I, Alien

THE INJUSTICE COLLECTOR by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

RECORD OF PROCEEDING

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party

They trusted us with their children.

Later, they claimed they trusted us because we resembled animals from their world. Canines. I have seen representations of such things, and the resemblance is superficial.

We are thinner, taller, and we do not stand on all fours. (Many of my people were insulted by this implication—that we could not walk upright—but I was more insulted by the look of the beasts: shaggy, unkempt, and that appendage at the base of the spine— the tail—looked vaguely ominous to me, as if the creatures were slapped together by a careless scientist.)

It is true that we do not have bald skin as the humans do; ours is dusted attractively with fine hairs, making each of us distinctive. Our noses are larger and our mouths open beneath them—perhaps the most canine of our features—but we, as a people, have come to resent the word snout.

As for the rest, we do not see ourselves as too different from the humans. We use our arms in much the same way, we have hands, we wear clothing. It is true that we do not wear shoes, but the bottoms of our feet are tough and hair-covered. We do not injure as easily as the humans do. Which, I suppose, is the heart of the problem.

They came half a season ago. Their ships were shiny and silver, made of materials we had not seen before. Their leaders offered to teach us how to create such materials, but the lessons never happened—one of many such incidents. Among my tribe, the humans have became known as the People of Broken Promises.

The humans created a settlement on the ice plain, not realizing, of course, that we were in summer, and the plain was at its best. Trees flowered, insects buzzed, and a thousand varieties of summer vegetation grew across the expanse. The air, thick with humidity, was nearly unbearable to us; to them, it spoke of comfort—the “tropics,” “paradise,” and other words that we did not then know.

We did know that soon the fall would come with its rains, destroying all but the hardiest of plants. Those would die in the cold, buried beneath the sheet of ice that gave the plain its name.

We doubted the humans would survive the fall, let alone the cold. We did not tell them of the cycle, believing that such warning would reward ignorance.

That is why we did not contact the Injustice Collector at the theft of land.

We believed justice had taken care of itself.

Interruption in the Proceeding

Two Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony,

A Breach of Protocol:

Breach of Protocol by the creatures known as human require in-depth reporting methods not employed in two centuries of Injustice Collecting. The humans, it seems, are unfamiliar with the concept of Justice/Injustice. They believe such decisions might be rendered on the small scale, and as a result, have appealed to me in unorthodox ways, which under rules 7,765 and 11,235 I am obligated to report.

As a result, my presence will intrude on the record of these proceedings. I beg the Review Board’s indulgence.

—Injustice Collector 0080

Explanatory Note:

This meeting is taking place, as is customary in cases of cultural disputes, in the Great Mall of the Collecting Ship. Tour members of the Requesting Party, both male and female, stand to the left. Twenty members of the non-Requesting Party stand to the right.

Both sides have been instructed in the rules of the proceedings, although for the two days of rules’ instructions, only two of the humans attended.

Since the number of humans has grown significantly, I can only assume the added eighteen were not briefed by their colleagues.

[An Aside: Working conditions are barely tolerable. The Great Mall barely accommodates all of these bodies. As is mentioned in the opening testimony, these human creatures are as large as the MugwL. The crowd presses against my Decision Desk. The temperature in the Great Mall has risen significantly. The Collecting Ship’s systems are not designed to accommodate so many heat-giving sources in such a small area.

[To complicate matters, both the MugwL and the humans have distinctive—and competing—odors. The MugwL’s fur stinks of rone spice—a sharp peppery scent that invades the nostrils—and the humans, beneath the coating odor of soap, give off a musk that burns the eyes. When I inquired, I was told that such an odor is called a “nervous sweat” and it cannot be controlled. Human suggestions to control the temperature were ignored as untenable. My suggestion that some of the human party leave was met with severe protests. However, if the stench worsens, I will be forced to cut the human presence in half.]

The Non-Requesting Party is inattentive and disrespectful. They speak without tone—in something called a “whisper”—and believe they cannot be heard.

They have obviously not met an Injustice Collector before. They seem to believe that because I am small and do not have features they can readily identify, I am somehow less than they are.

Already, I can see why the MugwL find them so intolerable.

The Breach of Protocol began when the MugwL Representative stated, “That is why we did not contact the Injustice Collector at the theft of land.”

