“ 3 5 5 1 : The Burden Of Earth’s Children. ”, Page 3

considering what she had to tell the captain.

  “Captain, I can understand the colonies’ situation. There they are, millions of miles away from Earth in their own worlds, and then comes word from Earth that they had to adopt several million more people on their fragile ecosystems!”

  “To be fair, Majordomo, the Colonies, ourselves, agreed to this. It was not coercive. Plus, people had been talking about the possibility of planetary migration years before our ancestors began the program. It wasn’t exactly a surprise invasion of Earthens, madam.”

  “Oh, I don’t argue that, Alund. Look, all I’m saying is no sovereign nation or colony truly wants to take on immigrants, if they didn’t have to. Some just have a better attitude about it than others.” Reinholm had disagreed with the statement, but kept it to himself. “Captain, if you and your comrades back on the Colonies need help integrating our Earthens, just say so!”

  Now the captain walked up to the window to join the continental ruler. “Majordomo, I still don’t understand what it is you’re saying to me! What are these rumors you’ve been hearing about the Colonies?”

  “Many of our people end up in slavery at your colonies, Captain. And those are the fortunate cases!”

  “What!” Reinholm looked at her, dumbfounded.

  “Yes, that’s the word that’s gotten back to me…many of the immigrants are forced into mining at the most dangerous areas of Mars and the moons. Earthens tricked into giving their government stipend to indigenous colonialists. A disproportionate share of our young people are sold into the sex-slave industry…but, like I stated earlier, Captain, there are worse things going on with our people at your colonies!”

  Captain Reinholm made no effort to refute her. He honestly had no idea that any of the events the majordomo recounted to him had occurred, if, in fact, those rumors were to be believed. She took a couple of steps closer to him and talked with a whispered voice.

  “I’ve also heard that many Earthens are being murdered there and their bodies are somehow ground up and used for fertilizing some of the crops, while some immigrants had their blood sucked out of them during medical check-ups without their consent! It’s believed the colonialists use the immigrants’ blood for transfusion in medical emergencies and, in some cases, for experiments to see if the colonialists can bio-engineer blood that won’t boil out in space. I’ve seen secretly captured images that show the results of those experiments on Earth-immigrants’ bodies…!”

  The captain looked at the majordomo with disquieted eyes.

  “Oh, my. You really haven’t heard of these events happening on your colonies, have you?”

  “Rumors, madam. You said it yourself!”

  “So, no one has approached you or your crew about any of this?”

  The captain slowly shook his head as he stared out the window, transfixed on the Jorus.

  “Alund, my fellow Earthen-government officials and I really appreciate that in most cases the diaspora program is working. But none of that will matter if even one case of these alleged abuses proves to be true! Just because our people are taken under the colonies’ wings does not mean that we are third-class citizens, there to be experimented on like we’re some human livestock while your people get fat off us! Believe you me, Captain Reinholm, if these rumors ever get out to the greater population of Earth, you are looking at a cosmic war!”

  Just then, Reinholm broke from his trance and whipped his bearded face around and looked the majordomo straight into her eyes. “Is that a threat, madam? May I remind you that Earth came to my ancestors on Europa for help! I wouldn’t chop off the hand that feeds—“

  The captain stood motionless, realizing what he was about to say.

  “What’s the matter, Captain,” Majordomo Lucindo asked sardonically, “finish your sentence.” Both knew that such an aphorism would be used in bad taste, given the accusations that the majordomo was leveling against the Collectives.

  “Do you have a reproduction of any of these allegations,” he requested, ignoring her taunt.

  She reached into a built-in pouch located on one of her upper-sleeve of her jacket and produced a copy. She then handed it to the burly man. “I anticipated you’d ask for one.”

  “You seem disappointed that I’d want actual proof, or a documentation at the very least!”

  “Just to warn you, Captain, several other Earthen-governments and my own administration have already launched an investigation into the matter.”

  The little meeting just kept having more surprises for the poor captain. He unfolded the sheets of paper and began to skim over the report.

