Only Human (Themis Files #3)(78)

—Fic … titious terrorist group.

—When we left, there were hundreds of robots marching on Osk.

—Many hundreds. Empire Guards pretending to fight other Empire Guards. They surrendered fast. The empress had hundreds arrested to … be punished.

—We gave her some of those names. She asked us to.

—And she promised to send you home. I know.

—How?

—Vincent sent me the names on the day you departed. He asked me to protect a woman named Esok.

—So you stopped the empress?

—The Counciy did. I onyi said to them what I knew. The empress was arrested and executed. Her younger sister is now empress of Esat Ekt.

—That … is …

—You were hoping the empress would succeed.

—No. I—I didn’t want all those people killed for something they didn’t do, but the people in our region, the illegal ones, life might have been better for them if …

—It might be better. Not perfect, but better. What is the word? Concessions. They had to be made to cam the popuyation.

—What kind of concessions?

—More food. Two seats on the Otok Akitast, on the Counciy.

—Two? What can they do with two seats? Their vote will barely count at all.

—Yes. But their voice wiy be heard. Every day. The rest of the Counciy members have to yook at them when they vote. It take time but there wi—Change come.

—I hope so. We don’t have much time, Enatast. They—Our people will expect you to make a statement.

—I do not know what to say, Rose Frankyin.

—I do. I prepared something. Can you read this?

—If there are not too many hard sounds.

—Try it now. I tried not to use too many words with l’s.

—My name is Opt Enatast. I come from a pyanet cayed Esat Ekt, birt … birthp …

—Birthplace.

—It is a hard word.

—You can say home.

—Home of the robot Themis. I understand that many tongues are spoken on your world and I ask your forgiv … egiveness for speaking the one I was taught.

Yet me begin by stating what should be obvious by now. There are X of our robots on your pyanet.

—Don’t say X. I didn’t know how many there were.

—Two thousand and forty-eight.

—Wow. Say that instead of X. Keep reading.

—They have been instructed not to attack—that is true, Rose Frankyin—but they wiy defend themselves if fired upon—that is also true. I urge your governments to use restraint, for you do not possess the knowyedge, technoyogy of fire … epower to defeat us. Do not send more of your peopye to their deaths. It would be futiye. We accept your surrender. We are in controy and the terms of our reyationship will be dictated by us … Rose Frankyin?

—Yes.

—I cannot say that. That is not true. We do not want Terra to surrender. Why would you surrender to us? We are onyi here to— —I know. I know. But that was the deal. There are certain things I am asking you to say that won’t make sense to you. You just have to trust me that those things have to be said.

—I was given instructions by the Counciy, I— —Did they tell you to kill us all?

—NO! We—

—Then that means you accept our surrender. If someone surrenders to you, you either accept it or you keep on fighting until they’re all dead.

—I see. Then we accept.

—Keep reading.

—This is the third time we visit Terra. The first time, thousands of years ago, changed who you were. Not knowing that, we visited you again and caused the death of many … many Terrans. It is my hope that our third visit wiy have more positive consequences. We are not your enemy. We are not conquerors. We wiy be gone soon, and we have no desire to return. We are … indebted to the Terran peope for what you suffered and we have now been asked to repay that debt. We cannot bring back the dead, repair the damage we have caused. I have no doubt that many of you wiy continue to fear and hate us after we are gone. We accept your judgment. However, if that fear persists, it must not cause more suffering. We wiy make sure of that. That is our way to make amends. You may see it as a gift or a curse.

What does a curse mean?

—A bad thing.

—Oh. You said it hep if we come.

—I know, but some people will be scared. Keep going.

—We have no desire to ruye your pyanet, your yives, your evoyution— —Why don’t you just skip that sentence?

—Yes. Yes. You are the masters of your destiny. Whether Terrans eth … rive, or perish is up to you. Our one purpose is to make sure you reach that fate together as a race, the Terran race.

Whatever your disputes or disagreements, you have to find a way to end them. You do. And you must do it ensuring that everyone is given the same rights, the same protections, no matter their circumstances, origins, or faith. You must act as one. I have been made aware of an organization named the United Nations which serves that purpose.

I have not been made aware of anything. What are the United Nations?

—It’s where we are. It’s … a little bit like the Council of Akitast.

—Good … I understand that this organization functions according to a set of ruyes, and you may continue to run it as you see fit. We wiy contact you from time to time and ask about your progress. We may send a representative to witness the way you govern. At any time, if we find that a group of Terrans, however smay, is deprived of its rights, is without food or care, is imprisoned without cause, suffers from a disease you can treat or cure, we wiy come back.