The “whispering” rose to an intolerable level, and one human, not one of the original two (I believe, since it is hard to tell—the bald skin is, as the MugwL implied, offensive), cried out, “We didn’t steal! We asked permission to settle there!”

The MugwL Representative continued over the disturbance, adding his phrase, “We believed justice had taken care of itself.”

At which another of the humans, one of the tallest, turned toward the MugwL so quickly that I feared violence.

“You fucking bastard,” the human said—and judging by its tone, the words fucking bastard are an insult. “First you kill our children, now you tell us it’s our fault! Judge, this is all wrong. You gotta hear our case—”

I clapped two of my hands for silence, and to my surprise, the human complied. Perhaps it was the spray of red light that flew from my fingertips. That seems to impress the lesser species.

As I clapped with two hands, I used the other three to set the collection bag beneath the Decision Desk. It became clear to me in that moment that the humans do not understand the proceedings.

I do not sit in Judgment, therefore I am not a Judge. I merely listen to the reports and determine to whom the Injustice has occurred. Then I collect it.

Or rather, the bag does. Most of my efforts go toward corralling the bag.

I try to explain this to the humans again (more confirmation that the initial human representatives did not report back to their colleagues), but the humans did not seem to understand.

More “whispering” occurred, and a common sentence wound its way through the Non-Requesting Party: It’s obvious that we have suffered the injustice. Our children are dead.

If matters of Justice/Injustice were so easily determined, there would be no need for the Decision Desk. Again, I explain, but the humans seem confused.

They seem to believe that the decision is a judgment which I would therefore make. They do not seem to understand the distinctions required by the customs of the Alliance.

I call for a recess, insist that both Parties leave the Ship, and order scrubbers into the Great Hall to attempt to alleviate the stench.

Then I transmit my request for assistance to the Board of Governors.

I tell them I am concerned that I might commit an Injustice myself.

Excerpts from the 500-page Gubernatorial Response to Inquiry Presented by Injustice Collector 0080 in regard to Non-Requesting Party Involved in the Incident at Gray’s Brook [Requesting Party Reference: MugwL Case 3345678221]:

The self-named Humans are an unknown, unstudied species. A careful search of the records reveals that they have never been a Requesting, Non-Requesting, Peripherally Involved, or Bystanding Party in any Justice/Injustice proceeding…

Cases involving unknown, unstudied species must proceed as if the species is sentient, according to Justice/Injustice standards…

… and so, to satisfy your request, we had to return to the earliest records of Justice/Injustice proceedings, in which species now known to us [but which were, at the time of the proceedings, unknown] established Justice/Injustice Precedent…

… what the early Injustice Collectors learned was that the bags did not accept as an Injustice cases presided over by an Injustice Collector in which a Party of Unknown Sentience did not understand the intricacies of the proceeding…

Therefore, certification continues in the Incident at Gray’s Brook, also known as Requesting Party Reference: MugwL Case 3345678221.

Record of Proceeding

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party [continued]

Human children are curious creatures. They share some traits with the adults of the species, but no one would intuitively understand that such a small creature, less than a meter in length at first appearance, would eventually become the towering figures now standing to my left.

In fact, we had no idea at the time of the incident that the creatures called “children” were also a type of “human.” We believed them to be a related Earth species, rather like the Canine we had referred to in our previous remarks.

It is counterintuitive to believe these creatures would grow at such an astounding rate. It is also counterintuitive to believe that a group traveling the great distances that the humans traveled would bring the young of the species, carrying with it the very future of the species itself.

We therefore request that the surviving children join this proceeding as the Bystanding Party—

Interruption in the Proceeding

Eight Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol

This protocol breach [and, I am certain, all others] are caused by the factors listed in the Second Cycle breach described above. I see no reason to repeat that finding here. In future breaches, I shall simply describe the breach, and continue with the Report of the Proceeding.

If any member of the Review Board has an objection, I refer him to the Board of Governors’ Response to the Official Inquiry on the Humans [attached above].

—Injustice Collector 0080

“Your Honor,” said the human who, before this morning’s proceedings, introduced himself [they assure me that this creature is a male] as the one in charge. At my request, he wears a large red badge which lists his designation: John Graf. I do not know what these words stand for; I know only that I am to use them whenever I refer to the human with the red badge. “You can’t let them do this.”

