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here's my number
demon cam lands in the alteriverse
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Imrainai figures that, as in all stories, there are many many many things that happened before it was time for the main action of this one to begin. Probably Parael learned something; ancestors know who she learned it from. What Imrainai knows, though, is that Parael finds her in the main work crew living quarters one day, at the tail end of a story. She has a favor to ask. Before Imrainai can ask what it is, Parael has presented her with a piece of paper. At first she thinks it's the stuff they have on Earth, but no, it's a surface made from lots of tiny medication slips glued together.

She also has a pen. A real one, not a piece of plastic with printer toner on it.

     "I need a circle with some words inside. I would draw it but I can't actually see. And the material's fragile, I don't want to tear it."

She doesn't know what this is for and kind of wants to get Mathrael to see if it's OK - nobody on this ship has said they can't have paper, but it's best not to do anything that might later be counted as troublemaking. Mathrael is on a shift right now, though, and Parael seems very serious about this.

She painstakingly writes out the words I summon a demon, in Confederate One, over the course of a couple minutes. Some of the children cluster around her to stare. She draws a circle around her words.

"Like that?"

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Like that, apparently, because here's a demon. "- hi?" he says, tail swishing.

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The room was full of low-level chatter a second ago, but the entire area goes completely silent now. 

" - what is that?"

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" - I guess it's a demon."

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"Yes, that's me, genuine bonafide, uh, what exactly were you thinking to do here?"

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"Well - I didn't think anything was going to actually happen - what were you trying to - "

She looks up to ask Parael what exactly the plan here was.

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Parael is actually trying to make it out the door. Naturally, it doesn't work - she's not very fast, and the other Liars catch her by both arms, aiming to prevent her from causing trouble and then immediately reporting a more convenient version of events to the Alteri.

The doors slam shut on their own. An alarm sounds. People who were standing before take a moment to sit down, wherever there's room.

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"What the hell is going on?"

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Parael goes limp. Apparently someone in higher places thinks she's particularly likely to be trying something. She would think that this was fair if she hadn't just pivoted really hard into loyalty mode.

She listens, with as much attention as she can muster trained on the demon.

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Ohhhh man mistakes were made.

"They've probably detected the unauthorized life form - do you know if there's a way to undo this - "

She looks at Parael, but Parael isn't doing anything, so a second later she looks at Cam.

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"Do you need to get rid of me? - did you summon me without knowing how to get rid of me? Where is this?" It'd just take the summoner wanting him gone a minute, doesn't everyone know that? Doesn't everyone know better than to summon unbound demons, for that matter, what the heck is going on here?

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"This is Earth! Or - orbital space above Earth, I don't know the route number. I really didn't mean to, pieces of paper aren't really supposed to do things?"

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"That doesn't make this make more sense!" objects the demon. Earth is well within known civilization and they know how summoning works there, he made sure of it!

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"I'm really sorry!" This is probably not really enough to make up for probably getting captured by the Alteri. "If - if there's a way to get you gone then you want to go before the Alteri come to process you, you probably won't be able to leave later - "

She has no idea whether that'll make it better or worse for the rest of them, but at least they won't have this random person? 

Oh wow she is so totally going to die.

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"Process me?" Is this a nightmare where he will be eaten or one where he will be in a frustrating dystopia, that's the question. He doesn't remember deciding to sleep in the last six months but that's the thing with nightmares!

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"They're going to put a chip in your brain so they can kill you or paralyze you at will, which I assume they just did to the psyon, and that tends to put a damper on leaving, and they're totally going to kill me for this - unless I can convince them that I have no idea what I'm doing, which I don't - and like I'm fine with dying but I prefer not to get anyone else killed while I'm at it, so if there's a way to send you back - ?"

She's not really fine with dying but it seems like it's probably not worth thinking about at this point.

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Good luck getting anything in his head if he doesn't want it there. "Who is they?"

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"The Alteri? Big light-up insects that make all the decisions, been in this cosmic neighborhood for about a decade now?"

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"I'm not acquainted but that explains some of this language acquisition." He didn't think there were aliens even outside the neighborhood. Conjuration would've found them.

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     "Stop talking to it," says one of the people huddled at the edges of the room. Most of them remain silent. "Please."

"Well," says Imrainai, ignoring them. "They're here now. And you're going to get very well-acquainted if you don't know how to leave."

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Cam is prepared to bet on an unbound demon against "them", whoever "they" are, especially if they operate with things like "chips" and not, uh, magical resonance crystals or something. And these people look scared, apart from the one who looks paralyzed, so, time to bet on that in practice, he guesses.

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"Do not be alarmed," says a voice from some indeterminate direction. It seems to be coming from all of the walls. "We are monitoring the situation. Do not interact with the intruder at this time. Those capable of lying down should do so in the next ten, nine, eight - "

People start lying down. On 'three' everyone stops moving and the door opens. The horse-sized insects on the other side of it are firing darts at Cam before the doors are even done opening.

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Cam is lightly scratched and mildly annoyed!

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Well that's not great.

Maybe if they try electrocuting him. 

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Cam waits this out. "Uh, guys?" he says.

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Yeah that's super not great. That's bad, actually. 

The doors snap shut.

 

"What are you?" ask the walls.

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"I'm a demon," Cam says.

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"Elaborate."

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"How about you tell me what you are, first?"

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"We represent the Alteri Confederacy. We control this ship and most of this planet. Your presence here is unauthorized."

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"How about that. That's news to me. A demon is a kind of daeva."

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"We are not familiar with daeva. You appear to be a Liar with unusual capabilities."

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"I consider myself a scrupulously honest person, actually."

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The walls are silent for a while. 

Eventually people start moving again. Most people don't move very much, and keep lying on the ground, but Imrainai sits up.

"Well. That's not great."

