[ WP ] `` And that was the first of the three lies ... ''

`` My queen, understand please. Three times I have lied to you. No more, no less, and each time, to protect your people.'' 
 
 `` The first of three lies was these four hundred some years ago, when I said I was being hunted, and to give me asylum would be the doom of your people. I ask myself still, why you bade me stay, my queen. Did you see through my bluff? Did you dismiss my warnings? Were you simply fascinated by this wanderer from the stars? It does not matter. What few hunters remain would not have sought me here; and though you may find otherwise easy to believe they are not behind what happened.'' 
 
 `` The second of the three lies was close to a hundred years ago, when I said I would lead your people to the stars, and when I promised that it was safe to. It is not, and it never was, but your people are not risk-takers. They would wait, they would try until they knew it to be safe, and every day, they would risk notice by those who are there already. It is they who came and tried to take what you have. Perhaps they would not find you for a thousand years. Perhaps they would stumble upon here a month from now. I could not know, and I knew at some point, I could hide you no more.'' 
 
 `` The third and final lie came not long after, my queen. It was when I showed you the secrets of hyperspace, how to forge and steer engines of your own. Only now are your people starting to suspect I was not entirely truthful. My queen, I lied about the numbers. I could not afford that you not be ready, should what has happened, happen. You look upon your queendom and you see the great drive forge, and enough drives for perhaps three ships. But the designs I gave you were imperfect. Inefficient. I needed you, my queen, I needed your people to spend decades creating that great factory, and to spend years wasting its potential.'' 
 
 `` And now, because those three times I lied, I can teach you the truth. They will be back, you know it, and they can not suffer your defiance and survival. I can not give you weapons, and I know you would not ask. That is why I can arm you with knowledge, and truth. You do not have enough drives for three ships, my queen. I can give you thirty thousand - not enough to fight, but enough to flee, and gather your strength, and in time, return.'' 
 
 `` Long ago, my queen, I promised to protect your people. That was never a lie.''
