Khoth could almost hear Thammah saying “cool, as in interesting or exciting, not as in the temperature.” But he could also imagine Thammah adding, “though I imagine the temperature of your mother’s mood will likely be cool as in cold.” Thammah had teased him about knowing Jace well, but he already felt she had somehow found her way into his mind. Maybe it was because she was so unlike a Thaf’ell and yet understood a Thaf’ell’s thinking that enabled him to anticipate her thoughts on the after.
“My mother is similar to your mother in ways,” Khoth finally answered. “Very commanding presence. She has the weight of total command upon her shoulders. And things have not been going well against the Khul.”
That last part was something he had come to after thinking about his sister’s journal and recalling recent reports of “strategic retreats” by the Alliance. The pressure on her was far more immense than he had realized. She would be desperate to get Jace and the Osiris on the Alliance’s side.
Jace’s eyebrows rose. The glowing blue eyes–like and unlike a Thaf’ell’s–were disconcerting as they turned towards him.
“You’re worried I won’t like her,” Jace said.
“She is here as High Councillor Nova Voor of the Illumen Alliance, not as my mother,” Khoth explained.
Jace slowly nodded. “So she’s going to do what she thinks is right for the Alliance but not what’s right to do as your mom?”
“Yes.”
He didn’t add to that. There was so much he could have said, but it would have all been excuses. His mother would act for the Alliance, no matter what the cost to him. She wouldn’t break the Rule of Duuskukeh.
“The Ashaton can’t land. We don’t have a facility for it yet,” Jace murmured. “And those medium-sized ships–Saber-class–could, but it would be tough. She’ll come down in a Paladin-class ship like yours and Thammah’s maybe? Ah, yeah, I can see some hangar bay doors opening. Ooooh, she’s sending a dozen craft down.”
Is it a show of force? Or merely to impress the humans with the seriousness of her visit? Gehenna asked. Is she afraid for her safety?
“She is going to demand Jace and the Osiris be released into Alliance hands,” Khoth stated simply. “Your mother is second-in-command at Area 67 now that General Intoshkin is here.”
“She anticipates a fight.” Jace rubbed his face, looking tired again. He cast a glance back at his house and sighed. “I really wanted to sleep in my own bed tonight. But we better get back to greet her, yeah?”
He’d turned back to Khoth. Khoth was staring at the V-formation of lights that was fast approaching the military base.
“Khoth? Don’t you want to go see your mother?” Jace wheedled.
I think he is as keen to see his mother as you are to see yours, Gehenna remarked.
“Hey, I want to see my mom just not right now. But right now seems like the time allotted to us,” Jace admitted.
Khoth finally dragged his gaze away from the landing ships and gazed back at Jace. “She is the leader of my world, of the Alliance.”
“Okay.” Jace made a gesture with his hand that he should explain further.
“The promise I made to you earlier this evening about making sure you have the time and space you need, I intend to honor,” Khoth stated stiffly. He could still remember the feeling of Jace in his arms. It had been rewarding in a way that nothing else had ever felt. “This will put me in direct conflict with both my mother and yours.”
Jace’s eyes widened. The blue glow was gone. “Oh, wow, okay, yeah, I should have guessed you’d do that.”
“But you thought I would not?” Khoth grimaced. “Yes, I can understand why you would doubt me.”
“I don’t doubt you.” Jace brought up both hands and waved them. “It’s just I wondered if it wasn’t a bit much to ask of you to go against your people and your mom to help me.”
“I have already done this by assisting in your connection with Gehenna and the Osiris,” Khoth reminded him. He was also reminding himself. Even though it was clear that Jace was meant to be the Pilot, his mother would have to be convinced of this. “Though I believe that our destruction of the Hive in such an unusual manner will convince many that I made the correct decision.”
Jace blinked and then one of those beaming smiles that had Khoth feeling strangely warm crossed the young man’s face. “Well, even if she were to exile you, it wouldn’t matter.”
“Why would it not matter?”
“Because you’re a part of the Osiris’ crew,” Jace told him, still beaming. “And nothing she does can take that away.”
It was Khoth’s turn to blink. “You talk as if the Osiris is a third party in all of this.”
“It is. We’re going to be on no one’s side,” Jace stated simply. “We can’t have allegiances getting in the way of what’s right.”
“But you are going to require protection of Earth in exchange for your help,” Khoth pointed out.