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"I'm still really confused," Cam says. "I have figured out that there are aliens here for some reason and they're in charge and they don't like surprises but other than that I'm lost."

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"So they're not super sure how to incapacitate you, I think? And because the rest of us are all in here it isn't very easy to kill you. Do we have biosuits, I think if they get scared they're gonna cut their losses and cut off air, or maybe try gas or something - "

They do not have biosuits in this room, judging from the various people shaking their heads.

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"Are biosuits all the same except for sizes," says Cam.

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" - I mean there are models? And obviously the ones that Alteri and Thieves use are different than the ones that we use - I think we use Atekri model 3498 or something - "

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Everybody's wearing one now. Except Cam.

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"...well."

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The psyon is moving, too. This has caused people to remember that there's a psyon among them. 

"We need to decide whether we're going to kill the psyon," says someone. 

"They'll know what's happening through the cameras - "

"Yes, but if the demon knows how it can be destroyed - "

"Wasn't she the one who caused it - "

Oh joy, yeah, there's a bunch of people here thinking about murdering her now.

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What's a psyon. "What's a psyon and why would you kill her?"

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" - sorry, the mindreader. If there's a way to destroy or remove you she probably knows it by now, and given that you seem - super likely to get us all killed, but also potentially very helpful, assuming that was you with the biosuits just now, uh..."

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"That was me." Apparently nobody here is going to hold it against him if he kills the mindreader buuuuut still murder but aaaaaaaaah the devil went down to Georgia he was looking for a soul to steal he was in a bind 'cause he was way behind - "Does she mindread everyone all the time?"

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"Pretty much how it works." She doesn't know that murdering her would help, really, with the other four-year-olds in range of this room, though they're not close enough to get the sort of information she's getting -

" - the four-year-olds in range of this room want to know if you're going to kill them, too."

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Still murder, so nope. But maybe it would be a good idea if the aliens were unclear on his willingness to do that? Four year old? Might be different years. He was willing to make a deal when he came across this young man sawing on a fiddle and playing it hot and the devil jumped up on a hickory stump and is there some kind of material that blocks it or something

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"We're not murdering anyone right now," says Imrainai, because maybe if she says it it'll be true. The monitor on her arm alerts her that it's no longer safe to breathe the air. This seems unlikely to do much to the demon, but maybe they just want to make sure they're being thorough. "We need to - either think of a way to get them to let us out of here or find a way to counter - if we can't think of something and the gas doesn't work then they're going to escalate - "

      "They might try starving him out," says one of the kids. The adult nearest him shakes her head at him seriously.

"Maybe? But he's not going to collapse before we do. We don't know that he can't make food."

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"I can make food," Cam confirms. (boy let me tell you what, I guess you didn't know it but I'm a fiddle player too, and if you'd care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you -)

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"See, if you can make whatever you want then I have to figure that makes you more dangerous, and makes them more likely to just - I don't know, evacuate the rest of the ship and then blow it up. Naturally they would like to evacuate this room too, and they would like to be able to control the object generation, but if neither of those is on the table, then..."

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"They're not trying very hard to control the object generation in the only way they possibly could."

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"They are not really big fans of having to ask for things."

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"A handicap." Will relentless sarcasm save him from the yawning maw of horror that is mindreaders? Let's find out. Or he could just tell the summoner how to get rid of him but nope they have the circle on camera they can just do this again and again and he'd better be here to deal with that. "I don't suppose anybody can name any drugs that harmlessly knock them out or name a publication in which such a drug is described."

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" - I don't even actually know if they do being knocked out. I guess maybe there's a way to put them into premature hibernation, but I'd hardly call that harmless. There - might be someone on the outside who knows, but right now our only link to the outside is the psyon? We don't really have publications."

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"I can make things that have been written elsewhere in the world if I know which ones I want." Landsailor landsailor sail on time rain or shine I know you can cloudraker cloudraker -

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"We don't really write things." She glances down at her paper. "Obvious counterexample notwithstanding. I am sure the Alteri have written something relevant at some point, but - there are things I might suggest but I imagine if I sound like I'm about to say anything useful their best bet is going to be to kill me. Vaguely unclear on why they haven't killed me yet, honestly."

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"Maybe they don't want to make me angry." Little do they know that'd be a moot point shut UP mindreaders just sHUT UP

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" - I mean I imagine it's probably slightly late for that."

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"You know what, maybe there's a reasonable explanation for all this and the situations's salvageable. It could certainly get worse. For instance, maybe you're all actually serving the function of hostages, and if they kill you I have no reason not to wreck the ship."

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"Well, I mean, in theory they can always kill or neutralize everyone who offers you any information that might be useful for opposing them, and leave the others, but they're not, so - "

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"They're hoping you'll think of something that means you don't have to die."

The four-year-olds move out of range. Everyone is out of range now, actually. Either they're intentionally cutting Parael off or they're in the process of evacuating the ship.

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"I can find information on my own. It'll be a little inconvenient, that's all."

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"Cool! Neat. Our total strategic irrelevance probably ups our lifespans by, like, a whole hour or something."

She stands up and starts pacing. She's the only one.

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Cam certainly doesn't pace.

"I need to know more about what's going on. I could start doing it my way, but if I spook the aliens, maybe they get trigger-happy."

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"Right, OK, sure." She's definitely dead anyway, so she might as well be the one to keep talking. "You are on a spaceship orbiting Earth, in the living quarters of work crew seven, which is devoted to messing with the big metal space object over - it would be cool if I could point but the ship spins and I don't know how we're oriented right now. I have no idea where demons come from, so I don't know how much context you have on Earth's situation, but the relevant powers in the area are the Alteri, the Carthons, and some of the natives of the planet below - stop me if you have any follow-up questions - "

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"I have heard things about Earth but now believe most of them to be inaccurate and I'm not sure exactly how most and I don't know how much you know about its surface level politics."

