“No, Jace Parker got control of the Osiris.”
“Jace got control of the Osiris?” his mother repeated carefully. “A human caused the Osiris to act?”
“More than that.”
Khoth’s gaze went to the screen that still had the single YES then slid to Gehenna. She was still in the doorway, peeking out at Jace and his family. The soldiers were eyeing her with unease, but their weapons were aimed towards the deck.
“What more?” His mother lifted her chin.
“The security protocols were triggered accidentally. Jace was able to order the Osiris to turn them off,” Khoth said, knowing this would just inflame his mother’s interest.
At least in part. I believe Osiris intended to keep the doors shut to keep Gehenna inside.
“Khoth…”
The use of his first name had his head snapping to attention. He had more than inflamed her. “M-mother?”
She gave a faint smile. “What have you gotten into, Khoth?”
“I think something… extraordinary,” Khoth answered her.
“Report then. I would hear it all,” she ordered.
And he did. He knew he surprised her. He wasn’t sure if he disappointed her. But he had intrigued her. At the end, her gaze was distant. He waited for her judgment. Was she going to tell him that exile was to be his punishment? He had chosen Jace over the Alliance. The one over the many.
“Perhaps Daesah and Dr. Lafrei was right. What you have told me is indeed quite… extraordinary,” his mother said. Her eyes focused on him. “We must have Jace Parker, the Osiris and Gehenna. They must be fully in Alliance hands. Earth is too distant to protect. They need to be fully in Alliance space.”
This did not surprise Khoth. Jace was far too valuable to leave in human hands. How long between another Hive--a dozen Hives--were encircling Earth? The Khul could be--would have to be--contacting others of their kind to come.
And we have nothing but a wounded Colossus ship and a barely functioning Exarch.
But the Khul would not be the only obstacle they faced in getting Jace, the Osiris and Gehenna to Haseon.
“The humans will, undoubtedly, object,” Khoth told her.
“But will Jace?” she asked.
He frowned. “I am not following you, Mother.”
“He’s shown a willingness to work against his own species to do what must be done,” she answered. “He is highly motivated by Xi, as are all humans, of course, but… his empathy can be directed.”
“Directed how? And to what?” Khoth replied stiffly, already feeling uneasy at his mother’s description of Jace this way.
“If the Osiris is truly meant to destroy the Khul and Jace is it’s Pilot then we need to make Jace understand why he needs to make that happen,” she said. “The Khul’s ships are still on the ground, yes? Full with their human cargo?”
He had not understood her until then. “You want me to show Jace what the Khul do?”
“Show him what he would be fighting against. Show him that whatever petty desires the humans might have don’t trump that,” she explained.
He could well imagine Jace’s reaction to the suffering that would be in those ships. His mind flashed to Daesah. The larvae had been dark under her skin, separating it from the fat, muscle and bone beneath. They had curled in her brain. They had nested in her eyes. Blood had flowed from every opening in her body. A body that was softening. The suffering that had been written on her face was only exceeded by the gratefulness that he was there to make it all end. Then his stomach curdled at the thought of exposing Jace to that. After all the young man had been through, he did not need to see that, did he?
“If I am right about him, I believe that he could not only be a great asset to the Alliance, but also against the humans also,” she said.
“Against them?” His eyebrows lifted.
“You do not approve of this plan, my son?” she asked.
He looked into her eyes. “You seek to use what is admirable about Jace against him, his family and his species.”
