Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 2

Stowaway

"Certainly not, they cannot be trusted."

"We don't know that."

"Even if their story is true, I have no doubt that they have other motives. No one offers peace accords if there are not ulterior motives."

"But they already said! They want to trade with us, and they want the precious mineral compounds found in our ice."

"They want to enslave our planet more like."

"You saw the creature, it had no fur, and it was freezing as soon as it took its layers off. I have no doubt that it has no interest in enslaving our planet. The environment is to inhospitable for it to consider spending so much time here."

"Your logic is backward for a scientist.... But I suppose that should be expected of someone with your pedigree."

"....You are wrong, and your hesitation will cost us. They saved our lives, the least we can do is hear them out."

"And at the end of the day that is my decision and not yours. You overstep your bounds, and now you will return to your place, scientist."

Yeb stood ears plastered back against her skull, the fur on her back puffing outward to strain against the inside of her jacket, but she didn't protest. He may have been wrong about many things,but he was right about this one, she had no power here, and to assume as much would be too presumptuous.

She did know her place.

Had known it since she was a pup.

She raised her chin stiffly at the chancellor and turned on her heels, claws digging against the ice as she trudged from the council chambers and out into the blinding sunlight of early morning. The council had debated for many hours, until unanimously making a decision that she thought would be a great mistake. They had decided not to engage with the GA, and therefore cut off any chances they would have at learning from the more advanced race.

She brushed a dusting of snow from a rock just to her right and sat down staring up at the sky. Over her head the atmosphere was a light bluish purple. The sun blazed down with white blue intensity.

She could have learned so much from them. Perhaps a way to develop better vaccines as they had clearly found the cure to the plague faster than any of them could. If it had been up to her expertise, the entire world would be dead by now.

Yeb sighed deeply.

There were so many things she could have learned from them, so many things, but now that knowledge would be lost, and they would be left to trundle along in a dark age ad never know what glorious things they could have learned.This GA governmental body has offered them transport into the stars! Who would refuse such an offer.

It was a monumental mistake.

She sat there for a long moment, contemplating her next move. The future seemed bleak in comparison to the one they had been offered. How could she just go back to her normal life knowing what was out there? Could she just sit idly by in her ice cave, eating the same bland fish and listening to the same bland propaganda of a government that "couldn't or wouldn't" see what a tragedy it was to lose fifty percent of their lower class?
It made her sick as she pictured the beautiful images she had seen in scientific journals of the vast cold darkness of space.

She stood.

That was it, if nothing she wanted to at least see the creatures off, tell them good luck, and thank them for what they had done. Maybe they would be more likely to return one day if 'someone' deigned to go and say goodby to them and actually thank them for what they had done.