“Excuse me, but isn't this a real victory?,” he ventures. “Their base is gone and you showed the reasonable face of the Empire by negotiating. Surely this will de-escalate things.”
Huascar points at Vortan,“But to them, it was trickery from a 'Black-Hearted' foe.”
“But, you let some escape. That's not heartless.”
“Perhaps.” Huascar frowns. To spread the tale of defeat, or out of compassion, what do you think?
Vortan says earnestly, “I'm honored you chose me for this mission. Emperor Zorbane's priorities are backwards.”
Huascar's voice is harsher than he intends, “Don't freely air such sentiments, if you want to live.”
Vortan jolts into a taller position with wide eyes.
Where did he learn such carelessness? Huascar scowls at the drifting field of debris, while the captain holds his breath.
“Now, why shouldn't I turn you in for sedition?” The Battle Commander's chilly tone raises Vortan's hair follicles, yet he remains motionless. Good control, Captain. After a few seconds more, Huascar drops the gauze [from his injured face] and turns to him with a wry smile.
“Your instinct's correct. We agree on this point, but be careful. I'm a bad example. I'll wager everything so others can see reason.” Huascar leans towards him and growls “everything,” then watches Vortan digest the implicit threat – the stakes of truly joining his side. Not untrammeled after all. Well, well.
Huascar points at Vortan,“But to them, it was trickery from a 'Black-Hearted' foe.”
“But, you let some escape. That's not heartless.”
“Perhaps.” Huascar frowns. To spread the tale of defeat, or out of compassion, what do you think?
Vortan says earnestly, “I'm honored you chose me for this mission. Emperor Zorbane's priorities are backwards.”
Huascar's voice is harsher than he intends, “Don't freely air such sentiments, if you want to live.”
Vortan jolts into a taller position with wide eyes.
Where did he learn such carelessness? Huascar scowls at the drifting field of debris, while the captain holds his breath.
“Now, why shouldn't I turn you in for sedition?” The Battle Commander's chilly tone raises Vortan's hair follicles, yet he remains motionless. Good control, Captain. After a few seconds more, Huascar drops the gauze [from his injured face] and turns to him with a wry smile.
“Your instinct's correct. We agree on this point, but be careful. I'm a bad example. I'll wager everything so others can see reason.” Huascar leans towards him and growls “everything,” then watches Vortan digest the implicit threat – the stakes of truly joining his side. Not untrammeled after all. Well, well.
“We'll know more when Huascar comes to. He's a meditator,” Stav says, “He'd know if they tampered with his brain. I would.”
That old story again?
“Oh, please,” Urdon interjects. “Sitting, staring at flame globes is a match for the Neethrupi?”
“We're familiar with our minds,” Stav says replies, raising Urdon's color a notch against his white beard.
Finday blinks slowly. “Let's keep on topic. Huascar's stable now, and you think it wasn't directly harmful, whatever they did.”
Stav nods.
“What about timing? Yamma wipes out our Science Team, now this. Did the Neethrupi make that disaster too?”
“Huascar wondered about that too, before...”
“Of course they did,” Urdon blusters, “Goes with their pattern. We just don't know the 'lesson' yet” Urdon slaps a meaty hand on the table. “Are we going to wait for it? Let's nail the wizards!”
“Or,” Finday says, unfazed, “they had nothing to do with Yamma. It was a random opportunity – to teach us about misusing our home world.”
Stav's voice is distant, “Yes. A sort of planetary revenge to frighten us, make us wonder exactly what we are wondering. Then they talk to Huascar – warn him.”
“Either way, let's get those bastards!” Urdon launches out of his chair.
Finday chuckles. “You forget, Urdon. They aren't here or at Yamma. Shall we break the Treaties, go to the Ladhara System and make war in their faces?”
Stav sighs. “We can't act til he wakes up. His state and what they said will determine everything. What if they're trying to negotiate? It's Huascar's dream.”
“What if they know that?” Finday's voice flattens with portent.
That old story again?
“Oh, please,” Urdon interjects. “Sitting, staring at flame globes is a match for the Neethrupi?”
“We're familiar with our minds,” Stav says replies, raising Urdon's color a notch against his white beard.
Finday blinks slowly. “Let's keep on topic. Huascar's stable now, and you think it wasn't directly harmful, whatever they did.”
Stav nods.
“What about timing? Yamma wipes out our Science Team, now this. Did the Neethrupi make that disaster too?”
“Huascar wondered about that too, before...”
“Of course they did,” Urdon blusters, “Goes with their pattern. We just don't know the 'lesson' yet” Urdon slaps a meaty hand on the table. “Are we going to wait for it? Let's nail the wizards!”
“Or,” Finday says, unfazed, “they had nothing to do with Yamma. It was a random opportunity – to teach us about misusing our home world.”
Stav's voice is distant, “Yes. A sort of planetary revenge to frighten us, make us wonder exactly what we are wondering. Then they talk to Huascar – warn him.”
“Either way, let's get those bastards!” Urdon launches out of his chair.
Finday chuckles. “You forget, Urdon. They aren't here or at Yamma. Shall we break the Treaties, go to the Ladhara System and make war in their faces?”
Stav sighs. “We can't act til he wakes up. His state and what they said will determine everything. What if they're trying to negotiate? It's Huascar's dream.”
“What if they know that?” Finday's voice flattens with portent.