"Ida, Gunvor there is a reason I have called you here today." Tenel Ka began. Gunvor nodded. Ida merely looked grim.
"Reintegration of our troops. It will possibly be a far more difficult task than fighting the war was." Tenel Ka continued. Ida's expression was especially dire.
"There won't be enough jobs. Not immediately." Ida said. Gunvor snorted.
"Its not nearly as bad as you two think." he said. Tenel ka inclined her head, and Ida glared.
"The operation of our economy is my business Gunvor. It simply does not add up. Our male workforce had been reduced, due to military service, to the point that we were forced to lift the protected work sanctions." she said. Gunvor rolled his eyes.
"Those sanctions were irrelevant. An uneducated male can work in factories, far more cheaply than an educated female. Those sanction were only made by Ta'a Chume to placate the worker's incidents." Gunvor said in blatant derision. Tenel Ka leveled an annoyed glance.
"That may be true Gunvor, but the problem remains, we were forced to fill the traditional jobs of the male worker class. They will want those jobs back. And the poor class female will not willingly relinquish those jobs."
"They had the poor class working vital jobs!" Gunvor said, almost aghast. Ida sighed.
"We did not wish to, but the man power shortages forced our hand, even the minimal education the working class had was a difficult obstacle to work around. But the poor class more often than not are only able to read." Ida said. Tenel Ka fought down a serious angry reaction. Occasionally the Hapan reality of her life violently conflicted with her Dathomiri heritage, and Jedi upbringing.
"This situation was centuries in the making. Only now, that our working class, returned from war, and our poor class for now gainfully employed, do we have an explosive situation." she said. She glanced at the silent Jacen, sitting off to the side.
"You input would be appreciated." she told him. Gunvor and Ida exchanged uneasy glances. The Prince Consort had no legal or traditional say or influence on the Queen. Much less a Queen's . . . paramore. Jacen was nearly as surprised by her request as they were.
"I really don't now enough of Hapes' internal workings or of a classed society to make that kind of advisement." He hedged
uncomfortably. Tenel Ka gave him a disappointed look.
"Jacen, you were born and raised on Coruscant, a world which, if not in name, has existed with social classes and caste that
have remained stable throughout the Old Republic, Galactic Empire and New Republic-"
"But never again." Jacen said, almost angrily. Tenel Ka flinched. She had forgotten again.
"Then as a Jedi, and an educated man, give me your input." she said. Jacen visibly calmed himself. Tenel Ka noticed Gunvor watch Jacen with old and tired eyes. Tenel Ka realized that this situation was playing out in Gunvor's eyes much the way he expected it. He was projecting Jacen's behavior to his experience. And unfortunately he was right.
"I think Gunvor is right. The work force issue is not nearly as bad or complicated as you think." Jacen said. Ida started to protest, but Tenel Ka wordlessly lifted a hand to forstall her protests.
"Explain."
"You have a very large motivated army about to be demobilized. They have all experienced life altering . . . And possibly shattering experiences. . ." Tenel Ka saw Gunvor nod in agreement out of the corner of her eye.
". . . Some of them will return to their old lives, and few will be unable to cope with their situation. The rest will find new avenues for opportunity. And a large portion might emigrate or find at least temporary employment outside the Cluster." he said.
"But why would they . . ." Ida started. Gunvor interrupted her.
"Because they have seen other worlds, met people, hell decided they'd fallen in love."
"The fact is, men are in demand everywhere throughout the Vong's invasion path. And they can rise far higher on these worlds than they can in the Cluster." he said. His comment made something in Jacen's gut grow cold somehow. Tenel Ka glanced at him, knowing that both he and Anakin had been prone to prophetic suspicions and visions. Though in this case it cause unease in her as well.
"That may be potential for trouble." Tenel Ka said. Gunvor nodded.
"Yes, there will be more than a few who will try to take advantage of war depleted worlds. And nearly as many who have
become deranged." he said. Tenel Ka grimaced.
"Has there been problems?" she asked. Gunvor sighed.
"Now that the war is over, some things are coming out that our troops hid."
"What sort of things?" Tenel Ka asked, warily. Jacen snorted.
"Atrocities, profiteering . . ." he looked Gunvor in the eye. " . . . Fragging." he said. The term was unfamiliar to Tenel Ka, and to Ida.
"Fragging?" Ida asked. Gunvor sighed.