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"Not a ton, they're mostly irrelevant to us up here. Um - up here we have the Alteri houses, I'm house Tellari and the psyon is House Atekri and those people over there are on loan from Festri and Nari, respectively. I don't think we have anyone from Somri. The ship belongs to Atekri."

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"That doesn't help me guess how much Earth knowledge I can use... I'm gonna conjure a newspaper, nobody panic," he says, and he does that.

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Nobody panics more than they already were.

Today is November 8th, 2029, and the newspaper is divided into normal newspaper sections like "Sports" and "Business" and "Politics"; politics is largely about how various figures in the American provincial government are being affected by the need to interface with the Carthons and the Alteri. There's also significant coverage of international news, though it isn't called that and isn't given its own section.

Various figures in the American government are lobbying to be allowed to stop accepting immigrants from various sub-saharan African countries. The Pillars have repeatedly refused this request, but assign various percent chances to conditions in a long list of African provinces improving such that the recent influx of refugees will become less overwhelming within six months. Various American authorities argue that more people should be sent to other countries. The article itself is carefully neutral on the subject.

There are no editorials. There are no comics. There is no entertainment section. Articles are written with the dry, matter-of-fact tone of a scientific paper, and each of them notes both a human writer and an editor whose name never sounds like anything you'd find on Earth.

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"Is -" Cam attempts to sound out an editorial name. "- an Alteri name? Do you know what the Pillars are?"

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"It's not one I've heard, but of course the names we call the Alteri aren't their real names anyway. The Pillars are the - Carthon central government? Right?" She gets a mix of blank stares and hesitant nods. "Right."

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"So the Carthons conquered the Earth or something? When? Who are the native players?"

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"Partially, not more than eleven years ago, and I dunno."

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"Okay. Maybe if this situation we're in right now blows up more than seems workable I go to Earth and see what's going on from up close."

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"OK. Solid. Good plan." So if they all die. She looks around at the walls and tries to think of something. 

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The walls have opinions now! They also have a different voice.

"97816 Tellari, sit down."

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She sits.

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"We have a proposal, demon. The ship you're on has been evacuated. We would really like to get the people in your room out before we decide precisely what we're going to do with you, so if you're very quiet and motionless while we open the doors and let them out, we'll refrain from blowing you all to smithereens, how's that."

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Quiet and motionless? That's really what they're going with? He's a demon! He doesn't have to move to make shit! Let's see, can he avoid having to cooperate this far with the probably evil aliens, whether obeying by the letter or not. He... could try, but he doesn't have a good way of guaranteeing success, he doesn't know what kinds of weapons are in play right now.

"Does that sound like it leaves you all alive?" he asks the humans. "In particular does it sound like it results in that if I can check whenever I want by conjuring up little mindless copies of you to check how they're doing?"

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"Most of us will be fine, assuming you don't do any weird stuff in the middle of it that makes them decide to blow you up. They're gonna kill me, probably, but they can do that whenever they want anyway, so it's whatever."

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"I'd really rather hold out for nobody dying." Especially her.

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"I cannot really off the top of my head think of any ways to definitely do that. They haven't killed me yet but that's probably a plausible deniability thing."

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"They might just make you very sad for several days and then use you as an incubator?"

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"Or that, you know, that is also possible."

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"They really don't sound like they know what they're doing right now."

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"Yeah I'm very surprising. I do not want them to make you very sad for a few days then use you as an incubator either, that sounds like a terrible plan. Look," he tells the walls, "you can't personally endanger me. I'm indestructible. I'm sure the -" AAAAAAAAAH "- psyon'll confirm that I'm very, very confident of that. We're just quibbling over these humans' lives and comfort here, and if you want to get any use out of me at all, you won't do much quibbling."

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"He's very certain. I don't think he knows about planet-wreckers, but he does know what stars are, and he's still very certain."

- of course you can't really say the same thing of Imrainai.

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"I could wreck a planet, that I was standing on, and be only temporarily inconvenienced in the process." Let's just NOT tell the bugs how criticial the summoner's safety is. It's still totally true that they won't get any use out of him if she dies.

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The walls are silent for a bit, and then the doors open. The old voice is back.

"Work crew seven, report to the forward escape pods for additional instructions."

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"You folks are all work crew seven?"

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"Yeah, that's us."

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"I don't feel very assured of your safety. Do you?"

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"Not terribly, but - "

The sudden experience of pain is not one of those nearly-friendly looks-like-you-fucked-up-some pulses that she experiences on a relatively regular basis. More of a we're-not-killing-you-now-because-we-don't-have-to pulse. She pitches forward and screams. 

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"That stops or I go looking for bugs. Five four three -"

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She stops screaming on "three" and whimpers.

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"They stopped," says Parael, not sounding super put-together herself.

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"That does not happen again or I go looking for bugs, and now I don't plan to let her out of my sight lest invisible torture sneak by while I'm inattentive, congratulations!"

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"Work crew seven, report to the forward escape pods for additional instructions."

Everyone except Imrainai looks at Cam, expressions suggesting various levels of fear. Imrainai is really busy trying not to throw up.

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"If the rest of you would also rather take your chances hanging out with me I'll do my best but it's up to you."

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Various people independently come to the conclusion that Imrainai will be killed if she's the only one in here. They would really prefer that this not happen. People sign at each other from across the room, and in half a minute there is a consensus - children and a few particularly fragile people will leave for the escape pods. Some people hug them and send them on their way. Everyone else - about fifty people in this room - is going to stay.

Parael doesn't count as one of the children; she stays.

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"Would you prefer to continue conversing like this," Cam asks the walls, "or is there someone else I and these people under my protection should go?"

