The Second Carpenter

LVIII

LVIII_I_Interstellar_I

"Do you hear me clearly, Martin Akaserus?"

"You know my name?"

"I've scanned your brain, just as I had done to the subject you stole from us."

"That is how you know our language?"

"No. We learnt it before arriving at your plane. You do hear me clearly, then. Do you hate me? I mean to conduct an interrogation; if you hate me, you will likely be less cooperative."

"Why would I hate you?"

"I put you through painful experimentation without your consent. Research on your species shows that such treatment usually results in the emotion of hatred."

"I don't hate you. You did what you had to do for your people's sake."

"You are sympathizing with me even though I am a member of another species, which means my theory was correct. The feeling of sympathy developed in your species as a means to collectively enhance your society; but since you were the only intelligent species of your planet, that feeling did not have to develop particularly toward humans, but toward intelligent life in general, not to mention that, as a byproduct, you also developed sympathy toward all animals; but since it was in a much lower level, the difference played its practical role."

"We weren't the only intelligent species, though; I'm pretty sure the elves existed before us."

"I acknowledge that your sharing of that info was an attempt at being cooperative, and I appreciate your sense of mutual respect; but we're not interested in your political history."

"I'm sorry . . . But, you know, I don't think that's the reason I sympathize with you. That feeling is my own, not humans' in general. I am charmed by your species' magnificence in general and yours in particular. I saw so many faces . . . but yours stuck in my thought . . ."

"Record of attempt at flirting with a member of another species." She wrote something down on her tablet.

"Do you have a mate?" Asked Martin.

"You have already acknowledged that we are a more advanced species than you; so, why do you talk like we are backwarded animals? Usage of that word is improper for intelligent species."

"Forgive me, My Lady."

"Our family structure is complicated, hence marriage as you know it doesn't happen among us; but I had a boyfriend."

"Had?"

"He died in the battle where we captured you."

"Forgive me . . ."

"Why do you apologize? You weren't the one who killed him."

"I apologize on behalf of my species."

"Unnatural level of sympathy toward a hostile species, noted."

"Why do you have to call it unnatural? It is right that we can't control our hearts; but . . . Um, by heart, I mean brain actually . . ."

"Please stop condescending to us. I've already mentioned that we have studied your language. I'm familiar with your common metaphors. The heart became the metaphorical generator of emotions in your species because your heart beat is affected by your emotions and vise-versa."

"Your wisdom is glorious, My Lady."

"Stop that too. Such titles don't amount to respect in our social behavior. We even call our leader by name. My name is Ester."

"Thank you, Ester."

"Unnecessary expression of gratitude, noted."

"Say, your . . . boyfriend; did you love him?"