The Visitor (25 page)

“
Technologically wise only bovs.” completed Okkala. “That's funny! We'd be bovs for these bovs!”
 

“
Probably not even that,” said Ikkarix. “Probably not even that. I’ve heard that our bovs know how to make tools. Coarse tools, but tools nonetheless.”
 

“
It’s true,” said Okkala.
 

“
In that case, I also fear that we aren’t even our bovs when compared to those bovs.”
 

“
That’s odd,” noticed Okkala. “On the drawing, the male has no hairs on his face.”
 

“
That's true,” said Ekklamisa. “We noticed that detail too. It’s likely a slightly different species than the one we know on Teruma.”
 

“
And… why does the male raise a hand like that?”
 

“
We don’t have the slightest idea. Perhaps to highlight this detail of their anatomy. The hand is an important element.”
 

“
That could explain it,” said Okkala. “In any case, the female, she isn’t doing anything. They had the technology to create the Visitor, but maybe they were still in a sexist phallocratic society. After all, it's still a little our case too, even if we can also send craft into space. But I interrupted you, Ikkarix. You've highlighted the huge difference in the level of technology that separate us from these bovs, if they still exist. So...
”

“
So, seeing how we have behaved against their own kind on Teruma...”
 

Okkala interrupted him:

“
You're afraid of their revenge, if they ever came to visit us.”
 

Ikkarix and Ekklamisa kept their beaks closed.

“
And you've imagined that Two One Four’s  fight would make me a sort of Ambassador to redeem umanity in their eyes.”
 

“
Maybe a little of that, but we were mainly keen to talk it over with you, to hear your advice. We were wondering when and how to reveal this to the entire planet.”
 

Okkala knew that answer. She didn't even have to think. Stunned by this information, there was only one thing that came in mind. She didn’t deny it.

“
I’m sorry to be so useless right now, but what you’ve just told me is so surprising and unexpected that for the moment, I can think of only one thing.”
 

Two sets of interrogative eyes stared intensely at her.

“
I think that it can only serve the cause of Two One Four. People will fear retaliation from these ultra-advanced bovs. Their self-preservation being far greater than their compassion, fear will tear from them what their hearts have never wanted to give. Unfortunately, we will never know if our species could have climbed this ethical step in the absence of this threat.”
 

“
But everyone still isn’t aware of what’s happening,” pleaded Ekklamisa.
 

“
Aware of what?”
 

”
Well... of what you’re thinking, about what we’re doing to other species.”
 

“
Oh yes? You know what I’m thinking? So you are well informed of what’s happening as you say!”
 

There was silence after which Okkala softened a little.

“
Excuse me,” she said. “but animal freedom activists spend so much energy to provide information to the public! How does one tell the difference between ignorance and refusal to know? Because there is one essential difference, between not knowing and avoiding knowledge. When we show videos, how many times have we heard: ‘
Oh! me, I can’t watch that, I'm too sensitive!’
Too sensitive to watch, but quite indifferent when planting their fork into a piece of flesh a few hours after that statement. How many times have we heard ‘
How indecent of you to show us things like that!’
 So many find it indecent to be shown the truth, but don’t find it indecent to participate in this appalling cruelty by closing their eyes and by blocking their ears. I’m sorry to tell you that if all these people end up under the tyranny of a dominating species of bovs, they’ll just have what they deserve.”
 

“
But, Okkala, not all umas deserve that fate.” insisted Ekklamisa. “Me, perhaps, but Ikkarix, for example... Ikkarix, no, since he’s a member of your association. It means that he isn’t insensitive to the suffering of animals. And then, as you yourself raise, we’ve been educated that way. From childhood, we were taught to...”
 

“
Please excuse my outburst, Ekklamisa. You're right, my tolerance gets eroded at times. I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. I am as you are overwhelmed by this amazing information. I am stunned! My mind has not yet been fully digested it. I have trouble to measure all the consequences of this incredible news. Not to speak of the dizzying philosophical implications. But... A question comes to mind, here, now…”
 

“
Yes?”
 

“
If what you're saying is true... about the million years of advance that they should have on us... Why aren’t they already here? How is it they let us mistreat this way their peers without intervening? With a million years of scientific and technological advance, they should have the means to know what’s happening everywhere, at least in any case, here where one of their craft has come. You who work in this field, are you going to tell me that you don't know where our space probes currently are?”
 

“
Yes, of course, we know. We even know the position of those that have left our solar system.
 

“
So they surely must know where the Visitor is.”
 

“
You’re insightful, Okkala,” recognized Ikkarix. “But we can only speculate. How is it that they’re not already here? Indeed. Either they don't want to, either they cannot, or they no longer exist... We’re only telling you the facts.”
 

“
Yes, I understand. I understand... It is incredibly funny! The universe is so strange!”
 

Before their astonished eyes, she completed:

“
Yes! I’ve used the specter of extraterumastrials that could dominate us and exploit us, as we ourselves exploit non uman animals of our world, so often to try to make people understand that we have on our side only a single law, the most un
fair one of all, the law of the fittest. And now we know for sure that these extraterumastrials are a reality! Not only are they a reality, but, ironically, they are bovs, one of the species that we exploit the most here.”
 

