The small silver-white spacecraft glided slowly down through Canglan Star's pale golden sunset without making a sound.
It landed on the pad outside the cultivation courtyard. Once its engines shut down, only the faintest trace of residual psionic energy remained in the air.
The hatch swung upward, and a man stepped out.
He was not particularly tall, standing just over two meters, with a slender build. He wore pale gray Alliance-issue robes, with an Investment Department field badge pinned to his collar.
His skin was a very pale silver-blue, and his eyes resembled two cut purple crystals, without pupils.
Song Chen had seen people like him a few times on Flowing Light Star. They belonged to an affiliated race within the Alliance called the Blue Spirit Race, known for their perceptiveness and reliable work.
The man was clearly no longer young. His steps were light and slow. He first bowed slightly to Song Chen in a standard Alliance greeting, then spoke in the universal language with a local accent.
"Lord Song Chen, Lord Lar sent me. He asked me to find out what you plan to do next."
Song Chen gazed at the distant sea. The setting sun had dyed its entire surface a strange shade somewhere between gold and purple. Several distant sailboats floated motionless on the bands of light, like silhouettes.
The sea breeze blew up from beneath the cliff, carrying salt and a slight chill.
"How is Lord Lar recovering?"
"Fairly well." The man took a few steps forward, keeping a suitable distance from Song Chen.
"The fighting on the main battlefield has been hard, but Lord Lar no longer takes action as frequently as before. Our superiors transferred some forces over from headquarters, and the Nine Luminaries Civilization has taken over the frontal fighting as well."