There's a lot of questions Lacedo isn't asking, all swirling around that one big question. Was it worth it? Did they see? Will they hear about this? Will there be more of us--heck, will there be [i]enough[/i] of us to even ? Hermes rebuilt us--reformed our planet, gave us our lives back. Does she want us? Have we won back the glory denied us so long?

Alexa joins Lacedo at the window, staring out into the infinite rainbow of color. Her face is painted purple and red in the reflected light of the distant nebula as she turns the thought over in her mind.

She doesn't know how to answer, she's realizing. She's never been a part of a people, a member of a race, not like the Alcedi. What advice can she even answer?

"… Do you [i]want[/i] them to make more of you?"

God, she feels dumb.

"No, that came out wrong. Of course you do. I mean, [i]why[/i] do you want them to make more of you? Do you want the glory of being recognized as the top combat servitors of humanity? Do you want the ability to spread or preserve your people? How do you want them made, and what for?"