common goal—peace in the galaxy, peace in our time, peace for all, peace for the Variants, peace for us. But now the Legion is here, and it's all going to end!'
'You're damned right on that! What were you giving the Variants?'
'Unitium. Unitium from the mines of Andrion Two.'
'Why didn't the Variants set up their base right there?'
'They never revealed that. We believe they were concerned about the Legion. It was easier to camouflage the starport on Andrion 3. If the mines were discovered, there would still be no reason to suspect the Variants.'
'Do you know what they do with the unitium?'
'Well, no—that was never clear, although we're fairly certain it's vital to their star drives.'
'This has been going on for almost a hundred years, you say.'
'Yes, that's right—a hundred years of peace!'
'In exchange for a hundred years of unitium.'
'Yes. That's one way of putting it. But what's important is what we gained from the exchange, in terms of peace, and in terms of understanding.'
'So the Variants understand you?'
'Well…no. That was never clear, either. There are many problems. But we understand them, much more than we did. We've learned so much!'
'Have you learned how to kill them?' I could not resist interrupting. The Systie looked at me as if I had slapped him.
'We are not authorized to conduct research in such subjects! And we don't want to. Our mission is understanding. The Variants are very powerful psychics —very powerful! We can hide nothing from them.'
'Redhawk,' One broke in. 'Progress report.'
'We're getting there, One! Not much longer! Priestess, will you hold the light steady, please?'
Snow Leopard had his hand on his forehead. I knew he was weary. 'Release him, Thinker.' I touched the release and the Systie's bonds fell away. He moved his hands gingerly around to his front and began massaging his wrists. From time to time, he stole little glances at me. My face was a stony mask.
'Give him water, Thinker.' I unhooked a canteen and handed it to him. He took a sip, carefully, then a deep swig. He looked into my eyes when he finished.
'Do we think we can fight them?' he asked. 'Do us a favor—surrender now! Legion has no chance. It will not leave this planet alive.'
'Systie,' One said patiently. 'This is the last time I'm going to ask this question. If you don't answer it, we're going to kill you. Why are you here?'
'We were negotiating with the Variants. We were communicating—deciding on a joint response to counter the Legion aggression on Andrion 2. Legion has no idea what tragic consequences its interference will have, for everyone.'
'A joint response. How do you do that—compromise?' Snow Leopard asked.
'Well…no. We respect their wishes. We have no choice, if we wish to preserve the peace.'
'I see. Describe what happened here when we attacked.'
'It doesn't know? We're sorry, we can't help it. We were right here in the aircar base when its antimats hit. We had just returned from a visit to our science station when the alert went up, and they announced a full-scale attack against the starport. They launched all the aircars—except these two—and then its antimats went off. Incredible! We were talking with them—communicating! And it attacks with antimats. It's hard to accept.'
'It was just our way of getting their attention,' I responded. I was beginning to dislike this Systie dip. He gave me a poisonous look.
'It was simply barbaric. It certainly confirmed their worst suspicions about us.'
'What happened!' Snow Leopard was impatient.
'It was very confusing. We lost commo with everyone. We had reports of Legion troopers landing. The starport seemed to be gone. The aircar control center didn't answer.
'The duty crew at the hanger split up and left, to investigate the situation. They only left one unit to cover the hanger—and us. Finally it left, too.'
'Where did he go?'
'We think the V called it. We thought perhaps the Variants didn't understand, about the attack—about the difference between the System and the Legion.'
'It's you who don't understand,' Snow Leopard said. 'The O—the V—understand us perfectly.'
'All our work is for nothing now. A hundred years.' The Systie gazed blankly into space. 'We were alone after that. Just us. It has no idea what a tragedy this is.'
'I find it amazing,' Snow Leopard remarked, 'that a person of your obvious intelligence is so totally blind to the true consequences of what the System has done here. Don't you have any doubts at all about the morality of your mission?'
'Doubts? Doubts? None! No! We are soldiers of peace, giving our lives for peace, for understanding between two worlds, two species, two entirely different forms of life. And the result has been clear: generations of peace!'
'And the cost?'
'What cost? Unitium? Something we don't need? Yes, some of our people have died—too many! But it's a small sacrifice, for galactic peace!'
'How many billions of humans were exterminated by the Omnis—the V—in the Plague War?'
'Our point exactly! How many billions have lived since our successful contact?'
'We defeated the Omnis in the Plague War. We shattered their fleets, and drove them back.'
'We have no argument with that.'
'And the unitium? You don't wonder about the unitium?'
'Well, of course, we wonder.'
'You don't wonder why they're willing to communicate with the enemy—to suspend their advance for a hundred years—to gain an endless supply of unitium?'
'Does Legion have the answer?'
'You don't wonder how many billions are going to die, because of your stupid, short-sighted policies? You don't wonder about your children? You don't wonder about the future of our own species? Don't you think it worth defending? How about the next generation? What are you willing to them? Slavery? How about your own children? Do you have children?'
'We…we have no children.'
'I'm sorry. I forgot. Diplomats don't have children. Such emotions might confuse you.' We knew Outworlder diplomats serving the System were castrated upon entry into the service.
'We are not ashamed of our condition. It was completely voluntary. A diplomat cannot afford to have a biased viewpoint. We deal with important questions.'
'Important questions? Do you believe slavery is preferable to death? Do you believe freedom from slavery is worth risking your life? No, let's change the question—is your life more important than your children's? What's the logical response to that? How about a choice of life—this generation or the next. One gets to live, one gets to die. What's your choice?'
'Legion doesn't understand.'
'No, it's you who don't understand! You despise the Legion because our objectives are different. You're focused on the present. We look at the future. We're not fighting for us—we knew we're all doomed, every last one of us. We're fighting for our descendants, for the unborn. I don't want children of mine living as slaves to the Omnis. If it was up to you and the System, they would.'
'It's making assumptions about the Variants without evidence.'
'Two billion dead. Is that enough evidence? My proven assumption is that they want us all dead.'
'We've learned so much about them! They're learning about us, too! With understanding comes tolerance.'
'The only thing they want to learn about us is how to kill us most efficiently. And I'm sure you've been a great help to them.'