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"Your diplomatic status is uncertain. We are notifying the proper authorities."

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"How long is that going to take?"

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"Uncertain."

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"Ballpark."

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"Between one and four hours."

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"I can wait that long." He looks at the assembled humans. "Are your suits good for that long? I can also just make air."

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"They're good. Assuming factory condition. Filters are good for - 97816 thinks at least 52 hours before they should be swapped out."

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"They're brand new. And I can make more filters if it comes up. Anybody hungry or thirsty or anything? Who's - I'm never going to remember that string of numbers - who's nine-and-stuff -"

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Parael points to Imrainai, who is quieter now but still mostly doubled over.

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"Hi nine-and-stuff. I wish we'd met under better circumstances."

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She laughs. Still seems to be having some difficulty actually producing words.

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"Since we have a few hours to kill anyone want to tell me more things about - here?"

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"Earth is the only known planet that has free Liars," says Imrainai, after another moment of getting herself together. "So that's cool."

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"Why are you calling the species 'Liars', what a rude name."

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Half-shrug. "It's what we do."

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"Says who?" Is it the evil aliens, he bets it's evil aliens.

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"Pretty much everyone. We do disagree on whether this is a good thing or a bad thing."

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"Are the other species incapable of lying or something?" He doubts it very much, he thinks the character of the negotiation with the bugs would have differed in some way if they were constitutionally unable to bluff.

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"They can't do it the way we do. But no, the Alteri are totally capable of bullshitting you. The Carthons... may or may not be able to."

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"Okay..." Heck he doesn't have an immediate enough crisis to keep his mind off the mindreader four score and seven years ago our forefathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal annnnnd he doesn't have the rest of this memorized...

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"Do you wanna just knock me out or something?"

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"I don't know if you being psychic affects your reactions to drugs but if it doesn't and if it would be okay with you and I could just wake you up to confirm occasional statements for the bugs as necessary that would be great please I'm sorry it's probably not your fault this is a me thing."

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- see, this is complicated because if something happens then she won't be able to do anything, and she doesn't know if she trusts everyone else in this room to make good decisions when it counts, and if they pass in range of the psyon network at any point then it's important that she be able to negotiate with the other psyons, and - on the other hand Cam is the best shot they've had in a long time and it would be great if he were not super compromised right now.

"Wake me up if anything interesting happens?"

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"Is 'interesting enough I think I can stop thinking about you listening' a good threshold -"

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"I think the things I'm thinking of are not ambiguous."

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"Okay. Thanks so much I apologize for the inconvenience," and she's out. He makes his computer. "I have a heartbeat monitor on her, no funny business," he adds to the walls.

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Various other people in the room appear to marginally relax.

"Lucky we didn't have one of the little ones. I don't think they'd've been cool with that."

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"It's a pretty fucked up situation," sighs Cam, shaking out his wings and making himself a chair and plopping into it.

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Shrug. "I guess I don't know whether they treat them worse on other planets or whether Atekri just likes the ones it has here."

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"This entire business is fucked up. Can you tell me the names of all the languages you speak please?"

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"I know Etra La, Yahivi, and Confederate One. Confederate One you do with hand signs."

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"Yes, I know," he signs back, then continues aloud, "just needed the names. Are there additional numbered Confederates? What do Carthons speak?"

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"One through six are official, and then there are some unofficial ones. I don't know what Carthons speak."

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"Does anybody here know what Carthons speak -" He flips through his newspaper, tail lashing slowly.

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No one seems to.

"I guess a bunch of them probably know English by now. And - whatever else Liars speak on Earth, I guess there are a bunch of things."

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"Well, I know English, so there's that I suppose..." Is there a New York Times bestseller list? What has it been producing in the nonfiction department lately?

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The New York Times does have a bestseller list. It does not have a nonfiction department, because now that there isn't a fiction department it doesn't really make sense to distinguish. Looks like some memoirs, a couple poetry books, a "dream journal", a cute book full of astronomy facts, an examination of the purpose and history of libraries, some heavily political books about aliens, some heavily political books about non-aliens, and a book that defends the thesis that humanity didn't actually originate on earth.

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Cam will take a political aliens book.

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This book is about what we can learn from the ways that Carthon policy on religion has pivoted over the course of the past decade. The introduction helpfully explains that part one is about the Carthons' initial exposure to Earth religions and how this may have colored their later judgement, part two is about the widespread riots and resistance movements that broke out in the wake of various so-called "draconian" bans on religious observance, part three is about later, ongoing, and expected future policies on the subject. The introduction also notes that the book was edited by no fewer than six members of various Carthon academic societies, and has been approved for publishing, although clarifications from the editors have been included in footnotes throughout the book.

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Cam conjures a previous draft of the book.

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Previous drafts of the book have fewer footnotes and are on some axes better-written - looks like Carthons object to lots of vaguely metaphorical phrasings, especially ones that aren't widely-known. Lots of passages have been changed in ways that do seem to successfully add nuance and clarity, often at the cost of diluting the author's original point. Most of the book's factual assertions have not been changed; the editors appear to have been totally unconcerned with the fact that the finished product promotes the message that Carthon policies have in many cases led to widespread death and cultural destabilization.

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"Are you guys bored, do you want books?" Cam asks before reading further. "Or like, food or water, you're wearing suits but I can put stuff in your mouths or stomachs if you want?"

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"We don't have... books," she says, frowning at the ones Cam is holding. "Normally in a situation like this someone would compose something, but I don't know if that would be distracting."

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"- has no one ever written a book worth reading in any language you are literate in?"

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" - I'm really just assuming that books are those bundles of paper you're holding, here."

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"Yes but I can do format conversion so it would be fine if they typed it."

