Visitor: A Foreigner Novel by C. J. Cherryh Page B

have a comfortable and productive life within the aiji’s protection. Or you can decide to terminate the relationship and leave that protection when we can establish some hope of safety for you. But you may not decide for your son.”
    “He’s a minor.”
    “We’re not speaking of Reunion law. Or Mospheiran law, for that matter. His association with the aiji’s son is his to determine.”
    “He’s
human!
He’s going to
be
human.”
    “Biologically, certainly. But he will make that choice. As all the others will. Bjorn.”
    “Sir.”
    “You understand me. You cannot undo the association. That exists in the minds of very many people, not all of good will. If you do leave the young gentleman’s company, that is yours to choose. If your parents will not stay with you, that is
theirs
to choose. Your decision is for you to make, but understand that if you do leave the young gentleman, you will no longer have that association, and neither you nor your family will remain under the aiji’s protection. Atevi will understand you’re of no use as a bargaining chip if you choose that course, but humans might not.”
    “He’ll stay with
us,”
Andressen said.
    “Your choice, Bjorn Andressen.”
    Whether Andressen had gone to Irene’s apartment to talk to Irene or to talk to Braddock was a question. Braddock’s people had been trying to lay hands on the children who’d visited Cajeiri. And while Bjorn had been invited to come down to the world with the others, his father’s ordering him to opt out had made him far less useful to Braddock’s scheme, at least in terms of public identification of Bjorn as part of that group.
    But rather than simply admit to Andressen that he didn’t have Bjorn, Braddock, who’d set up operations in Irene’s mother’s apartment and next door, had ordered Andressen turned away with no answer whatsoever.
    All Andressen’s actions pointed toward a man trying to minimize his son’s connections to the atevi and get his family established on Alpha Station, which would not imply a willing association with Braddock.
    Irene’s mother, unfortunately, was entirely another story.
    And how that all was going to sort out, he had no knowledge. He hoped Irene wouldn’t ask. Not now. Not in front of the rest. And he was sorry to have had the discussion with Andressen in her hearing . . . but going or staying, with parents or without—was a choice they all had; everybody should understand the choices the youngsters
could
make, and he didn’t have the timeto sit down in private counseling with each of the families. They
would
be an association behind the kids—or they would not.
    “The conclusion you can draw,” he said, to steer the talk to a happier direction, while Andressen glowered in silence, “is that Bjorn, and Gene, Artur, and Irene, are all the personal concern of the young aiji, that everyone here is going to be protected, watched over, and eventually settled in a comfortable situation, the exact nature of which I don’t yet know, but it will be comfortable. For now, please just settle in here. I know you’re short of clothes and personal articles. We can supply those, part of the hospitality, if you will kindly make a list. If you have special problems, like your records, Mr. Andressen—” A little nod in that direction, a last attempt at conciliation. “We’ll make every effort to preserve and protect them. Anything this staff can do for your comfort, they’ll be happy to do. I’m also going to ask Central to provide the Mospheiran vid feed to this residency, in addition to the station’s Ragi feed, so you’ll have information and entertainment—the Mospheiran accent’s a little different, but I’m sure you’ll have no trouble with it. Just rest. Pick up as much of the atevi language as you can. Nadiin-ji.” He changed to Ragi, for the children who understood it. “The young gentleman will be occupied with the kyo very soon and he will not be able to assist you,