Free March of the Legion by Marshall S. Thomas Page A

hanger—and us. Finally it left, too."
    "Where did he go?"
    "We think the V called it. We thought perhaps the Variants didn't understand, about the attack—about the difference between the System and the Legion."
    "It's you who don't understand," Snow Leopard said. "The O—the V—understand us perfectly."
    "All our work is for nothing now. A hundred years." The Systie gazed blankly into space. "We were alone after that. Just us. It has no idea what a tragedy this is."
    "I find it amazing," Snow Leopard remarked, "that a person of your obvious intelligence is so totally blind to the true consequences of what the System has done here. Don't you have any doubts at all about the morality of your mission?"
    "Doubts? Doubts? None! No! We are soldiers of peace, giving our lives for peace, for understanding between two worlds, two species, two entirely different forms of life. And the result has been clear: generations of peace!"
    "And the cost?"
    "What cost? Unitium? Something we don't need? Yes, some of our people have died—too many! But it's a small sacrifice, for galactic peace!"
    "How many billions of humans were exterminated by the Omnis—the V—in the Plague War?"
    "Our point exactly! How many billions have lived since our successful contact?"
    "We defeated the Omnis in the Plague War. We shattered their fleets, and drove them back."
    "We have no argument with that."
    "And the unitium? You don't wonder about the unitium?"
    "Well, of course, we wonder."
    "You don't wonder why they're willing to communicate with the enemy—to suspend their advance for a hundred years—to gain an endless supply of unitium?"
    "Does Legion have the answer?"
    "You don't wonder how many billions are going to die, because of your stupid, short-sighted policies? You don't wonder about your children? You don't wonder about the future of our own species? Don't you think it worth defending? How about the next generation? What are you willing to them? Slavery? How about your own children? Do you have children?"
    "We…we have no children."
    "I'm sorry. I forgot. Diplomats don't have children. Such emotions might confuse you." We knew Outworlder diplomats serving the System were castrated upon entry into the service.
    "We are not ashamed of our condition. It was completely voluntary. A diplomat cannot afford to have a biased viewpoint. We deal with important questions."
    "Important questions? Do you believe slavery is preferable to death? Do you believe freedom from slavery is worth risking your life? No, let's change the question—is your life more important than your children's? What's the logical response to that? How about a choice of life—this generation or the next. One gets to live, one gets to die. What's your choice?"
    "Legion doesn't understand."
    "No, it's you who don't understand! You despise the Legion because our objectives are different. You're focused on the present. We look at the future. We're not fighting for us—we knew we're all doomed, every last one of us. We're fighting for our descendants, for the unborn. I don't want children of mine living as slaves to the Omnis. If it was up to you and the System, they would."
    "It's making assumptions about the Variants without evidence."
    "Two billion dead. Is that enough evidence? My proven assumption is that they want us all dead."
    "We've learned so much about them! They're learning about us, too! With understanding comes tolerance."
    "The only thing they want to learn about us is how to kill us most efficiently. And I'm sure you've been a great help to them."
    "It's too bad Legion's government does not agree with that."
    "What do you mean by that?"
    "We mean its self-righteous braying arises from ignorance. It's easy to criticize the System, isn't it? Blame it all on the Systies! Does it think its own government was ignorant of what we were doing?"
    "You're lying!" Snow Leopard appeared genuinely shocked.
    "Oh, yes—this would be a good time to lie, wouldn't it, one lie and