Page 17

He regarded her silently. Thammah chewed her liquorice rope and rubbed her feet with the other hand.

Finally, she said, “When Jace asks you for your advice--and he will because he cares for you and respects you--which Khoth will answer?”

He slowly got up. Her eyes were filled with worry, but she didn’t beg him to stay or take back what she’d said.

“The Khoth that will answer,” he said quietly, “is the Khoth that is your friend and is ashamed that any part of him felt anything but respect for you.”

He started to leave, but suddenly Thammah was hugging him. She’d leaped out of bed and thrown her arms around him from behind.

“I know that hugs are for family and mates, but… but I think of you as my family, Khoth,” she whispered against his back. “I don’t expect you to feel the same--”

“I do.” He covered her hands over his chest with one of his own. “You make me a better Thaf’ell.”

She let out a dry bark of laughter. “Oh, by the gods, I hope not.”

He smiled. It was true though. Very true.

Later, when he re-entered Jace’s quarters he found Jace much like he had last seen him: in bed, surrounded by holographic images, but with all the pretzels gone and the salad finished too. Khoth removed the salad bowl and set it on the side table.

“I am pleased you ate something green,” he said.

Jace chuckled. “Yeah, I figured it would earn me kisses later.”

“It does.” Khoth said as he got into bed beside Jace, sliding an arm around his shoulders and kissing his temple.

“So you still want to take a gander at the people I’m considering and give me your thoughts?” Jace asked.

Khoth hesitated and then said, “I would actually like to hear your thoughts on these individuals and why you wish them as members of the crew.”

Jace’s eyebrows lifted, but then he snuggled back down against Khoth and said, “Cool! All right, let’s take Alice Peters. She’s an author.” He spun the holograms in a circle until the human female writer was before them. “I want her and a bunch of other writers from non-fiction to poetry aboard the Osiris to document the journey, the worlds we find and the people we meet.”

“But the Osiris will keep a record of everything,” Khoth pointed out.

Jace nodded. “It will keep a record of cold, hard facts, but artists make that come alive for people reading what they’ve written. They convey more than just the facts. They convey what matters. Ms. Peters’ works show she has a hunger for space exploration, which she likely thinks she can never experience. Now, if she agrees to come if we decide to invite her, she’ll be able to share that with her work.”

“I see. But non-combat personnel will be in danger, Jace. Our mission is to destroy the Khul,” Khoth reminded him gently.

“They won’t be pilots or going into Hives. But yes, there’s still danger, and they will be told all about it so they can consent. But the danger and why we’re doing what we’re doing will be important to capture,” Jace explained. “If we’re successful then we can share this with people down the line of generations. If we aren’t… then we’ll be a different kind of lesson.”

Khoth considered this. “Our artists have long reflected the war in their creations. But they are only allowed second-hand accounts and so their work has become more tenuous.”

“Exactly, the artists, some of them anyways, need to be here. With us,” Jace explained.

“What about the architect?” Khoth asked.

“We’re going to be visiting alien worlds, many with Precursor architecture. We need people who can understand what they did in order to recreate it and also meld it with the styles we have now,” Jace answered. “Again, he’s another lover of the idea of exploring space. He has dreamed of alien worlds since he was a kid. The sheer joy and awe he will bring with him will translate into what he takes back to Earth.”

“And the doctor?”

“Obviously, the Osiris can handle most human medical conditions without even speaking to the crew member. But I think a doctor will help people feel better. Someone to talk to when things are new and exciting and frightening and stressful,” Jace said. “Obviously, she’ll learn new techniques for helping humans and other species. It will grow humanity’s knowledge hugely.”

“And she, too, has dreamed of space?” Khoth asked.

“Yep.”

“Now I understand what you are looking for in part of the crew,” Khoth said with a slow nod. “These things are not what I would have ever considered.”

“You don’t think it’s wise to bring civilians aboard this craft when we’re on a war footing, I know, and I--”