or do to avoid alienating Przybyski and preferably win him over to his cause. He knew, however, that he couldn't say what was really going on, as it might thwart all their plans and create more problems than it solved. Still, something had to be said, and he didn't have much time to think about it. He was not prepared for such a direct attack.
Wanting to gain time, he stated that Bleist was indeed on holiday and it was not for him to decide what his friend was doing all day. And this is where he ran out of ideas on what to tell the Chairman about the whole commotion. He had to take a chance. He made a quick decision and said that he was essentially looking to gain support for the renegotiation of several inter-state agreements.
And now he sat in his office cursing and laughing at himself for his own stupidity. At the meeting with Przybyski it had seemed like a good idea to him, but as soon as he said it he realised that he had let himself into the mire. If it had really been about renegotiating the treaties then handling the matter would have looked much different, and certainly more official. But the milk had already been spilled; it was too late to change his position.
Now, all the time before his eyes was the face of the Chairman and his eyes, in which anger burned for such a brazen lie. Departing from his usual habits, the dragon merely stated that he was going to find out everything anyway, and ended the meeting by saying that he had to hurry to the Council meeting, which of course there was none, but there was nothing more Othis could do. He said his farewells culturally and returned to the Embassy, reproaching himself for his stupidity.
He sat trying to concentrate on anything, but he couldn't manage. He kept asking himself one and the same question. How could I have messed everything up like this? Unfortunately, he couldn't answer it. Plunged in a tangle of his
