Yassem had to think for a while, as if the subject were something new. “On Earth, you mean,” she said finally. “That’s the way it is here.”
“Well, yes. . . .” Marie was surprised. “Wouldn’t it be the same anywhere?”
Yassem paused again, searching for words. “Here you have these `religions’ and ideologies—big schemes that try to explain everything.”
“Are you saying they’re bad? I thought you and Hudro wanted to understand religion. That was why you left.”
“No, they’re not especially bad. They can be wonderfully inventive. But sometimes they program your thinking. Who is right and who is wrong becomes accepted as part of the indoctrination. Then life is simple, and killing who you’re told to becomes easy.”
“So how is it different with Hyadeans?” Marie asked.
“We just accept what we see. We don’t try to make it something else because of ideas of what it should be. So who is right and who is wrong depends not on who people are, but on what they do.”
Marie still didn’t follow. “So why is your planet supporting a government that’s working with the powers here who are exploiting Earth’s peoples? Isn’t that supposed to be wrong? Why won’t they accept that when they see it?”
“Because they never have seen it!” Yassem replied. “Don’t you understand? It works both ways. Because Hyadeans don’t question, they accept what they’re told. And what has happened on Chryse is that for longer than I know, a powerful ruling caste has controlled what Chryseans are given to believe. But when they come here and see for themselves that what they have been told is not true, it’s easier for them to decide that what they are doing is wrong and change sides. It happened to Vrel, to Hudro and me, and to others I have known. And it sounds as if it happened to some of the ones you know. That was why Luodine was so anxious to make the recording and get it to Chryse. She knew the effect it would have there. Terrans assume they will be lied to and regard it as normal. But to Hyadean minds that have never questioned, the realization would be devastating. You should have seen the effects in the Hyadean officers’ mess this morning after you left. For the first time, some of them are questioning what they are doing. You see—until now they have been told they were helping the people defend themselves against terrorists. It never occurred to them that there might be another story. That was just from watching a news item here, put out by the new Western federation. Can you imagine the effect if it were broadcast all over Chryse?”
Marie stared at Yassem fixedly. Finally, she could see what Roland had glimpsed but not had time to understand. The scientist in Los Angeles that he’d talked about had credited the Hyadeans’ ability to see things as they were as the reason why they had built ships that could bring them to Earth, while Earth’s scientists were still trying to divine from abstruse mathematics whether or not it was possible, and arguing over whether they had evolved from molecules or been created by a god—neither of which the Hyadeans saw any point in caring about. That same faculty could determine whether or not they would tolerate what was happening on Earth. The Hyadean ruling element and the force they controlled could never be defeated in a straight, stand-up firefight—despite her commitment to CounterAction, deep down Marie knew that. But they would topple if the people back home ever learned the truth. And they knew it too. No wonder they fought with all the fear and repression that came from insecurity. Marie snorted to herself at the offbeat humor: “Security” forces described them pretty well.
* * *
They arrived to a warm but sad welcome from the others, and expressions of added delight from the villagers. Vrel in particular was devastated by the news that both Cade and Hudro were lost. There was concern at Marie’s appearance, but she assured them the damage was not as bad as all the bandages and tape suggested. The villagers provided a meal, but even before she was halfway though it, Marie, her body stiff and protesting everywhere by now, felt her eyes closing and exhaustion sweeping over her. Yassem seemed to be in about the same condition. The Indian medicine man, assisted by two of the women, applied medications and poultices of pastes and leaves that worked wonders, and the two new arrivals were asleep before there was a chance to discuss anything further.