Sarai, стр. 35
“Beingbloody-minded,” Jamie supplied. “Humans know ourselves to bestubborn and blind to our own faults. Our history is littered withexamples of our violence towards ourselves and the creatures wholive on our world. Hell, our insatiable greed and stupidity isslowly destroying our planet and were too stubborn and set in ourways to help ourselves, even though we know what we shoulddo.”
Alekynsucked in a sharp breath. He honestly didn’t know where Jamie wasgoing with this.
“We’refamous among ourselves for not learning things until it’s too late,and sometimes that’s bad, very, very bad. But this time it’s goingto be worse than that — this time if humans aren’t persuaded tocooperate, they will be annihilated. Alekyn told me about the Zillship with the human remains, and that ars… Guesta said that myplanet was already under attack and that my people were going to bewiped out — he thought it was a joke, I could tell, but it’s notsomething you should allow …”
He paused,catching his thoughts together, “My brothers are all I have andthey’re going to die along with the rest of the planet unless youhelp my people in spite of the stubbornness and arrogance of ourleaders. There are plenty of good people — plenty of beautifulanimals and plants and other living creatures — on my planet thatdon’t deserve to be eaten by the Zill just because our leaders aretoo stupid to face facts.”
Chapter Eleven
ALEYKYNWRAPPED AN ARM around his sarai’sshoulders, trying to offer comfort. Damn court protocol — Jamieneeded him. His sarai grabbed hold of his hand, clinging to it asif he were drowning.
“Theapproach taken by your diplomats was wrong. You can’t just rock upand tell them that you’ll make them a…a…protectorate provided theyturn over their sons and daughters to you. In our culture that’sakin to blackmail.”
The Adanfrowned. “I understand. It was not intended but now it hashappened, what can we do?”
Jamie pulledaway from Alekyn’s hold. “Is what Guesta said true? Have the Zillalready attacked?”
The Adannodded. “Yes,” he confirmed. “Several large population centers havebeen partly destroyed. London, Washington, Paris — the worst hitwas a place called Sydney.”
“All overthe globe,” Jamie murmured, shading his eyes with his hands. Alekynsaw a tear run down his smooth cheek, but he rubbed it away beforestraightening. “Are they still under attack? Have the Zillretreated?”
There wassilence for a moment. The Adan shook his head. “No. Zill feederships are now in orbit around Earth’s moon. They are being suppliedwith…captives captured by Zill robot drones which are sending themwhatever is caught in their webs.”
“Feederships?” Jamie’s voice was almost too faint to be heard.
Iffyn lentforward, his face sympathetic. “They are like those places on yourplanet where farm animals are slaughtered, except the Zill cocoonthem, some of them feed the workers, but some are drained by thequeens.”
Alekynwatched as his sarai’s face crumpled. “Like cattle yards andabattoirs,” he whispered. “I know — Alekyn and Bram showed me vidsof a captured ship and the…husks that were left.”
Outside thechildren were still playing, squealing with excitement. A lazy warmbreeze lifted a thin pale drape and the sweet scent of nefanflowers wafted in. It contrasted incongruously with the horror ofthe subject they were discussing. Alekyn thought his heart wouldbreak for his sarai, whose face was tormented with grief. ThenJamie straightened, wiping the tears now falling down his cheekswith an impatient hand.
“So now they know,” he cleared thehuskiness from his throat. “In a way, that might make it easier forthem to accept your help. If you’re still willing to offer it? Ifit’s not too late?”
The Adanhesitated. “It’s not too late,” he said finally. “My brother Arakinis determined to fight for the humans. He and Commander Tain arenow close in orbit to Earth. But your people will have to allow ussarai before the Naferi fleet will be allowed to help — that’s notnegotiable. The other PanGal species demand it, the Halatians, theElusians and the Keinyn, as well as many Naferi. “
Jamie shookhis head. “I understand. But — and this is important — you’re goingto have to allow humans their pride. They’re going to have to fightthe Zill beside you, as equals. That means sharing some of yourtechnology and treating them with respect, otherwise they’ll hateyou and your allies. And you’re going to have to limit the numberof sarai taken — it can’t be a free-for-all. Those sarai can’t justbe scooped up the way I was. Limits have to be set on who can betaken and at what stage of their lives, whether they already havepartners, children, dependants of any sort, including parents orsiblings …”
Alekyn’schest tightened. His sarai still resented being claimed byAlekyn.
“There’ssomething else,” Jamie leaned forward. “Alekyn has talked to meabout how Naferi bond with their sarai, that they have a soul bond.If that’s true, then that’s may be the way to go about securing thehumans” cooperation.”
The Adanfrowned. “I’m not sure I understand. Surely they understand that—
“No, theydon’t — it’s something humans often dream about but rarelyexperience. All they can hear now is that you want to takethousands of them away to be sarai, and I bet people think justlike I did — that that means they’re only going to be sex slaves,not equals.”
Iffyngasped. “They don’t understand, my beloved,” he said to the Adan,“how important sarai are to their Sarat — ”
His husbandfrowned and patted Iffyn’s hand. “If that’s the case, no wonderthey’ve been so vociferous in their objections —
Jamie noddedhis head vigorously. “I thought the same until Alekyn showed methat wasn’t the case. Then we met Guesta and Smarx on the way here,and Guesta implied I and other humans were only going to be slaves,so I guess even some Naferi think that’s all the humans will be -just fucktoys.”
“I knowGuesta,” replied the Adan. “He is a close friend of my brother’s.I’m surprised he should suggest something so awful — ”
“I’mnot,” said Iffyn sharply, “I was schooled withhim. His great uncle is Syfern, the Patriarch of Nemta. Reactionaryand unreasonable.”
Anotherthought occurred to