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"No, I mean we don't - have those? We can read Confederate One but I don't know what people have recorded in Confederate One - and I have no idea which things have ever been recorded as books, if the Alteri even have those - "

Permalink Mark Unread

 

"Okay. How about I put on some nice music for you guys."

Permalink Mark Unread

 

" - if that'll be less distracting than poetry. Sure. Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You can also do whatever you'd normally do and if I get distracted I can wear headphones, I'm trying to help, not impose Mozart on you."

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" - OK. Does anyone want a story?" she asks, and of course everyone does, although some of them are too scared to say they do. She stands up again and starts reciting a story in Etra La.

It's a story about people on an Alteri world who didn't know whether their planet was going to have to be destroyed in order to prevent the Carthons from gaining access to the stellar network. The subjects are psyons who are weighing whether they want to disseminate the information that the world might be about to end. 

Her rhythm and meter are just this side of perfect, though it may be difficult to tell for someone not otherwise familiar with the medium. She seems to have hundreds of lines memorized, assuming she's not just making it up as she goes along.

Permalink Mark Unread

Cam's been recording since he made his computer, but now he also takes a moment to program all the important sound distinctions of Etra La into it so it can transcribe as it goes, albeit with IPA since Etra La does not have writing.

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She doesn't make it to the end. Forty-eight minutes into the story, the floor breaks open and everyone is immediately sucked through the hull breach and into space.

Apparently it's just going to keep being one of those days.

Permalink Mark Unread

Cam's reaction time is imperfect but it's good enough that he can get everyone on a tether, tow them in, and make a new ship around them all.

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Imrainai leaves someone else to count off and be sure that everyone's here. "Can you - you know how to fly this thing?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I did not make a ship I don't know how to fly. It is not planetbuster-proof, so I'm gonna book it to Earth unless you have a better idea." He is already booking it to Earth; the view out front swings around.

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"Fine. Good. Yes. Just not right below whatever their orbital path is, the chips have a range limit but I don't know what it is."

She double-checks that everyone's here, after the initial count. All present.

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Cam swings clear of the Alteri ship as best he can. His ship's pretty maneuverable.

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She sits down and rests the back of her head against the wall.

"We are so going to die. We're going to die in interesting and unpredictable ways."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sorry. Do you want, like, anti-anxiety meds."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm fine," she says, sounding utterly unlike a person who is fine. "Did you have - cameras on this thing, or something, any idea who broke the hull like that - ?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ship has cameras, but I didn't think to put any on the hull of the Alteri ship before it blew. I could figure it out by forensic conjuration, but without knowing what the weapon was exactly I wouldn't want to risk it in an enclosed space."

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She nods. "They'll figure it out, even if we don't. Unless whoever did it was really competent. I guess a lot depends on how competent everyone involved is." She is deeply unclear on everyone's competence levels at this point.

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"If they were recording it when they fired, I can get it," Cam says. "Just - later."

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Nod. "Are you - do you know where you're landing?"

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"For lack of a better idea I was thinking the United States. I speak the language. I speak a lot of languages, though, so if you have any requests..."

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"No. That's fine. Just wondering."

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"Do you know anybody on Earth or anything? I don't know how much the human population sloshes between Earth and whatever fucked-up situation you were in."

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"Not terribly much. Some. Most of the people in this room can't even stand up under Earth gravity, it's gonna be slightly inconvenient. I don't know anyone, I'm from Yahi. It's a little over ten years away. I've been to Earth but I didn't - make friends."

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"Oh, heck, gravity. Can I drop those people off on the moon, is the moon settled -" He makes a smol moon.

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There aren't any settlements big enough to show up on his model.

"Not settled. I'd - be hesitant to leave them anywhere, under the circumstances, but I cannot stress enough how little I actually know what I'm doing here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't like, need them to not tag along, but if they're gonna have a hard time dirtside..." Sigh.

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"I - think we'll take most hard times that don't end with us dead or recaptured."

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"I'll do my best."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's appreciated."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do any of you need any things. It's basically safe to take the suits off now, if someone blows this ship open I should be able to see it coming from far enough away to make plenty of air for you guys, though I understand why that wouldn't be the most confidence-inspiring assessment."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I guess the basics. We had food in the other ship but now we'll need some of that again at some point. Air. Water. We'll need to sleep at some point and that's easier with bedding. Ideally we make it down before waste becomes a problem. We - mostly need to figure out our status and whether Earth can shield us, but I'm betting not for very long on that one."

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"I'm familiar with the basic maintenance requirements of humans but if any of you is hungry now or has a particular lunch order you'd like I need to be told," Cam clarifies. "I also don't know how long ago you woke up. This model of ship has a bathroom, it's over there, blue door, but it doesn't have beds, we're not going to take that long to hit atmo - if you're exhausted I can add a couple modules to it in flight, though. Unrelatedly what's the psyon's range?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't know exactly. Less than the length of the ship, at minimum, they couldn't independently cover the whole thing at once. The person who'd know specifics is - well."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And that's how long?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not more than three hundred meters, maximum."

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"Okay cool. When I land I'll get that far away from her and wake her up. You guys can all be away from her too if you want."

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She glances at the unconscious psyon. "I wouldn't want to leave her all alone. She won't know what's happened."

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"I was gonna leave her a device through which we could speak."

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"She can't. She's blind and deaf when she's alone."

Permalink Mark Unread

"- hm, how so?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Her eyes and ears don't work? It's not always immediately obvious because she can see and hear through the people around her, but - if you gave her a radio and left her alone, she wouldn't have anyone to hear the radio through."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, I'm just wondering if I can fix it, do you know if it's a brain thing or a physical organ issue or what?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"No, sorry. Not really a - doctor person. I think it's not congenital?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is it a psyon thing or a her thing?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's all psyons, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay. So maybe they're - are they clones -"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So it's probably genetic but it could be a coincidence that's tolerated because this is the genome that throws psyons or it could be a brain development thing where being a psyon just does that. Maybe she'll know. Any volunteers to hang out near her and be her eyes and ears?"

