Paul Hardy - The Last Man on Earth Club

And will you volunteer to help?

“What?”

You have police status.

“Not on this world.”

Your enemies might be my world’s enemies. Why not volunteer?

“How the hell is that going to help?”

So you don’t want them found.

“What? Of course I want them found!”

Then why not help?

She was angry now, fumbling for words. “Because… because… I’m not a cop! I’d end up making a mess of it, what’s the point in that?”

Just saying you have your own reasons for doing nothing.

“Bullshit—” But Iokan was tapping away again.

It is valid choice. You should not be ashamed.

“Bullshit! I don’t — I mean, who apart from you doesn’t want the bad guys in prison?” She looked to the rest of the group. “Kwame? You want to see yourself put away, right?”

Kwame looked up, surprised and uncertain. “I do not know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I have… learned many things. And other things are unsure. If… if I was the one then I should be punished.” He swallowed. “If I am guilty I will accept my punishment.”

“Okay…” said Liss, surprised by his reticence. “Anyone else?”

Pew looked about, then opened his mouth to speak. “I… I…”

“I do not require the assistance of the Interversal Criminal Tribunal,” said Katie, before Pew could finish.

“Well, no, you wouldn’t…” said Liss.

“The genocide in my universe was an act of war. War is not addressed by criminal investigators.”

“Actually, Katie, it would be if it were a war crime,” I said.

Her head jerked to one side. It took only a second for her to regain control. “It is also counterindicated by the lack of interversal interference.”

“They may want to investigate anyway, in order to rule that out.”

Her eyes twitched. “It is not possible to punish a whole species.” Pew tried to speak up again, but Katie was louder. “What could the punishment be? You do not even have a military!”

She fell silent, and stared ahead. We would have assumed this was one of her quirks, but for the way her mouth fell slack.

“Katie? Can you hear me? Katie?” I said. But she would not respond.

Seizing , wrote Iokan as I called for medical help.

Her jaw reset itself and she looked around, checking her surroundings.

“Katie? I think you just had a seizure. Can you hear me?”

“Yes. I am well. I—” Her back straightened and her head whipped back. She forced herself into a normal sitting position, trembling with the effort. “You… cannot punish… a whole… species…”

Tremors ran down her left side and her remaining arm. Words came from gritted teeth.

“Cannot! Kill! Them! All!”

She pitched forward onto the coffee table, scattering cups and the tissue box, thrashing wildly. The group leapt back and took cover as a single uncoordinated kick propelled Pew’s vacated chair across the room. Katie’s head slammed up and down as though driven by a piston, smashing into the coffee table, splitting it, and crashing her onto the floor in the ruins. Liss jumped in and did her best to hold Katie down, managing to keep her still long enough for the medics and security to arrive.

Katie’s limbs slackened as they administered a sedative. The spasms left her. Liss took a relieved breath.

“I have regained control. You may release me,” said Katie to Liss, who let go. Katie unfolded into a standing position with all her old precision. The sedative clearly had an effect, but would not last long before Katie metabolised it. I stepped forward over the debris.

“Katie, is this likely to happen again?”

“I am fully under control.”

“I’m not sure I feel comfortable with the situation as it is. I’m going to have to exclude you from the rest of today’s session.”

“I am able to control myself.”

“Bullshit,” said Liss, trying to scratch at her polymer-clad arms.

“I can control myself!”

“Katie. I don’t think that’s true. We’re going to have to look at some other way of involving you in these sessions. For now I need you to go to the infirmary with the medics.”

“If that is what you wish,” she muttered, and left.

I let the remaining members of the group have a short break to allow tension to subside, for the mess to be cleared up by the domestic staff, and also to allow a nurse to take a look at Liss’s arms. There was only a slight abrasion due to the scuffle, and some soothing cream was applied. The others made hot drinks, and we reconvened twenty minutes later around a new coffee table.

What will happen to her? wrote Iokan.

“I think it’s clear her condition is reaching the point where she’s dangerous to others.”

“State the obvious…” said Olivia.

“I’ll have to think about how she can be included in the group.”

“Why bother? Just let her die if she wants to die.”

“That’s not up for discussion. Now, I think Liss had a question? And Pew was going to answer, before Katie interrupted?”

“Oh. Uh. Yeah, “ said Liss. “You want to see the Soo punished, right? I mean you’re always saying that…”

“I…” Pew stopped dead, eyes lost in troubled thought.

“Pew?” I asked.

He looked around the group, then shook his head. “She was right. You can’t punish a whole species.”

“I guess not…”

“They should suffer for what they did. But it’s impossible. What do you do, drop bombs on them?”

The group was quiet for a moment. Iokan tapped his pad. Words came up on the wall.

Worse things have been done. Is this what you want?

Pew was tense and angry as he spoke. “I want them to pay.”

“Doesn’t do any good,” said Olivia. “You can’t kill ’em all. Why bother?”

“You have to do something …” said Liss.

“Oh, of course, says the one who won’t actually do anything herself,” said Olivia.

“You can’t let them get away with it!” said Pew.

“I’m not saying you should,” said Liss. “I’m just saying it’s not your responsibility. There’s someone else who can do it for you.”

“They won’t,” said Olivia.

“You don’t know that.”

“I know this lot. They won’t do a damned thing.”

“You don’t know shit.”

“I know a damn sight more than you do.”

“Olivia,” I said.

“What?”

“Let the others talk.”

She grumped and sat back in her chair.

“I don’t think we finished discussing Pew’s concerns,” I said. “Pew, can you tell us a bit more about what worries you?”

“I… I just think… even if they find the Soo guilty, what can they do?”

Iokan typed. He has a point.

“There are a number of things they could do,” I said. “It depends on the situation. If individuals were guilty, they might be extradited for trial—”

Including heads of state?

“Do the Antecessors have a head of state?” asked Liss.

Iokan looked frustrated. I have stated my position.

“Huh. Whatever.”

I continued. “As I was saying — yes. They might want to put heads of state on trial. I don’t know how they’d get over the diplomatic issues.”

“What if it’s not one person? What if it’s everyone?” asked Pew.

“Well, there are always sanctions—”

“What does that mean?” asked Pew.

“It depends on the situation. The IU might stop all trade with a species, or maybe suspend aid.”

Pew thought about that.

“It’s not enough.”

“Is the IU giving the Soo anything?” asked Liss.