It could always be worse; that much was practically a universal truth. But the Soldier learned long ago not to go courting the worse possibilities, as they had a nasty way of coming to pass. And thoughts of those possibilities could more one down to the point of inaction when action was needed.
Freedom and choice: two powerful forces, but only when actually used.
"Then you're smart, at least." The Soldier didn't bother to hide his disdain for the Agrii. "Either they're playing at being manipulated, which makes them the opposite of our allies. Or they're actually being manipulated, which makes them a liability." He paused. "Or they're the equivalent of children playing with technology they don't understand." Not that the possibility was mutually exclusive to his other suppositions.
"I don't," he confirmed, deliberately not answering the unspoken question. Either Billy would ask plainly, or he wouldn't. But he would ask a question of his own in the meantime. "Does that bother you?"
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Freedom and choice: two powerful forces, but only when actually used.
"Then you're smart, at least." The Soldier didn't bother to hide his disdain for the Agrii. "Either they're playing at being manipulated, which makes them the opposite of our allies. Or they're actually being manipulated, which makes them a liability." He paused. "Or they're the equivalent of children playing with technology they don't understand." Not that the possibility was mutually exclusive to his other suppositions.
"I don't," he confirmed, deliberately not answering the unspoken question. Either Billy would ask plainly, or he wouldn't. But he would ask a question of his own in the meantime. "Does that bother you?"