Joey had always been a smooth talker, and good with women. He would have enjoyed getting laid with this one, but he wasn’t lovelorn like he made himself sound. He had bigger things to worry about right now, such as surviving. He needed to get her on his side however he could, and he didn’t care about looking silly.

At least now she turned to face him. Joey was surprised to find that for an instant he was lost in the glory of her bright blue eyes. She told him, “You killed Tom Masterson.”

Joey shook his head. “Not me. Emerald and my previous host may have done so, but I don’t even remember it. I’m sorry as hell if he meant anything to you. I don’t know why Emerald thought it was necessary, and he doesn’t remember all the details right now either. I would be honored to learn anything you would care to tell me about what really happened.”

She shook her head silently, but at least she was still looking at him.

He said, “I don’t think Firkin intends to abide by the results of the duel he insisted on yesterday. Emerald and I have both been through a lot, and I don’t think either of us would survive a separation right now – or another duel. I want to have a chance to make you not hate me, and I can’t if I’m dead. Please insist the Green alliance accept me.”

She shook her head again. “It’s not that I forgive you. I know you say you weren’t there, but elders tend to choose hosts who have something fundamental in common with them, and right now you’re almost one being.

“It’s just that you make everything look different right now. I wish I hadn’t voted –”

“But you did,” said a familiar voice behind them. There was no telling how long the mayor had been listening.

“And you cannot change it now.”

Brandy replied, “That’s not for you to say. The Green Alliance will discuss it.”

“Ah, but that would hardly be fair to Peridot or his new host, would it? Last night you three made a commitment. Then Peridot chose a host.”

It was hard to choose suitable host so fast, and build a relationship with them. Who had helped, and how?

A strange voice behind Joey said, “I think you will find that I will be a better representative of Green Sword Honor that he could ever have been, both for the humans and the Eightfold.”

Joey sighed, stood up, and turned to face his latest counterclaimant.

The man was short, and not extremely muscular, but still deadly. Joey could sense that he had killed before. His complexion was deeply tan.

“I’m Joey. Why do you want to do this?”

The other man smiled, a normal seeming smile on the surface. “My name is Mario. My reasons are none of your concern – I’m doing this because I can. All the same, I understand that the first team of eight Elders to make contact with a world often end up helping to rule it. And they always treat their hosts very well.”

Joey asked inside his head, “Is that true?”

“Not exactly,” the reply came back.

Joey wanted to ask for more details, but he knew that thinking Emerald’s thoughts too much would put Emerald in control of his body again. On the other hand, he didn’t think he could win yet another fight. If Mario could be talked down it would be much better.

“Perhaps you could explain that to him.”

Emerald was surprised how easily he had gotten control of the body. No, he had to stop thinking that way. They had to work together to survive. Joey had kept faith with him, as he had kept faith with Joey.

He told Mario, “It isn’t that simple. It often takes hundreds of years to bring a planet to the point where the Eightfold can safely reveal themselves without risking serious harm to the new world. You might not even live long enough to get any special benefits.”

Mario grinned back at him, an oddly engaging smile. “With the help of some of the other hosts, my elder has found a way to arrange some short term benefits. The other thing is, not too long ago you weren’t so concerned about Earth and Humanity. You thought they were pretty much irredeemable, and we might as well get it over with.”

Emerald felt Joey inside of him recoil in shock. And they could sense each others thoughts, so he could conceal nothing. Somehow, Mario’s description rang true inside him, or almost so.