“We could send them all,” she suggested.
He jolted in his seat, catching himself only at the last moment, but the movement had been seen. “All of those worlds’ ships? But that would leave those planets completely undefended, Mother. You know this. You cannot be serious.”
“They bring little in way of benefit to the Alliance. They are not near strategic gates. It is unlikely that the Khul will attack them,” she said with a shrug, but she was watching him closely even if her other movements suggested otherwise.
“Unlikely? My recollection tells me that each of those planets has suffered over a dozen attacks each over the last grand cycle alone!” Khoth’s voice was rising and he strained to control it.
“So you think we should send resources from other planets instead to protect Earth?” she queried.
“If the Osiris is as important as we think it could be then we should be generous with our protection of Earth,” Khoth stated, controlling his tone. “We should draw down resources from places where there is an excess.”
“We place assets, Khoth, where the members of the Alliance want them,” she reminded him. “If you remove vessels from well-trafficked and fully important worlds there will be bad feelings and dissent.”
“There are places that I can name right now that have excess vessels--”
“You consider it excess, but I assure you those worlds do not. If we were to move those excess ships, we cannot give the humans anything more,” she told him. “We must remain firm that Jace and the Osiris are fully under Alliance control. The humans will be kept safe, but not members of the Alliance, let alone on the Council. That way the other members of the Alliance will accept--grudgingly--the assistance we are giving Earth. It will cost considerable political capital to do even this.”
Khoth realized as she said this that she had not yet told him what his task was and dread filled his belly. “I do not think that Jace will be agreeable to such a deal. It is wholly unfair to Earth.”
“You are likely correct. Unless Jace had another reason for doing this. A personal reason.”
She put her hands on the table and laced her fingers together then unlaced them then laced them again. This was an uncharacteristic show of nerves. Khoth’s sense of dread deepened.
“I do not know what reason Jace might have to consider this lopsided deal,” Khoth said stiffly.
“I think you do. And that’s why I’m relieved–indeed glad–about what I saw regarding your interactions with him earlier,” his mother’s voice was slightly softer.
Khoth straightened. “We are comrades in arms. He has shown considerable power over his Xi and Xa. He,” here he paused and swallowed deeply, but decided he would say what he thought in the hopes that it would short circuit whatever plan his mother had that he was certain he would not like and Jace would like even less. “he reminds me of Daesah.”
He had been right that those words would affect her. His mother went silent. Her shoulders sagged. She seemed exhausted, despairing, and even defeated for a moment.
“Is he?” she murmured softly.
“Yes, he’s as intuitive as she was. As brave. As determined. He takes risks, but there is always some logic behind them,” Khoth found himself smiling faintly even as his throat constricted, comparing Jace’s actions to his sister’s.
“Then you will not have to pretend to like him,” his mother said with a sort of relief in her voice.
Khoth blinked. “Pretend to…”
“Khoth, it is clear to me that Jace Parker has taken a great interest in you. He depends upon you. He seeks you out, needing your strength and guidance, yes?” his mother asked.
Her voice wasn’t exactly that of the High Councillor, but it wasn’t exactly his mother either.
“He appears to–to appreciate…”
“Your presence comforts him,” she continued on.
“We are just learning one another’s ways,” Khoth answered awkwardly.
Even as he said this, he wondered if Jace was having a good time teaching Jack to fly. And he suddenly wished he could speak to his father then.
“That is good.” She flattened her palms against the table. “I need you to deepen and maintain your relationship with him.”
Khoth blued. He knew what she was suggesting, but he could not believe she was saying it. That she was also his mother and saying it was even more awkward.
“You are suggesting that I seduce him so that he will betray whatever his people want to work for the Alliance?” Khoth asked, though really he already knew the answer. “And tell him we cannot be together if he does not?”
His mother did not disappoint him. “Yes.”
