Chapter 19 #4
“All who wish to are registered?” The High Imperium asked, then waited a minute. “Closing registration. All who have not registered have ceded their right to speak on this matter. We will begin with questions. Your screen will indicate who’s turn it is to speak.”
There was another moment of silence. Then, from above, a reedy male voice attached to an alien that, otherwise, wasn’t highlighted, spoke.
“The Coalition remains strong because the members are powerful enough to protect themselves. They extend that to others only if they require it. We cannot protect the entire universe. Explain to us why these humans are not capable of protecting themselves.”
Atem obviously knew who was speaking because he had turned to face one of the boxes. “A fair question. If you would allow me. Scarlet?”
He turned, surprising her, but she covered it well as she crossed the space to stand beside him, knowing that, once again, millions upon billions of eyes were on her.
She found herself, for the first time, being grateful for her pageant days. She was pretty sure that was the only thing keeping the stage fright from bringing her to her knees.
“This is one of my sisters. We have been using her as the model human for the research we are doing into human reproduction. As she is not gravid, she stands as a control and has no health problems that needed correcting when she arrived here. She is, in all ways, a typical human.”
She had to resist the urge to laugh. All her life, called beautiful and lovely and berated by her mother for not pursuing a career in modeling, and now, on the intergalactic stage, Atem had essentially just called her basic.
She loved it.
“Observe, she has no claws,” he held up one of her hands, showing her trimmed and neat nails that, sure enough, had no point.
“She has no fangs.” Obligingly, she showed her blunt teeth.
“She possesses no venom or poison, no secret barbs, no hidden weapons. Her skin is thin. There are vessels vital to life right underneath that you can see pulsing. She is tall for a female of her species, and she tells me that she is about average height for a male of her species, so their species is small. They are not strong, nor fast. They are tenacious and clever. Their strength lies with their mind. In all other ways, they are vulnerable. With proper preparation, I’m sure, they could defend themselves, but a surprise attack by a technologically superior force would likely decimate their population. ”
Once again, she couldn’t really be offended by the truth, but still, ouch. The truth hurt.
The same alien spoke, this time saying, “Surely, with such fragile females, their males are stronger to compensate.”
“I cannot speak for certain about their males. I have not met one. I shall leave that to Scarlet.”
He looked at her and she nearly froze. But this was just work. She had no problem talking about things like health and human anatomy.
“Humans are a dimorphic species, but our dimorphic level is low,” she explained, proud of how stable her voice was.
“Males, on average, are taller, stronger, and more muscular than females. But there are instances where it can be hard even for humans to tell someone’s gender at a glance.
We are highly similar to each other. Human males also do not possess claws or fangs or barbs or anything that we do not – aside from their specific sexual anatomy of course. ”
Either the representative was only allowed one follow up question or he had nothing further, because the next question came from a different voice. Female, this time.
“When are humans likely to breach their solar system?”
Not her area of expertise. She looked to Alanna who immediately stepped forward with a gentle, professional smile on her face. That was a weird sight.
But she answered the question.
Between the three of them, Atem, Scarlet, and Alanna had an answer for every query that was lobbed their way. It seemed endless.
What resources do humans possess on Earth?
On their moon? How do they protect themselves if they are so helpless?
What is their average lifespan? How many young can a single female birth?
How many can a single male sire? How does a single male sire so many?
How is it that humans do not have proper, biological mates?
On and on it went. They were most focused on the reproductive capabilities of humans.
They wanted to know if human males could impregnate alien females as easily as human females could be impregnated by an alien.
There were other kinds of questions in there too.
Diplomacy and trade and power structures on Earth and how likely humans were to be accepting of the presence of aliens.
Xenophobia wasn’t a common problem, but it wasn’t unheard of, especially in new species.
That was one that Alanna was reluctant to answer. Scarlet could see it in the new strain that set in on her lips. But she did, admitting that while some, and maybe the majority of humans, would be tolerant, there were likely to be many that were not.
Scarlet lost track of time standing there. As it turned out, representatives weren’t limited to a single follow up question. They were allowed three. And aside from that first person, it seemed like everyone wanted to use all of them.
She couldn’t be mad that they were curious about a species that might join their Coalition.
While they wouldn’t be full members if they were a protectorate, being a protectorate basically guaranteed membership once they did leave their solar system.
And Scarlet had no doubt that, if given that kind of finish line, humans would make that happen.
One thing she could say about her species, for positive or negative, when they had a goal, they focused on it with single-minded determination.
Even if their only solution was to put someone who just turned eighteen on a shuttle and wait the thirty-five years it took to leave the solar system at their current level of technology, they would do it.
Humans were stubborn like that.
Alanna didn't put it that way, of course. She spoke about human tenacity and persistence and strength of spirit and how, when given a task, they would find any way possible to complete it. She made it sound much nicer than the head-vs-brick wall scenario that actually played out in Scarlet’s mind when she thought about her headstrong species.
Questioning continued for at least a solid mark and a half before the list finally finished and no more questions were pending. Scarlet’s throat hurt and she swallowed convulsively.
She was surprised when, a moment later, a glass appeared in her periphery. She turned, a smile forming when she saw Havali standing there, having fetched it for her.
“Thank you,” she smiled, taking and drinking deep of the cool, refreshing water. Keeping her eyes on him all the while. He stared back, satisfaction in his gaze as he watched her.
“You did wonderfully,” he praised when she finally lowered the glass. “Well spoken, concise, and strong. Very well done, Healer.”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
“All questions have been asked,” the High Imperium declared from above as Havali stroked a hand down her arm. “We have time to open the floor for at least one, maybe two, speakers. Since there is a co-sponsor for this matter, they will start.”
Another box was lowered to the floor. This time, when Scarlet caught sight of the elder ratchi, the reflexive fear that rose up wasn’t enough to choke and freeze her in place. It did sit uneasily in her belly, but it was something that she could control.
Elder Haviss had donned a simple, beige colored robe today that was wide enough in the back to cover his tail but didn't trail enough to hide it completely. He looked much more casual than he had at the opening ceremony, but his fangs still frightened her when he smiled kindly.
“Females,” he greeted genially as Peony half hid behind Atem, eyes wide. She hadn’t been there to meet him at the party, so this was the first time she had laid eyes on a ratchi since the last one that tried to kill her – which was at least the third one that had tried to harm her in some way.
Had that terrified expression been what Scarlet looked like when she saw him? She winced in sympathy even as Alanna was enthusiastically greeting him. Either Alanna had no trauma induced prejudice to work through or she was just really good at hiding it.
“Thank you for this, my friend,” Atem said, saluting him.
“It is my honor,” Haviss assured him before turning to look up at the myriad of boxes hanging against the dome overhead. His was the face now projected and the look he gave all of them was one of quiet determination and will.
“Thank you for hearing me, representatives,” he started.
“First Domini was too polite to say it, but I will not hide from my shame. The only reason these females are here is because of the mistakes of my people. The fault for this lies with me and a rogue clavas of known criminals. They sent their young males on their siri’iki – their maturation trip.
It was a goal oriented one, intended to capture and enslave First Domini thanks to the actions of a traitor close to him.
But they were young and inexperienced, and their next subspace swing landed them far from any known space.
That was how they found Earth, and that was how they found these females.
The fault lies with my people and, therefore, the responsibility of atonement also lies with my people. ”