Back when Saga had asked er if ‘e had spoken with any of the Red Nexus exiles, Arkuda had to defend er political allegiance at the time, as a Councillor of the Pan-Galactic Imperium. After the dreadful wounding by er own mature hatchling Ignivus, who since perished by a dragonslayer’s sword, Arkuda was unable to both heal and perform duties in an increasingly hostile climate. ‘E had abdicated quietly. As that was not long ago, in a time of turmoil for Dragons in the Imperium, a new Dragon Councillor had not yet been appointed. Jobs were not always the most attractive proposition for Dragons, whose existence includes an intrinsic functional role in the greater universe already.

There was an opportunity now, without an official allegiance, to speak with the exiles. That might mean leaving the Viridian Phasing, which continued to safeguard Imperial space aside from those few tragic breaches. The Viridian Phasing protocol continued to divide Dragons in many areas of physical space, though the unaffiliated had potential opportunities to communicate with both Imperially aligned and Red Nexus exiles on the plane of the Tabula Rasa. Dragons would not perform the energetically costly Viridian Phasing forever.

Though Arkuda was, as always, firstly a Dragon before an Imperial citizen, ‘e had shared many joys with the people of this intergalactic civilization. The thought of leaving them indefinitely came with real pangs, more than just resigning a position of administerial importance. However, leaving in order to discern issues of conflict resolution had a certain tinge of continuing to perform a duty ‘e had abandoned. Be that as it may.

The company of certain unaffiliated Dragons was desirable, maybe healing, and they would welcome Arkuda’s presence. There was also the strange matter of open invitation to the Fray with plusses, where the Kao-Sidhe’s most passionate debaters would definitively discuss any topic that dared to be introduced. There was this discussion, that discussion, and recent discussions, and in some way Arkuda could be or already was a part of all of them. Somehow, this might possibly come together at the same time as it would come undone.

– I think this is important.
– I believe that not only should you be involved, you are involved.

In the Fray, they held nothing back. The beaming Dragon eye could be their enemy, but they recognized the potentialities as a precipitation of their process. If anything, they were less careful about what they said, digging deep to dredge up every last faceted nuance of perspective within their grasp. Their importance was being acknowledged, and they were stepping into the nascent advisory role with aplomb.

– There are other parties.
– Well, they’re all welcome to the Fray. If they’re at all concerned with the matter at hand, then they’re already in it.
– If they can get here.
– They have to be willing to see every perspective, if they want this perspective.

Arkuda realized that’s what ‘e’d been doing – seeing every perspective available as clearly as if thinking it. Subtle and easy to normalize, yet a different kind of mind. Bias makes one blind; there could be no blindness in the Fray, lest one should fall, though there be blindness everywhere. Arkuda knew er own blindness, which didn’t mean ‘e lacked any – except perhaps for here, this place ‘e could only see and sense by a means of permission. That agreement to disagree was key.

The invitation to bring others to the Fray also stunned Arkuda. That seemed reckless of them. Characteristically so?

– That would be a different avenue of approach. Possibly dangerous.
– No one gets here by avoiding danger.
– Courage is required to face dissent. You would know, having shown enough of it.