Free Counterstrike (Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 3) by Joshua Dalzelle

previously dead eyes now glimmering.
    “I will do what I must to keep the other ninety-five percent safe,” Jackson said hotly. “As a matter of philosophy I see no difference in the loss of one life or millions. An unprovoked attack on our species cannot stand without a response.”
    “So what if I offered to assist you in eliminating an equal number of Phage lives, or even a proportionate number?” Setsi asked calmly.
    Jackson could tell he was being prodded, tested for specific responses. He had no doubt that the Vruahn had built a fairly accurate predictive model on human behavior given their long interactions with an observation group as large as Blake’s crew.
    “Allow me to deviate slightly at this point,” Jackson said, wanting to exert some control over the conversation. “Why bother with the human crews at all? I find it difficult to believe that they offer anything that a well-designed piece of software can’t duplicate after some trial and error. The fact the ships in Colonel Blake’s squadron are crewed is a bit of a mystery to me.”
    “We certainly tried,” Setsi said. “In the future we may do exactly as you say, but it was Colonel Blake and his group that taught us the fundamentals of warfare. For now we’re content to keep a working system in place.”
    “I doubt that’s it,” Jackson said.
    “You doubt?” Setsi actually frowned. Jackson wondered if the human analog was so complete even facial expressions were translated as he doubted the Vruahn themselves actually frowned.
    “I do,” Jackson pressed. “Colonel Blake is from a time where wars were fought within the atmosphere of a single planet against opponents of the same species. He has zero frame of reference when it comes to fighting in space with starships, much less going up against something as utterly alien as the Phage. I refuse to believe that he’s been able to develop such effective strategies in a vacuum and apply them so successfully.”
    “So then, Captain,” Setsi said, the mouth a hard, thin line. “Why do you think we’ve allowed Colonel Blake the opportunity to serve as he has?”
    “You have me at a disadvantage, I’ll admit,” Jackson said. “I’ve only had this one interaction with your species, and it’s not even direct communication, so my assumptions are skewed by a certain bias … but I think you’ve left your rescued humans in those ships as a firewall. You develop weapons of incredible power, but in the end it’s the human who decides to press the button. It’s the morality of the human that decides if a living, intelligent being dies. I beg your forgiveness if I’m wrong, but from where I sit … Blake’s crew allows you to keep a clear conscience while still getting a job done that, despite your revulsion, needs to be done.”
    “You’ve dared to come here and accuse us of … using … your primitive race as some sort of attack animal?” Setsi’s expression was again unreadable.
    “I’m simply offering an outlook based on my limited observations and experience,” Jackson said. He’d not actually meant to come all this way and insult the Vruahn. “But if I’m so out of line answer me this one question: when you discovered that ship full of dead humans and decided to revive the ones you could, why did you keep them here? Why didn’t you simply take them back home if your intentions were as magnanimous as you claim?”
    “The usefulness of this conversation has run its course, I believe,” Setsi stood. “You will be escorted back to Colonel Blake’s ship and we will call upon you if needed.”
    “I understand,” Jackson said with a nod. “I sincerely apologize if I’ve given any offense.”
    Setsi simply stared at him with its cold, dead eyes before turning and exiting the way it came.
    “I feel like that could have gone better,” Jackson mumbled.
    ****
    “How did it go, Captain?” Colonel Blake asked as Jackson walked into the ship’s small officer’s mess.
    “I