Several times the Gubru opened its beak as if about to commit the ungraceful act of interrupting the Examiner. Finally, when the spiderlike being stopped briefly for a breath, the avian cut in sharply. Gailet, who had been studying hard for months, easily understood the clipped words in Galactic Three.
, ” — delaying, dawdling, stalling! Your motives are in doubt, incredible, suspect! I insist that you proceed, move along, get on with it!”
But the Examiner scarcely missed a beat, continuing in Galactic Seven.
“In passing the formidable gauntlet you faced today, more rigorous than any testing I have heretofore witnessed, you have demonstrated your worthiness as junior citizens of our civilization, and bring credit to your clan.
“What you receive today, you have earned — the right to reaffirm your love of your patrons, and to choose a stage consort. The latter decision is an important one. As consort you must select a known, oxygen-breathing, starfaring race, one that is not a member of your own clan. This race will defend your interests and impartially intercede in disputes between you and your patrons. If you wish, you may select the Tymbrimi, of the Clan of the Krallnith, who have been your consort-advisors up until now. Or you may make a change.
“Or, you may choose yet another option — to end your participation in Galactic civilization, and ask that the meddling of Uplift be reversed. Even this drastic step was prescribed by the Progenitors, as insurance of the fundamental rights of living things.”
Could we? Could we really do that? Gailet felt numb at the very idea. Even though she knew that it was almost never allowed in practice, the option was there!
She shuddered and refocused her attention as the Grand Examiner lifted two arms in a benediction. “In the name of the Institute of Uplift, and before all of Galactic civilization, I therefore pronounce you, the representatives of your race, qualified and capable of choosing and bearing witness. Go forth, and do all living things proud.”
The Serentini stepped back. And at last it was the turn of the ceremony sponsor. Normally, this would have been a human, or perhaps a Tymbrimi, but not this time. The Gubru emissary did a little dance of impatience. Quickly, it barked into a vodor, and words in Galactic Seven boomed forth.
“Ten of you shall accompany the final representatives to the shunt and offer witness. The selected pair shall carry the burden of choice and honor. These two I shall name now.
“Doctor Gailet Jones, female, citizen of Garth, Terragens Federation, Clan of Earth.”
Gailet did not want to move, but Michaela, her friend, betrayed her by planting a hand in the small of her back and gently urging her forward. She stepped a few paces toward the dignitaries and bowed. The vodor boomed again.
“Irongrip Hansen, male, citizen of Garth, Terragens Federation, Clan of Earth.”
Most of the chims behind her gasped in shock and dismay. But Gailet only closed her eyes as her worst fears were confirmed. Up until now she had clung to a hope that the Suzerain of Propriety might still be a force among the Gubru. That it might yet compel the Triumvirate to play fair. But now…
She felt him step up next to her and knew the chen she hated most was wearing that grin.
Enough! I’ve stood for this long enough! Surely the Grand Examiner suspects something. If I tell her…
But she did not move. Her mouth did not open to speak.
Suddenly, and with brutal clarity, Gailet realized the real reason why she had gone along with this farce for so long!
They’ve fooled with my mind!
It all made sense. She recalled the dreams… nightmares of helplessness under the subtle, adamant coercion of machines held in ruthless talons.
The Uplift Institute wouldn’t be equipped to test for that.
Of course they wouldn’t! Uplift Ceremonies were invariably joyous occasions, celebrated by patron and client alike. Who ever heard of a race-representative having to be conditioned or forced to participate?
It must’ve been done after Fiben was taken away. The Suzerain of Propriety couldn’t have agreed to such a thing. If the Grand Examiner only knew, we could squeeze a planet’s worth of reparation gild from the Gubru!
Gailet opened her mouth. “I …” She tried to make words come. The Grand Examiner looked at her.
Perspiration condensed on Gailet’s brow. All she had to do was make the accusation. Even hint at it!
But her brain was frozen. It felt as if she had forgotten how to make words!
Speechlock. Of course. The Gubru had learned how easy it was to impose on a neo-chimpanzee. A human, perhaps, might have been able to break the hold, but Gailet recognized how futile it was in her case.
She could not read arthropoid expressions, but it seemed somehow as if the Serentini looked disappointed. The Examiner stepped back. “Proceed to the hyperspace shunt,” she said.
No! Gailet wanted to cry. But all that escaped was a faint sigh as she felt her right hand lift of its own accord and meet Irongrip’s left. He held on and she could not let go.
That was when she felt an image begin to form in her mind — an avian face with a yellow beak and cold, unblinking eyes. No effort could rid her of the picture. Gailet knew with terrible certainty that she was about to carry that image with her to the top of the ceremonial mound, and once there she and Irongrip would send it upward, into the oval of warped space overhead, for all to see, here and on a thousand other worlds.
The part of her mind that still belonged to her — the logical entity, now cut off and isolated — saw the cold covinous logic of the plan.
Oh, humans were sure to claim that the choice made today had been rigged. And probably more than half of the clans in the Five Galaxies would believe it. But that wouldn’t change anything. The choice would still stand! The alternative would be to discredit the entire system. Stellar civilization was under such pressure, right now, that it could not stand much further strain.
In fact, quite a few clans might decide that there had already been quite enough trouble over one little tribe of wolflings. Whatever the rights and wrongs, there would be substantial sentiment for ending the problem, once and for all.
It came to Gailet all in a rush. The Gubru did not merely want to become chims’ new stage consort “protectors.” They meant to bring about the extinction of humanity. Once that was accomplished, her own people would be up for adoption, and she had little doubt how that would go!
Gailet’s heart pounded. She struggled not to turn in the direction Irongrip was guiding her, but to no avail. She prayed that she would have a stroke.
Let me die!
Her life hardly mattered. They certainly planned to have her “disappear” immediately after the ceremony anyway, to dispose of the evidence. Oh, Goodall and Ifni, strike me down now! She wanted to scream.
At that moment, words came. The words… but it was not her voice that spoke them.
“Stop! An injustice is being done, and I demand a hearing!”
Gailet had not thought her heart could beat any quicker, but now tachycardia made her feel faint. Oh God, let it be…
She heard Irongrip curse and let go of her hand. That alone brought her joy. There was the sound of squawking Gubru anger, and high “eeps” of chim surprise. Someone — Michaela, she realized — took her arm and turned her around.
It was full night now. Scattered clouds were underlit by the bright beacons of the mound, and by the turbulent, lambent tunnel of energy now taking form above the artificial mountain. Into the stark light of the floater car’s headlamps a solitary neo-chimpanzee in a dust-coated formal robe approached from the last test station. He wiped sweat from his brow and strode purposefully toward the three surprised officials.
Fiben, Gailet thought. Dazed, she found that old habits were the first to reassert themselves. Oh, Fiben, don’t swagger! Try to remember your protocol…