A few hours later Warlock Panguene was summoned to a meeting room. It was in a half circle with a podium in the front and hundreds of men sat staring at him, most of them with somber expressions. Ting Gon asked Raul to repeat what he had said to him, and he did so.     
     "Let me add something to that that I told your fleet commander. If not for the mercy of another people many years ago I would not be here to have helped your people. I would not exist. By all rights they had every excuse to exterminate my people. But instead, they chose to punish them in another way for the horrid thing that they had done. It was a harsh punishment, but a just punishment. If you kill these prisoners you may be killing someone that will be of incredible benefit to you. If you kill those who are half your blood you may be killing someone that, in the future, will do great service to your people. I ask you to think about what you are doing. I am sure my people would appreciate an alliance with you, but if you do this thing there could never be one. We would respect your territory, but we could never be part of you. It would simply be beyond us. I can say little more. Thank you!"
     One of the councilmen rose. "You must say more!" he insisted. "You have spoken of something but not given us the details. Tell us of this incident of which you speak for which these great people were so merciful."  A murmur of agreement spread through the hall. "Very well!" Raul answered, and he told the story of that sad time.
     When he was done the councilman who had spoken nodded his head. "Yes," he muttered, "yes, indeed, a great people! I am inclined to be in agreement. As our great commander says, I think we are justified, but mercy may make us a better people."
     "No!" another councilman cried, "My daughter was taken away and became Kracken table stock. My other daughter was brutalized by a Kracken lord and died giving birth to his bastard. What a justice for them! What a justice for my wife who cried herself to death. I want to see their children boiled, I want to see them cooked."
     At that moment a guard entered. "My Lords," he announced, "there are thousands of people outside. They have heard what is occurring here, and they have come to plead for the lives of those that you are discussing about. It is becoming difficult for us to control them. They have chosen two to be their spokesmen, and they beg of you to let them enter and be heard."
     "You say thousands?" Ting Gon remarked.
     "Yes, sir!" the guard answered.
     "Very well!" he continued. "Allow their representatives to enter."
     A man and a woman both of some years, entered. Ting Gon pointed to the man. "You ask to speak to the council. Take the podium, but be brief."      The man nodded and took the podium. "I come to plead for the life of the lady that I have served for many years. Though she is Kracken she has never approved of the brutality. Many times she hid children from the gathering in her own home so they could not be chosen as food stock. Many times she has helped our people that were accused of things unjustly so The Krackens could remove them from positions of authority. But most of all, she came to know of The Rebellion and could've betrayed it. Instead she kept it secret and helped it succeed. Now that which she helped to happen threatens to destroy her, and, her children, and that is not just. I beg for her life, because it is a good life. She is a scientist, a wise woman, and can help us restore our world, and make things better, which she wishes to do to make amends for what her people have done. Should she not be given that opportunity? That ends my plea. Thank you!"
     A murmur went through the council. One rose. "Have you ever been intimate with this Kracken female?" he asked.