"I hope you didn't appear truculent, Mr. Magnan," the ambassador said sharply.
"No indeed, Mr. Ambassador. I merely——"
"You're sure there's no VIP room here?" The ambassador glanced around the cavernous room. "Curious that not even chairs have been provided."
"If you'd care to sit on one of these crates——"
"Certainly not." The ambassador looked at his watch again and cleared his throat.
"I may as well make use of these few moments to outline our approach for the more junior members of the staff; it's vital that the entire mission work in harmony in the presentation of the image. We Terrestrials are a kindly, peace-loving race." The ambassador smiled in a kindly, peace-loving way.
"We seek only a reasonable division of spheres of influence with the Yill." He spread his hands, looking reasonable.
"We are a people of high culture, ethical, sincere." The smile was replaced abruptly by pursed lips.
"We'll start by asking for the entire Sirenian System, and settle for half. We'll establish a foothold on all the choicer worlds. And, with shrewd handling, in a century we'll be in a position to assert a wider claim."
The ambassador glanced around. "If there are no questions——"