The King stood up and walked to the window, his steps slow and heavy. Outside, Vaelteurian’s two moons were full, casting light above the enormous Vouduv leaves covering the skies. White, blinding incandescence hovered over buildings and homes, like a luminous lamp. The view was breath-taking and surreal. 

“Like you, Theodore, I have known and lived in pain. But this past sixty years, the pain came from a different perspective. A perspective that has filled me with great despair, and got me thinking and rethinking of a solution. I have carried this burden with me for a very long time. I had hoped to see the fruition of the only solution I have concluded for this problem, but I'm afraid I will not."

"But, my King, why me, why Mavis? We are not even qualified to be in your presence. Our lineage was not composed of scientific minds such as yours and the other members of the Imperium."

"I know all about your lineage, Theodore. I studied it thoroughly over the years. And not undermining your daughter's intellect and skills, there was one characteristic of hers that made her perfect for this mission."

"What could that be, sire?"

"Mavis has no genetic match."

Theodore felt as if a huge rock dropped hard on top of his head, knocking out his breath. His face turned white. "Oh my King, what does that make my daughter? Does it mean she. . . she's some kind of a. . . a freak?"

The King smiled bitterly. Instead of answering his question, he asked his own. "Tell me, Theodore, do you not wonder why there are only eight Octad disks, and not ten. . . though there were ten pairs of Forefathers?"

"I. . . I've always assumed all their somatic cells are equally distributed among the eight Octad disks, my King,” Theodore swallowed.

The King did not correct him. Then, with a sad, wistful face he mused, "In all my long, colorful life, Theodore, I have learned many things. Do you know what is the most important lesson I learned?"

"What is it, my King?"

"That genes do not define character." 

Puzzled, Theodore frowned. "Then . . . what defines character, my King?"

"The heart, my friend . . . it is the heart that defines character."