“What else is there?”
Was he being deliberately uncommunicative? “What is he like? What does he do for a living? Is he married—does he have a mate and children?”
“No mate—” He twisted his mouth. “I don’t know if he has a mate or offspring.”
“How can you not know?”
“I haven’t seen him in twelve years.”
“Why not?”
“Progg families in general are not close. Ours particularly was not.”
“Then, why do you want to find him?”
“Because…” He paused. “Because…he might be the only one who understands.”
“Understands what?” This was like pulling teeth!
“What I am experiencing.”
“Which is?” she prompted.
“I’m hoping he can tell me.”
“Oh, for god’s sake!”Why do I bother to talk to him?
Because the little he had said coupled with the specific information gaps aroused her curiosity. And when would she have the chance to talk with an alien? Others might disapprove of her chatting with the enemy, but perhaps she could find out why they’d done what they did.
“Human families are close, I take it,” he said.
“Yes. Mine was, as are most families. A few individuals don’t come from good homes or don’t get along with certain family members, but the family is the cornerstone of our society and civilization. The family raises children, determines how we live, transmits our values and beliefs. Family members careand support one another. We couldn’t exist without family.”
“Our General Ministry performs all the functions you mentioned.”
“The General Ministry is?”
“Our ruling council. One reason I don’t know Grav very well is because at the age of six, children are taken from their parents and sent to Ministry Education Centers. The MEC rears and educates them.”
“But children still see their parents, right?”
“On annual visit days.”
“You only saw your parents once a year?”
“I did not seemyparents until I matriculated. I graduated with honors, so they attended the commencement, but they never visited. I was a baby when Grav left for the MEC. He was eleven when I arrived, and by then we had nothing in common, so we didn’t interact much. After he graduated at age sixteen, I never saw him again. I visited my parents twice after I left the MEC.”
Well, this explains a lot.“After graduation, then what happened?”
“I entered the military. We’re required to serve a minimum of ten years. But Grav and I made it a career. Both our parents were career military.”
His government undermined the parental role and severed emotional connections to prevent development of empathy and compassion.They’re producing emotionless automaton soldiers with no qualms against murdering innocent people.
Except Rok had demonstrated he had qualms. At least, with respect to her. She touched the weapon on her hip. “Why didn’t you kill me?”
“What else do you want to know about my brother?”
“How is it your brother has a brother who didn’t kill me?” she persisted.
