The Hesperian Dilemma by Colin Waterman

Author:Colin Waterman [Waterman, Colin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781916051911
Publisher: Fabulahula, a division of E & Q Services Limited
Published: 2019-03-17T22:00:00+00:00

After breakfast the next day, Kai called a meeting and related news of the war. He told them he’d been able to follow developments via Hesperian and Khitan radio and TV transmissions. There’d been no nuclear exchanges for some time, but the Hesperians had recently won a series of battles fought conventionally. Their army had invaded Khitan territory and had marched westwards across Kathay. The forces of the Empire were in retreat, but this was deliberate. The Khitan strategy was to destroy everything in the path of the Hesperians, to ensure none of the resources of their land could be used by the invading army. The Khitan government had withdrawn to the high plateau region of Xizang, and had set up a command centre in Lhaza. The invading force had become snowbound in the mountains. But with spring coming, they would soon be on the move.

‘The conflict has almost destroyed the Empire,’ said Kai. ‘The war is yet another illustration of humankind’s base stupidity and ignorance. Once again, the homo sapiens species has been profligate in its expenditure of resources on a pointless venture, which is driving it to extinction.’

‘I believe the Khitans launched an unprovoked attack,’ said Geoff.

‘Only because you Hesperian bastards planned to do the same,’ responded Huang. For the first time, Geoff mentally sized up his muscular frame, and pondered how telekinesis could be used to defeat him in combat.

‘Nothing has revealed the inferiority of human society more than the example of the Thiosh,’ continued Kai. ‘As a biological domain, they are clearly superior to us humans, in either the east or the west. They are welcome here on Earth. We must bow to their will and use our low-level intelligence to give them our full support.’

‘Kai, this isn’t like you,’ said Geoff. ‘What’s happened? You are the wisest, most sensitive person I’ve ever met. Why are you talking like this?’

‘The old ways have passed. There will be a new order, and the weak shall be swept aside.’

‘Just a minute,’ said Geoff urgently, but Maura gripped his hand hard and whispered to him to shut up.

He followed Maura outside to their cabin. They went in and Geoff slammed the door. ‘You stopped me speaking. Are you on his side too?’ he demanded.

‘I am not. You’d better believe it. I just didn’t want you to go head to head with him yet.’

‘What the fuck is he talking about? Clearly superior? It’s racist – or should I say domainist talk. You’re the biologist.’

‘I know, I didn’t like what I was hearing, either,’ said Maura. ‘Kai’s like a different person. Leona says something happened to him when they landed on Euphrosyne. Something that fundamentally changed him.’

‘He didn’t seem very surprised by our arrival via a wormhole. How did he know about it?’

‘I don’t think Leona told him we were coming. It must have been Voorogg. All the Thiosh knew about it.’

‘You listen to their thought waves,’ said Geoff. ‘Why did Voorogg make the trip and not Atherlonne?’

‘Not all Thiosh wanted to leave.

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