Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Three: The Egg #20

As soon as Charles returned with his charges, Sophia dismissed herself to go find Zeta. She found Zeta sitting on a bench on the bottom court, far from the few inhabited, used, stands. It was clear she'd been crying.

Sophia sat on the bench next to her, unsure how to begin.

"He can be..." Zeta started and stopped.

"An ass?" Sophia finished.

Zeta nodded.

"I don't get it, not really," Sophia admitted. "These eggs, that's what they are protesting about back in your galaxy."

"Yes," Zeta said. "And I wouldn't."

"You wouldn't steal. I believe that," Sophia said.

"Not just that," Zeta said. "My childhood was hard. I wouldn't wish that on another."

"Hard? Because of your health? I mean I know that's hard but..."

"It's not just that," she said. Sophia stopped and waited for her to go on. "I mean my health has never been great. I can accept that. Not that I have a choice. You have to understand, to grow up knowing that your very existence was a crime. Whenever I had a health crisis, one of my parents had to flee, or risk arrest."

"Not both?"

"They always leave one parent. Mercy, maybe. I mean you can't just leave a child orphaned, whatever you think of them. But they can't just overlook it altogether. One parent has to face the consequences."

"So your family is broken up," Sophia said.

Zeta sniffed. "You try so hard to stay healthy. You pray it won't happen again. But it does. I wouldn't put a child through that. Or myself as a parent. This egg... I haven't seen one in my life."

"But..."

"But I came out of one once," Zeta said. "There is no other way, of course. Incompatible DNA."

"I still don't understand the protests," Sophia prompted.

"The eggs are used for the union protocol, which is how they combine the DNA, make a squid fetus, but it's all black market. The Information bureau knows, of course they do. But they let it slide."

"Why? If it's against the law, forbidden."

"They've their own view on things," Zeta said. "Better some black market, some petty crime, rather than a police state. Medical stuff? It's not harmful to individuals. If this was about weapons or something, they'd maybe see it different.

"But there are those who claim otherwise. Healers that want eggs and related equipment regulated much tighter, the information bureau to answer healers requests on these issues."

"And how do you feel about it?"

Zeta shrugged. "It's hard. I mean, I see their point. Like I've said, I wouldn't wish that life on another. Still the protestors, they have a point, too."

"What is their point?"

"No eggs, more restrictions on them... There will be no more squids. That's genocide, isn't it? We aren't numerous, but there are several thousand at least, enough. We should be considered a race."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"And regardless of how I feel," Zeta said, her voice hard. "I wouldn't steal. Don't accuse me! Don't treat me like I brought this on myself, or don't deserve respect."

"I agree," Sophia said. "I told him. He doesn't need to be an ass, whatever he thinks."

Zeta chuckled.

"What?"

"You," she said. "You are so nice. I can't imagine you telling anyone off."

"I did," Sophia protested.

"Thank you," Zeta said, She gave a sad smile. "And I should pull myself together. I've got head to the surface when the elevator arrives in a few minutes. But thank you for talking to me. It does make me feel better. And for standing up for me, too."