Playing God(13)

Lynn nodded. “My family worked with the Shin t'Theria to build the colony. I was an Environmental Manager for them until I signed up with Bioverse. Praeis Shin and her daughters got to be my friends.” She did not add how she had held Praeis's hand while they sat death watch over her sisters Jos and Shorie during the second wave of plague that hit Crater Town. It was not something Keale would appreciate.

He was watching her closely, measuring her words. “It's hard to see friends in an unflattering light. The refugees that live in the Solar system are unarmed and at the mercy of Humans. Many of them have been disowned by their governments, if not their families….”

“Many of them are hailed as heroes for bearing the family healthy daughters when their sisters back home couldn't,” Lynn cut in.

Keale shook his head. “But they're still unarmed and helpless, and even then the Shin t'Theria were bright enough to bring in armed Humans to keep the peace.” He paused to let that sink in.

“If the Dedelphi don't attack the colony security, Commander, what makes you think they'll attack us?”

His eyes glinted darkly for a moment. “You're saying there aren't any brawls in the colonies? You're saying the Getesaph and the Fil and the Chosa ty Porath don't live in their own walled ghetto?”

Lynn felt the pressure of her rising anger against her temples. “The Getesaph quarter is walled for the Families that let their fathers wander loose in the streets. The others consider that blasphemous, or at least negligent, so a compromise was reached…”

“But there are still brawls,” said Keale.

“Some,” admitted Lynn. “Between newcomers, usually.”

Keale nodded. “The Dedelphi we are dealing with here are neither unarmed nor helpless. They have never been subjected to an even, outside disciplinary force. They are going to be crammed together in a prison, as comfortable a prison as we can make it, but a prison nonetheless. They are going to have no outlet for collective aggression. They are going to turn it on each other, or on us. Their patterns tell me they'll go after us first as the most alien, unless we put them together with nonfamily with whom they have immediate grudges. We will obviously have to work to make sure the paper and conjugal peaces hold firmly, but we need a buffer between them and us, just in case.”

Lynn uncurled her hands from around the chair arms and laid them flat on her thighs. “I'm sorry, Commander. I do not agree with you, and I will not support the implementation of such a plan.”

A single muscle in Keale's face twitched. “I see. Very well. Would you agree, however, that we must be careful whom we place together and when we relocate them?”

Lynn stood up. “Yes. Absolutely. We must be careful about the schedule. I assume you've untied my knots on the subject?”

Keale nodded. “As far as they go, your plans seem workable.”

“I'm glad you think so.” Lynn rubbed her forehead. “Commander, I'm going to ask you something personal.”

He waved one broad hand. “Go ahead.”

Lynn took a deep breath. “Do you realize what a paranoid bigot you sound like?”

His mouth twitched for a moment. Then, to Lynn's surprise, he threw back his head and laughed so loudly the sound bounced off the high ceiling.

“Oh, God.” He wiped his eyes. “Finally somebody said it out loud.” He shook his head. “Everybody tiptoes around looking at me like they want to say that, but they won't because it's impolite. It's a relief to meet someone who will actually come out with it.” He straightened up. “And, yes, Dr. Nussbaumer, I'm afraid I do.”

Bemused by his outburst, Lynn asked, “Then why are you doing this?”

“Because I'm worried,” he said, completely serious again. “I know the Mars colony works. I'm glad it works, but the people you and I are dealing with are not the ones who ran away from war and plague. They're the ones still unleashing radiation and viruses on their neighbors for reasons I can't get myself to understand, and they worry me.”

Lynn sighed and studied her fingertips for a moment. “I can't argue with that, Commander. They worry me, too. But they don't fight because they have to. Like Humans, they fight because they're frightened. If we don't frighten them, they will have no reason to attack us.” She stood up. “Is there anything else?”

Keale also stood. “No, I'm afraid not. The rest can be easily handled during the official sessions.”

“Okay, I'll see you then.”

Keale touched a key on the table and the door swished open. Lynn found herself wanting to hear some parting comment, some kind of closing remark that would tell her that Keale really cared about the project, about the Dedelphi, about saving the world. But he just looked at her with a thoughtful expression on his face.