces.
“Let us stay calm. I believe the four in the welcoming party ahead will be the ones for us to speak with,” Tristan advised.
Behind the soldiers, the city rose with its sharp towers, facets of dark green and cream mingling across. The daylight was a little off, almost ethereal. This was not a regular sun they had on Trexus-2… no, it was different. Beautiful and hazy, but different. It probably had something to do with the mist we’d just passed through and which had obstructed our telescope views.
People stared at us from the glass windows, and I wondered what they were thinking. What they saw us as. Friends or invaders? It couldn’t be the latter; otherwise, we would’ve been obliterated by their flying ships and humming pods before we’d even touched the ground. No, they had to be curious, perhaps a bit wary, at worst.
As we moved forward, I took a moment to better study the four nobles’ attire—they had to be nobles in this society. It was obvious from the way in which they carried themselves, exuding the confidence of a higher rank. The three males were interesting to look at. One seemed to be in his mid-forties, a stocky figure with a round face and long, black, square-cut beard. The stuffy sideburns were odd, stemming from his short black hair, but they did bring out his inquisitive gray eyes. He had to be a wealthy official, judging by the silver and gold emblems mounted on the lapel of his dark blue velvet coat. The ruffles of the white shirt beneath seemed to wrestle against his beard, while the trousers matching the coat had been tailored to help slim his frame by an inch or two.
The second Trexus male had a tall, muscular build and was in his late thirties. He was likely a military figure of great importance, judging by his stiff posture and the similarity between his uniform and the soldiers’. His, however, was black with golden thread details, and numerous badges and gemstone emblems covered his broad shoulders. His black hair was long, braided into a tight, slim tail with golden thread weaving through. It reminded me of Neraka’s daemon fighters. He had rough features, but I was willing to bet he’d broken a few hearts along the way. Unlike the soldiers’ general lack of expression, this guy was staring us down, not that happy to see us.
The third male had a few traits in common with the female next to him. She was likely his mother, though she looked remarkably young to have mothered him. He was noticeably younger than his peers, his hair black with silvery streaks, his eyes blue and cold. A handsome fella fitted neatly into a gray suit, with a cream vest and white shirt, his frame rather wiry but athletic. I could imagine he was fast and agile in combat. There was curiosity in his gaze, the kind that made me want to offer a faint smile, just to make sure they all understood we’d come in peace before I even said anything.
His mother, the lady, seemed to be in her mid-thirties, at most. Her pale skin stood out, in contrast with the others around her. A soft shimmer lingered on her sharp cheeks, long, silvery hair cascading down her back. Her eyes, much like her son’s, were icy blue, but did not make me feel welcome. I had to give her credit on her looks, though.