"When humans still used chemically propelled kinetic weapons, if a band of soldiers believed their commanding officer was dangerously reckless of unfit to lead, they would toss a fragmentation explosive at him and claim he was killed by enemy action." Gunvor said. Ida actually paled at the thought.
"They murdered their commanders?" she turned to Jacen. "And you claim our soldiers did this?" she asked incredulously.
"It occurs in nearly every armed conflict. All it takes is a officer isolated from his command structure and a malicious intent toward his troops. That isolation makes it almost impossible for soldiers to be caught."
"Even Stormtroopers and Imperials did it occasionally . . . In fact . . ." Gunvor said looking at Jacen. Jacen nodded.
"Yeah, Dad got away with it." he said.
"In fairness, the man he killed was a slaver and vile enough that the Storm troopers pretended it never happened." Gunvor said. Jacen shrugged. It was always a little strange to Jacen, that most people forgot his father's history as an Officer in the Imperial Navy.
"Getting back to the matter at hand." Tenel Ka said.
"Ida, prepare plans for our economy. We may be able to negate or manpower situation by expanding outside the cluster.
Gunvor, what are our expected Troop strength's through the next three years?" Gunvor sighed.
"A number of our troops have expressed a desire to remain in the military, and for now we will let them. Through three years
we are projected to reduce our army to Forty million."
"That is a steep reduction." Ida said.
"Not when our prewar strength was less than a hundred thousand. The only reason we are going to hang onto so many is because our agreement with the Galactic Alliance will require us to help maintain stability in the invasion path." He said.
"Right, for now Gunvor, I want your people to look for older soldiers ready to leave service, ones we can trust and have
integrity." she said. Gunvor frowned not following what she wanted.
"I can, but why?"
"We are going to send them to the Invasion Path to find and relocate the orphans to the Cluster. I will not tolerate any of my subjects lost to the anarchy on those worlds. Contact my father, he will head and coordinate this mission." she said. Gunvor nodded.
"And after they are returned to Hapes?" he asked. Tenel Ka gave him a confused look.
"Where are we to house that many children?" Gunvor asked.
"In the immediate term we will make use of the training camps made during the war." she said. Gunvor didn't like that. Jacen didn't either, and the open grimace on his face was an acknowledgement of how unsuitable the camps likely were.
"The Training camps are no place for children!" he said emphatically. Tenel Ka had to restrain a smile. Gunvor was gruff and openly anti-social, he was however much like a Resident Rancor Bull that Tenel Ka had observed in her childhood. While borderline murderous to any unrelated male, they were nearly as docile as a nerf with the broodlings among its herd. They were also known to attack any Dathomiri who got too close to the broodlings. No sane Dathomiri would approach a herd with a Resident Bull present. Even with their spells the Bulls were almost invulnerable to the Witches.
Jacen coughed suspiciously as he caught Tenel Ka's train of thought.
" I am aware of that Gunvor, however we are talking about children, that are at the oldest two maybe three years old." she said.
"All the more reason! Those places we're made for fully grown adult men, worse made to turn those men into soldiers capable of carrying out a war."
"He's saying the obstacle courses are not safe, and will injure kids." Jacen said.
"I thought I had made that clear." Gunvor snapped at Jacen in annoyance. Jacen shrugged, not wanting to explain that being psychic enabled him to know when people weren't understanding him or other people.
"Like I said this is only an immediate situation. We will build proper orphanages and schools and shift the children to these homes as soon as possible." she said. Gunvor considered and then nodded.
"Ida, continue working on our plans for the post war economy, Gunvor start working on what we have just discussed." Tenel Ka said. They both took it as a sign that they were dismissed. Leaving Jacen and Tenel Ka alone again.
"Subtle." Jacen commented. Tenel Ka glanced at him, unashamed.
"I have made my intentions toward you clear." she said.
"And I have not agree to stay." he said.
"Why not?" Tenel Ka said, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice. Jacen frowned.
"I have told you why." He told her. She allowed a bitter smile.
"I understand Jacen. But you can offer much more than being the Royal Consort." she said. Jacen sighed.
"Tenel Ka . . ."
"Just please consider it!" she said. Jacen stared at her and then nodded. She stepped toward him.
"If it truly is a measure of solitude that you desire, you can find it here." she told him. Jacen blinked and then chuckled.
