Geh!aoa folded her ears over her face and groaned. "Why did I ever think that being Captain was a good idea?"

"Lack of better candidates?" Geh!kin suggested. He reclined in the second chair the Captain's cabin had made for him, and looked at the very young learning-village student turned starship commander. "You can do this, Geh!aoa."

She unfolded one ear. "You could have done it."

"I'm trying to hold together what's left of our species. I can't be Captain on top of that. What's bothering you this time?"

Geh!aoa flared her ears with a deliberate effort. "For the third time so far this week, I've been invited to participate in a war. In other words, some humans would like the New Hope to obliterate their enemies."

"I'd decline."

"I have. Then there are the people who just want the wars to stop, and are asking me to kill the leaders on both sides."

"That at least has the merit of being more targeted."

"This species is a hundred years more advanced than ours. Why do I feel like a babysitter?"

"Hm, maybe more like a supervising adult at a play pool?"

"I suppose." She sighed. "It's pretty depressing to see that we're not going to outgrow war any time soon."

"The Arrurrans managed it," Geh!kin pointed out.

"But the Goldaskians still attack other worlds, and humans slaughter each other like it's nothing. Besides, the Arrurrans were united by almost getting themselves killed by a horde of golems, so they had wars too."

"Progress isn't perfection. Life will always have problems."

"I know, I know." Geh!aoa straightened up. "So, do we know what Nick's going to do with Petra?"

"He hasn't said anything definite, but I suspect that he's going to give her to us."

"Not the Arrurrans?"

"I think Nick is sympathetic to us. He's done a lot to rescue us from disaster, and helped us immensely, so I don't see him abandoning us entirely. Very possibly, he'll give us the golem, assuming that we'll use it for a while and then trade it to the Arrurrans for land rights or other concessions. That's what I would do in his situation."

"You don't think he'll keep it for Earth?"

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"Oh, I'm sure his people will want him to, and they'll bid on it, but Nick has told me that he's worried that Earth won't be able to defend itself by the time more Goldaskians show up. He called it a 'hot potato chip,' I think. He wants to get a lot of use out of Petra and then pass her off to someone else, and probably will advise us to do the same."

"What would you suggest we do with it, if he gave it to us?"

"Basically work for the Arrurrans, giving them a lot of what they want while reserving a fraction of the production for ourselves. It's the best way to make sure they don't break treaties with us or make us second-class citizens. If we move our pieces cleverly, we might end up fairly well-off by Arrurran standards. I just hope we don't completely lose who we are as a people in the process."

"Well, we aren't what we once were, anyway. We're survivors of an apocalypse. We're already changed. Those who floated away would be grateful to have our chance to flourish, even if our new lives are strange."

Geh!kin gave her a look. "That's very wise for one so young. I think you're growing into this Captain thing."

Geh!aoa have covered her eyes. "No, I just put together a few things I read in books."

"That is where a lot of good new ideas generally come from, Geh!aoa."

Geh!aoa changed the subject. "Captain Telnik asked about us giving assistance when they try to stop the ground quake, assuming the humans agree to let him try."

"Can we?"

Geh!aoa shook her head. "I don't think our ship-handling is up to the task, but I expect we'll be on standby in case of emergency."

"If everything is going to shit so badly that we can't possibly make things worse?"

"Basically."

"Well, it would be good if we could help."

"That's why I'm increasing the training rosters. On the long trip here, I got everyone up to minimal don't-kill-yourself-and-everyone-else competence, but Captain Telnik sent over details on what he would like us to do. Just in case, I'll get the crew as ready as they can be."

"Sounds like you're doing the right things."

"I hope so. I still very hesitant about letting the ambassadors stay behind when we leave. It could be years before we return—and if anything happens to the New Hope, they could be stranded on Earth forever. I don't want to run that risk."

"Respectfully, Captain, that's not your call to make. Everyone should get to choose what they do with their own lives."

Geh!aoa sighed. "I know, but it's hard watching people—who might not understand what they're getting into—naively trust that everything will go well."

"I've been looking into problems on the Earth side of that," Geh!kin told her.

"What?"

"I've been looking at the power blocs. The planet has a wide variety of governing styles in different regions, but a set of oligarchs hold the real power worldwide. We even have one of them aboard, getting deluxe health care from Dr. Vickall."

"What problems do you foresee?"

"Well, more like heading them off in advance, if I can manage it. Essentially, establishing what amount to private treaties with the humans who hold the most power, balancing them against each other. Unfortunately, I don't feel up to the task, so I've been getting help from Petra and Captain Telnik. That 'giant woodchuck' as Nick called him seems to be a treasure trove of wisdom. You might try talking a few things through with him, Captain to Captain."

Geh!aoa turned that over. "You're right. Just because he's a very, well, alien person doesn't mean I shouldn't ask him for advice. I'll talk with him when they get back from the neighboring star system."

A notification flashed in her vision. "And speaking of whom, the Guranaki Melor just showed up. I'd better get up to the bridge to welcome them back. Who knows? They might have found another alien race to talk to while they were there." Both of them stood. "Thanks for the talk, Geh!kin, or should I say, Leader Geh!kin?"

Geh!kin's ears flared slightly. "It's a work in progress."

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