Quiet Invasion(171)

“No, but tell her I can.” Vee jerked around. Helen and Ben hurried into the room with Josh on their heels.

“Thank God.” Vee wiped at her cheeks and stepped away from the board, letting Helen take her place. She bumped against Josh, who just laid his hands on her shoulders. She leaned against his chest, drinking in his warmth.

Helen’s hands shook as she lifted them to the command board.

I am Ambassador Helen, Ambassador Z’eth. Good Luck. I am asking you to stop whatever plans you have for the people of Earth. Let us talk. Let us explain.

Ambassador Z’eth swelled. Ambassador Helen, there is nothing to explain. We have your own words condemning the Terrans as insane. They seek to cut you off from the source of your life for no reason.

Helen took a deep breath. The trembling in her hands stilled for a moment. Ambassador Z’eth, please, try to understand. We don’t think they’re crazy. We think they’re wrong, but there’s a difference with us.

I understand that, but it is not only a question of what you think, replied Z’eth. This is now our home too. You promised this world to us, and we must protect ourselves.

Josh’s hands tightened on Vee’s shoulders. Vee clenched her fists. She had to do something. She couldn’t just stand there shaking like a frightened child. She had to do something.

There was nothing she could do. Nothing at all.

Yes, read Helen’s new message. But not like this. There are six billion people on Earth, Ambassador. Most of them have nothing to do with this. Most of them don’t want a war. They just want to go about their business.

Z’eth’s crest lifted. Then why are they permitting this? Why has there been no poll?

“How fast can you explain representative democracy,” whispered Vee. She couldn’t help it. Josh just held her close. He understood. Oh, God, he understood.

Ambassador, surely you do not believe there is only one right way to do things.

Z’eth swelled even further. She was enormous. It looked as if she meant to fill the whole world. No right way can involve submitting to greed.

“Damn you!” Helen’s fist thumped against the desk. She typed.

We are not submitting. Listen, please, listen. Helen’s whole body was shaking now. Ben shoved a chair behind her, but she did not sit. Words spilled out of her fingers onto the screen.

Once, our only world was Earth, but there were too many of us living there and we needed too much to support our lives. Earth was choking on us; it was dying. We moved out to fresh worlds to seek the space, the minerals, the power that we needed to live and keep our world of Earth alive.

We spread to our Moon, and to a world we call Mars, as well as this world of Venus. Before we came to these places, there was no life at all here. We spread our life beyond the confines of our own planet for survival yes, but also because we found those other worlds beautiful and we wanted to know all of their wonders and secrets.

It is true that even after all this time the colonies like ours still need Earth to live. But Earth also needs us. The people of Earth are trying to stay alive. Without the colonies the world will choke on itself again.

They fear that because of you they will lose us. They are trying to prevent that. But we need them and they need us. If we took the colonies from them, they might die. If you take Earth from us, we will die. You will kill us all. Is that spreading life?

Vee’s breath caught in her throat. They’d have to listen to that. That was their own language. They’d have to understand that.

Ambassador Z’eth glided closer to the screen, filling the world and blocking out options.

It is you who do not yet understand. You will no longer be forced to depend on your insane family to survive. This is our world now, and we will help you and make sure you live.

The implications of Z’eth’s words reached inside Vee and squeezed her heart.

“Jesus God,” whispered Josh. His arms trembled even as he pulled her closer. “We’re going to be another experiment for them. They’re going to use us….”

Movement in the corner of the screen caught Vee’s eye. A familiar shape, beating its wings so fast she could barely see its markings, but she knew its color and its crest.

“T’sha!” Vee broke away from Josh and thrust her hands onto the keyboard.

T’sha! They’re trying to kill Earth! Her family’s names ran through her mind, blocking out everything else. There’s six billion people down there! They—

The message line went dead.

The screen went blank.

Vee lifted her trembling hands off the keys. “What happened?” she whispered as she backed slowly away. “What happened!”

Ben came up to Helen’s right side and touched a few keys. When he turned, his face was paper white. “It’s the satellites. They’re down. The U.N.’s started their attack.”