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“I am well aware of that, Lieutenant-Commander Davies,” Khoth replied.

“More than aware of it. I’m betting you are already thinking of rejecting it because they’re offering you so much,” Jace said.

One of his hands was up at his right temple, rubbing a circle into the skin there. Khoth knew that Jace needed to be out of the sun and sitting down. More water and rest would be optimal. He could get Jace that at the Moturin Compound.

“And you are considering their offer more than you otherwise would, because of how much you believe it will give me,” Khoth pointed out.

“Good god, it’s like that Christmas story where the lady cuts her hair to get a watch chain for her husband and the husband sells the watch to get her some pretty combs for that hair,” Davies remarked dryly.

“I do not see the point of that story.” Khoth frowned.

“It means that they loved each other so much that they were willing to part with their most sacred possessions to give the other something special,” Jace said.

Khoth blinked. Love. Davies knew that he and Jace cared for one another? It had been only a sub-cycle and they were discovered? Khoth remained very upright. Perhaps he was misunderstanding this. Humans were strange at times. But their leaps of logic were quite accurate as well.

“The point of it is that you’re both sacrificing something thinking that it’s for the good of each other, but if you do that, you’ll have a useless chain and hair combs,” Davies pointed out. “So let’s not do that. Let’s get both of you something you want.”

Jace grimaced and brought the massaging hand down. “Truthfully, I don’t think there’s much choice but to go with Maturin. There’s no one else greeting us. I suppose we could saunter into town on our own.”

“That would not be wise,” Khoth said.

Khoth imagined the reaction of the Thaf’ell. Some would be fascinated and curious but most would be afraid. And that was actually a logical reaction considering what Jace could do and the fact that they didn’t know he wouldn’t hurt them. Humans, after all, were supposed to be mere animals controlled by the basest notions of their Xis. That he had ever believed this sounded absurd to him now, but he had.

“Right.” Jace rubbed harder. “And I believe Typhon’s right about Nova. We can’t help her. We need her to come out of this swinging and strong to help us.”

“My father has left her,” Khoth stated.

Jace grimaced. “I--I’m not sorry about that. He’s right to have chosen you. Thaf’ell or human logic.”

“There is only one logic, Pilot. But yes, the point is taken,” Khoth answered.

“Aren’t you glad he did it?” Davies asked.

Khoth crossed his arms at the wrists behind his back. “I have not yet had the time to evaluate the pros and cons of this development, Lieutenant-Commander Davies. But I pointed this out because without my father’s steadying presence, I fear her emotionally compromised state will only increase. Even if she were to win, I do not know if she could or would help us.”

“We’ve got to think about that. We need her strong,” Jace said.

“Only if she’s on our side, thanks,” Davies huffed.

“We’ve definitely got to think about that.” Jace grimaced.

“If we go with House Moturin then we might lose our chance with her,” Khoth pointed out.

“Maybe.” Jace rubbed both temples now.

They needed to get Jace out of the sun. He needed rest. There was no perfect answer. In cases such as this it was best to take what was offered. His eyes slid to Typhon and narrowed, but then he saw his father speaking gently with Dr. Hayter. His heart thudded heavily inside of him. Could he give up his father twice? Yes, for Jace he could. But maybe doing so wasn’t the right thing.

“We should accept the offer of hospitality, but make no other decision,” Khoth suggested. “My father and Typhon have shown… great elasticity in their thinking. Typhon learned English. He could not have done so overnight.”

“Which means he’s been thinking of humanity as an ally?” Jace asked. The rubbing eased.

“He must have been. And he’s done something by inviting my father and myself into his House that few others would do. No others would do that actually,” Khoth amended.

“But he has a reason to do this,” Jace said with a glance at Khoth.

Khoth frowned. “As does any House that wishes to advance itself and has the ambition to--”

“No, I mean…” Jace looked over at him and down again. “Perhaps he just wants you and your father as part of his… family.”