Chapter 16 Good Faith
Good Faith
“Who here is going to take me to you, Jace?” High Councillor Nova Voor asked as she stood up.
It was eerie how calm she was all of the sudden. She had been desperate, frantic, almost manic. But now she was cool and calm, not even a trace of her earlier out of control behavior.
No, wait, that’s not true, Jace realized as the Osiris showed him that her vitals were all elevated.
There are indicators of long term stress, the Osiris murmured.
And she cracked wide open, Jace realized.
Her self-control is fragile at best, Gehenna interrupted.
That is not a scientific description, the Osiris responded tartly.
No, but Jace understands exactly what I mean! Gehenna retorted.
Guys, guys, now is not the time to be fighting. I need a clear head and both of your inputs, Jace reminded them.
His gaze slid to Khoth. The Thaf’ell Commander was staring down at the table. A muscle in his jaw was working. There was also a prominent vein in his right temple.
God, this is bad, Jace thought. He’s really in pain and I don’t know how to fix this.
I don’t think there is a way for you to fix this, Jace, Gehenna told him softly. High Councillor Voor made terrible choices.
Probably because she felt those were her only options, Jace said and grimaced.
“Well? I’m waiting to hear how you will force me to come to the Osiris for judgment,” Nova stated and spread her arms.
“You’re hoping that I’ll do something like threaten to turn off the Ashaton’s life support or something like that so we’ll be equal,” Jace responded dryly.
“I was aiming at an empty spot of desert. It’s hardly comparable,” she answered.
“Yeah, before you took that second shot at the innocent civilians,” Jace reminded her.
“We’ll never know if I would have followed through. I could have been bluffing,” Nova answered coolly.
“You don’t bluff,” he stated firmly.
He was certain that she would have harmed some of the people in Sunrise to get him to turn over the Osiris.
If she hadn’t lost control she likely could have claimed that she was following the Rule of Duuskukeh.
Maybe she still could. After all, what were a few dead humans compared to the might and possibilities of the Osiris?
Threatening to turn off the life support would be the most effective and efficient method to have her come here, the Osiris stated.
You’re way too eager to shut down life support and eject them all into space, Osiris, Jace told the AI.
Jace wouldn’t do that! So it would be an empty threat, which would make Jace look weak! Gehenna pointed out.
At the present time, we do not have sufficient personnel to board the Ashaton and retrieve her, the Osiris stated.
And I can’t use the human military to do this, Jace added. We’re a neutral-ish third-party.
There was a dragging sound as Khoth pushed his chair back and stood up. “I will go get her.”
“You will be shot on sight if you board the Ashaton,” Nova said, the skin around her eyes tightening and her heart rate accelerating to show that this possibility was unpleasant to her. “You are a traitor to the Alliance and you would be attempting to kidnap the High Councillor.”
“I wonder if your crew would see it the same way, High Councillor Voor,” Khoth’s voice was icy, which had Jace’s head jerking towards him.
Not “Mother” any longer. Oh, boy, Jace thought.
The Thaf’ell Commander--no, my Commander--stood rigidly.
His blue on blue eyes were narrowed. He did not look like he regretted having to threaten his mother in this way.
In fact, if Jace were to guess, the emotions he was feeling were anger and disgust. It was so rare for Khoth to allow his emotions to show so plainly that Jace was torn between wanting to reach towards his Commander to comfort him or take a step back to get out of his way.
You are correct in your assessment, the Osiris stated. Based upon the personality profile I have compiled on Commander Khoth, his mother’s actions are in direct conflict with his own internal structure.
Personality profile… of course you’ve constructed one. Jace resisted the urge to squeeze the top of his nose like he used to when a headache was coming on.
Of course, the Osiris answered, either not understanding or ignoring his tone.
“The Commander will not go alone!” Gehenna raised one metal fist into the air. “I shall accompany him.”
“I don’t think it would be a good look, High Councillor, if we had to haul you out of there,” Jace said, not wanting either Khoth or Gehenna to go over to the Ashaton. Even if they used non-lethal means of making their way to the bridge to remove Nova, it would have considerable downsides.
Not to mention if Khoth has to fight his own mother, Jace added.
“Your actions are being watched, High Councillor. Not just by your crew or me, but by the whole of the Alliance,” Jace explained.
