Time flew by and soon it was the time to welcome guests from the other planets.
The first ones to show up were the merchants,Some were a single vessel business, others represented gigantic merchant consortiums and all of them wanted to broker a deal with humanity.
One ship was very small but all of the merchants allowed it to be the first to dock with the space station.
That ship carried the representatives of the interstellar merchant association and they came to welcome humanity among the interstellar merchant races.
Their other task was to establish a merchant guild in the Sol system but for that they had to get approval from the Terran Council.
The council did not oppose the establishment of the guild so the location was decided and not long later the guild was opened.
The Merchant association representative also thanked humanity for making this sector of space pirate free and added Terran currency to the official list of currencies used by the guild.
After that the merchants started to apply for permits to trade with humanity.
A few days later the delegates started to arrive and they all had their own agenda.
The most common thing was a non aggression pact followed by requests of exterminating pirates near their systems,sharing the knowledge, and so on and so forth.
The one exception was the Elani's empire's first prince who wanted to see Simon.
-Your highness if you want to see Admiral Black then I can arrange that for you but may I ask why do you want to see him?
The chairman asked.
-Because I want to see if he is as impressive as my sister claimed.
and to deliver a notice of challenge to him from one of my friends.
Darun Xirna said, eager to meet the man who had a chance to be his brother in law.
-And if I may ask what is this challenge all about?
the chairman asked not understanding why an alien aristocrat would want to challenge Simon.
-It's a challenge to a duel over my sister,this friend of mine wants to marry her but she had given her pendant to the human who she meet on JK-18557 and the only way to get it back and getting married to my sister is to kill that human in a duel.
The prince answered.
-With all due respect to your people,please don't deliver this challenge or you might lose a friend,especially if he goes against Admiral Black.
The chairman said ,trying to save the alien life.
-Is he really that powerful ?
The prince asked.
-For starters our gravity is much higher than yours and he is an excellent fighter.
So I think that your friend will need a funeral rather than a wedding if he tries this.
And to be honest Admiral Black already got permission to visit your empire so if your friend wants to challenge him he will have the opportunity to do it in person.
The chairman explained.
-Then when does he leave?
-In about two of our weeks as he has some more duties to attend to.
-That's fine then,but I still want to meet him.
-Of course your highness I will arrange it.
The meeting was arranged to take place onboard the Thanatos and the prince was impressed by the mighty warship.
-Welcome aboard The Thanatos , your highness.
Simon greeted him on the hangar deck.
-Thank you Admiral.
Darun said.
After the tour of the ship the prince asked Simon.
-Can we have a private conversation?
-Naturally ,please come into my office.
Simon invited him.
A few minutes later,they were both inside the office.
-First of all,I would like to know how you feel about Alesia?
The prince started the conversation.
-I love her and in around two weeks I will come see her.
How is she by the way?
Simon told the truth.
-My sister is great ,but she is waiting for you and she never was a patient person.
Actually,she wanted to come here with me but the empress stopped her .
The prince answered.
-She won't have to wait long.
-Then you need to know that I'm here also to deliver a challenge to you.
Darun said,handing a letter to Simon.
-My friend Irio Xanzi who is also in love with my sister challenges you to a duel from which only one of you can walk away alive.
The prince recited the challenge formula as this was their custom.
-Can you explain this duel thing to me?
Simon asked.
-You will both fight in the dueling arena,depending on what you both chose the fight can be hand to hand,or white weapons ,in this situation i don't know if the rules wont be changed as in a straight head on confrontation you have the advantage.
The battle lasts as long as it takes to kill your opponent and there is no surrender.
The prince explained.
-Then if I want to marry Alesia then I have to fight in a duel and kill my opponent?
-Yes,that's exactly what you have to do.
-And if there is a next challenger?
-You will have to kill him too, but Irio is one of our empire's strongest fighters so if you kill him there shouldn't be another challenger.
-You do know the difference in the gravity? And I'm sure that Alesia showed you what she learned from me.
So why is this guy so eager to get himself killed?
Simon asked.
-She did show us what she learned and Inia got a beating in the process,she also explained that you are from a high gravity death world but Irio was in love with her for years now.
He waited for her term in the military to end before his grandfather who is the prime minister proposed the exchange of pendants.
Nobody knew that by that time she would already have given her's to you.
And now the only way to get it back is to kill you and the only way to do that with honor is a duel.
the prince explained the situation.
-Well if he really wants to do this then tell him that I accepted the duel and will be there as soon as I can.
Simon said,with a cold look in his eyes.
Darun was terrified when he looked the human in the eyes at that moment.