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There are no enthusiastic volunteers, but a few people are willing to stay.

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"Even if I can't just fix her directly I can give her, like, assistive tech," Cam adds. "There's good assistive tech."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I'd want to ask her about doing anything drastic? But I guess - there are people I'd ask about these things normally but I guess we can't really talk to them now, what with all of the, uh, this."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. I'm sorry.

How did this happen?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Uh. If you mean the summoning you then I did write the words but I am deeply unclear on the mechanics."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Why did you write them?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"The psyon told me to. That - seems like not a very good reason in hindsight, but in my defense pieces of paper have never done anything this interesting before."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay. And she didn't say why she wanted you to do that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I didn't ask. It seemed - not likely to be terribly harmful. I assume she must have known something."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can ask her once I am 300 meters away."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

They descend to the surface of the Earth; as they get closer Cam keeps a lookout for hostiles.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's clear for a while. At some point three smaller ships appear and fly parallel to them. 

Someone on the ground starts broadcasting at them over emergency frequencies, asking Cam's craft to identify itself.

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Cam's ship recognizes some of those as emergency frequencies, what with being an Earth-inspired model. "This is the Atriama," he says, "I need to land, is there a good place for me to do that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

The people on the ground would like to know where exactly the Atriama is flying in from.

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"Orbit. I've rescued a bunch of - slaves? Slaves in practice even if they aren't technically called that - from the Alteri."

Permalink Mark Unread

The people on the ground want to know if he could maybe keep circling for a few minutes while they contact people who are better equipped to deal with that. Shouldn't take long.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can do that but I'd like your assurance that you aren't going to use my patience to fire on the ship, that's what happened last time I waited patiently for something and I have to say I wouldn't recommend it."

Permalink Mark Unread

The people on the ground claim to have no plans to fire on him. Mostly they're concerned about the fact that kidnapping Alteri slaves is extremely illegal, and they don't immediately know what to do about people who need to land because they're doing extremely illegal things that are likely to cause serious diplomatic problems.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Why is rescuing slaves illegal, pray tell, what did I miss?"

Permalink Mark Unread

 

"I suppose you probably missed the part where the Alteri can blow up planets," says the voice on the other end.

Permalink Mark Unread

"That did actually come up but I wasn't aware it had such interesting effects on policy."

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The people on the ground want to know if he has enough fuel to make it to St. Louis and whether his ship is capable of vertical takeoffs and landings.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can and it is."

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The people on the ground instruct him to report to the Carthon embassy in St. Louis. They've expressed interest in receiving him. The embassy is also technically not US soil, so he at least can't be breaking any American laws if he sets the ship down there.

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"Does that sound okay to you guys?" he asks the rescued Alteri slaves.

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There is some hushed discussion and obscured signing. 

"It's less likely than our other options to get any of the Earth Liars in trouble," reports Imrainai, eventually.

Permalink Mark Unread

"How much of an uphill battle do I have trying to convince you to call the species 'humans'," sighs Cam. "Yes, I can land at the St. Louis Carthon embassy, thank you," he tells the folks planetside.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It just sounds - really unnatural and pretentious? But I guess if it's important to you...?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I mean, I don't want to be a dick about it, you're presumably all used to 'Liar' and it's short and stuff, but encountering it for the first time just today was really startling."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's - I mean I guess it's not meant to be complimentary, but it's hardly inaccurate?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You told me the Alteri were fully capable of bullshitting me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure. They're just not very... impressive about it. Or as dependent on it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm not sure what in particular you're talking about. - How's 'Earthling'?" he asks, dropping the pretentious scientific term in favor of slapping an Etra La suffix on its name for the planet they're approaching.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fine for people who are actually from Earth, I guess?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I mean, I'm presuming you evolved there even if you weren't personally born there."

Permalink Mark Unread

" - wait, I missed something, why are we presuming this?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm extrapolating, I suppose it's possible that in this universe Earth is actually a soundstage someone rigged up on which to film hoax movies, but it looks like I expect it to look and has humans who speak languages I know and such."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...where are you from? If that's not super rude to ask."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Over there." He points at the upper left corner of the continent they're now approaching. (He frivolously pivoted his craft to have north look up.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh," she says, as if this actually explains anything. Maybe it would explain anything if she knew more things.

Permalink Mark Unread

"On, you know, a different Earth that's in a different calendar year and not ruled by Carthons, but that spot on that Earth."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That makes... both more and less sense."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, a bit. I'm perhaps not as confused as you are but I'm pretty confused."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm. I guess maybe it's a layered world thing, like when people go to the the realm of the dead or the plane of shadows or something, and they're in the same place but on a different level of it. But, like, also with time travel. I guess."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are the realm of the dead and plane of shadows legit phenomena people interact with here, or an analogy?"

Permalink Mark Unread

" - well they're not real? But time travel and summoning indestructible Li- humans who can magically make planes out of thin air are not really supposed to be real things either, so I feel like I'm not super confident in my assessment of which lies connect to reality in which ways right now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could call me a demon," he says. "Anyway, yes, I seem to be from an alternate universe and I don't know exactly how much I can assume holds based on what I know from there beyond the things that obviously don't, but 'humans evolved on Earth' definitely seems like one of the safer guesses."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds super fake, but I guess a lot of things that are demonstrably happening right now seem pretty fake, so."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Why's it sound fake - don't believe in evolution, have another planet of origin in mind, mythology about originating in a plane of shadow -?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"The Alteri made us. Probably. I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

 

