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Amana’s eyes had been fixed upon Jace. At his disappointment, she placed an elegant hand on Jace’s shoulder.

“Your Xi shines like the sun and stars,” she said sweetly. “Your desire to help us when we’ve shown you such little welcome is… well, it is fitting of your species’ greatness.”

“I’m human and not so great,” Jace told her earnestly. “Altaeth body, but human mind. That’s my programming, so to speak. You’ve hardly had a chance to get to know Davies and Dr. Hayter, but I can assure you that they--and all of the human crew--are worth knowing.”

Amana bowed her head. “I am eager to meet them all and know them as I wish to know you as the last Altaeth.”

“Well, I’m not technically the last. My mother and father have those genes,” Jace said. “And they’re very cool. My dad’s on the Osiris and Mom should arrive any minute now.”

“But you are the only one the Osiris chose to purify, correct?” Typhon asked.

Jace made a face. His lips pressed together and his forehead wrinkled.

“Purify is a word with a troubling history for humanity used in that context, Justiciar Moturin,” Dr. Hayter said, putting his hands together in front of him as if lecturing a class. “It’s associated with eugenics, which allowed those in power to commit heinous acts against the weak, disenfranchised or simply different.”

Typhon nodded, but did not rephrase the question.

“There can only be one Pilot,” Jace said. “And I am that one out of everyone. But that doesn’t mean my parents are extraordinary or worthy.”

“No, of course not!” Amana cast a pleading look at her brother. “He did not mean it that way. We look forward to welcoming your parents to Haseon and humanity to the Alliance.”

“You may come to find that it is better for people to think you utterly singular, Pilot,” Typhon said, “otherwise there will be those who will mine Earth for more with Altaeth genes who might not have… proper intentions.”

Jace frowned. “I see what you are saying. They would hope that finding others with Altaeth genes would assist them in harnessing more aspects of Altaeth technology, yes?”

Another bow. “Yes.”

“It doesn’t work that way. Just so we’re clear on that.” Jace looked hard at Typhon just in case he was going to look for humans to do that too.

“I’m well aware,” Typhon answered. “Though I wonder if some of your crew have Altaeth ancestry.”

“We didn’t even know I was an Altaeth so it wasn’t a screen criteria,” Jace replied dryly.

“But perhaps you chose unconsciously,” Amana suggested.

“Well, that would be interesting, but unlikely as we were chosen by General Intoshkin,” Dr. Hayter said.

“You allowed the general to send you recruits?” Typhon’s right eyebrow lifted.

“And I chose among them.” Khoth crossed his arms over his chest. “We are quite satisfied with Dr. Hayter and Lieutenant-Commander Davies.”

“I see.” Typhon frowned slightly.

He did not. He had no idea that Jace and he were quite aware of the general’s machinations and that Davies was a spy. Or was supposed to be a spy. Or might be a spy, but was working for all of humanity or something.

“Could you demonstrate how you access the database?” Khoth gestured to glowing, shifting Altaeth creation.

“Of course. Please let me,” Amana said as she settled herself on one of the prayer rugs facing the database.

Gehenna and Jace came over to stand beside her. Khoth remained behind her. She performed the gage ritual. The database’s separate parts ceased moving and instead unfolded into what appeared to be a three-dimensional image of the Osiris and then Earth and then another planet.

“Oh! That’s where I was made, I think! Thausia!” Gehenna rolled back and forth eagerly.

“We believe this planet was the last stand for the Altaeth. The Osiris was built there as well, Gehenna,” Amana said. “It’s strange but there’s no mention of you.”

“Uhm, oh, well, I don’t know,” Gehenna said awkwardly.

Jace patted her head again. She snuggled against him. Khoth believed that the information on Gehenna was hidden, perhaps locked away behind layers of security that Amana couldn’t access.