“Let them come, General,” Jace contradicted.
Another frown appeared on the general’s face. It was clear that he saw the young man as too naive for the type of negotiating that he needed to do with the Alliance. And perhaps he was right.
“I know you think showing them anything is a bad idea. And I know that the Osiris has weapons that they haven’t found in other places.” Jace’s expression went distant again and that flash of blue appeared. “Yep, it definitely does.”
A thrill went through Khoth. He swallowed deeply. New weapons? New equipment? These things would be invaluable against the Khul! But he said nothing. Jace was fighting for him and Thammah to come along. He didn’t want to dissuade the young man with his eagerness.
“That’s why we can’t show them, Jace,” the general answered patiently.
“Actually, it's a reason to show them. Show them what they’re missing if they won’t deal with us,” Jace told him.
Khoth’s earlier thought that Jace was too “naive” to negotiate was crushed under Jace’s heel at those words. The faint smile on Jace’s lips told him that his reaction had been noted. Thammah let out a deep chuckle. She’d caught what Jace had done too.
“And all they will get out of the experience is what they see, General. They will not be allowed to take anything from the Osiris.” Jace’s eyes glowed blue but his gaze wasn’t distant. “I assure you. The Osiris, all its contents and all its knowledge, is ours. If the Alliance wants in, Earth has to be protected.”
Khoth knew that the Alliance wanted in. They needed to be in. But what would it cost them? The Osiris couldn’t stay here. But what price would they be willing to pay to have it in the Alliance fleet? A great one, he guessed. And Jace guessed that too.
The general stroked his chin. Finally, he smiled and nodded. “I see the game you’re playing, son, and I approve.”
Jace’s parents appeared to approve too. Jace’s mother gave her son a small nod as well while Captain Parker clasped his son’s shoulder. He squeezed it and shook his head as if he couldn’t quite believe that this muscular, healthy young man was his son.
“Follow me,” Jace said again as he strode confidently out of the room.
The general and three of the soldiers followed immediately after Jace while he, Thammah and Gehenna trailed behind. Jace’s father and mother were on either side of their son while Jace was excitedly telling them about the ship and what he was experiencing. His parents were listening intently and nodding. His mother touched his cheek while his father slung a companionable arm around his son’s shoulders. While it was clear that there was a level of shock in their reactions, it was also clear that they were trying to assimilate what was going on with their son to support him.
Thammah jostled his arm. When he looked at her, she tipped her head towards the family.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” she asked.
He frowned. “I do not--”
“Human families. They’re so… affectionate,” she said. “Not all of them, of course. And not just the families. The people in general, I think. Some of the soldiers I met here, they were so concerned that I was alone for one of their holidays--Thanksgiving, I think?--that they actually had one for me on the base since I couldn’t come to their homes obviously. The food was… interesting. But the company was...” She let her voice drift off, but she was smiling. “The company was wonderful. The companionship.”
“Did they not understand that missing one of their holidays would not affect you?” Khoth asked.
She snorted. “It would affect me. Not the holiday, but that everyone was off with people they cared for and cared for them while I was alone. It meant quite a bit to me actually to be included. It meant quite a bit that they wanted me to feel like one of them even when I’m clearly not. It’s a strength of theirs.”
Khoth was stunned. “You are here to work for the Alliance. Not to--”
“If you’re going to lecture me about Xi and Xa, I really will have to go walk with the general,” she told him with a lifted eyebrow. “Maybe I will spill Alliance secrets to him.”
“You would not. You are quite unconventional, Flight Commander Thammah,” Khoth finally said.
“Yes, which is both what makes me very good as a pilot, but not so good as a Thaf’ell.” She gave him a wink.
“If you are so fond of being unusual, you should have become a poet,” he muttered.
She let out a bark of laughter that had the general turning around to stare at them. Khoth made his face into an unreadable mask.
Belonging is very important, Gehenna said, her words flashing over his and Thammah’s suits’ systems.
He caught the AI looking longingly at Jace and his parents. Khoth knew that the AI wanted nothing more than to be walking alongside the three of them. He thought Jace wanted it too from the times he kept glancing backwards. Though some of those glances appeared to be aimed at him. But, likely for similar reasons, he and Gehenna stayed where they were rather than by Jace’s side. Jace’s parents wanted them both away.
“You are not wrong, Gehenna, belonging matters hugely,” Thammah agreed. “And don’t you say that you don’t value belonging, Khoth. That’s your whole problem.”
“I have no idea what you mean,” he replied stiffly.
Was she suggesting that he would have forsook his work and duty to go to some holiday dinner? Just because he was lonely? No, he would not.
