“How many of those were destroyed?” Jane asked.
“Three,” Hickory said. “The rest were evacuated. In ten cases the colonists repatriated with their races. Four chose to join the Conclave.”
“You have evidence of this,” I said.
“The Conclave extensively documents each colony removal and shares it with every nonmember government,” Hickory said. “We have information on all the removals up to our arrival here on Roanoke.”
“Why?” Jane asked. “What relevance does this information have to the two of you?”
“Our government was well aware this colony was being founded despite the warnings of the Conclave,” Hickory said. “And while we did not know for certain, we expected that the Colonial Union would attempt to hide this colony from the Conclave. When the Conclave found your colony, we were to show you this information.”
“For what purpose?” Jane asked.
“To convince you to surrender the colony,” Hickory said. “We could not allow it to be destroyed.”
“Because of Zo?,” I said.
“Yes,” Hickory said.
“Wow,” Zo? said.
“Quiet, sweetheart,” I said. Zo? lapsed back into silence. I studied Hickory carefully. “What would happen if Jane and I chose not to surrender the colony?” I asked. “What if she and I decided the colony should be destroyed instead?”
“We would prefer not to say,” Hickory said.
“Don’t evade,” I said. “Answer the question.”
“We would kill you and Lieutenant Sagan,” Hickory said. “You and any other colonist leader who would authorize the destruction of the colony.”
“You would kill us?” I said.
“It would be difficult for us,” Hickory allowed. “We would have to do it without our consciousness implants active, and I believe neither Dickory nor I would choose to activate them again. The emotions would be unbearable. Also, we are aware Lieutenant Sagan has been genetically altered back to Special Forces operational parameters. This would make killing her more difficult.”
“How do you know that?” Jane said, surprised.
“We observe,” Hickory said. “We know you try to hide it, Lieutenant. Small things reveal you. You chop vegetables far too quickly.”
“What are they talking about?” Zo? asked Jane.
“Later, Zo?,” Jane said, and turned her attention back to Hickory. “What about now?” Jane asked. “Would you still kill me and John?”
“If you choose to surrender the colony, yes,” Hickory said.
“Don’t you dare,” Zo? said. She stood up, furious. “Under no circumstances will you do that.”
Hickory and Dickory trembled with emotional overload, attempting to process Zo?’s anger. “This one thing we must refuse you,” Hickory eventually said to Zo?. “You are too important. To us. To all Obin.”
Zo? was incandescent with rage. “I’ve already lost one parent because of the Obin,” Zo? said.
“Everybody calm down,” I said. “No one is killing anyone. All right? This is a nonissue. Zo?, Hickory and Dickory aren’t going to kill us because we’re not going to let the colony be destroyed. Simple as that. And there is no way I would let anything happen to you, Zo?. Hickory and Dickory and I all agree that you are too important for that.”
Zo? took a sharp intake of breath and started sobbing. Jane reeled her in and sat her back down. I turned my attention to the two Obin.
“I want to make this clear to the two of you,” I said. “In all circumstances, protect Zo?.”
“We will,” Hickory said. “Always.”
“Good,” I said. “Do try not to kill me in the process. Or Jane.”
“We will try,” Hickory said.
“Good,” I said. “Settled. Let’s move on.” I had to stop a minute to recollect my thoughts; being informed I was an assassination target and Zo?’s subsequent and entirely justified meltdown had well and truly rattled my cage. “You said there were seventeen colony removals that you know about,” I said.
“Yes,” Hickory said.
“Fourteen of them had the colonists survive, and four of those joined the Conclave,” I said. “You mean those colonists joined, or the whole race joined?”
“The colonists joined,” Hickory said.
“So none of the races whose colonies have been removed have joined the Conclave,” I said.
“No,” Hickory said. “This has been a matter of some concern within the Conclave itself. It was assumed that at least some of these races would then accept the invitation to join the Conclave. The removals seem to have hardened resolve otherwise.”
“Races are not forced to join the Conclave,” Jane said from the couch.
“No,” Hickory said. “They are simply not allowed to expand further.”
“I don’t see how they could enforce that,” I said. “It’s a big universe.”