I sat with my mouth open, unable to believe what I was hearing. Around the table were murmurs and outcries. My fellow students were now whispering to one another.
“Those affected by the sterilant will produce a pheromonic byproduct attractive only to other sterilized persons. There will be no other changes. People will continue to ‘fall,’ as they say, in love, but it will be the sterile with the sterile, the fertile with the fertile. Natural life cycles will go on, but very few people will have children.
“Today our only decision is to choose: A or B.”
The Chairman spoke: “We will have no more discussion today. We act, or ISTO acts. Suffering is minimized if we act. Slaughter is certain if we do not. Will someone move the question?…I recognize Maintainer Chili Mech.”
Chili moved that the Gentherans be directed to go ahead with the sterilant. The Chairman called for a second and got it. The vote was yes. Someone asked when it would take place. Sister Lorpa said within the year. Then nobody said anything for what seemed to be a very long time, and the Chairman announced a break for refreshment.
Chili came over and led me to a little table against the wall. All three of my fellow students had Lady Badness trapped in a far corner and were talking at her, too volubly, I thought, too disrespectfully. Chili followed my line of sight and shook her head, very slightly. “That’s not a good idea,” she said.
“I know,” I murmured. “But it’s very much in character for them. Usually, if they don’t like something, the something ceases to exist.”
“Really,” she said. “Wait for me, Margaret. I’ll get us something to drink.”
I saw her speaking briefly to a couple of guards, who went to Lady Badness’s rescue. Chili returned with the Gentheran, Sister Lorpa, whom I recognized by the insignia on her helmet. I rose and gave the half bow that is considered polite among Gentherans, saying, “It is rude of us to drink when you are denied refreshment.”
“Not at all,” she said, in that high, sweet voice. “Our suits provide whatever hydration we need. I understand you are here as an observer, under a vow of silence. You were much surprised by what you heard?”
I said, yes, I was, though I understood the reasons. What I was actually thinking at that moment was whether it had ever been important to me to have children.
She sat down with us, and Chili asked her what the next step would be.
“It’s all been planned,” she replied. “First, we’ll mount a saturation publicity campaign announcing that population stasis has been reached. Since this has been forecast by politicians and proliferators for the past century, it will surprise no one and mollify many. We will announce that the population has crested and is now beginning to decline, very slowly. Newssheets will cover this event. There will be interviews with prominent pronatalist officials and religious leaders telling us how gratified they are. Our polls indicate that virtually all humans will be delighted with the news.
“At the end of the first year, population will indeed have declined by between one and two percent. We will issue frequent glowing reports on how well this is going. We do not plan any outreach effort among those who are infertile, but every childbirth will serve to identify those who are immune. The immunes must be provided with intensive reeducation. Meantime, the two-three-four rule will continue to be observed. Outshipment will continue.”
“Must it?” I asked, a little fretfully, I’m afraid.
Sister Lorpa’s faceplate turned toward me. “Your government has contracts with the Federation and the Combine. Unless you want a war of retribution, those contracts must be honored…”
“Well then, if outshipment is to proceed, will intensive education really be necessary?” I wondered aloud.
She did not answer, for we were being approached by a tall, dark man dressed in velvets, brocades, and gems.
“Sister Lorpa,” he said, half bowing.
“Delegate from Chottem, Von Goldereau d’Lornschilde,” she said, turning toward me as if to introduce me.
He did not wait for this. “May I once again plead with your people to find my kinswoman, the heiress of Bray! She would be an adult woman now, some twenty Earth-years old! She is needed in Bray, and if she no longer lives, then evidence of that is needed in Bray! Our economic future depends upon it!”
Sister Lorpa said expressionlessly, “We are aware of your concerns, Delegate. Be assured, if we can assist in finding your kinswoman, we will do so.”
He half bowed again and nodded to Chili, totally ignoring me.
“You asked about the need for education,” Sister Lorpa said, when he had departed. “Delegate d’Lornschilde is from Chottem. He is a descendent of the founders of that colony, and he is claimant to the estate of Stentor d’Lorn, which, in truth, represents a large part of the gross planetary wealth. He pretends he doesn’t care about the estate. At every meeting he urges us to find Stentor’s granddaughter and return her to Bray! It is all pretence and bluster; his real interest is in finding evidence of her death so he can claim the estate, for, like the rest of his family, he is interested in nothing but money and power. Despite the fact that he and all his kinfolk had to leave Earth because Earth had been destroyed by money and power, he has already asked the Dominion Central Authority for permission to exceed the population limits set for Chottem, excusing this on the basis that construction creates many of their jobs, which means more profit for him.
“Earth listened to that ‘we have to make room’ kind
