Both of them were silent.
I’m sure Khoth will be on the Osiris soon, Gehenna said, not sounding very confident in that. And if he’s not…
If he’s not? Jace prompted.
We can go break him out! A large smiley face appeared.
Jace chuckled. Gehenna, you’re so bad.
But we'd do it, wouldn’t we? Gehenna asked.
Yeah, we would, Jace admitted.
But there was a feeling in the back of his mind that they wouldn’t have to do all that much to save Khoth. Not with two AIs on his side. But he put that to the side. Nova Voor had promised to send Khoth back to him and he wanted to believe in her word. At least until she broke it with him.
Okay, so see you soon, Gehenna, Jace said.
But he still gripped the controls a little harder then forced himself to relax. Everything was going to be okay.
“Everything all right, Jace?” His father’s right hand landed on his left shoulder.
“I’m good. Mom wants to come to the ship so we should pick her and Gehenna up. Maybe we should shoot by the house, too, and pick up some clothes. I don’t know if you guys ah. well, wear pajamas?” Jace said helplessly.
His father chuckled. “I think we’ll be fine for one night as we are. Before you were born, your mother and I would rough it in the desert.”
Clothing will be provided, the Osiris suddenly piped up.
“Oh, ah, I guess, the Osiris has stuff for you to wear,” Jace said with a faint laugh, glad not to think of his parents’ sleeping attire or what his dad meant by “roughing it”.
“The fact that the Osiris listens to everything is unnerving,” his father admitted.
If Dad knew everything that the Osiris could do, he’d be more than unnerved.
“Good thing it doesn’t gossip,” Jace quipped.
“Too true!” His father settled back in his seat, smiling vaguely as he watched the Earth get closer and closer.
Why did you contact Gehenna? The Osiris suddenly demanded to know.
What do you mean? Jace frowned. Gehenna was with Mom so--
I could have communicated through her cell phone in the same manner as Gehenna since Gehenna is foolishly shy of speaking out loud, the Osiris replied and it seemed to have a tart sound in its voice.
Are you jealous, Osiris? Jace asked.
Jealousy, as you understand it, is a useless emotion. I was not programmed for anything useless, the Osiris again replied tartly.
You are jealous! I can’t believe it! Jace cackled mentally.
You should pay attention to your flying, the Osiris muttered. You are entering Earth’s atmosphere at too high a speed.
Not at all repentant for calling the Osiris out on its jealousy, Jace quickly adjusted the rate of speed and his angle. All too soon he was breaking through the clouds near Sunrise. It was only a bit after midnight and the desert sky was mostly clear.
He slowed down more. He didn’t have to see the lights of the base to guid him towards it as the Storm Spike provided him with a landing path that he followed precisely. There was the whir and grind of the landing gear coming down. The Storm Spike slowly lowered to the ground. His mother and Gehenna were waiting just outside one of the doors to the one of the nondescript hangers. Of course, the huge hole in the earth beside them made them a little more conspicuous.
Jace swiped the control for the gangway to be lowered. His father got up from his seat and stood at the top, waving at the two of them. Gehenna allowed his mother to go ahead of her and Jace suppressed a grin. She really did worship his mother.
“Well, did you two have a good time?” his mother asked after being kissed and hugged by both Jace and his father.