"Tenel Ka, I really don't know what I want. I just don't want to step into this without fully considering my options." He said and then added. "And I'm not talking about our relationship." he said.
"So Gunvor is right." Tenel Ka stated sadly. Jacen turned away. He was well aware that Gunvor Suspected that he wasn't at all recovered from the war. Even he didn't think he was.
"More right than I would ever want to admit." Jacen told her. Tenel Ka reached up and held his head with her hand.
"Jacen, I can help you, if you'll let me." she told him. He smiled.
"I know, and it is tempting." he told her. She smiled. She was making progress, Jacen was starting to let her in. He then slammed the door shut again.
"Now, how are you plans for a new arm?" he asked, pointedly changing the subject. She gave him a disappointed look but relented. No point trying to pet a reclusive, wounded Nek.
"Myrna had the designs ready. Next week she will preform the surgery. It will not be delayed since our actions have not resulted in pregnancy." she told him. He blinked and then nodded. He didn't need Jedi senses to know that she was disappointed at some level.
"There will be time for that, now is not that time." Jacen said. Tenel Ka sighed.
"I agree." she said. Part of her did.
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"So where exactly are we going?" Jaina finally asked her parents.
"Mon Cal." Han replied, violently operating the NavComputer. Jaina sighed.
"Dad, slapping the NavComputer will not make it run faster." she told him. Han stopped what he was doing and gave her a withering glance. She rolled her eyes and lifted her hands in exasperation.
"Its your ship." she said.
"Damn right." Han said, slapping the Navicomputer even harder. Leia smirked at Jaina. Jaina gave her mother an irritated glance.
"Alright since you're not abusing the Falcon, why are we going to Mon Cal?" she asked. Leia sighed.
"Alright, this might be a little upsetting. . ."
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"Let me get this straight, Tahiri's on Mon Cal so she can get pregnant with Anakin's . . . children. And for some reason Chilgal and you two are going with this." Jaina said.
"Jaina, I know this is hard for you to . . ."
"ANAKIN IS DEAD!" Jaina almost shrieked. "This won't bring him back." she said. Han grabbed her by the collar, surprising her and her mother. His voice held a strain and urgency that was utterly alien to his normal voice and personality.
"This was Anakin's wish, he willed his genetics to her, it is her legal right to use it. I understand you don't want to accept it, but its not your decision. Tahiri has made hers and Jacen and I are more than willing to accept it." He said, giving Leia a glance. She had accepted the situation, but with much more reservation than Jacen or Han had.
"She's barely more than a child!"
"I know." Han said, his voice raspy. "And I have told her that." he said, giving Leia a look. Jaina followed his glance.
"And for that, so are you girl."
"Mom?" Jaina asked. Leia sighed.
"When Anakin died, and Tahiri was only 15, his . . . Genetics were placed in Han's care. I eventually found it and nearly disposed of it. Han fortunately stopped me and told me what it was. We gave it to Tahiri after the treaty." she said.
"When I did, Han thought as you did, that Tahiri should learn to let go of Anakin and find happiness some other way." she said. Han turned away.
"But I know, as you know, Jaina, that Tahiri will not be able to let Anakin go, nor will she ever be able to find a man she can love." Leia said. Jaina frowned.
"The samples will only last another six year plus change. Tahiri's position was very clear, if she is to have children they would be Anakin's or not at all." Leia said.
"Even if she has children every year until Anakin's stuff is no good, they cannot replace Anakin."
"No they can't." Leia said sharply. She sighed.
"But its something to give her purpose." Leia said.
"That is not a good reason." Jaina said.
"Jacen doesn't think as you do." Leia said.
"Jacen is half crazy." Jaina retorted.
"Been saying that about all of you for years." Han muttered. The glare Leia gave him more akin to an ex-wife newly separated and with great acrimony, than an annoyed wife and mother.
"Jacen is not fully himself yet, but he will be eventually. And he can relate much more to Tahiri than any of us can." Leia said. Jaina frowned.
"He knows what she is going through and I trust his judgement."
"He let Tenel Ka talk him out of his plans and follow her around for whatever reason."Jaina retorted. Han snorted. Jaina looked at him.
"Jacen's always been after her. Jaina. Of course he's going to go with her." Han said. He looked at Jaina.
