Aydin returned to his table and poured himself a drink. He downed it in one gulp before slamming the glass onto the table.
“I am not like you, Jaiya. I’m not the brave warrior that you have become, following in father’s footsteps.” He gripped the table, leaning forward with slumped shoulders and head hanging. “I didn’t volunteer, but since no one else wanted to take this mission, it was placed upon my shoulders. They decided that rather than risk any of their valuable diplomats, they’d just send me. Alone. I was supposed to spend my first few negotiations assisting a senior diplomat and learning the ropes. Now I’m supposed to somehow put an end to this war?”
Jaiya sighed. She hated seeing her brother like this. He always doubted himself when it came to major decisions, shied away from conflict, and detested being put on the spot. He was a genius when it came to reciting history and laws, using the lessons of the past to help change the future for the better.
This is why he was on the verge of a breakdown; he was stuck in the past, thinking he was going to end up dead like Mother. Combined with the pressure of his first solo negotiation, if he didn’t get his act together, he was just going to fall apart and ruin everything.
“Get a hold of yourself!” She growled. “That attitude isn’t going to solve anything—it’s only going to make you fail.” She gripped his shoulder and flipped him around, drilling her gaze into his matching eyes. “I didn’t waste all my free time trading information about the Daextru with you just so you can throw it all away. You have the knowledge. You have Lian blood in your veins.Use it.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“And this is why you need to listen to your big sister.” Jaiya tilted her head and smiled. “Now, let’s get you packed. I need to go do the same before the night is over.”
“How can you be so calm?” Aydin asked, eyes and tone confused.
“If I panic, I’m not only putting my own life in danger.” She released her hold on him and stepped away. “My wing’s lives are my responsibility as well, along with all the other lives the military protects.” She shrugged. “While your supervisors are busy being cowards, my fellow comrades are risking their lives in constant battle.” Jaiya turned toward his only window and stared at ships flying about the moon base. “After a while, you give up your fear of death and learn to live in the present, because any day could be your last—especially in times of war.”
“I’ve never thought of it like that . . .”
“Fear not.” She glanced at him as he stepped up next to her. “I won’t leave your side. I am willing to share a room like old times, if needed.” She bumped her shoulder with his playfully, trying to lighten up the mood. “I may not be a diplomat, but I know a lot about the Daextru, both from trading knowledge with you and from fighting against them. I won’t let anyone push mylittlebrother around.”
“Thank you, Jaiya.”
They fell into a comfortable silence as Jaiya helped Aydin pack. As time passed, she could see Aydin’s mood slowly slip back into doubt. He would pause and sigh as he stared at the items he was packing with his shoulders slumped.
It was as if their conversation had never happened, the way he fell back into his original mood.
There was no way he would be able to handle the Daextru. They would take advantage of him and his submissiveness. They could dismiss him altogether, instantly sending him back and cutting off any thoughts of peace.
His inner turmoil may even offend them, fueling the war to continue until one side was the victor and the other was utterly destroyed.
Jaiya couldn’t have that.
“Do you feel better now that you packed all of your belongings?” Jaiya asked, surveying the room. Everything he owned was packed into the two travel packs sitting next to his table. His empty liquor bottle and glass sat next to his mission files and ID badge. “You know I will make sure you return, right? This isn’t the end.”
Aydin was stretched out on his couch, laying against its back with his head pointed towards the ceiling, eyes closed, and legs spread. In his current state of undress, he didn’t look at all like a politician—or a diplomat. Instead, he had the appearance of a drunken male about to face his doom.
An embarrassment to both her and the human race.
“Hey, little brother!” She tapped his foot with her boot to grab his attention. When no response came, she did it again.
“Great. My coward of a brother drank himself into a stupor.” She sighed and surveyed the room once more. Her gaze landed on Aydin’s ID and mission holodisk.
An idea formed.
If Aydin believed that the mission was already doomed and neither of them was going to return from it, then why not take his place? They were fraternal twins and had always looked alike. She was often mistaken for Aydin when she wore civilian clothing or her hair up in a tight bun—or shaved it whenever she got sick of dealing with helmet hair.
Jaiya shot a glance at her brother, observing his current hairstyle.
Could she do it?
She ran her hands over the buzzed sides of her head to her tight top bun. It would be easy to chop it off and part the hair to the side, letting it fall. As long as her hair was short and neatly styled, she could easily pull off her brother’s hairstyle.
There weren’t going to be any other people on the mission, so she didn’t have to worry about his colleagues wondering why she was acting differently. Jaiya always wondered if she knew more about the Daextru than Aydin, having witnessed their interactions with their leaders. It was common for their kind to mock the enemy in battle by overriding their communications.
It wasn’t until recently that they’d started targeting their fighter’s wings instead of the cockpit. Her higher-ups decided to do the same and slowly reduced all of the planned attacks, only focusing on defending their three-star systems—the Cosmic Trinity Alliance.
She had a few choice words with a certain golden-horned, blue-scaled pilot. He was known as the Black Hole—if anyone faced him, they always faced their doom.
