MARS

 

The answer was no.

I tried not to look at Lena as the revelation of the Committee's decision began to sink in.

We'd entered this room, somewhere in Washington D.C., with the knowledge that today, a decision would be made.

This decision would affect the destiny of the Etrallia as well as our own. It wasn't a decision just for us, it was a decision for all of mankind. That's where the Committee came in.

In order for a motion to pass, it had to be voted on by a coalition of approximately thirty countries who'd sent representatives to the Summit. Majority ruled, but the more the better.

I'd just resumed my seat next to Lena when someone called for a vote.

From where she sat on the panel at the front of the room, President Burgess looked surprised. This Summit was supposed to last all day, but it was barely early afternoon.

Rhine glanced back at me. He was seated next to General Wilkerson and the rest of the military team. He gave me a small nod.

I'd spoken about the potential benefits of the Etrallia's water purifier. Standing there before our world leaders, I'd explained how being able to use the machine for even twenty-four hours, could literally save lives. It wasn't rocket science. I'd given them cold, hard facts based on Curran's data. Whether they trusted it was a whole other story.

They were here to discuss how to proceed. The rest of us were here to merely share information when necessary. After that, we could only observe and hope for the best. That's what I was doing when they called for a vote. I'd expected some discussion, maybe some back and forth as people argued issues. Instead, they voted no.

We did everything we could. We shared everything we knew, shared our views, our advice, and most of all we shared the true story.

But these were people who had never met the Etrallia. Presidents and Prime Ministers, career politicians and elected officials. They were used to dealing with potentially hostile countries. Not potentially hostile aliens.

The Committee wasn't concerned with my estimated number of lives saved. They were concerned only with the number of lives we could lose should the Etrallia decide to seize the upper hand.

"How many would suffer?" The U.K.'s Prime Minister asked.

It was a valid question. One that had no definitive answer.

I suppose they were right to be cautious. I, myself, couldn't guarantee something like that would never happen. I'd seen Zubeida look at us sideways one too many times not to see that as a potential possibility. Not all of the Etrallia liked us. This was true. Still, it devastated me to realize we'd never have a chance to try. We'd never get a chance to be allies because the Committee had denied the Etrallia's request for immediate ocean access.

Our alien neighbors wouldn't die of thirst. Not yet. But they would not take this lightly.

I was still trying to avoid looking Lena in the face.