The Voting Species by John Pearce Page B

would
however take us out of the clutches of the military. They have no
jurisdiction there.’
    ‘For how long?’ asked a third.
    Carlton thought out loud, ‘Are the military
showing any interest in us?’ He looked at Elena.
    ‘There’s no evidence they are.’
    ‘It has to be remembered that we are guilty
of nothing, human law says we are an unclassified species, whatever
we do is seen as aliens fighting amongst themselves. This will not
be the case should our species be classified as people.’
    ‘What are your suggestions Carlton?’ prodded
Elena, ignoring the others who had all started their offerings.
    Carlton
thought while the others quietened. ‘We will need to vote at this
stage by a show of hands, the first proposition needs to be: We
will complete our epigenetics research to get the weapon we need,
whether our activities eventually become a crime or not.’ They all
agreed by raising their hands.
    ‘By unanimous decision we continue our
research. The next vote is: Do we stay here?’ All hands rose again.
‘Carried unanimously.’
    ‘We need to make a contingency plan should
the military ever get too close.!’ suggested one of the ten.
    Another continued, ‘We use trusted security
guards from the native Cyanese to surround our new lab. Should the
military make an approach from the sky we surrender and plead
guilty,’ he grinned, ‘to not breaking the law. We then set up again
somewhere else.’
    Carlton took
back the lead, ‘If we hear of any reclassification of our species
we still complete our research. In the unlikely event we are caught
we would be entitled to a trial, if convicted we would escape from
the Penal Colony almost immediately! We then complete any research
on our own planet which is beyond the law, then proceed to
controlling it.’
    Another thought was voiced, ‘What if our
planet joins the Federation?’
    Carlton
thought awhile, and then grinned. ‘Before or after Federation we
will have the means to persuade our people independence is best!
With epigenetics we will switch our people to our way of thinking
when we need to, without them losing intelligence! There’s no
antidote for such an ancient and targeted poison!’ As insurance we
will build the strongest army in the Galaxy from our own
people.
    ‘When do we part company with the scientists,
and how?’ asked Elena.
    The ten
thought awhile, one offered, ‘We’ve got what we wanted from them so
far, we now know epigenetics. They’re useful until we complete our
research; we should be able to bribe…or blackmail them into staying
while we need them… then!’ he shrugged his shoulders.
    Carlton finished, ‘We lose them in
space…they’re only humans anyway, a lower form of life!’
    As one, the other ten gave an impassive
nod!

 
    THE ART OF THE STATE
     
    The speck
appearing from over the curved horizon slowly became the giant ship
that was Captain Bronski’s charge. Its every detail unfolded in the
sunlight as it opened its enormous airlock to engulf the
Prospector. Denton thought how much it looked like the open jaws of
a shark slowly moving through the ocean of space to devour its
prey. He shuddered as the closing doors completed its bite, then
felt relief as the scene changed to more like being inside a fish
tank.
    ‘ Good
afternoon Prospector, please wait a few moments while the air
pressure normalizes.’
    They all took
in the display of multiple blinking lights of all colours, spread
around the walls of what was the warship’s docking depot. ‘You may
alight from your ship ladies and gentlemen, please ensure your
computer database is left active.’
    They moved down their ramp into the genial
welcome of Captain Bronski and his other black clad personnel. His
standard size contrasted with his tall athletic visitors, brown
eyes in a round face, under plenty of black hair, sparkled as
greetings were exchanged. It was obvious from his initial niceties
that he had been kept well informed of the Prospector