The “them” in that sentence refers to the Requesting Party. The “this” refers to the introduction of the “children” as the Bystanding Party.

I cite regulations, as I have done for days now. The “humans” apparently have a short attention span. We discussed the rights of the Requesting Party in regard to the Bystanding Party on the first day of the explanatory proceedings.

“No, sir,’ the John Graf human said, “I’m afraid you don’t understand. By our laws and customs, the only people who speak for our children are their parents.”

I do not know this word “parents” and I tell the John Graf so.

His bald skin turns an alarming shade of red, nearly the color of his badge, and I am concerned that my words have harmed him physically. The “whispering” begins again, and I beg for silence.

Then I tell the John Graf that he may recess for medical treatment if he so desires.

His tiny features press together, as if he is trying to make them into a MugwL face. “I’m in perfect health, Your Monor.”

He sounds—and I am merely guessing—offended. I look down at the bag which I have stored under the Decision Desk to see if it detects an Injustice that I may have inadvertently caused, but it hasn’t even twitched.

“I just find it appalling that you don’t know what parents are,” the John Graf says. His voice has risen to an intolerable level. “I’m opposed to a legal proceeding when our cultures are so different that we have to explain something as basic as parenthood.”

I hold up my middle hand. “We are discussing ‘parents,’ not ‘parenthood.’ Please do not confuse the issue.”

He makes a blatting sound, like the wind through a malfunctioning weezer engine.

“I am not confusing any issue,” he says. “You people are. We can’t continue with this charade any longer.”

Another concept I do not know. But I do not ask him to explain it, since I am beginning to agree with the MugwL’s characterization of the humans as People of Broken Promises. I ask the John Graf to explain “parents” and instead, he confuses the issue by adding two more unknown words into the proceedings.

No explanation of “parents” appears to be forthcoming.

“We’re leaving,” the John Graf says.

The nineteen other humans nod in agreement. They all turn toward the Great Mall doors, but I do not open them.

“You cannot leave when the Proceedings are underway,” I tell them. “The doors will only open in case of Recess or final Determination.”

[An Aside: I wish for nothing more than the opening of doors and the disappearance of the humans. The stench seems worse this day. My eyes have been burning since the presentation began.]

“We refuse to participate any longer,” the John Graf says. “This is a joke!”

Joke. Another new word. I choose not to focus on it, but on the preceding sentence:

“You cannot refuse to participate,” I remind him. “The time for that is past. You had from the moment the Request for a Justice/Injustice review was made to the Board of Governors to the moment the Collecting 5hip arrived to demand a cancellation. You did not make such a demand. 5o the proceeding must continue.”

“Another stupid law no one bothered to tell us about,” the John Graf says, waving his arm downward, as if he is compacting a pile of snow.

“We should’ve just killed the fuckers,” one of the other humans says, rather loudly. This is not a “whisper.” I believe it was meant to be heard. “Blasted them all to hell and back for what they did to the kids.”

Murmurs of agreement thread through the human crowd. The MugwLs look at me as if they expect me to stop it.

They should know better. If the humans take action, I can only observe. If the MugwLs or their survivors then believe that the human action was wrong, they can make yet another request for an Injustice Collector. I will become a Peripherally Involved Party, and will not sit on the Decision Desk.

[An Aside: I confess that such a change would please me. I find this case taxing, and would like as much as the humans for it to end.]

“It could’ve been an accident,” says the John Graf. “It’s pretty clear we don’t understand these aliens any more than they understand us. I’m not going to be in charge of a genocide, even when—”

“Even when they kill our kids?” the other human asks.

The John Graf expels air, and shakes his head from side to side. He is clearly in charge, but the others do not agree with him. I fear trouble of a type I am not equipped to deal with.

I glance down. The bag has turned a light lavender. It is getting greedy. I slam its top closed with two of my hands, using the other two to twist the top into a knot. The bag fades, but I worry that this is just an act.

The John Graf is leaning close to his compatriots. “We’ve been here for fifty years,” he says, as if this is important.

It sounds strange to me. The MugwL claimed in his opening testimony that the humans had only been here half a season, and I see no evidence to the contrary.

But the other humans do not disagree with that characterization. In fact, many of them nod which, as their representatives informed me on the first day, is a sign of assent.

