(Found) Long sci fi series, themes involving difficult diplomacy with empathic aquatic aliens

[grmblfzzz]

Was one of those long ongoing series, lost track of maybe 5 years ago. Had several distinctive plot points I remember, but have been unable to find due to lack of remembering any names (aquatic aliens species might have started with a Q. Quarians? Confidence low). Key points remembered:

Starship captain (male) pov, mostly exploration and diplomacy. Last book I recall was about a diplomatic mission to a planet of aquatic aliens who's defining characteristic was being so empathic (not psychic power) that interaction with humans almost impossible. Main characters were the captain of ship, a young woman genetically engineered for super empathy for purpose of diplomacy with said aliens, and a related young man genetically engineered for intelligence (son of rich person who did all this illegal engineering, and had private ship accompanying main ship). That book was mostly on the ship leading up to the actual diplomacy.

Other plot points in setting were: human space constrained by some invisible tech barrier from more advanced species on other side. Diplomacy with a humanoid race that communicated very slowly and was easily offended. First contact with a different advanced race that ended with some absurd celebratory dance.

 

[Matteo]

I only read part of the first book so this may be way off, but perhaps the Uplift novels (Sundiver, Startide Rising, Uplift War) by David Brin?

 

[grmblfzzz]

No, though that was a good series! The one I'm looking for is much more obscure, looked through a whole bunch of sci-fi lists of different types on goodreads and couldn't find it. I should have also been clearer, as when I said "long" for the series I meant not a trilogy, but one of those extensive possibly never ending series that are increasingly common. Pretty sure that last book I read was maybe 5 books in?

 

[richma]

Fourth Fleet Irregulars by SJ MacDonald is what you're looking for I think.

 

[Danny McG]

Fourth Fleet Irregulars by SJ MacDonald is what you're looking for I think.

So the aquatic aliens were the Quarus.
The OP almost nailed it

(aquatic aliens species might have started with a Q. Quarians? Confidence low)

 

[TomMazanec]

So is this found?

 

[HareBrain]

So is this found?

We don't mark threads "found" unless the OP confirms, even if it seems clearly the right answer.

 

[TomMazanec]

Maybe s/he forgot and has’t checked here?
Can you email him/her?

 

[The Judge]

In a word, no.

 

[Pyan]

Maybe s/he forgot and has’t checked here?
Can you email him/her?

The longest wait that I know of to find a book using this forum is 15 years. And yes, the original poster kept checking back occasionally, just to see. It's often a long-term proposition, and there's no way to hurry the process.

(Found! 15 years on!) Mystery Book

 

[TroubleMan]

The longest wait that I know of to find a book using this forum is 15 years. And yes, the original poster kept checking back occasionally, just to see. It's often a long-term proposition, and there's no way to hurry the process.

(Found! 15 years on!) Mystery Book

That's amazing.

 

[grmblfzzz]

Hah, it was 4th fleet irregulars, thank you richma and danny mcg! I'd given up after the first slew of replies were negative, and just found this thread again when I was doing my yearly attempt to find the series so that it could stop slowly gnawing away at my sanity.