Birthright

“Left to live, you would,” said the Kragan. “You already contemplate doing so with this very planet.”

“Give me an alternative,” pleaded the man. “Any alternative.” “The alternative,” said the Kragan patiently, “is not to destroy the planet.” “Then let us live in peace!”

“You are a Man,” said the Kragan. “For you to live in peace is a contradiction in terms.” “Keep us imprisoned on this planet, then,” said the man. “Destroy our ship and patrol the skies so that we can never leave again.”

“Your ship is already destroyed,” said the Kragan. “And you will never leave again. Have you anything further to say?”

The man looked up at the stars for the last time, sighed, and shook his head. “No,” he said. “Then return to your companions,” said the Kragan. “We will not honor any further truces.” The man trudged slowly up the mountain. “Well?” asked the second woman.

“We're no worse off than before,” said the man. “That's not saying a hell of a lot,” said the second woman. “I assume we're also not any better off?” “No.” He looked around the cave. “How long is the food good for?” “Two days if we eat hearty,” said the third woman. “Maybe a week if we scrimp.” “Why scrimp?” said the second woman. “If we're going to die, let's at least do so with full stomachs.” “Right,” said the first woman. “Death by slow starvation isn't one of the nicer ways to go.” “There is no nice way,” said the man. “If only those damned Kragans would listen to reason!” “But they won't,” said the third woman. “Damn it!” said the man. “We've meant too much to the galaxy just to die like this! They could save us. Keep this place a planetary prison or zoo or whatever they wanted to do with us, and just let us live. It can't end like this! We've gone too far, done too much, to die in this forgotten little hellhole with nobody around to notice. Damn it all—we'reMen!" “Bravo!” said the second woman, clapping her hands sarcastically. “What a pity those words can't be engraved on the wall of the cave.”

“You may be content to sit here and wait for death,” said the man, “but if we can't live, then I think we should at least die with some kind of gesture, something they may remember us for.”