"But why?"
"Why? Because the governments of the world demand it."
"Aren't they having kids on Luna yet?" asked Ralph.
"Just within the last five years, and only after we could prove that every other species on the planet could successfully carry offspring. You have no idea how much money it's taken to prove to the governments that off world population is viable. First we started with rats. Piles and piles of rats. And then we waited until they approved rabbits. And then it was mounds and mounds of rabbits. And then once we proved that they were born without twenty seven eyes and alien tentacles, then they allowed us to try with cats. And dogs. And pigs. And finally monkeys until they could no longer deny we could try with people. Ah, but only a few people, only volunteers, and on top of that, they had to be terminally ill volunteers."
Ralph scoffed in disgust. "Oh, for god's sake."
"I know. But the governments have never been men of science. They have their people too answer to. I get it, more than my father or grandfather. You have to work in the system, take the time to give them the proofs they need, even if you already know these things for fact. It's tiresome, but that's what has to happen. We've got a lot of pull. And if push ever came to shove..." he gave a little shrug. "Let's just say that the governments are becoming antiquated. I don't want that, though. I have no intentions of ever having any control of Earth. I think that's something they just never understood. Let them have Earth. I want them to have it. I've got my sights elsewhere."
"But..." Ralph supplied.
Reginald gave a rueful smile. "But...I need them. I need people. And they have made it so that I cannot get people, not long term, anyway, without their say-so. We aren't allowed procreation rights here yet, even though we've already proven it's safe on Luna." Ralph scoffed again. "I know! They think it's different just because Luna's closer to Earth."
"They can't be that stupid in this day and age."
Reginald shrugged. "Try telling them that! So we've begun here with the rats and the bunnies." He rolled his hand. "We're all the way up to pigs, though, so it won't be much longer."
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked.
"Everything. Like I said, they never believed we don't want Earth. They think that because we have technology that they don't understand that we'll turn it around and use it on them."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "Why not? I'd probably be worried about the same in their shoes. Only two things keep us going. First, they need us. They need the minerals we're harvesting on Mars, Luna, and the asteroids. And second, we keep nothing secret. Everything is open, and they are allowed to track our every move."
Ralph smiled slowly. "Almost everything."
Reginald pointed at Ralph. "Bingo." He turned his finger to me. "You are our one secret. As soon as it comes out..."
"They'll question everything you do," I finished for him. I could see it all clearly then.
"Yep."
I shrugged. "That settles it. I guess I just have to go back..."
Reginald sat up straight. "Go back? Dear god no! You can't!"
"But you just said..."
"Jake," he said, leaning forward and gesturing with his hands again. "You are our key. You were born not only off world, but in space. Deep space. Space so far away we really didn't even know for sure it existed. You are the proof we need to show the governments that humans are still human no matter where they are born."
It all sunk in. "So that's why you've been building me up."
"Conditioning you. It's necessary. If you had stayed in space, maybe not. But if you're going to Earth to walk around and prove you're normal, then you kind of have to be normal. At least, physically. Besides," he said in a kinder tone. "If you didn't condition, it would be even more hell for you. Trust me. It's much easier in this low gravity situation than it would be if you went right to it. When you walk on Earth for the first time, you're going to walk and talk just like them."
"But you just said I'm supposed to be secret."
He spread his hands. "And now you see my problem. Now you see why I've kept you in your rooms. I wasn't keeping you prisoner," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry it felt like that. I just...well frankly I didn't know what to do."
Ralph sipped his drink. I went to pick up mine, but caught his look, and left it alone. Later he told me it was disgusting and he was saving me embarrassment. He was right. I sampled the same kind of beverage later and had to put up with his "I told you so."
"And do you know what to do now?"
"I know what we're going to do. I don't know if it'll work."
"And that is...?"
Reginald stood and started pacing behind his desk. "We had no idea anyone was returning. That one's easy because it's the truth."
"But I'm sure Eunice..."
"Did what? Told us? When? A few months ago to you, a few years from now for us. On that, I can legit plead innocence, and that's exactly what I am planning on doing. We had no idea you were coming back. As to Jake, I think we cry miracle."
Ralph quirked an eyebrow. "How do you figure?"
"Back then it wasn't a matter of impotence injections before a mission. We flat out sterilized."
"Yes," said Ralph with an anger in his voice I'd rarely heard. "I was there."
Reginald looked sorry, he really did. He looked away uncomfortably and gave a little cough. "Yes. Well we're going with human error. The process was...botched."
Ralph gave a little grunt. "For both of them? Yeah. That's believable."
Reginald sighed. "The only other option is the truth, that the great Cosworths went rogue."
"What's wrong with the truth?"
"Because I'm trying to keep us moving forward!" Reginald threw his hands in the air. "I can't be a renegade here. I can't let them think we have renegades on our team. Not now. Not when we're so close. Those suits you wore...brilliance. Absolute brilliance. Your holocoms that are filled with Gitar tech..."
"Qitan," I corrected.
"Sorry. Qitan. You can't even begin to understand how this moves things forward. And we're already this close," he pinched his fingers almost together, "to formatting the...fah'ti?" I nodded, glad he was making an effort to get it right. "We're almost to where we can use that for instant communication with Condor One."
I looked to Ralph. "Our ship," he said, as if I should know that. And I did, I suppose, somewhere deep inside. Condor One. Stupid name for a ship. But then again, ship was a stupid thing to call it, too.
"Instant communication?"
"Our techs are on it non stop. I think by the end of the week, we'll be able to patch you instantly in to give your mom and dad a hi." He grinned at me.
I should have been happy. I gave him a little smile, suddenly feeling dread, and not really understanding why. It was what I wanted, what I wanted since I left, right? I noticed Ralph giving me a funny look. "Uh, yeah. Thanks," I said lamely.
"And if we can get that one working with our equipment...if we can make more...then we can do what the Qitans do and travel the universe." He leaned across his desk. "This must happen. We cannot lose, not when we're so very, very close."
"Then sit on it. Leave us up here until it's all in place. Let us have a bit of fun on Utopia until you're ready."
"You've been gone awhile, but some things haven't changed. I already have the press asking about the 'prisoners'." Ralph quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, Ralph. We even have press all the way out here. It's one of the government's ways of keeping tabs, real tabs. I'm sure you've seen them outside. Maybe you didn't even notice."
"Make something up."
"And I have been, without actually lying. I've been holding them off. I've had that poor nurse sequestered for weeks and the pool of doctors are only our top scientists. They won't talk. But push is coming to shove. Even if Jake here hadn't popped a gasket, this conversation would be happening, the plans would be set into motion. You can only keep people in the dark so long before they light a candle."