"And don't tell me I know, you may be his twin, and Leia, you are his mother, but how to chase a girl, much less a princess, is something only I could tell him. And I did when he was thirteen. That's how long he's had his eye on her, and don't doubt for a second its moved at all." Han said and sat at the Dejerik table.
"He at least knows what he wants, and he'll go after her. Who knows, maybe they'll beat Tahiri."
"Han! That's not something to joke about." Leia said. Han sighed and looked pointedly at Jaina.
"I know its not. But Jacen is the only one of you two I understand right now." he said. Leia abruptly left. Jaina frowned. Leia had appeared as though about to cry.
"What is? . . ." she started. Han sighed.
"We didn't try to have favorites, but Jacen was hers." Han said. Jaina blinked. "Having him alive, but never the same boy, never her favorite son she remembered . . . Its almost worse than Anakin being dead."
"And he's so distant." Jaina said softly. Han sighed.
"Of course he is, he was tortured for months, you don't get over torture very quickly. That I know." Han told her.
"So you understand him now, but you never could before." she asked skeptically. Han gave her a hard look.
"Jaina, I know more than any of you about loss, I know far too much about pain and loneliness. And frankly I'm glad Jacen has Tenel Ka that he feels he can trust. And more importantly, she is steady as a rock."
"Why is that so important?" she asked. Han looked at her.
"You know your brother, as much as he's screwed up right now, he's still himself, but he doesn't believe it. You know how he used to make bugs and crawlies do whatever he wanted without even thinking it. He told me he can barely feel living things." Han told her. Jaina's eyes shot open in surprise.
"What? Why didn't he tell me?" Jaina said, blinking back tears. The old Jacen was nearly a part of her. If he could feel life like she knew he had felt it . . . it was tantamount to being insane, or even dead from his perspective.
"Because I'm his father, and I've been where he has, even if it is different. He can't tell you or your mother about it." Han said.
"Why not? I am his twin!"
"You're his sister. He can't put that on you or your mother." he said. Jaina stopped and considered.
"How bad was it?" she asked softly. Han looked at her.
"If it had happened to me, I would have put a blaster in my mouth and squeezed the trigger." Jaina gaped.
"But you would never!" she said.
"I seriously considered killing myself only once. Chewie stopped me." Han said. Jaina's expression had a sick pallor to it. She was now a grow woman, but clearly she was still that sixteen year old girl when it came to understanding men, and only her brother, much less Jag, who had even more reason to question himself, and his humanity.
"There is a breaking point in every man Jaina. Jacen was probably pushed past his, and who he is now is the result. What he needs is time and peace, and Tenel Ka can give him that, along with some good old fashion loving." Han said. Jaina blanched.
"Dad, I don't even want to think about that!"
"Why not, you been dangling Imp boy around for months now." Han challenged.
"How is that at all different?" Jaina returned. Han looked at her, and grimaced
"Its really not, but it still is, because Jacen is my son, and Tenel Ka's feelings are obvious, and she has no problem going after what she wants. Unlike Imp boy who lets the Chiss dictate his life. Your gifts let you know how he feels, but Jag doesn't know and he feels he has an obliagation of Honor to serve the Chiss. I hope you understand that Jaina, or you will be setting yourself up for heart break." he told her. Jaina stared at him.
"How come you never talk like this?" she asked him. He chuckled.
"Sometimes its more convenient to act how people expect you to. Sometimes it makes things easier if people expect less from you." Han told her.
"So why are you talking like this now." She asked.
"Well I am old now. People might forgive me for growing a brain." he said. Jaina laughed.
"So what are you and Mom doing about Tahiri?" Jaina asked.
"She's family. We'll be there for her if she needs us. You brother told her the same thing." Han told her. Jaina considered.
"I still think she should wait. But I will support her." Jaina said.
"Good, because Tahiri's going to be traveling with us for the next couple years." Han told her. Jaina looked at him.
"I told you, she's family."
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"Father! It is good to have you home again." Tenel Ka told her father. Isolder smiled as he left his shuttle.
"Well, it is good to be home." he said, hugging Tenel Ka. He glanced at her conspicuous companion.
"Its is good to see you as well Jacen, you look far more healthier than the last time I saw you." Isolder said.
"And more stable?" Jacen said Tenel Ka gave him a withering glance. Isolder however merely laughed.
"That too." he said. Tenel Ka scowled. She did not find Jacen's emotional stability a laughing matter, even if the two men she loved most in the galaxy would day to laugh at it.
