They hesitated when she offered them the chairs but finally accepted in a huff. Perhaps it was the realization that she had gone to the trouble of providing seats suitable for their dimensions. Or maybe they were simply tired of standing.
Introductions were terse and formal. No physical greetings were exchanged, for which she was grateful. The AAnn equivalent of a handshake consisted of gripping the other person’s throat with one hand—claws retracted, of course. The one called Thessu clearly had no time for such pleasantries.
“Why have we been brought here, under armed esscort, in violation of all extant agreementss?” His words were supplemented with a first-degree gesture of displeasure that was notable for its brusqueness.
“Truly!” snapped Jallrii. “What iss thiss nonssensse about a ‘new viruss’? We are consstantly monitoring our own immediate environment and have detected nonessuch. We are both of uss in excellent health.”
“If you had heard of it, then it wouldn’t be new, would it?” She smiled pleasantly, knowing that the AAnn were receptive to a display of teeth. “As chief administrator I’m responsible for the health and well-being of every nonindigene on Fluva. Including guests of the Commonwealth.”
“Thiss iss not a way to treat guessts,” Jallrii hissed, adding a second-degree gesticulation of annoyance.
“I could not forgive myself if anyone on my tour of duty was to suffer because of an oversight on my part,” she replied smoothly. “In matters of medicine, I find it’s always better to err on the side of caution.”