Ruban stared. “Why would that be his primary concern?”

“Because of the potential for the birth of vankrai,” Ashwin said, his voice flat.

Vikram nodded, looking relieved. “That’s it. Viman Rai seems to think that…humans and Aeriels can’t be allowed to mix as equals. If they do, it’ll inevitably lead to the birth of vankrai. Which would then result in more strife and bloodshed. According to him, there can never be lasting peace between humans and Aeriels as long as new generations of vankrai keep being born.”

“Why?” Ruban asked, with genuine curiosity. “I daresay there haven’t been many vankrai births since the Rebellion. Yet, the last six hundred years have hardly been marked by peace and camaraderie between earth and Vaan.”

Vikram gave a brief shake of his head. “There haven’t been any. Vankrai births, I mean.” He paused, scarfing down the last of the peanuts before Simani could swipe them from under his nose. “No vankrai has been born in the last six hundred years. Largely because most humans were (and still are) afraid of Aeriels. Believing they’re all murderous monsters.” He swallowed the peanuts. “And to be fair, most of the ones left behind on earth…were exactly that.”

“And the Exiles considered themselves superior to humans,” Ashwin added, sounding tired. “They’d be…lowering themselves by copulating with humans, whom they viewed as inferior beings. Which is ironic, given their professed allegiance to my mother. To Tauheen. Whose firstborn was a vankrai.”

“Racial supremacists aren’t usually the most logical,” Simani chimed in. “Regardless of species.”

“True enough, I suppose. When some of the feather-born Exiles started working with the Qawirsin after my mother’s death, that was the first time in six hundred years that a large group of humans and Aeriels had prolonged contact with one another.”

“Yeah. Locked away from all mortal affairs, the Aeriels of Vaan had barely any contact with humanity,” Vikram said. “So there was no question of an interspecies birth.”

“Well, that proves my point.” Ruban held out a hand, fingers spread. “Vankrai weren’t the problem there. Clearly.”

“Tauheen and Reivaa were both vankrai,” Vikram pointed out. “And needless to say, they caused untold chaos and suffering. Plus, many of Tauheen’s most devoted supporters – her inner circle – were also vankrai. But I doubt that stemmed from any inherent ideological differences between the vankrai and the feather-born. It’s just that feather-born Aeriels rarely display the kind of fanatical zeal Tauheen seemingly demanded of her closest followers. Even if a feather-born agreed with her ‘vision’ of Aeriel supremacy, they wouldn’t commit to centuries of battle and carnage to turn that vision into reality.”

“So, what you’re saying is,” Ruban began, struggling to suppress his laughter. “That feather-borns were just too lazy and flighty to be Tauheen’s minions?”

Vikram’s lips pursed into a disapproving pinch. “Most of them, yes.” He conceded reluctantly, before shooting Ashwin an apologetic glance. “But while all this mutual fear and hatred prevented the birth of vankrai over the past six centuries, it caused ceaseless violence and bloodshed, harming both sides. Viman Rai acknowledges that fact—”

“And having acknowledged it, he now wants to thrust us into more violence?” Ruban scoffed. “By instigating a war with Vaan?”

A shadow crossed Vikram’s face. “There’s no easy way to explain this. So bear with me.” He began. “Viman Rai doesn’t think the proposed alliance with Vaan would work. Because even if both sides had the best of intentions, Aeriels and humans mingling freely with one another would inevitably lead to the birth of vankrai. As these vankrai mature, they’ll unleash violence and chaos upon the earth. Driving a wedge between Aeriels and humans and leading to new conflicts. And the moment these conflicts are resolved, new vankrai will be born. And the cycle will repeat itself. A constant cycle of peace and bloodshed, set in motion by successive generations of vankrai.”

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A heavy silence filled the room, as they all wrestled with this tortuous logic.

“So, Viman Rai wants to conquer Vaan…” Ruban frowned, looking from Vikram to Simani. “To spay and neuter all the Aeriels?”