“This is our home. Our children were born here,’ the John Graf is saying.

I am leaning toward the conversation, even though I hear it more clearly than the “whispering.” The MugwL watch me as if they expect me to do something about this exchange.

At least the MugwL are smart enough to know that I will not interfere.

“Leaving is not an option/’ the John Graf says. “We must peacefully coexist.”

“Even if they kill our kids/’ the vocal human states. Although the words sound like a question, they are not.

“That’s what we’re here to determine,’ the John Graf says. “Whether it was intentional or not. Right?”

At this last, he turns to me. He seems to be expecting a Judgment again, but I do not give it to him.

Instead, I do as I have done before. I recite the law and the history. “The MugwL have requested our presence because they believe an injustice may have occurred.”

“Hell, yes, an injustice occurred,” says the vocal human. “They murdered our children. That’s an injustice.”

“But you did not request the proceeding,” I say. “They did.”

The vocal human starts to answer, but the John Graf steps in front of it. [Him? The genders are difficult to determine. I shall cease trying until I am told with certainty which of the six known genders I am dealing with.]

“Because of us,” the John Graf says. He looks over his shoulder at the MugwL.

The two of them stand, hands together, heads bowed, as is proper procedure. Emotion does not cross their faces. Only the slight change in their peppery odor tells me that they are reacting to this at all.

“We went to them!’ the John Graf is saying to me, “right after the deaths. My people wanted an arrest, some kind of charges, sanctions—a few, like Victor here, wanted to take matters into their own hands. But we want to peacefully coexist. 5o I want to handle this by the book. I go to MegrP, their leader, and I say just that, we need to handle this properly so that we stay allies. Me listens, then asks if I think an injustice has occurred. And I say, “Well, yes. Our kids are dead. He nods, and says he will contact you.”

I let him speak, even though the history of the request is not relevant. That, too, was explained in the first two days, and apparently not conveyed to all of the humans.

“Nonetheless,” I say when it becomes clear that the John Graf is done speaking. “They are the Requesting Party, and it is by their aegis that I am here.”

“So?” the John Graf asks.

“So you must let the proceeding continue.”

“What so they can tell you their side of the story without us saying ours? Mow fair is that?” His voice has risen to nearly intolerable levels. “It’s our kids that’re dead, us that’ve suffered here, and it sounds like we’ll suffer some more when fall—however you people define your seasons—eventually shows up and washes our homes away. That’s Injustice, Mr. Collector. We haven’t done anything wrong.”

“This is not a Judgment,” I say yet again. “This is a Justice/Injustice proceeding.”

“Yeah,” the John Graf says, “and I thought that meant a finding of fact. You know, the truth will out and all that. Some impartial person would investigate, maybe even go to the crime scene, interview some MugwLs and the surviving kids and find out what happened. But if I understand your rules right, you’re just going to let this guy talk— and he wasn’t even there. Then you’ll make some kind of judgment, and we’re done. That’s not Justice, Mr. Collector. That’s just plain wrong.”

The bag is a darker shade of purple. I use my middle arm to check the knot. The knot is tight. The bag will not get loose.

‘This Proceeding was Requested,” I say. “It must continue. When it is finished, you may seek this ‘investigation’ and ‘judgment,’ perhaps from your own people. This Proceeding is what it is, and I cannot make it anything else.”

[An Aside: although, in some ways, the Proceeding has become something else. It resembles the Proceedings of the early Alliance rather than modern Proceedings, partly because of these protocol breaches.]

“We have spent more than Eight Cycles here,” I say. “If we continue at this pace, we will be here until fall. The Requesting Party must complete his testimony. If there are no further objections, I shall send my staff for the Bystanding Party, and we shall—”

“But there are objections,” the John Graf says. “The very objection that started me. Children can’t be here without their parents’ permission. And no parent is going to allow a child to take part in this force.”

Again with the unexplained words. I chose to ignore them.

“What your people want now does not matter,” I say. “All that matters now is the Proceeding itself. These ‘children’ are, at the request of the Requesting Party, the Bystanding Party, and by our regulations, required to be here. You cannot change centuries of law simply because you do not agree to it.”

“What’ll happen to the children?” the John Graf asks.

