Cade still wasn’t sure what Hudro’s role here was. The “Brezc” turned out to be a designation of military rank, which from his description Marie guessed came closest to “colonel.” He had been following the proceedings with a deep, brooding expression. While Nyarl was tidying up notes and details with the equipment, Luodine gave Hudro a questioning look. “So what do you think now?” she asked him.
Hudro took a second to respond. “Even worse than I realize,” he said.
“Does that mean you’re with us?” Luodine asked. “You’ll help?”
Hudro hesitated again, then nodded. “Yes.” Cade and Marie were watching, not really comprehending. Hudro turned and explained, “I am like the defector that you talk about. I have been in operations farther north. I see things there that our publics are not telled that disturb me.” It seemed Hudro was making do without veebee prompting. “For a long time I am not sure if all is bad. Now I hear it is so. I decide that Hyadean way is wrong. Our training deadens minds. Terrans who know love and carings and make fine things are killed, and their beautiful world is taken. I cannot agree with such things. So, as Hetch Luodine tells, I will help.”
“What kinds of things are you talking about—that you say you’ve seen, Brezc?” Vrel asked curiously.
Hudro gestured toward Thryase. “Is as he says. We train and equip Terran government soldiers that news tells are protecting peoples from bandit terrorists who make own laws. Is not that way. They are moved out of lands. Make space for big-money Hyadeans. Clear forest. Make gardens, big palace houses. Is bandits who try to protect them. We send missiles and terrorize. The Asians—they know.” Hudro produced a square, flat container, about the size of a box for a finger ring, from a pocket, opened it on the table, and pushed it toward Luodine. It contained what looked like shiny black pellets, held in restraining slots. “Here you have proof. I show you air strikes, and what it looks like from the ground. Did you ever see children burning or shredded by cluster bombs? Or whole village exploded under fuel-air vapors? All this I have. You show it with what Thryase and Mr. Roland and Ms. Marie all tell. Show all is so.”
Luodine took the box, handling it almost reverently. “Can we see some of this?” she asked Nyarl. He nodded. Luodine passed it to him but continued looking at Hudro. “This sounds like . . .” She looked uncertain, then asked her veebee. “Dinosaur?”
“Depends what you mean. What context?”
“Something stunning. Sensational.”
“Dynamite.”
Luodine didn’t bother repeating it. “We need more than just pictures,” she told Hudro. “We need an explanation—by someone who was there, who can interpret them. Will you go on-camera too?”
Hudro shook his head. “I can’t be identified. You know that.” Luodine seemed unwilling to let it go at that, but finally nodded reluctantly. There was a drawn-out silence.
Then Thryase said, “It doesn’t have to be Hudro. Why can’t the Terrans do it? Let them go on-screen and say it’s as told to them by a senior Hyadean officer. That wouldn’t even be lying.”
Everyone looked at everyone else, waiting for another to come up with a reason why not. Nobody did.
“It’s a thought,” Vrel agreed finally.
“It’s brilliant!” Luodine whispered. “The impact on Chryseans would be even greater. They could present it as what’s happening to their people.” She shifted her gaze back to Cade and Marie. “Will you do it?”
By this time there was nothing to ponder. They were already far enough in that it made no difference. Marie nodded. “In any case, I want to see those clips,” she told them.
“Tell us what you want us to do,” Cade said.
“First, let’s take a break,” Luodine suggested. “After that we’ll play the videos and hear Hudro’s story. Then I’ll transpose it into interview format and we’ll take you through the same routine as we did before.”
“You also wanted some native stories from me,” Tevlak reminded her, anxious in case he might be left out. “Don’t forget that.”
“I know, and we will. In the meantime, I’m getting hungry. How about a snack or something?”