Mindshard (ON HOLD)

Complications

  “Your reaction is understandable, considering how deeply your people were involved against the Sidhe.”

     Vaughn blinked, then looked up at Crux.

  “Do they know?  I mean, the elves, . . . Sidhe that I talked to, don’t seem to be aware of that part of their history.  In fact, they don’t even remember that they came from Earth.”

     The big dragon frowned.  At least, that’s what it looked to Vaughn like he was doing.

  “No, they do not.”  He admitted.  “And they won’t take the word of an ancient enemy against those of their druidic record keepers.  We’ve supposed it’s because of the trauma of the Exile, fleeing Earth in magical starships to avoid being wiped out by a vengeful human race.  Else one would think they’d hesitate longer to enlist humanity’s aide after first nearly destroying them, then being nearly destroyed by them far in the past.  Or, in the very least, use the advanced technologies at their disposal, as well as their massive military to destroy a struggling human Directorate long ago, before you again became a threat to them.”

     His frown deepened.

  “Instead they recruit you and your former colleague, Dr. Finn to aide them in their quest for an ancient artifact that may, or may not help them hold their venerable empire together.”

     That earned the dragon a sharp look.

  “You know of the quest?”  Vaughn carefully asked.  Crux snorted.

  “There’s very little the Isivir, or the Pax can hide from the lore masters of the dragons, colonel, even their misguided quest for the Crown of Oberon.  Only a fool thinks a weapon can prevent a war.  Give the Praetors enough time and they’ll find a counter to the Crown, if the Pax can find it and use it as they intend to, crushing the rebellion and returning full control of the Pax to the council.”

     The wiry human studied the massive reptile for a long moment.

  “Ixim indicated the dragons are in favor of the Pax.  Yet you speak against it, lore master.  Why?”  She asked after a significant pause.  Crux took equally long to ponder his response.  When he spoke, it was measured and calculated.

  “We are too few in number to go to war against the Pax.”  He replied.  “Or even against the Sidhe, as reduced as they now are from their former magical power.  While we would hurt them badly, in the end we’d be destroyed.  I, for one, don’t relish the thought of extinction.  We are too old a race, too used to life to want to throw our lives so uselessly away in a quest to restore our former glory.”

     He paused to tap the talons of his left claw against the ground in a slow rhythm.

  “But to hold to a thing out of fear cankers the soul, colonel.  We support the Pax not because we believe in it or its charter, but because we don’t want to be destroyed.  That generates resentment and anger, something now bubbling to the surface in the form of the Praetors and their rebellion.  While we don’t support the Praetors, there are many amongst us that are considering this an opportune time to press our own claims of independence.  The dragons have languished under the Pax’s boot.  We would be free again, or in the very least, granted equal status.  If the Praetors split the Pax wide open, it could lead to our own separation.”

     Vaughn pursed her lips thoughtfully.  Damn, this thing was getting more and more complicated by the second.  First Deks admits there’s a rebellion working against the Pax and its guiding council, seeking to split the Pax apart unless serious governmental reform could be put in place.  Second Brin admits the Teserin are forced to support the Pax out of fear of being destroyed by the Juresil and Halinor.