I am at the end of my patience. “We discussed Bystanding Parties on the first day. Consult with your representatives. We shall indulge you no longer.”

The John Graf clenches his hands into fists and does not step away from the Decision Desk. The vocal human moves its head from side to side.

“Told you we should’ve blasted them!’ it “whispers.” Its gaze is on mine as it speaks, and I know the comment is somehow directed toward me.

“Proceed,’ I say to the MugwL representative, and he does, with obvious relief.

Record of Proceeding

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party [continued]

As I said more than Eight Cycles ago now, the humans trusted us with their children. This was not a trust we asked for or even understood. We had no desire to interact with the humans, but their intrusiveness forced us into relations.

They asked questions; they tried our food (and complained when it made them ill); they even came into the village during Privacy Cycles, demanding attention. All of that, we accommodated. We listened, we spoke, we spent time with them at their request.

We did not ask them questions, knowing that our lack of interest would show them they were not wanted. Yet they seemed to ignore that message.

Part of the problem, we assumed, was that they always sent new representation. The early Elders vanished, replaced by other Elders, and now we are being introduced to yet a new set of Elders. Even though the shiny silver ships the humans arrived in seemed small, they carried a multitude of beings, so many that we often found ourselves confused.

We did not even note the presence of “children” until late in the days of the first set of Elders. Then the Elders brought small creatures to us, and showed us the “children” proudly. We believed they had been sent in another mission, that the humans, in their folly, thought they could add their native creatures to our environment.

We did not know that these creatures were the young or that they were somehow created without waterbaths and the freezings of six winters. We did not know that the young could be created off the world the humans call Earth.

Interruption in the Proceeding

Nine Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony,

The Arrival of the Bystanding Party.

This interruption is one I had requested when I insisted the Requesting Party continue with its Testimony without all Requested members present. The “children”—some thirty of them of various sizes and shapes—have been brought in by two Collectors-in-Training and five robotic helpers.

Like the other humans, the “children” do not seem to understand the proceedings. since explanation did not work with the older humans, I do not believe it will work with the younger, and chose not to take the two days to reiterate the rules and regulations.

If any member of the Review Board has an objection, I refer him to the Board of Governors’ Response to the Official Inquiry on the Humans [attached above].

—Injustice Collector 0080

In the midst of the arrival of the Bystanding Party, the humans committed yet another protocol breach. I note this here, but do not place it into the record as a secondary interruption since this is an interruption of an interruption.

Nonetheless, I report it here:

“I object,” says the John Graf. “These children have no legal rights here. Their parents must be present.”

[An Aside: there are now fifty humans, two MugwL, two Collectors-in-Training, five robotic helpers, and the bag in the Great Hall. Even if I complied with the John Graf’s demands, the additional humans [if, indeed that’s what these “parents” are] would not fit into the room. I do not mention this. I have ceased arguing with the humans.]

“The ‘children’ are the Bystanding Party,” I say. “If the Bystanding Party does not understand its function here, I suggest it choose one representative member, and set the rest free. The representative member will listen to the testimony, will spend time with the Collectors-in-Training to gain an understanding of the rules session which was missed, and will, if need be, relay the Justice/Injustice to the remaining members of the Party.”

“Your Honor,” one of the “children” says. It has a high voice with many overtones, “Our parents don’t want us here.”

Again, I ignore this. “We shall recess for One Cycle while the Bystanding Party picks its representative.”

And so we do.

[An Aside: After the Great Hall empties, and the 5crubbers enter, attempting to clean the vile stench from the air, I look down at the bag. It is a faint lavender.

[It senses my attention, and sends me this message: There have been too many protocol breaches already. This proceeding will fail its Review. Let me take the Perceived Injustices now in the interest of time, and it will save us all more Cycles of this.

[I note the communication here in an aside, since it is within the bag’s rights to make such a communication. Each case I have administered has included such a communication.

Only this time, I actually contemplate the bag’s request. This procedure is unusual and will receive great attention from the Review Board. I am tempted to save all of us the trouble and allow the bag this one indulgence.

[Apparently, it senses my hesitation and turns a violent purple. The color change and the shimmering hatred that rises from the bag’s porous exterior remind me that, no matter how logical a bag’s argument the bag is always concerned with its own power. Too many Injustices, even Perceived Ones, might overload the safety protocols, and the bag would be freed.