"I find that unlikely but this is an alternate universe, so before I confidently contradict you how about I check, about how long ago is this meant to have happened."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seventy thousand years ago. Give or take maybe a few thousand, I don't remember precisely. Usually, anyway."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Wow, okay. So if we assume a generation length of twenty years, that'd be..." He does some fiddling on his computer. "Thirty-five hundred generations ago. Going up the maternal line, your thirty-five-hundred-generations-ago grandma was thus -" He conjures a tiny model of her in her surroundings, plasticized so as not to have the floppy horrible quality of miniature humans.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh." She stares thoughtfully at the tiny naked plastic human and her tiny plastic section of scrubland. "How do you know?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"How do I -? Oh, uh, I can make things based on my imagination, but most of the time I'm copying from something that actually existed; I just have to have in mind whatever it is I want to copy and then the magic takes care of making an accurate replica. In this case I have replaced all the water in this ancestor of yours with plastic because if you don't do that you get sorta creepy dead mini humans, but other than that the copy should be accurate to what I was aiming at."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh." Back to staring at the tiny human. "I don't think that proves that we evolved on Earth, even accepting all of those premises, but it's not what I'd expect the earliest Li - humans? The earliest humans to look like. So that's something."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can zoom out more, get more surroundings - you won't be able to see her if I get the whole planet but nonetheless -" And he's holding a small Earth. Offers it to her.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh. Well. That's Earth."

She cradles her tiny planet in her hands and adds this story to her collection. It's a good story. She smiles at the tiny human again.

" - can I keep her, do you think, is she going to rot?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"She is mostly plastic, so she should hold up for a while, but I haven't actually investigated the long term storage needs of naively plasticized human models."

Permalink Mark Unread

"OK. I'll - see how long she holds up for, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want a better one? I can look up how to make a better model of a person that will definitely hold up."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe? Uh - I might not be around for as long as the model, so I don't know how worth the effort it is."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, let me know if she falls apart, I will be happy to replace her for you anytime. Why would you not be around?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Because - I think the way this goes is that you take us down to the Carthon embassy, and that's good and right and sensible, and you talk to them and you learn about the situation and you figure out what all you're going to do with your powers besides make tiny model Liars, and so you help lots of other people, but then it turns out that nobody wants to help you protect your little collection of liberated property, and there's no place for us to escape to that's willing to back you up, and the Alteri are still figuring out how to get their belongings and their pride back, and at some point they decide the best thing they can do is get within killing range and flip the switch, and then - I'm dead."

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"Yeah, nah, if I can't figure out how to dig that thing out of you some alternative must be devised, you need to be alive."

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"I do?"

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"Yes. For reasons. I would prefer to explain sometime when there are fewer people around."

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"All right." She doesn't sound very reassured, but she doesn't ask further questions.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sorry, just, the psyon probably already knows, I don't know who she'll tell but I don't want it too well known."

Permalink Mark Unread

"No, it's fine."

And now she's just going to spend the rest of the trip thinking about all the conceivable reasons why it might be imperative to keep her alive. Including all of the terrifying possibilities, plus new terrifying possibilities that have been invented purely for this exercise.

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"- here, you know what -" He produces a slip of paper with some written Confederate One. It says If you die I go back home.

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"Oh." This is somehow both better and worse than expected. "Well that's not an ideal situation."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's really not," he agrees. The paper disintegrates in her hand.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll try not to die then. I guess. Insofar as I have any control over this at all."

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"Please," he agrees.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I - should go check on the others. Since our work crew leader isn't here. But thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure. We'll land in maybe half an hour, longer if they want to stop us for more procedural stuff before then."

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She nods. She carefully tucks her tiny plastic planet and her tiny plastic ancestor into one of her biosuit pockets, then goes to check on everyone else.

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The Carthons don't, as it turns out, require more procedural stuff. The embassy building broadcasts its location and immediately informs them that the Atriama is clear to land in the back lot.

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The Atriama sets down gently in the back lot. Cam runs some atmosphere tests in case the Carthons have done something horrible to the air to make it more comfortable for themselves or something.

Permalink Mark Unread

Nope. Early 21st century Earth atmosphere, slightly concerning CO2 levels and all.

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"Okay, I'm gonna go first in case they decide to open with a volley of bullets or something. Who needs a wheelchair?"

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"About forty." She points out people.

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Cam distributes electric wheelchairs, briefly demonstrates the function of a joystick, and opens up the hatch to stroll down the ramp.

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He's greeted by three humans and what looks like a rounded, floating fish tank with a giant barnacle in it.

"Greetings, Atriama," says the giant barnacle, by means of a computerized vocal interface. The giant barnacle's tank also has a screen on it that helpfully displays its words in English, just in case the person being spoken to is hard of hearing. "I apologize for asking you to come to us. We are somewhat unused to movement, and therefore sometimes impaired."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's fine," Cam says. "We were already in transit. However, some of these people aren't used to Earth gravity and if it's safe to do so might prefer to relocate."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is not terribly safe at this time. My colleagues are discussing their circumstances through other channels, but it would be helpful to hear your version of events as soon as is reasonably possible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The short version is, I was brought aboard the Alteri ship, attempted to talk to them about what to do next, and was promptly blown into space with all these people who were fortunately already wearing biosuits, whereupon I made this shuttle and headed Earthward; you presumably have access to information about my communications therewith."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Where were you previously?"

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"The short version is that before that I was at home."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think I would like to hear the longer version. But perhaps you would prefer to handle accommodations for your passengers first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, that seems potentially time-sensitive. Can you help with that? I need some open space if nothing else."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We have rooms here. I don't think we have any relevantly open space apart from perhaps the lot and the roof."