She let out a disbelieving snort. “That is impossible. Transmitting such data, even at the highest speeds, would not--”
“Quantum entanglement,” Jace cut her off and that had her going silent. “I won’t go into the details of it--I think you have the jist anyway--but great distances are irrelevant. I could show you people watching you right now if you like.”
“With the AIs at your disposal that could be faked,” she said, but there was a trace of uncertainty in her voice. “But if what I am doing is seen and heard then you also are observed.”
“Yes, I am,” Jace agreed. “And I intend to make a big splash.”
“How so?” Nova lifted an eyebrow.
She clearly still thought she had him over a barrel of violence as if that was the only way he would think.
She still considers you human, the Osiris remarked as if that were the stupidest thing to think in the world.
Jace frowned slightly. I am human.
No.
Mostly human, Jace countered.
No.
Gehenna, tell me what the Osiris means. You must know, Jace said.
Maybe now isn’t the best time? You’re in a high stakes negotiation here. Gehenna tilted her metal death’s head towards the screen.
Okay, fine! But you’re both telling me later! Jace commanded.
Neither AI responded. Jace was glad that Nova had no idea how helpless he sometimes was against the Osiris and Gehenna.
He supposed he could force the two of them to tell him everything he wanted to know at that exact minute.
But he knew that both of them--or, at least, Gehenna--had his best interests at heart.
And she was right that he was in the middle of negotiations here.
“Commander Nav’ud,” Jace addressed the first man who had defied Nova, “you seem like a person of conscience and principle. High Councillor Nova Voor has broken the treaty with Earth and has behaved against all of your norms. Her, ah, Xi and Xa are all, ah, out of balance.” The Thaf’ell terms were offered to him by both AIs.
“She has been emotionally compromised by the death of her daughter and her son’s decision to do what’s best for the Alliance. ”
“Emotionally compromised?” Nova’s mouth flattened for a moment. “How could a human even know a state other than that?”
“Your prejudice is showing, High Councillor,” Jace said evenly. “Careful now. You’re coming across as angry.”
“The Pilot is correct in assessing your emotional state, High Councillor. Human or no,” Khoth added.
His Commander’s arms were crossed at his wrists behind his back and he stood with his feet shoulder-width apart.
It was a military pose he’d seen his parents take on many times, but somehow seeing Khoth do it was different.
And Khoth was doing it for him. Not to mention that Khoth looked…
well, he looked incredible with his chest thrust out and his chin lifted. So proud and strong and handsome and…
Stop thinking about the kiss, Jace! He chastised himself.
He went back to addressing Commander Nav’ud again, “Her actions and emotional state demand that she be relieved of duty and that you turn her over to me for judgment.”
He was guessing that this was something in the Thaf’ell rule book, and he was correct.
“You are enemies. You cannot tell my crew--”
“Actually we are not enemies. We are allies,” Jace said, though really Earth and the Alliance were allies. He and his crew weren’t exactly. “We want to be allies. If the Alliance wishes to be allies then it is going to turn you over. Your actions are putting every one of your crew in danger.”
Commander Nav’ud’s gaze slid to Nova and away. He was clearly thinking about it. But she was High Councillor. He was only a lowly Commander. Even if he agreed with Jace and Khoth about Nova’s state, Jace imagined that he wouldn’t fare well in how he was treated.
“You know what? I have a better idea,” Jace said as he scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t want to put Commander Nav’ud there in any danger of losing his position. So… why don’t we call the Council?”
“What?” The word came out of Nova’s mouth too fast. Her control likely would have stopped such a thing from happening in the past, but she was still just holding herself together. The cracks were definitely still there.
Jace snapped his fingers as he asked Khoth what he already knew, “Councillor Ardath Ulgex. She’s second in command, right, Khoth?”
Khoth gave a curt nod. “She and Councillor Esik Bhilkairs would be the two who could rule on this easily.”
Jace looked back at Nova. “And since they’ve been watching this the whole time their ruling would come in no time at all!”
“There is no need for you to involve anyone else. I am High Councillor--”
“I doubt for much longer if you keep this up.” Jace smiled sadly at her.
“You have a chance to come peacefully and actually talk to me and humanity like you promised to do. I will forget this insanity--and it was insane, Nova--if you simply give up these mad plans of yours to take the Osiris and me and negotiate in good faith.”