Free Breakaway: A Cassandra Kresnov Novel (v1.1) by Joel Shepherd

individuals had been caught doing that so far, and shut down just as fast. Which suggested a leak; someone in the usually impenetrable techno-underground was feeding information to the CSA. One of the main sources of which, she guessed further, was standing directly in front of her, protecting her anonymity. As for his motivations, however ...

    "How do you know I didn't just act out of duress?" she asked him pointedly.
    Ari blinked. "Did you?"
    "Ari, look." She fixed him with a very firm stare, making very sure she had his complete attention. Where men of Ari's disposition toward her were concerned, she generally found it wasn't very difficult. "I know where you're from. The only reason this city's techies are helping keep me anonymous instead of spreading classified government data like they usually do is that they've got this strange notion that I'm some kind of "white witch." I'm not the implacable killing machine the conservatives and the religious Right think I am, but I'm not some kind of glorious superhero either. And I sure as hell don't want to get drawn into that kind of League-sympathetic politics ... hell, I left the League, remember? I think League ideology is morally bankrupt. If it all collapsed tomorrow and forced a re-amalgamation with the Federation, no one would be happier than me."
    "I'm not a League sympathiser."
    "Really? Do you agree with the biotech restrictions?"
    "No, of course not. Economic reality will knock them over eventually, and even if there were an economic niche for artificial humans beyond military roles like your own, they'll never match organic humanity for reproductive efficiency, and that puts them at a huge economic disadvantage compared to us straights. But just because I believe that doesn't mean ..."
    "And yet you've just quoted me League policy word for word. You're Jewish, right? Do you go to a synagogue regularly?"
    A deeper frown. "No, neither do a lot of Jews these days. What does that have to do with anything?"

    "But you consider yourself Jewish? You have some interest in the cultural heritage, the beliefs and customs?"
    Pause to look at her in puzzlement. "Not particularly. My mother would have kittens if I didn't marry a nice Jewish girl, but she may just have to deal with that, because the vast majority of beautiful women in Tanusha aren't Jewish ..
    "And there are just so many priorities beyond ancient cultural traditions that are no longer relevant in the modern societies being constructed beyond the bounds of old, irrelevant mother Earth." Looking at him very flatly. Understanding dawned in Ari's eyes.
    "Look, okay, I'll concede I have some sympathy for some basic League-ish positions ... religion gets a lot of people killed, Cassandra. Those people at the Kanchipuram Hotel most recently among them ..."
    "The biggest ideological death toll lately came from the League insistence on self-determination away from old-fashioned Federation ideology. Self-perpetuating ideologies are all the same, Ari, the intolerant, self-righteous ones all end up getting people hurt-atheism's just as bad as religious zealotry in that. Look at the League, or twentieth century communism for that matter. It's only those societies that embrace diversity and alternative points of view that have a good chance of long-lasting peace and stability. I think the old cultural antiques in cities like this one play a damn important role, they make diversity an unavoidable part of the cultural and political landscape so that people just accept diversity as second nature.
    "After the League, I can't tell you what a goddamn relief that is ... they've gotten so impressed with their scientific capabilities and logical thought processes that they've almost managed to take all the fun out of life. And they're so fucking convinced that their way is best that they're unable to spot their own failures, even when they're right under their noses ... they're nowhere near as self-critical as the Federation is, Ari.