[Ed Kolis]

Stardate 2401.0

Sorel Tel'ix, captain of the first Chozo colony ship to leave New Tallon, squawked at his monitor. Chozo were not normally known to squawk.

"The Fledglings want me to do WHAT?!?"

"It is a simple request; they want you to participate in a cultural exchange program," said the Elder he was speaking to.

The captain's eyes narrowed to slits. "Cultural exchange program? As in, interrogate and then dissect me and every other Chozo aboard this ship in order to gain vital secrets that would let them destroy what little foothold we have left in the universe?"

"No, Captain," the Elder explained calmly, "this is a cultural exchange program. Nothing more."

"With all due respect, Elder Telron, I won't have anything to do with it," said the captain, and he cut off the communication channel.

The Elder sighed... when would those impetuous young starship captains learn the Way of Peace?

But then, maybe those captains were just more knowledgeable in the devious Ways of the Fledglings...

The Elder began writing a letter to High Regent Ch'rel:

"No starship captains are willing to give up their ships, even in exchange for untold cultural and technical wealth... It is most unfortunate, then, that....."

It was not quite the truth... but those were the Ways of the Fledglings.