“You mean you have legal mechanisms to restrict population?” Horvath asked.
“Essentially yes.”
“And why didn’t you say that before?” Senator Fowler demanded.
“You didn’t ask.”
Dr. Horvath was grinning now. So was Sally. Relief showed around the room. Except— “You deliberately misled Lady Sally,” Chaplain Hardy said carefully. “Please tell me why.”
“That Mediator served Jock’s Master,” Charlie answered. “She should speak to you of this. And please excuse us, I must tell the Ambassador what has been said.” Charlie twittered.
“Jock, you must take great care. We have won their sympathy. They want reasons to believe us. These humans have almost as much empathy as Mediators when they are in the proper mood, but they can change instantly.”
“I have listened,” Ivan said. “Do what you can to reassure these humans. If we are ever once away from their control we will be useful to all of them, and we will be an economic necessity to powerful groups of humans.”
“She felt the truth would upset you,” Jock answered. “I am not sure what was said. It was not discussed with me. We do not often discuss sex and reproduction within our family groups and almost never beyond them. The subject is— You do not have the emotion. It is similar to embarrassment but not identical. And you must realize how closely a Mediator will identify with her Fyunch(click). Lady Sally does not easily discuss sexual matters, nor does she enjoy doing so; her Mediator would feel the same emotions, and would know that the sterility of Mediators would upset Sally if she knew—as it did, when you learned of it. I say all this, but I do not know for certain: the matter was never thought important.”
“All that suspicion,” Sally said. “Just to spare me. I’m glad we cleared it up.”
The Motie shrugged. “Despite our abilities, some misunderstandings between alien species are inevitable. Remember the toilet doors?”
“Yes.” Sally could see what Ben Fowler was going to ask next. She spoke quickly to cut him off. “Now that we’ve got that straight, just what do your Masters do when they don’t want children yet?” She felt a rush of blood and suspected her cheeks were growing red. Dr. Horvath eyed her curiously. Lecherous old man, she thought. Of course that isn’t really being fair to him.
The Moties twittered for a moment. “Abstinence is common,” Jock said. “We also have chemical and hormonal methods like yours. Do you wish the mechanics discussed here?”
“I’m more interested in the incentives,” Senator Fowler said heavily. “What happens to Masters, or Browns, or whatever, if they start having children every six months?”
“Would you not define that as an action placing independence as more important than the interests of the race?” Jock asked.
“Yeah.”
“So do we.”
“And that’s how you get wars started,” Dr. Horvath concluded. “Senator, with all respect I think we’ve got the answers to our questions. The Moties control their populations. When individuals fail to go along, there’s conflict. Sometimes that leads to wars. Just how is this different from humans?”
Benjamin Fowler laughed. “Doctor, you keep asking me to see your point of view, which is based on ethics. You never see mine, which isn’t. I never claimed the human race was superior to Moties—in ethics, or intelligence, or anything else. I only claim it’s my race, and I’m charged with protecting human interests.”
He turned back to the Moties. “Now that you’ve seen us in operation,” Fowler continued, “what do you think of our Empire?”
Jock chuckled. “Senator, what do you expect me to say? You have us in your power—the three of us, and all of our people. Your warships control the Crazy Eddie point leading to our system. You could presumably exterminate us, and I’ve heard speeches demanding just that on your tri-v.”
“Not from anyone important,” Anthony Horvath protested. “From nuts and cranks—”
“Certainly. But it was said. Thus any answer I give to the Senator’s question will be what I believe he wants to hear. How could it be otherwise?”
“Well said,” Ivan twittered. “Humans appear to respect admission of truth contrary to interests. In this case they inevitably would know anyway. But take care.”
“Trust my skills, Master. Note that most have relaxed. Only the clergyman and the naval officer called Renner are not satisfied. The Emperor’s Mediator is now undecided, and when we came into this room he had decided against us.”
Charlie: “I am fearful. Would it not be best to tell them all, now that they know so much? How can we long keep our Cycles and our reproductive patterns secret? My Master wished to tell them all—”
“You will be silent and allow Jock to speak to the humans. Defer questions which upset you to her.”
“I will, Master. I was instructed to obey you. But I am still of the opinion that my Master was correct.”
“And if he has assessed the humans incorrectly?” Jock asked. “If they see us as a threat to their descendants? May they not destroy us all now, while they are able?”
“Silence. Speak to the humans.”
“The Ambassador points out that as the Empire is both the most powerful association of humans and the group closest to our home, it is to our interest to be in alliance with your Empire, regardless of our opinions. We’re surrounded.”
“And that’s a fact,” Sally agreed. “Uncle Ben, how long does this go on? We have the draft agreements worked out by the economics technicians. Can’t we get to the details of that?”
Fowler was not satisfied. It showed in the set of his heavy jowls, the tense shoulders. There was trouble in the Empire without Moties. Add Motie technology in the hands the outies and rebels, and anything could happen.
“There is a draft agreement,” Senator Fowler said carefully. “Before we put that to you, I’ve another proposition. Have you any interest in joining the Empire? As a Class One system member, for example? You’d have home rule, representation on Sparta, and access to most of the Imperial markets.”
“We have considered it. It would take time to work out details—”
“No,” Senator Fowler said positively. “That’s the one thing it won’t take. Your pardon, but we have no intention of letting your Engineers invent the Field and construct a war fleet. The first condition would be immediate admission of Imperial observers to every point in your system.”
“Disarmament. Trust in your good intentions,” Jock said. “Would you submit to such terms?”
“I haven’t been asked to,” Ben said. “You have.”
“I said they would make this offer,” Charlie twittered.
“We cannot accept,” Ivan answered flatly. “We would be helpless. Assume the humans are sincere. Assume the Empire would not destroy us when our true nature became obvious. Can we believe that many generations from now the Empire will be ruled by benevolence? It is a risk we cannot take. The Race must be assured of survival.”
“There is no assurance!”
“We must get out of our system and into the universe. When we are firmly established in many systems, the humans will not dare attack any of them,” Jock said. Her gestures showed impatience.
“You are convinced that we cannot accept this offer?” Charlie asked.
Jock: “We have discussed this before. The humans will be thorough. They will want to disarm the Warriors. Before that happens, the Masters will fight. There will be war, precisely when the humans expect it. They are not fools; and their naval officers are afraid of us. Overwhelming force would back up the observers. If we pretend to accept, they will feel justified in destroying us: remember the fate of human planets in rebellion. This offer cannot even buy time.”