Paradise Blight

Chapter 10

Before completion of their deadly task, the Swarm communicated back to the Legion. These life forms differed from those in the original programming. Next time, adjustments would improve efficiency.

[Mora]

Two nights ago, I hardly slept. The old nightmare reappeared, all of it. I knew it by heart — the one where I sat passively in a chair and watched a woman brutally beaten by an enraged man she unwisely trusted. The woman screamed in agony and begged me to help her, to do something, but I just sat there, locked in fearful paralysis. Finally, the battered woman collapsed to the floor near death. The man's cruel grin and eyes mocked me as he left. The battered woman's vacant eyes accused me — why did I not help her? Her broken face was mine.

My logical self knew it was never, never, my fault. Yet, still sometimes, the accuser within judged harshly. I traveled twelve light-years to escape her, but she came along, because she was me.

The accuser was sure I lost any chance with Gan, and it was all my fault. Lonelyness engulfed me that night.

I should have talked to Gan the next morning, but emotionally, I could not. And I felt ashamed of that as well.

Later Gan sent me a message that he wanted to talk. It took most of the day to gather enough courage to call him back. Then, his kind voice lifted my spirit.

I slept much better last night.

Most of yesterday, Samir and I tested the blight samples and reviewed the results. We found no toxin or disease that explained the blight, nor evidence of radiation or thermal event. Genetic scans revealed curious fragments inconsistent with Earth-based DNA or of the few local microbes that predated the terraforming. Samir promised to continue the testing.

Gan's discovery of a large area of blight near the west settlement left me with a renewed sense of dread — what if it was spreading? The matter became that much more urgent. Bypassing two levels of management, I went straight to the Governor, hoping that Vic would not be upset, but not caring if Director Sander was. Both the Governor and I wanted to see it with our own eyes, so we made an early start the next morning, taking her personal hovercar rather than the later shuttle.

Once underway, the Governor turned to me. "Mora, there is another matter. I would like to talk about what happened at the north settlement with the Watchers. I've seen the reports, but I want to hear it from you."

I turned my eyes down — this was not something I wanted to talk about, but she should know.

After taking a deep breath, I summarized my experience, "I gave the agricultural orientation, but the Watcher men were not receptive to it coming from a woman." I paused. "Gan tried to warn me, but I didn't listen. Elder Amos said they brought over their own seeds, and I told him they could not use them until approved. Then he grabbed me and made some threats before Gan intervened."

Lifting my shirt sleeves, I displayed the bruises on my upper arms left by his big hands.

The Governor widened her eyes and then dipped her head. "I'm so sorry, Mora. I expected they would be difficult, but nothing like this. Just so you know, I ordered an inspection of all their cargo. They will not get their seeds."

"Thank you, Liz."

"Also, I am going to put controls on how we interact with them. It's not right, but effective communication may require male messengers, at least in the near term."

"Gan tried to tell me that."

Liz continued. "By the way, they have named their settlement Zion."

"That is disturbing. Do they think this planet their divine right?"