He tilted his head thoughtfully in response to Deimos’s question, giving a single nod of confirmation. Sunjata answered with more detail, but the trend was noted and it was… concerning. If it was not just the desert…
But the train of his thought was brought sharply back to Flora as she faced each of them in turn, growing more tense as it became clear that the other leaders were not interested in seeking accommodation with the Family and the Void they had brought. Hadama met her gaze with outward calm and the patience he practiced even in the face of grief and conflict, and he held his silence in deep consideration of her words while Sunjata answered for himself.
It left her accusations flung against Halo hanging in the humid air. He inclined his head to Deimos in recognition of the Warden’s territory and in silent request to speak before the other leader made his own answer.
”It is the destruction of the hot springs that concerns me the most,” he admitted slowly. ”They were used to cure those the Family infected against their wills. Not a threat if the Family did not intend to spread without respect for our borders. Our... autonomy. They were made to heal, not harm, but still they were targeted. Deliberately. That says a great deal about the Family's intentions.” He looked to Sunjata next, a faint furrow in his brow as the topic of infection reminded him…
”You were also infected once, Flora,” he said slowly, his gaze returning to his co-ruler with a curious tilt to his chin. ”Before Rae healed you.” And the god(s) had not seemed pleased, at the time, by this new variable in their grand experiment. ”Do you see the Void-touched as Sunjata does?”
But the train of his thought was brought sharply back to Flora as she faced each of them in turn, growing more tense as it became clear that the other leaders were not interested in seeking accommodation with the Family and the Void they had brought. Hadama met her gaze with outward calm and the patience he practiced even in the face of grief and conflict, and he held his silence in deep consideration of her words while Sunjata answered for himself.
It left her accusations flung against Halo hanging in the humid air. He inclined his head to Deimos in recognition of the Warden’s territory and in silent request to speak before the other leader made his own answer.
”It is the destruction of the hot springs that concerns me the most,” he admitted slowly. ”They were used to cure those the Family infected against their wills. Not a threat if the Family did not intend to spread without respect for our borders. Our... autonomy. They were made to heal, not harm, but still they were targeted. Deliberately. That says a great deal about the Family's intentions.” He looked to Sunjata next, a faint furrow in his brow as the topic of infection reminded him…
”You were also infected once, Flora,” he said slowly, his gaze returning to his co-ruler with a curious tilt to his chin. ”Before Rae healed you.” And the god(s) had not seemed pleased, at the time, by this new variable in their grand experiment. ”Do you see the Void-touched as Sunjata does?”
