now.”
The tall man shrugged. “Raven will do. Nevermore, nevermore the chains is a rallying cry. My people have never heard that other name.”
“Because you hid who you were. You know, Mother approved of me joining Conquest , and since the Meme half of her has lived through four millennia, and we have every expectation of very long lives, there’s no way she got as upset as you imply.”
“Have it your way. I know what I saw when I looked at her. Like her heart had been ripped out.”
Ezekiel’s mouth curled up in a bitter grimace. “Maybe you don’t know what you saw. Maybe it was someone else she was missing. Maybe you substituted your own feelings for hers. Charles, I’m sorry I had to leave, but Task Force Conquest needed a Blend, and you four were too vital to the war effort. In fact, as you now know if you’ll examine the memories I just gave you, without a Blend to talk to the Sekoi, we’d never have convinced them to rebel, and that turned the tide of battle. Without a Blend there, a million people would be dead and there would be no hope of liberating Earth.”
Charles the Raven sneered. “You are full of yourself, aren’t you? While you slept the decades away and played your spy games elsewhere, I’ve been fighting a brutal and unending war against our enslavers. But there’s far from ‘no hope.’ At least, there was hope before you showed up. Now you people might have destroyed our best chance to throw off the yoke. We may all end up dead, or in a far worse position, thanks to your Captain Absen and his premature actions.”
“Excuse me,” Spooky interjected. “May I suggest you two put aside your family squabbles for a moment? If the situation is dire, and there are unrevealed and important factors, fixing the problems and not the blame seems the best course of action.”
“Spooky Nguyen,” said Charles, still sneering. “Another who abandoned his post seeking glory.” He gestured at the aliens. “At least these two are innocent of your crimes. Perhaps I should deal with them.”
“Perhaps you are allowing yourself to be blinded by emotion,” Spooky replied mildly. “We can assist you, but only if you explain the local situation. That is why we came – to make personal contact. Not to be heroes, or seize your movement for ourselves. To help liberate Earth.”
“There would be a lot more to liberate if all of you had stayed to fight the Meme.” This time, Spooky heard unbounded, bottomless bitterness in Charles’ voice as the man locked eyes with Ezekiel. “Mother lived, but Stephanie and Andrew died in the Destroyer strikes that killed ninety-five percent of the population. Only those in the deep shelters survived. Then, when most came out, the Empire took over to begin forced breeding and rebuilding programs. Mother sneaked a ship down here in the confusion, and for the last fifty years we’ve expanded and spread our bases under the oceans, striking and running, dueling with loyalists and their navies… I haven’t set foot on dry land in decades, Zeke.”
“I’m sorry, Chas. I have no idea what you’ve gone through. Please forgive me. I should have stayed.” Ezekiel stepped toward the other man, and after a long wavering moment they embraced as brothers.
“No,” Charles said after they parted, still clasping hands. “You did the right thing, no matter how painful. It’s just…I’m…”
“It can’t be easy, me showing up like this. Let’s just give it time, all right?”
“Yes.” Turning away, Charles stepped behind his desk and sat down, waving the others to seats. “Now, I need to tell you some things.”
***
“You’re certain of this?” Spooky asked Charles after hearing his story. “And you believe it?”
“I’m certain the Meme believe it,” he replied, lips pressed into a grim line.
“This changes everything,” Trissk said, unconsciously needling the tips of his claws into the arm of his chair. Fortunately, the stuff
The tall man shrugged. “Raven will do. Nevermore, nevermore the chains is a rallying cry. My people have never heard that other name.”
“Because you hid who you were. You know, Mother approved of me joining Conquest , and since the Meme half of her has lived through four millennia, and we have every expectation of very long lives, there’s no way she got as upset as you imply.”
“Have it your way. I know what I saw when I looked at her. Like her heart had been ripped out.”
Ezekiel’s mouth curled up in a bitter grimace. “Maybe you don’t know what you saw. Maybe it was someone else she was missing. Maybe you substituted your own feelings for hers. Charles, I’m sorry I had to leave, but Task Force Conquest needed a Blend, and you four were too vital to the war effort. In fact, as you now know if you’ll examine the memories I just gave you, without a Blend to talk to the Sekoi, we’d never have convinced them to rebel, and that turned the tide of battle. Without a Blend there, a million people would be dead and there would be no hope of liberating Earth.”
Charles the Raven sneered. “You are full of yourself, aren’t you? While you slept the decades away and played your spy games elsewhere, I’ve been fighting a brutal and unending war against our enslavers. But there’s far from ‘no hope.’ At least, there was hope before you showed up. Now you people might have destroyed our best chance to throw off the yoke. We may all end up dead, or in a far worse position, thanks to your Captain Absen and his premature actions.”
“Excuse me,” Spooky interjected. “May I suggest you two put aside your family squabbles for a moment? If the situation is dire, and there are unrevealed and important factors, fixing the problems and not the blame seems the best course of action.”
“Spooky Nguyen,” said Charles, still sneering. “Another who abandoned his post seeking glory.” He gestured at the aliens. “At least these two are innocent of your crimes. Perhaps I should deal with them.”
“Perhaps you are allowing yourself to be blinded by emotion,” Spooky replied mildly. “We can assist you, but only if you explain the local situation. That is why we came – to make personal contact. Not to be heroes, or seize your movement for ourselves. To help liberate Earth.”
“There would be a lot more to liberate if all of you had stayed to fight the Meme.” This time, Spooky heard unbounded, bottomless bitterness in Charles’ voice as the man locked eyes with Ezekiel. “Mother lived, but Stephanie and Andrew died in the Destroyer strikes that killed ninety-five percent of the population. Only those in the deep shelters survived. Then, when most came out, the Empire took over to begin forced breeding and rebuilding programs. Mother sneaked a ship down here in the confusion, and for the last fifty years we’ve expanded and spread our bases under the oceans, striking and running, dueling with loyalists and their navies… I haven’t set foot on dry land in decades, Zeke.”
“I’m sorry, Chas. I have no idea what you’ve gone through. Please forgive me. I should have stayed.” Ezekiel stepped toward the other man, and after a long wavering moment they embraced as brothers.
“No,” Charles said after they parted, still clasping hands. “You did the right thing, no matter how painful. It’s just…I’m…”
“It can’t be easy, me showing up like this. Let’s just give it time, all right?”
“Yes.” Turning away, Charles stepped behind his desk and sat down, waving the others to seats. “Now, I need to tell you some things.”
***
“You’re certain of this?” Spooky asked Charles after hearing his story. “And you believe it?”
“I’m certain the Meme believe it,” he replied, lips pressed into a grim line.
“This changes everything,” Trissk said, unconsciously needling the tips of his claws into the arm of his chair. Fortunately, the stuff
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