“I think I see where you are going here,” Jace said as he realized how confusing this must be for Khoth.
Khoth then touched the bottle of dressing beside him–they had been dipping hot wings into the creamy dressing–and said, “This is also ranch. Ranch dressing.”
Jace started laughing around a mouthful of food as he nodded vigorously.
“It does not appear that humans lack imagination,” Khoth continued as he finally bit into the chip, tasting it, and making a face before putting it aside.
“No, we definitely don’t lack that,” Jace agreed.
“So why the same word for things that are not truly related?” Khoth’s brow was furrowed as if he truly was considering this problem deeply. “And those that are slightly related, but are very different such as this home and a ranch with animals, dilute the word’s definition. It makes it confusing and random.”
“I see what you mean. But humans like to use words that elicit certain ideas–like the freedom and old West from a cowboy on the range–to a milky dressing. It’s all advertising,” Jace said with a shrug.
“So a person eating ranch dressing would do so because it reminds them of a cowboy?”
“Exactly.”
Khoth’s eyebrows were doing that thing where one popped up then the other did. This was a two eyebrow up situation. Sometimes there was a third eyebrow raise when Khoth brought them both up at the same time. It was just one of the things that Jace was learning about the Thaf’ell Commander.
“Don’t you ever want to pretend you’re someone else? Or something you admire, don’t you want to be close to that? Feel like you’re connected to it?” Jace tried to explain.
Khoth lifted up the ranch bottle. “This does not make me feel close to a home with animals.”
Jace let out another burbling laugh. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t laugh. You’re just seeing all of this from your eyes makes me see how it's a little crazy.”
“But you still enjoy it?” Khoth made that sound like a question, but it was more of a statement.
“I do. I think I’m going to love this silly stuff more when we’re in space and it’s hard to get,” Jace said.
Khoth’s head lowered. “Yes, there will be as many ‘ranch’ mysteries for you in the Illumen Alliance as there are for me here though I dare say that our words are more precise.”
“Thankfully, between Gehenna and the Osiris I can understand and speak…” Jace cocked his head to the side and let out a low whistle, “over five-hundred languages and dialects. And I can learn more.”
“Impressive.” Khoth tipped his head.
“Not really. I’ve got two AIs in my head. It’s not me. It’s them,” Jace quickly amended. He didn’t want to take credit for any of this when he felt he hadn’t earned it. Like beating Khoth during their duel.
“You only have those AIs in your head because you are the right person to have them,” Khoth said, clearly seeing Jace as worthy regardless.
“Since I’ve answered your ranch question, can you answer one of mine?” Jace asked.
“You may ask.”
The way Khoth phrased it left the Thaf’ell Commander room not to answer.
“Those marks above your right eyebrow.” Jace pointed to the dark blue, stylized triangular tattoos on Khoth’s face. “Do they mean anything or are they just for decoration?”
Khoth reached up towards them as if to cover them with his hair, but stopped at the last moment and let his hand drop back into his lap. Jace had just been curious, but now seeing Khoth’s unhappy expression, he wished he hadn’t asked.
“You don’t have to tell me! Let’s have you try a Sour Patch Kid candy–”
“It is a ta’na,” Khoth interrupted. “We commemorate great battles normally on our backs.” The Thaf’ell Commander gestured towards his covered back. Jace wondered how many were there. “But, if a battle is truly great and the soldier’s actions are highly honorable, they are allowed to mark it on their faces.”
“So that was a really big battle that you were highly honorable in?” The truth was that Jace couldn’t imagine a time that Khoth would not be brave and honorable in battle after what he had seen in the Hive. After Khoth nodded, Jace asked, “I guess the thing we did in the Hive wouldn’t be that big a deal.”
“On the contrary, it would be worthy of a ta’na on the face, but I will not be requesting one,” Khoth replied stiffly.
“Why not? You were incredible in there. You were willing to sacrifice your life so that I could get away,” Jace told him.