Vikram blinked at him, as if unable to process this line of thought.

Without a glance in Ruban’s direction, Ashwin smacked him on the head.

“Oww!” Ruban wailed, rubbing his skull. “What’d I do? That’s the only way it makes sense. How else would conquering Vaan prevent the birth of vankrai?”

Vikram scratched his chin, his demeanor awkward. “Viman Rai believes that, to maintain the peace, all interactions between humans and Aeriels must be tightly controlled and monitored. At all times. To ensure that the interactions are peaceful and courteous. But, more importantly, to ensure that nothing takes place which could potentially lead to the birth of vankrai.”

By the time he’d finished talking, both Ruban and Simani were doubled over, knuckles to their lips, struggling to contain the fit of giggles that threatened to burst forth.

“This sounds like the setup for a bad erotica,” Simani huffed, between giggles. “With a peeping Tom for the protagonist.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “And I still don’t understand how his voyeuristic fantasies have anything to do with the conquest of Vaan.”

Vikram shrugged, looking more uncomfortable than ever. “He believes this can only be achieved if one of the two species conquered the other. And strictly monitored all interactions between them. Tackling any…transgressors,” he let out a breath. “With an iron fist.”

This triggered another bout of giggling.

Eventually, they all sobered up.

“Well, in that case, Dawad was right, wasn’t he?” Simani asked. “If that’s the goal, it could just as well be achieved if Vaan conquered earth.”

“Not…exactly.” Vikram’s voice was strained. “To begin with, most feather-born Aeriels would never be bothered enough to wage a protracted, full-scale war of conquest. That’s just not how they’re wired. They might fight to defend themselves, if backed into a corner with no other way out. But any violence they initiate is typically impulsive, spur-of-the-moment. They wouldn’t keep fighting once the mood subsides.

“But even if Vaan somehow managed to conquer earth,” Vikram paused, casting an awkward glance in Ashwin’s direction. “Viman Rai contends that feather-born Aeriels are too free-spirited and easygoing, to govern both species with the…ruthlessness needed to enforce these rules.

“Under their reign, humans and Aeriels would interact freely. And potentially procreate together. As they did for the thousands of years before Tauheen inherited the Aeriel throne. Except, perhaps, if the vankrai took charge of governance. But we’ve already established that Viman thinks every vankrai is a walking time bomb, simply waiting to go off.”

“And hence, we must subjugate Vaan?” Ruban raised an eyebrow. “Since they’re apparently too nice to subjugate us?”

“You know as well as I do that it’s not a matter of niceness.” Vikram exhaled wearily. “But essentially, yes. That’s the idea. Under strict human governance, humans and Aeriels will be at peace. And the birth of vankrai will be prohibited. Any violations of these laws will be severely punished, making an example out of the transgressors. To serve as a deterrent for the rest of the population.”

Simani sucked in a quick breath. “What kind of totalitarian, surveillance state nightmare—”

“Well, it’s the theory he’s working with,” Vikram said. “What’s driving all his campaigning and rhetoric. That it’d be easier to prevent the birth of vankrai, if all Aeriels could be brought under the control of the human government. And obviously, the only pragmatic way to make that happen is through the conquest of Vaan.

“Before the development of the reinforced sifblade formula, conquering Vaan was never an option. Not in any practical sense.” Vikram continued. “Even if we managed to win, it’d be a pyrrhic victory. The potential gains simply wouldn’t justify the costs of such a campaign.”

“It still doesn’t justify shit,” Ruban muttered. “The Hunter Corps will be at the forefront of this foolhardy venture, if it comes to pass. We’ll be the ones absorbing all the damage. While Viman Rai talks up a storm in his air-conditioned studio, instigating civilians.” He glanced at Simani. “Our blood will not be spilled to indulge his voyeuristic fantasies. I won’t allow it.”

For a few minutes, the room fell silent. Each of them trying to process the implications of what had been said.