Jorroc smiled through his tears and waved down the ramp towards the colony. “I don't know, I can think of a few thousand others.”
Shrugging with one shoulder, the ship's captain turned towards the pile of scrap metal, suddenly businesslike. “All right, let's get this junk unloaded!” he called, hurrying off.
The crew and assembled colonists filed into the cargo bay after him, and he put them to work sorting items and carrying them outside. Lana was left with the colony's leader, standing to one side of the ramp so they didn't get in the way. She felt like she should be helping out, but curiosity kept her beside the old man as she worked up the nerve to ask some questions she desperately needed to know the answers to.
“Are the Deeks really as bad as the Captain says?” she finally blurted.
Jorroc glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “I suppose that depends. Can't think of anyone who hates the Movement as much as Thorne, at least anyone still alive, and that's bound to color his perspective. But at the same time, he's spent his whole life seeing firsthand what they do, and so he knows them better than your average person. Probably even better than most Deconstructionists themselves.”
That wasn't really an answer. “Are they?”
The old man sighed, leaning back against the smooth metal bulkhead with a weary groan. “Before the war ended, it had been going on since before any of us were born. Longer than even the oldest people still living, who've extended their lives through cutting edge medical technology, have been alive. And during all the long years of it we watched things get worse and worse for everyone.”
He snorted, a hint of bitterness entering his otherwise kindly tone. “Deeks and Stags alike blamed the other side for all that was wrong in the universe, claimed that once the enemy was defeated things would start getting better again. Which I suppose is to be expected . . . blaming the other guy is just human nature. The thing is, while we can't guess what would've happened if the Stags won, we can see with our own eyes how things are under the Movement.
“And the plain fact is, things are still getting worse and worse. If anything, even faster than they were during the war. As if the Deeks are determined to grind humanity all the way down to extinction rather than admit their ideology might be wrong.”
Jorroc turned to her, eyes sad. “So are they as bad as Thorne claims? Every bit, I'd say. Maybe even worse, depending on how detailed he's been with his horror stories of the calamities they've caused, even when they thought they were doing something for humanity's good. I suppose it's a question of whether humanity has the strength to stop them before it's too late, but it's tragic to think of the hundreds of billions of innocents who've died in the meantime.”
She supposed she wasn't surprised to find that Aiden hadn't been lying, especially if he really had saved her from a Deek slaving ship. It was a relief to know it was all true, though.
“What about the Captain?” she asked quietly. “I only know what I've seen, and what he's told me. He says he's the good guy, that he has a good reason for attacking Movement ships, but how can I know for sure?”
The old man sighed again. “Thorne and I may have some . . . disagreements about the methods he employs in his personal war against the Deeks, and how effective they really are. But if there's one thing I can say for certain, it's that he's one of the best men I've ever known. And I've known him for a while now.”
“How long?” she asked, then hastily added. “If you don't mind talking about it.”
“I suppose I don't, if he doesn't,” Jorroc said with a wan smile. “I've known him since he was born. Friend of his parents. Of course, not long after that, I left the Preservationist cause to help found this colony, and I didn't see him again until after the end of the war decades later. Still, we've grown close since then.” He scratched at his jaw sheepishly. “I suppose you could say I feel a bit paternal towards him, and the gunner too.”
Lana blinked. What did Dax have to do with this? Given the young man's reticence about his past, though, she wasn't sure it was polite to ask. “Not the twins?” she said instead.
The old man snorted. “I try my best to be welcoming, but I have to admit it'd take a rare sort to feel fatherly towards those two vipers.”
“You're breaking my heart, old man,” a sarcastic voice said from across the cargo bay. “And here I was, agonizing over what birthday present to get you. What will this one be, like your thousandth?”
Jorroc turned to Belix, who'd just entered the bay from deeper within the ship, with a polite smile. “Charming as always, Miss Ishiv. The very soul of poise and elegance.”
The elfin woman scowled as she stalked over, drawing the eyes of most of the working colonists on the way. They seemed equal parts wary and amused, as if they thought this was going to be entertaining.
“Like you'd know anything about either of those qualities on this rustic backwater,” the Ishivi replied frostily. “To you, regal means someone who hasn't recently stepped in a cow pie.”
“I think you're just jealous you're not part of the best colony in the universe!” a worker shouted from the crowd.
“This colony is singular,” Belix agreed sourly, eyes still on Jorroc. “Singular in the shockingly high number of idiots who seem to idolize the festering pustule who commands our ship.”
Complete silence fell among the men and women helping them unload the cargo bay, and Lana felt her face heat at their obvious discomfort. Aiden put his face in his hands. “Crewman Belix, is your contribution to
