“I’d relax more if I could be at the helm,” I responded.
“Sorry, Prince’s command, my brother.”
I grunted in response and then left my sister. Morpheus sought her permission to exit the bridge. As children, Thalassa and I suffered greater comparison than myself and Morpheus. He was never as quick as I was, but he made up for it with his impressive height — two inches taller than me — and his prowess for brute force in battle.
He’d kept his battle scars from fights with the ice bears. Large claw marks covered both of his shoulders. He wore his hair shaggy and waist length with braids across the front of his head, pinning most of the hair out of his face. His nose had fewer ridges than Thalassa and I. And his skin was different, a lighter blue like the royal family.
Morpheus took me from the bridge to the ship’s mess hall. This was a new model, more comfortable than any ship designed for a smaller crew. The ship’s complement was over 400, as much as a small school. Most of the soldiers recognized who I was and met me with excited yellow stares and bowed heads.
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We entered the mess hall and found a corner table. Kronos poured a thin syrupy liqueur into a glass for me. Thankfully it was weak.
I was rarely enticed by the warmth that liqueurs offer. My brother bought me a plate of seaweed and squid rolled with oceanic rice and steeped in a flavored brine. I’d yearned for a change in scenery before landing on earth but now I was grateful for seafood and brine.
“Come on, let’s eat.”
I sat across from Morpheus. We bowed our heads over the food once before diving in. I’d gone far too long without a taste of home and savored every bite of what I had. I waited patiently for my brother to speak.
“There’s a Taurean intelligence agent who has breached the confederacy and brings word of their plans.”
“Aside from attacking this ship?”
“They’d never go head to head with a vessel like ours for the long term,” Morpheus assured me, “They intend only to weaken us and I’m afraid they might succeed.”
I nodded, urging him to continue with his explanation.
Morpheus inhaled another helping of squid and continued.
“The confederacy intends to breach first contact with earth before the alliance. Their plan is unleash hell on earth, make sure the human home world is theirs. They believe the alliance’s interest in earth is to extract its resources and they want to be the first to do it.”
I scowled.
“This is not how Devorans think, neither Polluxians.”
“Exactly,” Morpheus said, “Our species were engaged in wars, colonization, and conflict. We understand its futility well. Most of the Taureans understand it.”
“Their reptilian instincts have dulled their capacity for reason,” I grumbled.
“Now, now, brother. Don’t become an essentialist.”
“You’re right,” I apologized, “It’s wrong to think that way. If they’re heading towards earth, why don’t we stop them?”
“That’s what the Prince wishes to meet with you about. He’s going to awaken the emperor and usher in a new age of Devoran existence. We will contact the planet and assist in an age of awakening. The alliance will be strong.”
“How can you be so sure? These confederates must have reason to believe they’ll succeed in a campaign against us. It can’t be pure delusion.”
Morpheus grit his teeth and I sensed he would bear even more unfortunate news by the time we’d finished our food.
