EPISODE 7: THE DISPUTE ## CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM The Velorians and the Keth'ri were about to go to war. Not literally—the station's security forces would prevent any actual violence—but the two species' representatives had reached an impasse in trade negotiations, and the fallout was affecting the entire Commercial Concourse. Sil'var arrived at the Waypoint looking more agitated than Mei had ever seen them—their colors shifting through reds and oranges that communicated distress so clearly that even species without color perception could tell something was wrong. "The talks have collapsed," they said. "The Velorian delegation accused the Keth'ri negotiators of acting in bad faith. The Keth'ri accused our delegation of cultural imperialism. Both sides have retreated to their respective sections of the station." "What's the actual dispute about?" "Resource allocation. Shipping routes. The usual. But it's become personal. Heated. The lead negotiators insulted each other's ancestries, and now neither side can back down without losing face." Hunting-Joy arrived moments later, their scales rippling with similar distress. "You've heard?" they asked. "I've heard." "It's foolish. The underlying issues are solvable—we've seen similar disputes resolved dozens of times. But the emotional damage is done. Both sides feel genuinely wronged, and until that's addressed, no amount of practical negotiation will matter." Mei looked between her two friends—the Velorian and the Keth'ri, members...