"We have to analyze  your plan. We'll be back"

The Heereen commander swam back to his ship, we just saw the red lights of his head fading in the deep of the fish tank.

The moment he was gone Cassandra run to me. "You asked him to bring you to the siege? Can you see how much you should trust them for something like that? You'll be totally under their control"

All the rest of the people was looking at me, Cassandra was putting me in an embarrassing situation. I told captain Valtair I was going back to Queen Charlotte waiting for Heereen's response and I walk away, taking Cassandra with me.

"I evaluated a lot of options, but that was the only one available. The Heereen have already found what they were looking for, what they need is someone that can understand it"

Cassandra was very angry, her cheeks were lit up, bright red, I never saw her that way. "And that's me"

I was surprised. Cassandra said something I already knew, but I was surprised because she said that. That was really unexpected. I had to lower my eyes. "I evaluated that, too. But this is too risky, I can't bring you with me in this. It's a real leap in the dark. I will have responsibility for this and I want to be sure to be the only one that will pay for it"

"I'm an asset of yours, diplomat Callus. As captain Valtair or... those Teculpa you think you can lead to whatever you want. You have to use me, that's your duty!"

Cassandra, again, spoke the truth, but the problem wasn't just my lack of cynicism. My present fear was that my judgment about Cassandra was clouded by the... bound we formed. I couldn't say if she was the clever scientist that could solve the Heereen's enigma in a situation like a siege. The paradox was I wasn't sure Cassandra was valuable enough to be sacrificed. I serve gods of high demands.

"My duty is to find the best deal with all these races and the best deal is helping the Heereen going with them. I'll do my best, but, for now, solving Heereen's problems is not my priority. My priority is to dissolve the knot this situation represent!"

Cassandra was trembling in frustration and panic. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"You have no real directive from the Human Senate and what you're doing is not a real advantage for your race. This is not a political game, this is just you trying to do something. Why is this so important? Don't trick me talking about your diplomatic work,  there's nothing about your role here!"

"It's all about my role, Cassandra, but I fear you can't understand it!"

"Then teach me!"

I started teaching things to Cassandra the first day I met her. I didn't know why, something about instinct... or lack of fatherhood. She never asked me for that before that moment so I always felt a bit guilty forcing her, choosing what was good for her without really telling her what I was doing. There was some kind of dark relief in her asking me for a lesson.

"I don't mind what Human Senate want" I said "Well, actually I think Human Senate would probably take the wrong decision about this situation and will turn all this in a mess. You know why? Because humanity is selfish, selfish and small. We are weak, Cassandra, so we enjoy when others are weaker than us. Because we are so stupid that we don't understand that who is weaker is also angrier and could bite us." What I was saying was near to treason "I don't work to satisfy Human Senate, I work for the equilibrium of the galaxy, I work to avoid wars, I work so people has not to die, a lot of people. That's the only way I can do my work of diplomat, Earth knows this but they also knows that I'm good at this and that this can be good for them too so usually I'm free, but now... too bad things are happening all together"

I didn't say that to convince Cassandra to leave me. I said that because that girl deserved the truth and that was the truth. But truth was exactly what she was waiting to join me. "Bring me with you, I'll never let you go alone. You need me"

I nodded. A little nod, I nodded hoping she didn't notice it. But she was looking at me with attention so she understood and smiled.

"It's already time to come back, diplomat" told Valtair in my communicator "The Heereen accepted your plan"