Humans are said to be too primitive to join us. And they could more than join us with the power of Gehenna. They could demand a position of leadership. Now that would be a disaster! To have a species that is barely able to stop destroying itself leading those who know better?
He shuddered at the thought.
So the Rule of Duuskukeh would dictate that he not allow this connection to happen. If such an action caused Jace’s death, that would be unfortunate. But the needs of the many simply outweighed one bright-eyed human’s life.
However…
Letting Jace die would likely damage the accord with humanity. He had no way of knowing whether he could easily transport Gehenna off Earth. Based upon her actions so far, it appeared she was limited in her ability to transfer from the prison cell. Perhaps she was even limited to a physical form of some sort. That would explain the need for a physical prison like this one. And it might mean she was simply too bulky to remove without assistance and time. Neither of which they had. He had his exo-suit monitoring the humans’ communications and they were all searching for him, Thammah and Jace. The whole of the base was on red alert.
Again, even if he could shoot his way out, would the loss of life, the loss of an alliance be worth it? Gehenna, being in a prison cell, complicated the potential benefits she offered. Someone had put her in there. Someone had perhaps thought she needed to be locked up. Though from Jace’s pained amusement at her being classified as an intergalactic criminal, he did not seem to think her current whereabouts were a dealbreaker.
But she has linked herself to him for a long time, Khoth reasoned. She is his only chance of survival. Humans have difficulty with pure, clear-headed Xa at the best of times. This is hardly one of those times for Jace. So he might simply not want to admit the truth about her.
And yet, he also had to admit that Jace had remained remarkably calm throughout this.
There was also another point against letting Jace die, which is what if, as she had told Jace, Jace was truly the only one who could connect with her? If Jace died that eliminated the possibility of them ever having access to her knowledge and abilities.
After all, Thaf’ell had been aboard the Osiris since its discovery, but Gehenna had not partially bonded with any of them. He could always argue that taking Gehenna at her word--or Jace’s word really--was the only logical course as he did not know what might happen otherwise. And the risk of losing Gehenna altogether was too great as compared to sharing her with the humans.
I could always argue… My thoughts betray me. I am searching for a reason to not let Jace die.
The young man’s eyes were now closed and his breathing was coming in short gasps. His skin was gray, an unnatural color for a human and a sheen of sweat covered his face. Khoth imagined for a moment if those eyes never opened again, or, if the next time he saw them they were glazed over with the cataracts of death. He shuddered.
“Jace doesn’t have any more time, Commander. We need to get him to Gehenna,” Thammah reminded him.
Her narrowed eyes also told him that she was aware of his inner turmoil. Though as a Thaf’ell she should be more concerned that he was leaning towards helping Jace no matter what the cost, rather than concerned he was considering how he might save Jace and keep the AI for the Thaf’ell. But he had a feeling that she--like himself--wouldn’t be considered a very good Thaf’ell in many eyes.
“We need to find a way to open her cell door remotely. A control panel or something that our exo-suits can interface with,” Khoth said as he cast about for anything like that and found nothing. “We are not going to be able to access it manually.”
Gehenna’s prison cell was at the far end. While all of the doors that lined the hallway were impressive in terms of thickness and banding of the calcanth, there also looked to be sophisticated locking mechanisms attached to each and Gehenna’s looked even more complicated.
Even now, his exo-suit’s system told him that these doors remained firmly locked even without any power going to them. This was unusual, because normally when power failed, locks automatically were opened, even in prison colonies for the safety of the prisoners. But here, it was clear that the overwhelming purpose was to keep whatever was locked in these cells inside no matter what the cost. His suit’s scanners were not even able to penetrate the cell’s structure to see who or what was imprisoned inside. Not that it was likely that anything could have survived all this time.
Except for an AI like Gehenna, he reminded himself.
“I don’t see anything. All these doors appear locked.” Thammah was tapping on her exo-suit’s holographic controls that had appeared over her right forearm.
“Just--just get to the door,” Jace got out. “I can… I can open it like the other parts. Still connected to the Osiris, too.”
“It will be done,” Khoth said.
They immediately began to climb the hallway. It was much harder going up than coming down had been as the hallway was at a 45 degree tilt. Even with the assistance of the exo-suit, his leg muscles strained.
“Sorry I can’t--I can’t walk,” Jace got out.
“I think Khoth likes holding you in his arms, Jace,” Thammah said with a wink at him. “For as often as he gazes down upon you--”
Khoth scowled at her, about to offer a rebuke to such flippery at this moment. But she must have understood Jace’s Xi better than he did as a hint of color
“You think?” Jace smiled even as his eyes remained closed. “That’s nice to be wanted.”
Khoth put more effort into his climbing. He wanted those eyes open.
“Why is she down here?” Thammah muttered.
“Perhaps she was placed here to protect her,” Khoth suggested.
“From what?” Thammah lifted an eyebrow at him.
