“You don’t like it, Jace?” Gehenna wailed. “I did so much research into my next form! I watched every Terminator film and read all the accompanying source material. I based my body on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800, or as it is also designated, the 101. How could you not find it wonderful?”
“Yes, I can see that.” Jace nodded.
“The T-800 is a good artificial intelligence. It is the one who develops emotions and saves the day multiple times. It cares for a young man who will rescue the future from evil!” Gehenna enthusiastically explained her choice with many punctuations of her metal arms flying in all directions, nearly punching walls and the ceiling several times.
“You’re right.” Jace nodded more vigorously. “I can definitely see that you thought this through. It’s just...”
“Exactly! Now, instead of being scared of me, humans will embrace me as their protector!” Gehenna saluted him. But she slowly lowered the hand and those red eyes seemed to burn with a greater intensity. “You do not seem to agree with my careful assessment of how this will go.”
Another laugh escaped Jace’s mouth but he quickly brought a hand up to cover it. “Oh, I think General Intoshkin will enjoy your new form greatly.”
“He will? Why especially him?” Gehenna asked suspiciously.
That sweet voice coming from this monstrous seven-foot tall behemoth was disconcerting.
“Because he’d love to have an army of Terminators at his disposal,” Jace told her. Then his forehead furrowed as he asked, “Could that be done?”
“Not from the Osiris,” Gehenna said. “But the Altaeth have many worlds yet unexplored where we might find something of use! My databases indicate quite a few though I do not have access to their defense grids to know the state they are in.”
Jace turned to Khoth. The young man was still wearing only those light, drawstring pants and no shirt. His chest was a picture of perfection with highly defined muscles, golden skin, slightly darker nipples and a faint line of golden-brown hair running beneath the waistband of his pants. Khoth knew human anatomy. There would be a thatch of curls between Jace’s legs and… He dug his fingernails into his palms harder. He must keep control of himself!
“Wouldn’t robots like this be useful against the Khul especially? No chance of infection,” Jace pointed out. “And no deaths either.”
Khoth nodded. “We attempted using synthetics against the Khul, but we were not successful. We lost contact with them once they entered Khul ships. Even those programmed to act without direct control seemed to have malfunctioned and then they were returned to us.”
Jace frowned. “Returned?”
“Yes, they were reprogrammed and sent to large cities to be used as mobile bombs. We stopped using them after that,” Khoth answered. “But these synthetics were not Altaeth-make so perhaps something fashioned out of their technology would work better.”
“Gehenna was okay in the Hive,” Jace said, tapping his chin.
“Yes, I was great!” Gehenna pumped one of her huge arms into the air above her head, once again, nearly punching a hole in the ceiling.
“You were. So maybe we should look into using Altaeth-tech synthetics,” Jace suggested.
Khoth nodded. He didn’t trust himself to speak around Jace exactly at that moment. He found his voice wanted to drop an octave lower.
“Are you okay?” Jace touched his elbow briefly.
That slight touch through his suit sent a flare through his system.
“I am… I am adequate… for the tasks set ahead of me,” Khoth got out.
Jace’s eyebrows rose. “You are more adequate! Thaf’ell are superior.”
“You are teasing me,” Khoth remarked with a smile.
“Always.” Jace grinned back.
Khoth felt some of the tension ease. This was Jace. Not a stranger even as his body seemed to be acting differently now towards the young man. It was Jace who was sensible and serious and affectionate and kind and brave and...
It was the kiss. That is what is causing me to see him so differently or, not differently, but so much more intensely.
Khoth suddenly wished with all his might that he had waited to break off his friendship with Thammah. He had never felt this way before, but he guessed she would have a greater understanding of these things. Or, at least, she would snap him out of doing anything foolish. But her good advice was lost to him.
Nor could he confide the changes happening to him to anyone else than her. Not even his father. Especially not his father. Though he would soon lose the chance to talk to his father at all in the near future. He had betrayed the Alliance. He would be exiled. He wondered if he should tell his mother before the first formal meeting occurred. Probably. But, despite these grim thoughts, he still felt buoyed by Jace’s presence.
Gehenna was looking between the two of them. Her head cocked to the side. She clearly noticed something was different between them. The metal face though was locked into a hideous grin so he couldn’t read what she felt about the matter, and he was rather grateful she didn’t say anything. At least, she didn’t say anything out loud or to him.
