Homecoming 05 - Earthborn by Orson Scott Card

Author:Orson Scott Card [Card, Orson Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Epic, Fiction, General, Life on Other Planets, Science Fiction; American, Computers, Artificial intelligence
ISBN: 9780812532982
Google: Idv8y_H0mm4C
Amazon: B000GGWC1I
Barnesnoble: B000GGWC1I
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 1992-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

So even though Aronha was asking one question, Mon could answer honestly using the only meaning of the word know that he believed in anymore. "Yes, Aronha. I know he's right, and I know Akma's right, and I know I'm right."

Aronha nodded soberly. "We're the king's sons. We have no authority except as he gives it to us, but we do have enormous prestige. It would be a crippling blow to Akmaro's reforms if we came out publicly against them. And if it's not just the Motiaki but also Akmaro's own son. ..."

"People might take notice," said Akma.

"Knock them back on their buttocks, that's what it'll do," said Ominer.

"But that's treason," said Khimin.

"Not a thing we're saying denies the authority of the king," said Ominer.

"Haven't you been listening? We affirm the ancient alliance of humans and angels. We affirm our ancestors' decisions that the descendants of Nafai should be kings over the Nafari. What we reject is this superstitious nonsense about the Keeper loving the diggers as much as he loves the sky people and the middle people."

"You know," said Khimin, "if you think about it, the angels are the sky people, and we humans are the earth people, and the diggers aren't people at all!"

"We won't win much support," said Akma dryly, "if we start calling human beings 'earth people.' "

Khimin laughed nervously. "No. I guess not."

"Ominer is right," said Akma, "but I'm also right when I say that we're not ready. We have to be able to speak on this subject, any one of us, at any time."

"Me!" cried Aronha. "I'm not like you and Mon, I can't just open my mouth and have speech pour out of it for hours."

"That's Akma's gift," said Mon.

Ominer hooted derisively. "Come on, Mon. We always used to joke, Is Mon awake?

I don't know, is he talking? Then he's awake."

The words stung, even though Ominer clearly didn't mean them to be hurtful.

Mon clamped his mouth shut, determined to say nothing else until they begged him to speak.

"My point," said Akma, "is that we have to act with perfect solidarity. If all the sons of Motiak and the son of Akmaro are united in opposing this new policy, then it will be clear to everyone that no matter what the present king decides, the next king will have a kingdom in which diggers are not citizens.

This will encourage the newly freed diggers to leave and return to Elemaki territory where they belong. And nobody can say we are against freedom, because our plan is to free all the slaves at once-but free them at the border, so we won't be creating any new free diggers who will want to be made citizens of a nation they don't belong in. It's a kind policy, really, to recognize the insurmountable differences between our species and bid a gentle but firm farewell to all those diggers who imagine themselves to be civilized."

The others agreed. It was a good program. They were united in support of it.

"But

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