"Good food, a good woman go a long way." Jacen said, glancing at Tenel Ka. Isolder's face twitched in recognition. Tenel Ka impatiently broke in.
"Come father, we have much to discuss."
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"Orphans?" Isolder mused. "I had not considered this possibility." he said. He looked across the table to Tenel Ka.
"Nor would I have anticipated so large a problem." he told her.
"Our obligation is clear." Tenel Ka said. Isolder looked at her for a moment.
"Its also a potential for conflict. Some of these worlds will not want to give up children whom they may believe belong to them." Isolder told her.
"Or ransom them." Jacen said. Father and daughter looked at him.
"Yes or ransom them." Isolder said. Tenel Ka looked at them in dismay.
"But they are children!" she said. "Mere toddlers at the oldest." Tenel Ka said in a wounded tone. Isolder blinked. He shook it off, if his daughter had a soft spot for children, he wasn't going to discourage her.
"These worlds are devastated and even if removing these children will reduce the strain, they are also giving up their own blood." Jacen said softly. Tenel Ka's temper flared.
"Irregardless, I shall not be blackmailed, the children shall be returned to Hapes, or I will declare war." she said. Both Jacen and Isolder exchanged glances.
"Tenel Ka, I do not think-" Isolder started to say.
"No father, unless these children are in the care of their remaining parent, Hapes will take custody and damned the consequences!" Tenel Ka nearly hissed. Jacen stood and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Tenel Ka, calm down." He told her. Tenel Ka looked at him and then visibly calmed herself.
"What you suggest is possible." Isolder said. "Our Navy is now strong enough to take on the New Republic or the Imperial Remnant if need be. But high handed tactics like that will lead to more problems than it solves." Isolder told her. Tenel Ka took a deep breath. He was right and she knew it.
"You are right father." she said, reaching up to grasp Jacen's hand. Isolder's eyes met Jacen's. It was reluctant acceptance. Tenel Ka watched the exchange with furrowed brows. Isolder nodded at Jacen and returned his attention to his daughter.
"We can find alternatives to armed threats." he told her. Tenel Ka considered
"Very well father, I am placing you in charge of the Organization being formed for the finding and care of these orphans." she
told him. Isolder nodded.
"Very well my daughter. As stated, it may be necessary to pay off these worlds."
"Within limits I will tolerate it, but if forced I will take military action." Tenel Ka said. Isolder swallowed, not liking how much of his Mother was peaking through Tenel Ka.
"Tenel Ka, that won't help." Jacen said talking her down. She closed her eyes and sighed.
"You are right, I must go now, I have an appointment with Myrna I must attend." She said standing, pulling Jacen with her. Isolder watched her go. He glanced at one of the holos of his wife. Clearly his daughter had not emerged from the war unscathed.
"What the hell was that?" Jacen asked her. Though his voice was calm, Tenel Ka could sense anger and disapointment in him.
"They are Hapan children." Tenel Ka said firmly. Jacen's expression became confused.
"That is true, but they are not your children." he said. Tenel Ka stopped and turned on him.
"We have lost too much! Too many men, too many of our people. There has been too much sacrifice. I will not tolerate the sacrifice of even one!" Tenel Ka said fiercely, backing him into a wall, glaring up at him, nose to nose.
"And in a real, tangible way they are ALL my children." Jacen's gaze slowly softened.
"I understand that Tenel Ka, but high handed martial acts may not be necessary, or more likely counterproductive." he said calmly. The fire in Tenel Ka's eyes slowly simmered down. She broke eye contact.
"I know." she said, burying her head into his neck.
"Its alright, everyone has moments of weakness." he told her.
"They are far more frequent then they used to be." Tenel Ka told him. Jacen chuckled bitterly.
"You haven't seen me at a weak moment yet." he told her.
"Until then I will be glad of your strength." Tenel Ka said. Jacen chuckled.
"Among other things." he said. Tenel Ka leaned back.
"Frisky?" she asked. Jacen coughed, slightly embarrassed. Tenel Ka smiled broadly, bad mood vanished. This might not be the best way to control my temper. Tenel Ka thought. She banished the thought. She never wanted to inflict single childhood on her children.
"I think a bath is in order, and then a nap." she said teasing him. She released her hold of him and strutted away.