[There are fifty bags within traveling distance of this sector. One free bag could free the others— that’s how the Attwne System dissolved.

[I reject the bag’s request, but note my hesitation here, in case the Review Board would like to bring me up on charges for even considering it.

[By the time the Representatives return—two MugwL, two human [as I note with relief], and two “children” of the larger variety—the bag is again pale lavender, and I have made certain the knot and the imprisoning devices are fixed securely.]

Record of Proceeding

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party [continued]

By the time of the Incident at Gray’s Brook, we had already been to the human settlement six times with the express purpose of seeing the “children.” The “children” gather every other Cycle in a building called the “school.” There they sit while a full-sized human passes knowledge to them via three different means—vocal communication, printed communication, and written communication. The system seems inefficient to us, and is part of what led us to believe the “children” were another species. We now believe that the human young are not born with the knowledge of the community implanted in the brain. The knowledge must be transferred by these inefficient means.

Since we use these means only with inferior creatures, ones that we hope to domesticate, we place this assumption of ours before the Decision Desk as a simple Misunderstanding, not an Injustice.

Interruption in the Proceeding

Eleven Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol:

Cause of breach is, as noted above, human ignorance.

—Injustice Collector 0080

“I don’t suppose anyone wants to explain that distinction/’ says the John Graf. I believe he is referring to the distinction between the “Misunderstanding” and the “Injustice.”

We have explained this, taking days—not cycles— to do so. But I weary of reminding him of that so say nothing.

After a moment of silence, the John Graf says, “I thought not. Why do I even try?”

Record of Proceeding

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party [continued]

Just before the Incident at Gray’s Brook, one of the human Elders came to our Village Council and requested a “field trip” in which their “children” would see how we tend our own young. This “field trip” as best we could understand it was an educational venture designed to exemplify the distinctions between our two species.

It took the humans several visits to explain the need for such an event to us. Even so, we are uncertain as to whether we sufficiently understand it, and believe on this point that the Non-Requesting Party might like a voice.

[An Aside: I offer the opportunity to the John Graf. He raises and lowers his shoulders.

[“This isn’t a proceeding, it’s a joke, and we’re here under protest,” he says by way of explanation.

[The MugwL seem to find this response as unsatisfactory as I do. But that does not stop their testimony. Their representative continues.]

To understand what transpired next, we must explain a distinction that we have learned over this half-season of dealing with the humans. In their language, “day” means “cycle.” Their concept of time is different from ours in significant ways, ways we do not yet completely understand.

We have come to realize that even though we speak the same accepted Alliance tongue, our understandings break down at even this most basic level. Some of our scientists postulate that the humans have a summer’s lifespan, although others believe this to be impossible based on the humans’ ability to learn Alliance languages and travel in space.

This digression stems from our attempt to understand the humans’ extreme reaction to the Incident at Gray’s Brook and our culpability, if any, in it.

Interruption in the Proceeding

Eleven Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol:

Cause of breach is, as noted above, human ignorance.

—Injustice Collector 0080

“Culpability, hell!’ says the other human representative quite loudly. “We’ll show them culpability.”

Record of Proceeding

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party [continued]

At the time of the incident, our young were in the water-bath. The waters are at their lowest this time in the season, and the fetal pods are clearly visible.

The waters are also quite warm and, in the words of one of the “children,” “inviting” although, it must be noted for the record, the MugwL heard no such invitation.

The “children” asked if it was permissible to touch the pods. We apparently did not understand the nature of their question. We told them that, indeed, it is always permissible to touch the pods.

We did not, however, expand the answer, expecting more questions. Apparently, however, the “children” are unlike the humans in more ways than knowledge and size.

The “children” did ask one other question. They asked if the water was harmful.

The question was, on its surface, unnecessary. If the water was harmful, would we have put our fetal pods into it? Of course not. We answered the question we believed was asked. We answered according to our biology and our customs. We did not realize that the “children” could not frame their questions correctly.

Again, we plead Misunderstanding, not Injustice.

Interruption in the Proceeding Eleven Cycles Into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol: Cause of breach is, as noted above, human ignorance.

—Injustice Collector 0080

“Lying manipulative bastards!’ says the other human representative.

The John Graf puts his hand on the other representative’s arm. The other representative moves away.

