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dealt with on an individual basis. Some coordination will be necessary: we
can t have a dozen or more Turlog simultaneously involved in fatal accidents.
If you ll design the overall program, sir, I ll take care of the necessary
transmissions, Inez declared.
Done. Just keep me posted, Captain.
Lalelelang listened and despite her experiences was dazed. The Humans
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discussed the possible termination of so many intelligent beings as
dispassionately as if they had been planning to fumigate their living
quarters. There was no hesitation in their speech, no regret in their manner.
Not once did they mention possible alternatives, no doubt having in their own
minds already dispensed with the unviable option of civilized behavior.
As they went about their planning they ignored her completely, for which she
was grateful. Despite her medication and exercises she could not possibly have
participated in the discussion. Merely being present and having to overhear
was a daunting experience.
Inez rose. You know, Nevan, that we can t keep this development to
ourselves. She eyed the silent, elegant Wais. Higher authorities within the
Core will have to be notified.
I intend to take care of that myself. I m confident they ll agree with me,
too. He gestured in Lalelelang s direction. She knows we can t keep this
meeting a secret, nor does she want to do so. The more Core members who know
about her, the better her access to research opportunities.
Very brave or very stupid, Inez muttered.
I am neither. Now that her fate for the immediate future, at least had been
decided, Lalelelang felt no compunction against speaking. I am simply
dedicated to my work. I have always been thus.
Admirable, Inez declared. In this instance, also foolhardy.
Please. If you wish to belittle me, use forethought before speaking.
Wais, the captain thought. Even if one s life was at stake it could not help
but be overbearing.
I m glad you trust her so implicitly, Nevan, Inez whispered later as
together with McConnell they walked toward Underspace communications, but if
I were you I still wouldn t let her out of my sight any more than absolutely
necessary. No matter how much she insists she wants to study us, wants to
help, she s still non-Human. Still a Wais.
Yes and no. She s advanced beyond speciesism. She s pure scientist.
I hope you re right, Inez mused as they turned a corner. I hope to God
you re right. Because it s a hell of a chance you re taking on a bundle of
easily rattled, overornamented alien fluff.
Not to mention the burden she s placing on herself, he added silently.
His inner turmoil played out on his countenance like the shifting patterns on
the face of a dune subjected to a hot and relentless wind. Lalelelang marveled
at the range of expressions of which the highly flexible Human face was
capable. The inflexible Wais beak precluded such facial eloquence, but
Lalelelang s people more than made up for the deficiency with a breathtaking
range of physical gestures unmatched in depth and detail by any other
intelligent species.
You are still not sure of this, are you? Or of me.
They were on their way to a morning briefing. He glanced down sharply. What
do you mean?
I heard everything you told your two friends, but in your own mind you are
still not so convinced. You are not sure whether to try and help me with my
own work, try to make use of me, or kill me. These thoughts circulate
continually in your mind and try as you might you cannot be rid of them. The
result is that your spirit is unsettled.
Not hard to tell that you ve been studying us for a long time. He was a bit
overwhelmed by her perception.
Even as she responded with a reflexive gesture she knew he would not
understand it. As I have so often stated, it is my work. No other intelligent
species suffers such internal torment, over the meaning of existence or
anything else. Your runaway racial angst is a product of your bizarre
endocrine system.
We realized that a long time ago, he told her.
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