“If we work with humanity, we can potentially accomplish Daesah’s vision for victory against the Khul,” Khoth stated. “It was what at least some of the Altaeth believed too. We would, at least, push the Khul back and keep them back unlike the position we are in now.”
“That is a powerful vision you have, Khoth. If humanity were to truly commit to it–”
“They will. But it doesn’t matter what I believe. We will see where they are tomorrow, at the meeting,” Khoth responded. “So why is Mother not allowing the possibility of this into her plans? Is there any logical reason she should not negotiate in good faith with humanity?”
His father cleared his throat. “Her leadership has been questioned recently by Councillor Ardath Ulgex.”
“I’m well aware of her dislike of Mother.” And, of course, Councillor Ulgex’s dislike of Khoth, too.
“It is more than dislike and it is more than just her, more than even the Thaf’ell,” his father said, and tiredly ran a hand across his forehead. “I doubt your mother has the votes to bring humanity into the Alliance.”
“Perhaps before, but now?” Khoth frowned.
“As you said, Khoth, the depiction of humanity as brutish, immature and led entirely by their Xi is held by many, by all, of the member species and, most definitely, everyone on the Council,” his father’s voice was rushed as he said, “There are many on the Council and in the majority species of the Alliance who believe that we have let in too many species under the first rule you mentioned and who will not open their minds to a new vision of humanity.”
“So they will not allow humanity to join us? No matter what new information is provided to them? No matter that it is rank hypocrisy to deny humanity a place with us?” Khoth’s tone was clipped.
The Thaf’ell were superior for many reasons, but the greatest of those was that they acted logically. It was only logical to negotiate with humanity and give them many of the things they were asking for. Perhaps they could negotiate that they would be considered for addition to the Council in X amount of great cycles, after they had proven themselves to be good members of the Alliance. From what he had seen of General Intoshkin, he believed the military man would relish the chance for humanity to prove themselves. He thought that humanity might be reasonable. Later, they would press. Probably that “later” would be too soon for many and “too long” for humanity.
“I agree that your logic is sound, Khoth, but people often mistake wants for facts all the time,” his father told him sadly. “They will craft whatever narrative they need to support the outcome or belief they have. And the Thaf’ell are far from immune to this. We are, in fact, masters of it.”
His father’s wry smile had Khoth feeling like a child. For in that moment, he realized that his father was right. He wanted to deny it. To fall back upon what he had been told, rather than what he had observed, which was that the Thaf’ell did, at times, act irrationally and paper it over with faux facts. Yet he couldn’t retreat from what he now knew. And, strangely, it was the memory of Jace’s smile that had him pushing past the denial and really thinking about what his father had said.
“Is Mother one of these people who does not like humanity?” he found himself asking.
“I do not think that is what is motivating her,” his father answered. “Because, as you said, even if humanity were as basic as described, how could you turn Jace completely to our side in so short a time?”
“I could not,” he said out loud and inside he said, I will not.
“If she came to you with this command, which is one so unlikely to work then it must be because she believes she had no other choice,” his father said. His gaze was fixed upon Khoth as if to imprint the next words upon him, “If the Alliance is running out of tech, if she has no negotiating power to give humanity what it wants yet we desperately need the Osiris and its Pilot, what depths would one go to?”
The lengths of asking a son to whore himself?
But Khoth realized that was not the greatest depth, no matter how bitter a taste that was left in his mouth. It was desperate and wrong and dishonorable. But there were worse things.
She brought a fleet, Khoth realized with a fresh wave of horror. Not to protect Earth, but to conquer it and take the Osiris and her Pilot. And there was one more thing his mind offered him, What will the Osiris do to protect itself and its Pilot from such an attack?
Conversations
Jace and his father had bounced around the Moon for an hour. They’d written “hello” in footprints, had a contest over who could jump the farthest and highest with the Moon’s much weaker gravity, and even did some shooting practice with the rahirs. Many aluminum cans lost their lives in this process. They decided that before they sparred with the laser swords Jace would train his father so a reverse Luke x Vader incident with Jack losing a hand would not occur.
Finally, they tumbled back into the Storm Spike, aluminum cans laid out for burial on Earth, for the ride home. His father decided that Jace should fly the way back while he stretched out and simply watched the stars and Earth come closer. He did make sure that his father wasn’t just giving up control to please him. After all, Jace would have plenty of opportunities to fly, but Jack might not. But his father waved him off, seemingly completely content in the co-pilot’s seat. Jace finally had his hands on the controls of his beloved ship.
“I’m totally going to crash when we get back,” his father said with a jaw-cracking yawn. “It’s been a day.” Then he looked wryly at his son and said, “I can only imagine how you feel, Jace.”
How did he feel? After ending the lives of those in the Khul ships, he had felt like he’d been hit by a Mack truck. But eating snacks with Khoth and Gehenna had actually re-energized him. He realized that he had been emotionally exhausted but his body was perfectly fine. It was up and ready to go!
“Surprisingly, pretty good. This new body has so much energy,” Jace explained his thoughts to his father. “But, I admit, the thought of laying my head on a pillow doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I wonder what kind of room the Osiris has prepared for me.”
“Knowing the Osiris it's probably some glowing pool,” his father responded with a grimace.
Jace let out a bark of laughter then his forehead furrowed. “Oh, God, you’re probably right. I sincerely hope that I don’t have to sleep in that for some reason.”
“Maybe it’s only if you’re injured. Like the Bacta tank that Luke Skywalker was in on Hoth,” his father mused.
Watching Star Wars together was one of the things his father and him had bonded over. So Jace found his inner geek beaming as his dad now compared that movie to their lives.
“You’re going to have to totally relearn your body now,” his father continued, lips pursed and brows drawn together as he clearly thought deeply about this. Being an experimental pilot, his father had to keep himself incredibly fit, especially as he’d gotten older. Jace was always fascinated by how his father had known his body so well like it was a machine that he’d taken apart and put together a million times. His father didn’t disappoint when he added, “You don’t know your limits.”
