He was kinda proud of Michelle, as she wasn’t but a couple of seconds behind. He shifted, and felt the other O’Neals follow his lead. Michelle was so focused on Cally, she didn’t seem to notice.
“I can stop you,” she said to her sister.
“You sure?” Cally said.
“Completely,” the Michon Mentat said, her control returned to her.
“Just one problem,” Papa O’Neal said.
“Which is?” Michelle asked.
“I absolutely forbid it,” he replied. “And I am your clan leader.”
Michelle opened and closed her mouth for a moment, stunned.
“Hard time getting around that one, huh?” Papa said, walking over to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. “All that training by the Indowy. Lineeoooie or whatever it’s called. Now, Cally might just tell me to get stuffed. She’s done it before. But you?”
“Clan Leader,” Michelle said, formally. “I respectfully request that you reconsider your decision to destroy this device.”
“Didn’t say I was going to destroy it,” Papa O’Neal said.
“Huh?” Cally shouted. “Well screw that!” she continued, pointing her rifle.
“Don’t,” Papa O’Neal said. “Seriously, Granddaughter. Don’t. I’m handling this.”
“This thing can not exist,” Cally said.
“They said the same thing about nuclear weapons,” Papa O’Neal said with a sigh. “But they do. And biological agents and all the rest. As I said, let me handle this, Granddaughter.”
“What in the hell could you want it for, Papa?” Cally asked, exasperated.
“I don’t,” Papa replied. “She does,” he added, pointing at Michelle. “And since I haven’t given her a Christmas present in years, I figure I owe her. What I’m going to ask is why? You’re an O’Neal. I know the Indowy raised you but I also know you’re my genes. You were raised by my daughter-in-law who I loved like my own daughter, by my son, before the Indowy got their linatoooie or whatever thinking in your head. You’re not going to be mind-raping people. You can’t. You’re an O’Neal. Absolute power be damned, some people just don’t care about the power. So what do you want it for?”
“A question my sister never asked,” Michelle said, nodding.
“She’s… Cally,” Papa said. “She tends to shoot first and try not to ask at all. But it’s a question you will answer. To your Clan Leader. In small words.”
Michelle seemed to consider that for a moment, then nodded.
“This device is a remnant of technology,” she began.
“Stuff I don’t already know,” Papa said.
“A remnant of the Aldenata before they… became more,” Michelle said.
“That I will admit I didn’t know,” Papa said.
“It was held by the Tchpth,” Michelle continued, apparently ignoring him. “They did not study it, for they already understood its function.”
“The Crabs can make another one?” Cally snapped. “Oh, holy shit.”
“So my point is made,” Papa O’Neal said. “The nuclear wall is breached. At that pont, you gotta figure out how you live with it. Continue.”
“The device uses Sohon techniques,” Michelle said. “But it does not require a Sohon master to operate.”
“Ain’t that interesting,” Cally scoffed. “Afraid we regular people might learn to do what you do?”
“Yes,” Michelle replied quietly. “And no. Yes, in that advanced Sohon techniques are… exceedingly dangerous. You hate and revile this machine, Cally. But it is simply an aspect of Sohon. We masters, we mentats, the Wise you so despise, have deliberately avoided exploring this area, this aspect, of Sohon. It is a violent approach to Sohon that we abhor. Mind-raping as you put it. But it is an aspect of Sohon.”
“So what you’re saying is that if you wanted to, you all could be mind-rapers?” Cally said. “Maybe I’m aiming at the wrong thing.”
“Perhaps you are,” Michelle admitted. “But to learn such advanced skills requires decades of study and discipline. Perhaps that is insufficient to prevent its misuse, Erick showed that well enough. But would you have anyone have access to such power? Consider his lieutenant. Consider the many people you have… cleansed over the years.”
“Point,” Cally said, frowning.
“That is the yes,” Michelle said. “It is clear that humanity, as a whole, is not ready for the power to simply press a button and achieve this sort of power.”
“So we destroy it,” Cally said. “The Crabs had it for how long? And they never made another one. So it’s unlikely they’re going to any time soon.”
“But there is the no,” Michelle said. “This device generates Sohon fields. Yes, it was misused. But consider the possibilities, sister. Other devices that can be used for peaceful applications of Sohon. For building that does not require such intense energy on the part of a person. New ship drives, new methods of power generation. The peaceful applications are endless.”
“Ain’t possible,” Papa O’Neal said. “Nuclear power, nuclear weapons. Chemical industry, gas factories. Medical technology, biological weapons. You never just get peaceful applications, Granddaughter.”
“It is possible if the people producing them are devoted to peace,” Michelle said, spreading her hands. “I will make a compromise with you, Grandfather. The device will be placed in the care of the O’Neal Bane Sidhe. It will be accessible only by myself and other Sohons I designate, secured in such a way as only we may access it and you may ensure yourself of that. I give you my personal word that the research will be devoted to finding the methods whereby it produces Sohon fields without the input of a Sohon master. One can learn much of nuclear power from observing a nuclear weapon, to use your own metaphor. Also electronics, manufacturing and materials technology. This is what I wish to research.”
“Cally?” Papa O’Neal asked.
“Fuck,” the woman replied, shrugging. “I dunno. I mean, if the tech is already out there… Why not just get it from the Crabs?”
“The Tchpth and mentats approach the same Way from different Paths,” Michelle replied. “Sometimes we have trouble communicating. This would be… a crossroads, yes?”
“That was her way of saying ‘whatever,’ ” Papa O’Neal said. “Your compromise is accepted. We need to get it to Prime Base.”
“And we need to get the flock out of here,” Mosovich pointed out. “There’s going to be more response than just us. And I really don’t want to be here when it gets here.”
“We can carry the team out on the shuttles,” Kelly said. “We’re not going to be going back to DAG anyway.”
“Details, details,” Papa O’Neal said. “Let’s load up.”
“What about the security goons?” Cally asked.
Papa O’Neal looked at the still frozen group and snorted.
“Let them try explaining what happened,” he said. “Gonna love reading the debrief. Granddaughter…”
“Yes?” Cally and Michelle answered simultaneously.
“I don’t give a crap about the thing with the Indowy,” Papa said, clarifying with a glance at Michelle. “It’s about time you come home. Other Granddaughter?”
“Yes,” Cally said.
“Tell my grandson-in-law that he can come down and explain in person, and to me, what the fuck is going on or he’s on my personal ‘better off dead’ list. And there ain’t many people still living on that one.”
Epilogue
“This is incredibly stupid,” Stewart said as he stepped into the car. “This endangers not just me but our children.”