Record of Proceeding Incident at Gray’s Brook Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Testimony of Requesting Party [continued]

The devastation was stunning and terrifying. The people who witnessed the deaths are not the same. They cannot go near the human settlement; they are appalled at the very mention of humans. This emotion grew worse when it became clear to all concerned that the “children” are also human young.

[An Aside: for the first time, the MugwL representative is having troubie controlling his voice. It breaks. This is the first obvious sign of emotion from the MugwL and it is quite moving. [I do not look at the bag, waiting at my feet, below.]

The “children” shed their clothing with a rapidity that startled us. Then they plunged headfirst into the water. A few jumped feetfirst.

We had never seen anyone but registered tenders step into water, and even then, they followed distinct and important protocols.

These “children” followed no protocols at all. They drenched themselves and arose, laughing—a sound that is the same among both of our species (something we did not know and did not want to learn in this context).

Then the laughter turned to shrill, high-pitched sounds that the humans later identified as sounds of extreme fright. The “children” had rested their feet on the pods— a few “children” had gone underwater and touched the pods with their hands—and the pods—the pods—

The pods absorb food through the exterior shell. It supplies the fetal material and maintains the growth necessary for development. Anything that touches the pod becomes food, unless certain protocols are followed.

Even the tenders do not touch the pods without wearing special equipment, equipment that we did not bring on our “field trip” with the “children.”

We managed to save five of the children, but ten of them—ten of them—

We learned, to our dismay, that human blood is red. When combined with water and flailing limbs, bubbles are created, making a pinkish foam.

Many of us still see this foam in our dreams.

Record of Proceeding

Incident at Gray’s Brook

Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Citing of the Injustice[s]

According to custom, I place the bag on the Decision Desk. The bag maintains its composure above the desk; the bag’s porous outer layer is now a creamy white.

Then I state the interrogatory: What do you believe are the Injustices in this Incident?

The Non-Requesting Party attempts to respond, but is silenced. The Bystanding Party simply shifts from foot-to-foot as if the proceedings do not concern either representative. The Requesting Party looks at the bag with great fear before replying:

“The Injustices are, as we see them, as follows: One Injustice occurring against the Requesting Party, and one Injustice occurring against the Bystanding Party.”

Interruption in the Proceeding Eleven Cycles Into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol: Cause of breach is, as noted above, human ignorance.

—Injustice Collector 0080

The John Graf steps forward. “What the—?” He does not finish his own sentence.

Record of Proceeding Incident at Gray’s Brook Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Citing of the Injustice[s] [continued]

“The Injustice against the Requesting Party is this: The humans should have explained to us the nature and vulnerability of their young. In this, they should have explained the purpose of “children” and the caring of them. We should not have been responsible for beings we know nothing about.

Interruption in the Proceeding Eleven Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol: Cause of breach is, as noted above, human ignorance.

—Injustice Collector 0080

“Right” the other human representative says, surprising me with his agreement. “Go ahead. Blame the victim.”

Record of Proceeding Incident at Gray’s Brook Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Citing of the Injustice[s] [continued]

“The Injustice against the Bystanding Party is more severe. It is this: Although these human young, these “children,” are adaptable enough to survive their youth away from their home world, they are not strong enough to face challenges inherent in space exploration. It took less than a season to wipe out ten of these youth. One can only surmise how many more will die before the fall comes and the floods—”

Interruption in the Proceeding Eleven Cycles into the Requesting Party’s Testimony, A Breach of Protocol: Cause of breach is, as noted above, human ignorance.

—Injustice Collector 0080

“For Crissake,” the John Graf says, using yet another unknown phrase. “We did not bring the children here. We gave birth to them here. We’re colonists, for God’s sake. We’re building a life here. Can’t you people understand that? My father explained it all when the ships landed. He told you what we were doing, and you agreed to let us have the land. You agreed to let us live here. And all our studies said it was safe. There’s no injustice in that. Don’t you get it? We’re just living—”

Record of Proceeding Incident at Gray’s Brook Injustice Collector 0080 Presiding

Citing of the Injustices][continued]

According to custom, I place another hand on the bag, and ask: Does the Bystanding Party accept the Injustice claimed in its behalf?

