Sleeping and Dead by Paul B Spence

Author:Paul B Spence [Spence, Paul B]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781929928347
Publisher: Asura Press
Published: 2019-03-14T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Four

Lyra thought Ambassador Lawrence Tindal seemed unbearably smug as he sat down across from her. Tindal had been forcibly removed from Aurora by Brennen the last time he'd been here. It had been that unfortunate incident that undoubtedly led to the embargo of the Mo'Ceri Protectorate by the Earth Confederacy. Sitting here at a table with the man, Lyra thought she understood why Brennen had done it.

"Ms. Rhys-Griffith, you have to understand our position," Tindal began. "The Confederacy has long held the belief that humans are being held in bondage on Aurora by the aliens you call Mo'Ceri. This world was colonized by the Confederacy. We feel we have a very solid claim to it."

"The Mo'Ceri are the indigenous people, ambassador. By your own laws, that makes this world off limits."

"We feel there is insufficient evidence to support the claim that the Mo'Ceri are indigenous to this world."

Lyra sighed. Technically, he wasn't wrong. Aurora was an artificial world. The Mo'Ceri hadn't evolved here. They'd been created it, however, and that had to count for something.

"The Mo'Ceri were unquestionably here before humans colonized the planet."

"We aren't so certain. There are no records of the species in the scout reports. If there had been, the planet would never have been colonized in the first place."

"The reports do mention the ruins on the planet. I've read them. That the Mo'Ceri were elusive and hid from the strange human invaders is documented. Let's stop playing games, though, shall we? We both know this conflict has nothing to do with saving the humans here, which is obviously a bunch of bullshit."

"Is it?" asked Tindal. "Most of the people on this world have little or no access to even basic technology."

"Because they don't want it," Lyra replied.

"So you say."

"Ambassador, I am human – you're free to have me tested. I also happen to be the speaker for the Circle. That doesn't sound as if humans have no say."

"Ah, yes, the Circle. What exactly is it?"

"The Circle is a board of advisers to the government. We're also empowered to make certain decisions regarding security and to negotiate treaties." Lyra smiled. "As I am now."

Tindal made a note on his pad. "And how many people are in this Circle?"

"Six," said Lyra.

"I thought there were primary and secondary roles."

"Six Firsts, six Seconds," Lyra replied. She had a sinking feeling.

"And how many Firsts, as you call them, are human?"

"Human is a somewhat flexible term. Your Confederacy can't even decide exactly what it means. There are other factors, too."

"I'm aware of your extraordinary and unsubstantiated claims of multiple universes," said Tindal. "How many are directly descended from humans from Earth?"

"Three," Lyra replied cautiously. "But that really isn't a fair assessment."

"And how many of the Seconds are human?"

"None. They're Mo'Ceri."

"So what you're saying is that humans are trusted so little that there has to be a Mo'Ceri by your side, or you can't make a decision?"

Lyra made a show of looking around her. "I don't see any Mo'Ceri here."

"And I am confident that this meeting will be unproductive," Tindal said.

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