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“Of the lack of food,” Khoth murmured, understanding where Jace was going with this.

Jace nodded. “But they’ll be sending more through in the future if they don’t succeed this time and we need to prepare for that.”

“They’re not succeeding this time or any other,” Davies growled and sliced one hand through the air.

At that moment, staff arrived with weaponry. First, they presented Typhon with his family’s weapons. They were unique and incredibly deadly.

Typhon’s draagves was a flat black metal with many scars. It had three different fire modes. A poisonous, acidic-type buckshot that could pepper the Khul exoskeletons with many small holes while the pellets would dissolve the Khul from the inside out, poisoning them as it turned their insides to goo. A second mode was a sustained laser, which could slice off Khul limbs and heads. The third was the more standard rifle, which would emit laser blasts at a high rate, but with a loss of accuracy.

Typhon’s rahir was double-bladed with a thin poisonous point that could be triggered in a close fight. It was retracted into the hilt at the moment, but Khoth had seen it put to good use in a battle that Typhon and he had both participated in. Despite calls for him to remain safe on Haseon--though that safety now appeared illusionary--Typhon had gone on missions from time to time.

The staff held up a selection of weapons for Khoth to choose from. They were fine, though he truly noted not as good as those on the Osiris, but he was grateful for them. Khoth took a red-edged rahir and a draagves that was modified with a grenade launcher in addition to the standard rifle.

Davies immediately followed after him. The staff froze as the human moved to take a weapon and then looked at Typhon as if to confirm this lesser being was allowed to touch their sacred weaponry.

Typhon nodded. “Everyone gets a weapon against the Khul. Can you use it, Lieutenant-Commander Davies?”

Davies fluidly grabbed a draagves that was on the top. He expertly spun the weapon, showing how he could use it as a club, and then brought it up and fired. He had aimed for and hit a small sign on the opposite side of the room with startling ease. Weapon training was continuously being provided on the Osiris and, evidently, Davies had taken full advantage of it.

“Yes, Justiciar Moturin, I know how to use it,” Davies replied with a tight smile and grabbed a blue-edged rahir.

Typhon inclined his head. “It was merely a question.”

“And that was merely my answer,” Davies responded.

Khoth did not think that Davies was reading disrespect where there was none. He rather thought that it was best that Davies and all the humans showed they were quite capable.

“We don’t fire the draagves indoors unless it's at an enemy, Lieutenant-Commander Davies,” Jace said with a small grin even as he leaned back heavily in the chair.

“Understand, Pilot. I apologize, Justiciar Moturin.” Davies performed a stiff bow.

“No need.” Moturin tipped his head though he stared for long moments at Davies as the human expertly checked his weapons as if he had been handling them all his life.

The servant quickly offered the weapons to Dr. Hayter even though the doctor with his soft stomach and glasses looked the least like a soldier. Khoth did not expect him to want a weapon, but the doctor chose a draagves with a long scope for far away shots. He, too, showed an amazing proficiency with it, sighting down the scope before bringing it down with a sigh of satisfaction.

“He’s quite a good sniper,” Davies said in explanation as he saw Khoth’s faint surprise.

“Yes, I know I’m not really anyone’s idea of a soldier.” Dr. Hayter patted his stomach almost fondly. “But I’ve always been a good shot, even with these glasses. It’s more my medium than far vision that’s affected.”

“Soldiers come in all shapes and sizes, Dr. Hayter,” Amana said as she was presented with her personal double rahir that she expertly spun in her hands. “And against the Khul, everyone fights or they die.”

His father was the final one to pick up a draagves and rahir. He hefted both with a sense of familiarity though his father had never killed a Khul or anything before. But he had trained with Khoth and went shooting with Nova. But he doubted that his father had ever envisioned fighting the Khul on Haseon.

Mother… What is happening with her?

Was she watching the fight with horror and white-knuckles? He had not seen the Ashaton in the fight, which was strange. Perhaps she had sent it on to patrol without her. Or maybe Ulgex had relieved his mother of her command as they prepared to replace her on the Council.

As if reading Khoth’s thoughts, his father said, “Your mother always feared an attack on Alliance space, but she never thought it would be Haseon.”

“I am certain that she and the other Councillors are being kept safe,” Typhon said.

“Nova would not cower while Khul are on Haseon,” his father said.

Khoth was in agreement. But he wanted his mother to stay out of the way.

“Our people need to know that it was the Pilot who has done so much,” Amana said as the report of two more Hives came through. No more of the vessels had been destroyed at this point.

The Osiris had cut both through with one blast. Khoth could very well believe the Osiris was loving every minute of battle.