D’Jevier cried, “That’s silly, even Bofusdiaga says … “
“Bofusdiaga has no experience of heterosexual creatures,” said Ellin, crisply. ”After mankind came, Bofusdiaga made the assumption it was female, because in mankind and their livestock it is the females that have the eggs.”
Ornery said, “It’s the female that sits out there on the far moon and sings her siren song, and it’s that song that excites the male and makes him follow it. Later, when the egg is ready to hatch, the young ones call in almost the same voice.”
Madame said, “I know that some creatures respond sexually to scent and some to appearance, but you’re saying that this one responds to sound?”
“It’s true,” said Mouche. ”When the creatures in the egg call, the sound stirs the same excitement as the mating call did, and the Quaggima gets so excited, he thrashes and breaks the shell of the first bomblet or whatever it is, and that sets the hatching sequence off. It ends with some kind of explosion … “
“Nuclear,” murmured Questioner. “A shaped nuclear charge.”
Mouche went on, “What Bofusdiaga and all have been doing with their dance is relieving his sexual arousal. That’s all.”
“But why didn’t someone realize …” Madame murmured.
“What did this world know about sexual arousal?” snarled Questioner, suddenly very much aware of much she had overlooked. “Nothing! And, seemingly, neither do I. After all my instructions to you about not jumping to conclusions—”
“Forgive me for interrupting,” said Mouche in the same serene but distant tone he had used since coming from the chasm. “We have every reason to believe this can be managed, but first the four of us need a little rest and something to eat and drink and a little quiet conversation.” He took Ellin by the hand and tugged her away, up the steep slope toward several tall stones that held between them a patch of moonlit quiet and private space. Bao and Ornery followed them.
“I must be forgiven also,” said Corojum, “But I am lost in all of your talk. What is sexual arousal? What do you mean, Quaggima is not mother. She is child hatcher!”
Questioner replied, “On our home planet, Corojum, back when we had animals, sometimes the male was the child caregiver or hatcher. A bird called the rhea, for example. The seahorse and the stickleback, which are kinds of sea creatures. It just happens that the Quaggi is a race in which the males are the caregivers.”
“Males are choosing to be this?”
“They are not choosing,” Madame said in an annoyed voice. “They can’t help doing it, any more than a pregnant woman can help doing it. If the egg is attached, then the Quaggi can’t get rid of it. It has to bear it, even against its own will.”
“Could we separate it?” asked Onsofruct. “Could the tunnelers separate it?”
“Do we have the right to interfere with another race’s mode of reproduction?” Questioner asked.
“But the hatching will kill him,” said Calvy. “It’s already crippled him and kept him bound here for an eternity.”
“Evidently, that’s the way things are done among the Quaggi,” said Questioner.
“Does that make it right?” cried Simon. “Just because that’s the way they evolved? It’s a reasoning, feeling being! It was impregnated against its will!”
D’Jevier laughed, almost hysterically. “Oh, read your history, Simon. Read your history. Some philosophers would no doubt argue that the hatchling, being innocent, has more right to life than the father! Historically, in similar cases, women were expected to sacrifice themselves!”
Onsofruct cried, “Then why should not this male creature die for its child as women have often done? It has already had a long life.”
“Aside from the ethics of the situation, he shouldn’t die for his child because we’ll all die with him,” said Madame with asperity. “Revered Hag, this is not philosophy, this is reality. Will you please keep in mind what’s going on!”
“I need maintenance,” snarled Questioner, more or less to herself. “This is ridiculous. How could I have made such a stupid error. Well, let us start again! Instead of Mouche, Calvy, and Simon, we will use you, Madame. And the two Hags.”