“Too many really,” his father let out a soft laugh. His eyes cut over to Jace and then back over to the screen where the moon spun, white and lovely in the darkness. “I keep looking at you and can’t quite believe what I’m seeing, even though, like I said, my mind tells me this is how you were always supposed to be.”
Jace ran a hand down the front of his synthskin suit. He could feel his hard muscles underneath. But like the ship, the body felt right too. He did want to check out his junk when he got a chance. He wanted to take a shower and then… well, then pleasure himself to see if that felt different.
“It’s sort of the same for me, too. It feels familiar just like the Storm Spike. I’m not tripping over my two feet or walking into things because I think I should be smaller. Okay, I did that once but it just fits,” Jace told him, wanting to assure his father that his new body was the least thing he should be concerned with.
His father grunted and rocked slightly in his seat. “I should be glad that you’re so comfortable. You were transformed though. You…”
“You didn’t see what the Khul did to Mrs. Lo and the other people from town. What happened to me was like what happened to Captain America,” Jace said, his lips flattening slightly. “What happened to them? That was something to fear.”
His father nodded. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“I’m not.” Jace scrubbed his right hand through his hair. “Because it clarifies the danger for me.”
“Which was what Khoth wanted it to do,” his father’s tone was dry. “I know you like him. And I think he’s got some good aspects, but… well, he’s a Thaf’ell.”
“You don’t like the Thaf’ell?” Jace’s eyebrows rose. “You and Thammah seem pretty tight.”
“I like Thammah very much, but surely you’ve guessed that she wasn’t sent to Earth because she’s the perfect specimen of her species, haven’t you?” His father cracked a grin, likely thinking about some trouble that Thammah had gotten into.
Jace reached into one of the grocery bags with the snacks that he and Khoth had been eating. He plucked out a cheese stick, unwrapped it and started to rip off strings of mozzarella. He offered his father something, but his father shook his head.
“Yeah, I sort of got that Thammah’s a little eccentric, but Khoth isn’t exactly the perfect Thaf’ell soldier. He got in trouble for breaking a really big rule of the Thaf’ell,” Jace said and explained what Khoth had done for his sister.
“And he was punished for that? This is why I don’t understand the Thaf’ell. Even under their alleged goals of the whole over the one that doesn’t make sense.” His father’s forehead was furrowed. “It seems to me that he did what was best for the Alliance. If they had gotten the information that Daesah had, they’d be in a world of hurt.”
Jace agreed. He thought again of what was going on between Khoth and his mother. Was she berating him for failing with Jace as he had with Daesah.
I am recording the interview, the Osiris informed him. It will be accessible to you at any time.
I’m not going to–
Just in case. It is being recorded. You will have access to it, the Osiris said and went silent.
His father’s eyes cut to him again. The Moon was getting large before them. Soon they would get a chance to land and walk outside on the Moon’s surface. Jace’s heart did a little pitter pat as he realized that he and his dad were making history.
And if I can convince Nova Voor that Earth should be let into the Alliance then going to the Moon or to distant planets will become open to everyone on Earth, Jace realized. Just think of the good people could do and the bad.
He had to admit that. But he couldn’t help but think of those who loved Star Trek, Star Wars, The Expanse and so many more who would be living their dream. It had happened to him. It would happen to them. If Nova Voor wouldn’t do it then he could do it himself with the Osiris. They had maps of other Altaeth caches of ships and more. He could bring humanity to the stars himself.
“Looks like we’re about to land,” his father said, his voice filling with awe.
Jace hadn’t realized that they were so close to the Moon. They were gliding through the atmosphere. Soon, they saw the grayishy, chalky-white terrain before them.
“The Tycho crater is pretty young as craters go,” his father told him.
“Really?”
“Yeah, and it is of great scientific interest because it’s helping scientists understand how an impact crater forms,” his father continued enthusiastically.
The Osiris was already feeding him the exact information on how such a crater formed, but Jace said nothing.
Yet even with him being silent, his father said, “But I bet the Thaf’ell and the Altaeth already know that.”
He patted his father’s shoulder. “There’s a lot that no one has figured out yet. Just think when we get to share all of this information with scientists all around Earth. Imagine what they can figure out.”
His father nodded. “It’ll change everything, Jace.”
“Yeah, and it’ll be awesome,” Jace said. “The Osiris is going to take over the piloting for now.”