  “Well, I think an investigation is certainly appropriate. I only wish you consulted the Collectives’ governments before you did so!”

  “What, and have some of the perpetrators of these acts aware of our inquiry?” Reinholm’s eyes slowly rose from reading the outlined report and met the majordomo’s eyes. “Yes, Captain. We’ve crossed referenced those rumors and, unmistakably, certain prominent names within the Colonial Collectives tend to pop up over and over again…how does your batch of immigrants look today, Captain?”

  It was a clear signal to Reinholm that the majordomo was inserting herself, and Earth-side in general, as the dominating player in the long-time, Earth-Colonial Collectives relationship. For hundreds of years, the colonies on Mars, Europa, and more recently on Titan were all treated as equals with Earthen-governments. But as the diaspora project continued over the years, there were strains that developed in that cosmic consortium. The lack of material resources tended to do that to societies.

  “It’s going well, so far, madam,” Reinholm responded solemnly.

  “Good…I’ve already checked in with some of your people and it looks like this will be a good trip for you, Captain. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance!” She turned and walked out of the office as the door parted for one of Earth’s most powerful, tiny women

  …………

  The last of the Earthen immigrants were still lined up and inching their way toward the screening detectors that lead to the Jorus. Commander Ester Kolnan, placed in charge of the operation by Captain Reinholm, had delegated the few stragglers to a couple of subordinates as she went inside Solar Port Reckoning to freshen up a bit before the ship voyaged for the Europa Collective. When the captain saw her inside he informed her of Majordomo Tenesa Lucindo’s threat of war between the Colonial Collectives and Earth if the reported abuses of the Earthen-immigrants persisted.

  “What are we going to do, Captain,” the young woman asked as she and the captain carefully talked among a hoard of people within the towering spaceport. It wasn’t just a leisurely stroll within the base. It was also their way of ensuring none of the red-clad immigrants were loitering around for whatever reason.

  “Well, contact the Collectives’ rulers, of course! We can’t let this despot intimidate the Collectives! We’re doing Earth a favor, I hope you haven’t forgotten that as well!”

  “But, Captain, she’s only making these threats because she, apparently, has some evidence showing that her people are being maligned by ours! Isn’t it wise to look into it ourselves instead of taking a partisan position on the matter?”

  Alund thought on Ester’s words for a moment as they continued their surveillance within the port. Both were constantly peering in the nooks and crannies in Reckoning. No lingering immigrants, that they could see.

  “Yes, Ester, that would be one of the things we’d have to suggest to the Collectives. But keep in mind that the Majordomo is of a new school of thought that seems to be more pervasive on Earth these days. That Earth should have supremacy in the solar system and the colonies be damned!”

  “Sir, you know me…I’m one to follow orders without thinking twice. But, speaking fre
ely, Captain, this situation will spiral out of control! One of the last things our colonies need is a war with Earthen-governments! Besides the normal pains and sufferings that any war costs on society, our colonies back on Mars, Europa, and Titan will have to put up with revolting Earthen-immigrants!”

  The two went down the last flight of stairs within the Reckoning. Commander Kolnan continued. “It’s psychological as well as tribal, and has always happened in human history. The diaspora of any particular group of people will usually side with their people and place of origin—even if they’ve never been there! Riots will brake out, possibly even a low-degree civil war!”

  “All right, Ester, you don’t have to be so dramatic,” the captain said nonchalantly, waving her off.

  She took in a breath, measuring herself, making sure she did not step out of line. “Yes, sir…just thought I should mention it.”

  With their last inspection complete, Captain Reinholm and Commander Kolnan reported one last time to the officials of Solar Port Reckoning before taking off for Europa. It was very cordial, but both Reinholm and Kolnan noted that the Majordomo was nowhere to be found. Afterwards, the Jorus was blasting its engines and the huge, cylindrical transporter had soon left the confines of the dying planet.

  In the ancient days of space voyaging, humans took a bit