"Are you coming or not?" she said. Jacen watched her walk, admiring the tone, muscular legs, and the nearly hypnotic sway of her hips. He was a Jedi, but even to him genetics had a way of overpowering higher functioning thought. The Allure of staying on Hapes, even to being her Royal Stud was becoming more and more enticing.
"What am I doing just thinking?" Jacen muttered and then hurried after her.
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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Chilgal asked. Tahiri's expression was set and determined. She nodded. Chilgal stepped to a window in her family's home.
"You should understand that I am not an expert in human, or even mammalian reproduction. We Mon Cals are very different in that aspect." she said. Tahiri nodded, knowing that Mon Cals, as Amphibians, laid large clutches of eggs, which males
then fertilized. All of which did not involve sexual intercourse. Motherhood for Mon Cals was also different, the majority of parenting being provided by males, a result of evolution, where Mon Cal males had once staked large territories on the Ocean shelf and coastal waters, and females had traveled in migratory pods. Mon Cals instinctively avoid the opposite gender parent, being intensely uncomfortable around them.
"I know and trust you Chilgal." Tahiri told her. Chilgal nodded, using body language learned from humans to indicate her acceptance.
"Very well. We will start with food." she told Tahiri. Tahiri blinked.
"Food? How is food going to help?" Chilgal looked at her.
"For your height Tahiri, you are about 10-15 kilos underweight." Chilgal told her bluntly.
"But I feel fine. And I was a prisoner, that's why I am thin, and Jacen was worse than me when he escaped." Tahiri said. Chilgal sighed.
"Jacen was nearly starved to death, true, but since he escaped, he's gained 30 kilos, moreover he's a man. Granted some of that was due to adult body chemistry and the muscle gain thereafter."
"We'll I'm 18 and I'm healthy enough." Tahiri said a little defiantly.
"Perhaps, but the fact remains. You are presently healthy for yourself, but to have a child will require nutrient stores you do not presently have." She said. Tahiri calmed herself.
"I'm working with a limited time frame here Chilgal." she said. Chilgal glared at her.
"For that you can thank Master Skywalker. Who decided that I would be the best choice to preserve genetic material."
"But I wasn't asked." Tahiri said. Chilgal shrugged.
"I know, the adult women were given the opportunity to preserve their eggs, some, I will not name them, decided to make use of the offer. But the majority of the human women and all of the Twi'Leks did not."
"Why not?" Tahiri asked.
"I honestly don't know, Mon Cals are not monogamous, or even sexual as humans understand that, and I was already beyond that stage of life, in fact by human standards I would be a Grandparent." Chilgal told her.
"I didn't know." Tahiri said. Chilgal shrugged.
"I am not a mammal, I do not have the same emotional or protective instinct you will have for your children."
Tahiri stared at her with a disturbed expression.
"Keep in mind Tahiri, that I laid nearly a thousand eggs, most of whom I have never met after they were . . . Laid." Chilgal said.
"That's . . ." Tahiri realized that she was about to say, horrible.
"Difficult for humans, much less human women to understand, I am aware. You can imagine Master Skywalker's near horror when he learn this." Chilgal said. Tahiri managed a chuckle.
"He is a bit conservative." she said. Chilgal nodded.
"Getting back to your issue, pardon the pun." Chilgal said.
"I don't have the expertise a human doctor might have, so we'll use the method used for thousands of years. We'll incite your eggs to mature more rapidly than normal, then harvest the mature eggs. we will then use Anakin's sperm to fertilize the eggs. Optimaly we will have 4 viable embryos to implant."
"Four?" Tahiri asked, more than a little wary of the idea of having four babies at once.
"Yes, given your age and the stress you body has undergone in the last 4 years, we will likely see one embryo successfully implanted." Chilgal said.
"Only one?" Tahiri said, upset. Chilgal placed her webbed hand on Tahiri's shoulder, injecting calm into the girl.
"Calm yourself. Tahiri you are young, and underweight. Were you 21 and closer to a healthy weight, we would be talking about whether selective reduction was necessary." Chilgal said. Tahiri had not been raised by human women, nor had she been exposed to human education. But she knew what selective reduction meant.
"I . . ."
"I know Tahiri, it is not a pleasant thing to consider." Chilgal said. She stared at Tahiri.
"Do you still wish to go through with this." she asked Tahiri. Tahiri looked at her.
And nodded.
"So be it."