The Voting Species (6 page)

All the eyes
and ears in the galaxy turned towards the Chief Justice, distracted
by the court clerk moving towards the bench. ‘Before you consider
your ruling Chief Justice, I have just had some late evidence from
Cyan through Senator Goring, it’s relevant to Mr Lundstrom’s case
regarding alien behaviour.’ He handed over a file.

The Chief Justice’s demeanour saddened as he
studied the screen. ‘Would you both approach the bench please,’ he
asked, ‘I think you need to be aware of this.’

Mr Lundstrom spoke sadly, ‘It changes nothing
for us Chief Justice.’

‘I will have to make a comment on this
tragedy, to make sure your judgement is based on all the evidence,’
Prosecutor Kwai lamented. She then made a point of walking across
the court to the Admiral and whispering for a couple of minutes.
She then moved back to centre stage.

The Chief Justice announced to the court, ‘We
have some late evidence to consider, please continue Prosecutor
Kwai.’

‘
There has
been a tragedy on Cyan that Mr Lundstrom has considered, but has
nothing more to add. The Federation wishes to comment just for the
record. It appears that two hundred guards at a research
establishment have been attacked and killed by native Cyanese. We
have been collecting evidence for some time regarding ongoing
friction between these two groups. After due consideration of this
evidence the Federation concludes that this tragedy has no bearing
on these proceedings.’

Along with
murmurings from the court, there was the usual turning of heads
from the fifteen justices with no sign that they would retire, this
added to the tension. After just a few minutes the Chief Justice
looked forward, seemingly to the whole court, but in fact to the
whole Galaxy. ‘On hearing and studying all the evidence relevant to
this hearing, with a unanimous decision we agree that this law be
passed.’ The court erupted into cheering and clapping for many
minutes before the Chief Justice could be heard again. ‘And that
this classification be awarded to alien species that meet the
genetics qualification from tests conducted from this date.’ The
court again raised its noise level, the Origins Society personnel
rejoiced around their relieved Lawyer. As the floor became crowded,
Prosecutor Kwai walked quietly away from the melee to shake hands
with the Admiral.

Professor
Anton Devereaux and Mick sat motionless, letting their tears slip
down their faces. Denton and Tubary nodded at each other, while the
twelve warriors joined in the celebrations with their customary
warm smiles.

INSIDE THE LAW

‘
Good day to
you all, and thank you.’ The Prosecutor started, the triumph of her
defeat being diluted by her respect for those around her. ‘Put
succinctly, I’m here to make sure none of you end up on the penal
colony, and of course to make sure that if a crime has been
committed, the guilty do.’ The woman with pointed features scanned
the array of beings from left to right, seated once again in square
formation. She more than ever appreciated how weak the law could be
at times when compared with people of action. ‘The main problem we
prosecutors have is dealing with slippery people who are well
skilled at leaving ambiguous evidence, when they leave it at all.
We have a thousand witnesses that say humans on Cyan have been
guilty of at least vivisection and probably much worse. The absurd
contradiction is that those responsible can hide behind their
crime, the witnesses under the old law were not human and could not
be witnesses. I understand from Professor Devereaux and Lieutenant
Hernandez that it is standard procedure to compare the genetics
from those poisoned, with the genetics from the wider native Cyan
population. I further understand that you have already conducted
such research in the recent past. You did this to determine what
genetic corruption had been perpetrated, and what effect it was
having on their present behaviour; it was also to predict any
delayed gene expression which affected their future behaviour.
Testing them and finding evidence of a crime against them, after
reclassification, is now admissible as a crime against people. As
for this recent massacre, we now know it was caused by choice and
not corrupted genetics. Ironically and under the law, the natives
were allowed to defend themselves in the manner they did whilst
they were classified as animals. People however, have to take a
more circuitous route.’ She hesitated awhile. ‘I don’t know, and I
probably don’t want to know, what your next visit to Cyan is
for!’

The Professor
smiled out a statement, ‘All we need is to keep the military’s
latest interspecific genetics analyzer.’ The Prosecutor nodded as
she smiled back.

‘
What stops
the guilty wriggling out with a nuclear accident excuse?’ asked
Mick.

‘Any evidence gained includes looking at
which particular gene or genes had been targeted, a nuclear
accident would show a blast effect on all DNA!’ She looked for and
received supportive nods from the Professor and the Lieutenant.

Denton asked,
‘You said new crime, but can the new law be enforced retroactively
on poisoning administered before alien reclassification, but took
effect after it?’

‘No, the crimes we know of will be
vivisection only. If a new crime has been committed since
reclassification then we have a legal breakthrough! Certified
genetics tests have already been received and processed regarding
three species of aliens, now classed as people. We’ve had no
response from your people Boss!’

‘We are awaiting advice from our
Ambassador.’

‘I suppose there’s no real rush after all
this time?’ interrupted the Admiral.

‘I trust there’s no problem?’ Prosecutor Kwai
added.

‘No, we warriors remain at your service for
as long as you need us.’

‘
Thank you,’
she continued, ‘I don’t know who you’ll be scanning next. I hope
you can get close enough to them. Most of the Cyanese won’t know of
their newly acquired status yet, hopefully most of them wanted
it.’

The sixteen
and the Military
shielded themselves with
silence, which Mick soon broke. ‘What do the Cyan authorities say
about all this?

‘
That it was
research into cancer treatments for Cyan natives, which they have
belatedly got a licence for.’

‘Cancer?’ asked Boss.

Prosecutor Kwai looked at Professor
Devereaux.

‘
It’s an old
disease they started to tame at the beginning of the twenty first
century, about the same time as epigenetics took off. So, guard
your genes!’

The
Prosecutor felt the need to look hard at everyone. ‘The law is a
pain at times, but we must tread carefully! We cannot let the
criminals escape on legal technicalities. As for all of you, try
not to end up on the penal colony!’

