“Preparing an upload as soon as I can reach Master System again, so it can be added to our data stream.”
“I hope that by the time that happens, we will have found peace, and war will be over.”
Even to her, the words sounded hollow.
“Wars do not end so easily.”
“I know.”
11
Kian handed the Ambassador a cup of water.
They had been working to fortify the operations center for the last few hours. Every entry point was locked down, and between the two of them, they created a sensor grid that could see through the bio-blocking shielding the Terrans were wearing. It wasn't perfect, but it was able to give some locations among other bits of data.
If a humanoid came close, they would know.
The count they had was that there were approximately a dozen humanoids, but what species they were, they could not determine.
Though her assessment of the Charro was accurate—there had to be approximately five of them. So that left about seven Terrans.
“I do appreciate this,” Freya said as she accepted the cup.
“The water?” he asked as he took a seat across from her.
She smiled. “The chairs. I appreciate the chairs. You were kind to put them together for me.”
“They were for me as well, as you can see,” he said and smiled at her.
She shook her head. “That is so odd.”
“What is?”
“Your smile.”
“Why?”
“You’re a cyborg. A robot. Why would you smile? You’re supposed to be emotionless automatons.”
One of the many misconceptions about Rhimodians. That they were nothing but machines with a few organic parts. However, the opposite was true. While their programming kept their feelings repressed, it did not make them emotionless. Kian had heard it before. It never failed to irritate him. Usually, his programs kept him from getting angry about it. They worked sometimes.
Today? There were emotions, but they were different. Almost a sadness rather than anger or frustration. This misconception was one of the barriers that they would have to cross to create peace between them and the Terran Empire.
But that was after the negotiations and after a treaty is signed.
One program at a time.
“We are not emotionless. Our organics produce emotions like any humanoid. We have programming that keeps everything in check.” He sipped on his water. “Mostly.”
“Mostly?” she asked and raised her eyebrow. “You must explain ‘mostly’ to me.” There was a twinkle in her eye and an expression of amusement in her tone.
Much better than terror or fear.
He liked that in her. Amusement.
He would like to make sure she looked that way all the time.
It was…
