Lineage (Saturn's Legacy Book 3) by Joshua James

Author:Joshua James [James, Joshua]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-05-03T16:00:00+00:00

25

Broodmother Aara sat in the private chamber of the High Council and considered her options.

“I don’t mean to gainsay you,” Elder Roou said, bowing low. “But I must ask: are you certain that it is the will of the First Spawnmother that we should focus our attention so firmly on this particular key?”

Aara’s head whipped toward him, and she narrowed her eyes to slits. “Are you calling me a liar, Elder?”

“Of course not!” Roou placed one webbed hand over the breast of his uniform, where his triple hearts beat within his chest. “I question neither your wisdom nor Her guidance. I simply wonder if this is not Her way of showing us to seek a different path. There must be other keys throughout the universe that are easier to come by. The humans present a minor problem, but the Photosynthians? We have never beaten them in direct combat.”

“And they have not challenged us outright this time.” Aara rose to her feet in one smooth move and padded along the mossy floor.

“In the past, they have provided other species with defensive weapons,” Roou reminded her. “Now, they have the key itself. If they understood how to use it, they could do untold damage not only to our fleet, but even to our homeworlds.”

“The First Spawnmother would not allow it,” Aara snapped.

“Councilman Neel, what is your opinion?” Roou held out his hands pleadingly toward the younger male.

“Yes, Neel, enlighten us,” Aara said, whirling on him as well.

The brilliant yellow councilman tapped one fingerpad against his lips and eyed them both. Aara could almost sympathize with him, trapped as he was between two opposing personalities, but Neel had always been pliable and obedient. Surely he could see that Roou’s approach would show weakness, a luxury they could ill afford.

“The humans already know about us,” Neel reasoned. “If we withdraw, they will not forget about us, not now that they have the capability to travel the stars. Besides, Spawntraitor Muul is still with them. She presents a great liability.”

“And what would you have us do?” Aara demanded. “Start over on another world, in search of another key? Or sacrifice a second of our own? From the beginning, we intended to face the Photosynthians head-on. Destroying them was our goal. Now one of their ships is spotted in the atmosphere alongside human enemies, and we flee? Surely even you, Roou, see the trouble that presents. Cowardice will not win us anything.”

“But surely it would not be unwise to bide our time, at the very least,” Roou wheedled.

Aara stopped her pacing and took a step toward him. “The First Spawnmother bred a race of powerful creatures who knew no equal in the universe,” she intoned. It was old dogma, usually enough to bend her lessers to her will. “When you hesitate, you make us all weaker by association. You undermine all that She intended. Do you deny it, Elder Roou?”

“I have never doubted the First Spawnmother,” Roou said flatly, meeting her gaze. “I have only ever doubted you.

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