The representative of the Bystanding Party has to be prodded by the John Graf. The representative of the Bystanding Party appears startled, then says, “I dunno.”

Again, faced with the ignorance of the humans, I cite the Gubernatorial Decision, accepting that response as an affirmative, and continue with the procedure.

“In this case,” I intone, “as in all cases of this nature, the final decision on the Injustices will be made by the Wiwendian.” I add for the humans, “the Wi-wendian is what you have casually heard us refer to as ‘the bag.’ It is, instead, the true Injustice Collector, in that it feeds on such violations, needing them to survive. We feed the Collector, so that it and its people will not create new Injustices, simply for the sake of devouring them. In stating this old truth, I remind us all of the oaths we have taken to maintain Justice in our universe.”

I place my remaining hands on the bag, and undo the knot I tied in its opening. “Do you accept these Injustices?”

There is a whooshing, and the bag turns a light lavender. The Injustices white and blue, swirl away from the Requesting Party and the Bystanding Party. For a moment, I believe I see something red near the Non-Requesting Party, but the redness vanishes.

The bag accepts the Injustices and then fades to its normal color. I place the bag beneath the Decision Desk once more, and declare the proceedings complete.

But the proceedings do not exactly end. I add these events as an addendum to my report:

“That’s it?” the John Graf asks. “You ask a silly question of a bag and then it changes color and we get to go? That s all that happens? We spent months of our lives here for that?”

The time reference confirms yet again the MugwL’s impression of time differences between the humans and our various species. More study will be needed to ascertain if this is, indeed, a fact.

“Yes,” I tell the human. “The Proceeding has ended.”

“But nothing has changed,” the John Graf says.

“On the contrary. The Wiwendian—we—have taken the known Injustices from this world. The slate is clean. You may begin again.”

“Begin what?” the other human asks. “Our children are gone. We’ve gotten no satisfaction here. You let those people—those murderers get away with feeding our kids to their pod thingies.”

I signal my Collectors-in-Training. “I have done

my work according to the laws and customs of our Alliance. I have responded to the Requesting Party, brought the Wiwendian, and collected Injustices. If you perceive any violations, you may bring them up with the Review Board.”

I have, of course, added this for the humans’ benefit. It is more explanation than I usually offer after a decision has been rendered.

I feel the humans’ displeasure and empathize with it, but even they must realize that nothing brings back lost lives.

That, perhaps, is the ultimate Injustice, but one so common that the bag usually rejects it.

“My assistants will explain how to file your petitions with the Review Board,” I say as I open the doors to the Great hall. The rush of cool air is marvelous. “But not in here.”

The Collectors-in-Training usher the humans out, but they are not the ones that stop at the doors. The MugwL do, and as they do, they let out their own sounds of fear and displeasure.

I rise, peering over their heads.

In the distance, smoke rises from the MugwL village. Too much smoke, accompanied by leaping flames.

The John Graf looks upset. Me puts his arms around the “children” and leads them outside.

But the other human, the vocal one, stops, turns, and looks at me, not the MugwL. I do not know human expressions, but this one seems, in some way frightening—the raised eyebrows, the half-contained amusement.

“On my world,” he says, “when systems break down, only one kind of justice remains. We call it street justice.”

And then he leaves.

The MugwL cry and wail, claiming their village is gone. My Collectors-in-Training still usher them out, and finally close the door.

I am alone, except for the bag. The bag that wants to collect these Injustices, in a Preliminary fashion, to save us a trip.

If my bag is any indication, the Wiwendians are becoming dissatisfied with our agreement to feed and house them in exchange for controlling their somewhat destructive talents. But that is an aside.

I would have refused its request on principle—one finished Proceeding is enough for any Collector—but principle is not my real reason for saying no.

I say no because I do not want to preside over another Proceeding involving humans. Too messy, too many chances for mistakes.

The red floating above them as the bag collected the Injustices disturbs me. Red is usually the color of violation. The Injustices from the MugwL and the “children” were not red.

The humans have a rawer, more passionate sense of Injustice than we do.

There is already so much Injustice in the Alliance that we barely maintain our hold on the Wiwendians. My Wiwendian already finds the human sense of Injustice attractive. Other Wiwendians will as well.

The humans will give the Wiwendians too much power.

Together, they will destroy everything.

And I fear that, after this Proceeding, they have already started.