The Admiral waved his hand as a signal to
start the coffee and fruit juice scrum, he then weaved his way to
Denton. ‘Mr Denton, I have an extra interrogation task for
you.’

‘You have?’

‘Yes, somebody we sent to the Cyan military
base some time ago, we need it confirmed that there were no
inappropriate relationships whilst at the base.’

‘When?…Where?’

‘Tonight, at your apartment!’

Denton virtually jumped out of the carrier,
ran to his apartment and threw himself on the mercy of his scanner.
It buzzed him in where he rushed to his lounge to confront the
angel that the gods had created just for him. They stood, staring
at each other for several seconds.

‘I’m supposed to interrogate you,’ he said
softly.

‘I think the Admiral’s joking at long last,’
she replied just as softly.

‘I think the Admiral can’t stop pulling
strings, even heart strings.’

‘Yes, interrogate me all you like.’

He grinned, ‘Did you have any inappropriate
relationships whilst on Cyan.’

‘
How long
have we got.’ There was that sweetest of smiles again, from full
lips under light blue eyes set in a healthy face. Her fair hair
contrasted with the black well fitting uniform that showed her tall
slim figure, but fell short of breaching protocol. ‘There was only
one indiscretion, I had a date with a Captain Bronski and a
thousand troopers, they had a sick battleship. What about
you?’

‘
Nothing
much, one of my trips was to a planet covered with naked
females.’

‘That’s quite a choice.’

‘Don’t worry, Tubs protected me.’

‘I suppose you’ll want to take me out to that
nice restaurant again.’

‘Lisa, I want to take you everywhere!’

‘Unexpected concern broke out across her
healthy face. ‘Things are hotting up on Cyan…Captain Bronski has
given me some feedback for you. There are many armies roaming about
all over the planet, not just the one you’re looking for!’

At the gym, Denton was doing what he had to
do, grimace included.

‘Put some joy into your labours Dents.’

‘Good morning to you too Tubs.’

‘So, was she or wasn’t she?’

‘Faithful you mean?’

‘Still interested in you…say nothing, your
smile says it all. A smile that shows your relationship has been
elevated to the fusion of minds as well as bodies.’

‘Your poetic this morning Tubs, it must be
Maria’s influence.’

‘That as well Dents, I was out on the town
with the warriors last night, whilst you were fusing. Even I found
their history fascinating, you would have been floored by what
their genes had enabled them to do!’

‘Before we update each other Tubs, get to the
most important subject in the Galaxy, what did Mick find out
regarding the dating habits of our lady warriors?’

‘Mick asked with great respect what their
attitude would be to dating humans, purely academic of course, he
is our alien expert after all. In their usual matter of fact way
they said they saw no problem at all.’

Denton, his mind now straining at every
neuron. ‘So, what next?’

‘They would have to find somebody equal to
themselves to enter a lasting relationship, they particularly liked
men with your physique Dents!’

‘
Really, if
only I’d known…before last night,’ Denton stated
seriously.

‘
But there
would have been an intelligence issue, they’d only adopt you as a
pet.’

‘Thanks Tubs.’ The tone of Denton’s words
revealed his deflation.

‘
But if you
responded well to training, they’d call you Toby in memory of your
favourite dog!’

‘Very funny Tubs.’

PREDATOR
AND
PREY

‘There it is,’ proclaimed the Professor, ‘the
roofs have been singed but no real damage, the usual split, James
and his crew go hunting, the rest of us do the real work. This time
we can land in the main clearing.’

‘No sign of furious natives down there,’
added Denton, looking up from the sensor.

The
Prospector under Tubary’s control sunk into the greenery. Down the
ramp and into the sticky heat the search party trod, sweating into
their working clothes of khaki and green. Spreading out across the
clearing, which had been cleared of bodies by Bronski’s men, they
made their way through each building. For the first time they were
able to marvel at the latest scientific instruments, the budget for
which appeared to have been limitless. They were now drawn to the
battle scene where a few spears lay flat, laid down by the troopers
as a mark of respect for those who’d died. The Professor felt he
needed to say something to the now solemn group, he spoke slowly,
‘Humans Boss, whilst at their clearing we laughed, joked and ate
together, shortly afterwards they marched to kill us! Imagine how
they treated the Cyanese natives, they brought this on
themselves!’

The Professor
soaked in the silence for a
while.

‘
Now, let’s
find Boss’s renegades,’ he continued.

The warriors
spoke for only seconds before Boss offered their hypothesis. ‘They
have evolved in the jungle, they would not live permanently in
towns and cities unless they had been mutated to do so. The gods
would not have been so unkind. They would hide amongst the native
Cyanese and find it easy to use them, as they do
humans.’

The
Prospector
made its second landing,
gently touching down on the outskirts of one of the wooden
villages, which drew the natives from the shade of their homes and
into the hot sun. They recognized the leader as he elbowed his way
through the crowd, he seemed to draw them down the ramp towards
him. After they had all waded into the throng, a dozen or so
natives were offered fruit juice in exchange for some of their
time. The others ambled away, light hearted in the knowledge that
they’d been spared any more assaults on their bodies or genes.
There was the occasional look and pointing to the humans between
sips of juice from those who’d stayed and did the talking. They too
eventually wandered off to their homes.

‘Good and bad,’ said Mick, ‘they know of
strangers who have the warriors body shape, they look like Alan,
his body being nearly athletic enough to qualify as a warrior.’

There were
forced wry grins to mask their concern for their warrior
friends.

‘
What
clinches it
, is that they had six human
scientists with them. That’s not all, the natives referred to
themselves as slimmer versions of James.’

‘Every species is slimmer than Tubs,’ Denton
said, trying to raise spirits.