     "The thought among the people talking things out is that it would be best if you didn't leave Carthon territory until this is settled," says one of the humans, a youngish-looking woman with a headscarf. "Unfortunately the Carthons don't have very much in the way of territory."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, rooms will do, it's just if you didn't have anything that could be converted into a hotel on short notice I would have had to erect one myself."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I have heard of your abilities in vague terms. I would appreciate expansion on them as well, but it seems appropriate to move your companions before discussing them."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I agree, thank you. The short version is I make things."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want us to board the ship, or would you rather discuss things with them first?" asks one of the humans. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"The latter. What should I tell them about the accommodations available?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"We have twelve, two beds each. If you have a lot more than a few dozen then I guess we can tile one of the meeting rooms with sleeping bags?" says the one in the headscarf. "It's not comfy but it'll be short-term anyway."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll convey this, back in a bit." He almost said "minute" but it might take five and perhaps that would offend the barnacles. He goes back into the ship. "They have twenty-four beds; I may be able to augment their furniture situation and we can spill over into meeting rooms. Are you guys up for disembarking and being put up in their building?"

Permalink Mark Unread

There are nods from around the room. 

"I think we're about equally vulnerable anywhere, so - sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right then. The chairs are rated for the ramp." And he leads them out.

Permalink Mark Unread

The humans from the embassy guide the slaves up to their rooms. The Carthon stays.

Imrainai stands around waiting awkwardly by Cam, because she's not really entirely sure where she's expected to be going.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is there anywhere I can put the psyon where she won't be in range of non-consenting people? Perhaps I could add a tower to some of this architecture?" Cam asks, wheeling her out.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I worry that immediate construction projects might alarm observers. She can be flown to a different embassy within a few hours, if you believe it is important for her to be separated from the others."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't like having my mind read and don't want to require it of third parties who don't volunteer for it either, but I don't want to keep her knocked out indefinitely."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is understandable, but I worry that you may not have an accurate understanding of how delicate your situation is. If Atekri and its allied houses grow any more alarmed, they may decide to kill the psyon and the rest of the slaves. I would prefer to be conservative."

Permalink Mark Unread

 

"Right. Okay. There's nowhere out of range I can stash her before waking her up?"

Permalink Mark Unread

The Carthon buzzes.

 

"Secluded locations exist. Most of them would place her under the jurisdiction of some other governmental power. My associates can overrule human governments as necessary, but I have found that doing so arbitrarily is frequently ill-advised."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Have you." Sigh. "Is there any known psyonics-blocking material?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not one known to me."

Permalink Mark Unread

 

"Okay, I could just wake her up anyway, but I suspect it may be moderately important that I have all my faculties in the coming hours, so I'm just gonna register that I feel kind of guilty about this and renew her dose and move on. Hello, I'm Cam, it could be nicer to meet you but at least you aren't actively enslaving anyone as far as I know!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do try. I am called Seej, when it is necessary to refer to me. Please, come inside."

And Seej floats off toward the embassy building.

Permalink Mark Unread

Cam follows, piloting Parael's wheelchair for her since she can't do it.

Permalink Mark Unread

The embassy building looks very much like something built by humans, with almost nothing in the way of alien aesthetics at all, apart from the occasional piece of obviously alien tech. 

Seej leads them to an unoccupied meeting room. The table has a small black brick-like device, some plastic cups full of pink lemonade, and plate of cookies on it.

Permalink Mark Unread

She stands by a wall and faces the door and does not say anything or touch the cookies.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I believe some of my associates are currently in transit and will arrive shortly. I have some expectation that you will not wish to repeat your story, so you may prefer to wait until they have arrived to offer it. Do you have any more immediate concerns or questions for me?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are your associates more Carthons or are these human locals?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"My associates are human. I expect I will contact the Pillars at a later time. I think it might be useful to discuss your situation with a more limited audience first, but I am uncertain of my own ability to accurately and completely assess it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What's that?" Cam asks, pointing at the brick.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is a computer. It is connected to the planetary ansible and is capable of contacting the Pillars."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay. So, I'm from an alternate universe wherein Earth is the only planet with native life. I appeared here earlier on an Alteri ship, rescued the slaves I found myself among using my magic powers, and came here. I hate what you've done with the place."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A fascinating set of claims. I am curious what your specific objections are."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sure you - possibly not personally, but Carthons - have heard them all since as far as I can tell you censor things after the first draft rather than via chilling effect. I will be eager to reiterate them for you on the off-chance that you're more able to listen to people telling you how bad your regime is for humans if the person telling you so has magical powers, but it might not be priority one given all these rescued slaves and unconscious psyon."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I see. The censorship can in fact be traced primarily to the Carthon presence in this system. I will be pleased to discuss the matter with you at a later time, if we can determine both that you are not an existential threat to this planet and a way to persuade the Alteri that the appropriate response to the situation is a peaceful one."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do not want to destroy the planet. I like the planet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I also like the planet. I am concerned that your actions may destabilize the balance of power here, and may provoke the Alteri to destroy it in an attempt to contain the situation."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah I'm worried about that too. I did not know about all the reasons not to rescue slaves; where I'm from we don't, you know, have or countenance slavery."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I also have moral objections to the situation. I would not prefer to return them if a reasonable alternative can be devised. I am uncertain whether this will be possible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"For magical reasons, I may be less useful if it comes about that they're returned."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are you willing to elaborate?"

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"Not at this time, thank you for asking."

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"I see. I am uncertain what your possible range of usefulness is, but I expect that my priority will remain the safety of the planet in general. Is there a reason why this slave in particular is with you?"

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"I'm keeping an eye on the psyon because I have drugged her unconscious and want to notice if she has a reaction or anything, and the other one followed me, maybe she wants to be in the room where it happens? Nine-and-stuff do you need something?" he asks, switching languages.

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Headshake.

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"Maybe she just wants to be in the room where it happens, I do not know."

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"Do you anticipate wanting to discuss anything without her present?"

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"No, not really. She doesn't even speak English."