“
They were bovs a million or more years ago,” corrected Ikkarix putting emphasis on the word 'were '. “Let’s remember that the Visitor comes from an all too distant elsewhere in space and in time. It’s important to keep that constantly in mind. That may answer your question Okkala. They’re not here, either because they no longer exist, as I already hypothesized, or because they have evolved so much that bovs that we exploit on Teruma aren’t really important to them.”
 

“
I’ve a lot of trouble to understand this second hypothesis.” exclaimed Okkala. “How could a species lose that much interest in its origins?”
 

“
Are you concerned about the fate of protozoa, that we kill billions of whenever we sanitize or disinfect something? They’re at the origin of all forms of life and therefore ours, too.”
 

“
Really now! What a comparison! Protozoa, you’re exaggerating Ikkarix! Surely, they cannot have evolved to the point that Teruma bovs are for them similar to protozoa.”
 

Ekklamisa agreed with Ikkarix’s analogy:

“
A million years, Okkala! A million years! Taking into account the fact that progress follows an exponential curve and that they were already at the level of a civilization having space technology.”
 

“
That's staggering! I'm dumbfounded!”
 

“
Getting back to what you were saying just now,” said Ikkarix, “it's true that I heard you use the idea of powerful extraterumastrials that could come and make us endure what we're doing to Teruma animals.”
 

“
Oh yes! Yet I haven’t seen you often at the Association’s meetings!”
 

“
True, but I’ve diligently followed your interventions on the internet.” he assured.
 

A big smile waving in his crest, he added:

“
I’m not saying that to redeem my soul so that you’ll put in a good word for me with the bovs who sent the Visitor.”
 

All three of them laughed a little.

“
When do you plan to make an official statement?” inquired Okkala.
 

“
Any time now,” said Ekklamisa, “I can't hold back this information for any length of time. I would be chastised.”
 

Okkala appeared to be thinking:

“
It's almost one o’clock in the morning. Can you wait until tomorrow noon?”
 

“
Noon tomorrow... Yes. It can be done, but why?”
 

“
I’m asking you this as a personal favor.”
 

Okkala left Ikkarix’s home at about ten after one. She made a small stop at her home then immediately rushed off to the city’s penitentiary to ask to see Ukkosal in all haste. The guard on duty let her know that visits began only at eight o’clock. A banknote having immediately convinced the officer that they could also start right away, he called someone on the phone to take Okkala to the visiting room.

Ukkosal looked at Okkala with eyes reddened by sleep and dejection. His soft crest and dull scales reflected his state of extreme fatigue.

“
What?” he said barely opening his beak.
 

“
I’ve brought you some paper and a pen.”
 

“
Why...?”
 

“
So that you can write what I'll dictate.”
 

On each side of the glass partition, there was a small shelf that one could lean on. She passed the sheet and pen through the narrow slit in the glass between these two shelves.”

“…
dictate me?”
 

“
Yes. Go ahead, write...”
 

A lower hand holding the pen, the other resting flat on the paper he waited, the two upper arms folded across his chest. Okkala began:

“
I, Ukkosal, declare that I shot Ykkypol and Akkoronta on the set of The Inquirer channel 2 broadcast for the following reason.”
 

She waited until he had finished writing and went on:

“
to show bovs coming from outer space that some umas have compassion for their fellow kind who live on our world of Teruma.”
 

Rather than write, Ukkosal looked at her with an open beak.

“
Write, I’m telling you,” she insisted. “Trust me.”
 

“
You want to have me interned in a psychiatric ward to avoid prison. Huh? Is that it?”
 

“
Write. I swear it isn't for that. I'll get a bailiff. Right away. You must give him what you have declared on this sheet that you’ll date and sign. You're not going to a psychiatric ward and you’ll soon be getting out of prison with honors.”
 

“
If you say so...” he said looking as tired as resigned. “So what do I need to add?”
 

She dictated it to him a second time.

“
Bovs coming from outer space...” he repeated. “Are you sure you're okay? You didn't get a recent blow to your head, perchance?”
 

 She had to convince him to write.
 

*

Sneaky hadn’t eaten or drunk for three days. Same as his unfortunate mate, he was fed and hydrated medically. He was left lying on the floor of a room inside the Animal Comfort Veterinary Clinic. He had let himself be carried without the slightest reaction. His left leg and his right arm, still locked in rigid casts, didn’t seem to hurt any more. Most of the time, his eyes were closed, but when his eyelids opened it was to show blurred absent looking eyes. He still kept his treasure very tightly in his hand, the same blades of grass stained with the blood of the one he loved. The latter was resting under high sedation in a nearby room. Not bearing to see her terror-filled eyes as soon as someone approached her, Akkaliza preferred to know her to be asleep.

Sneaky’s treasure had dried up between his fingers despite the wetness of his palm. A well-intentioned nurse had wanted to open the animal's hand to see what it contained. The bov complained loudly taking his tightened fist to his lips and hisforehead. Akkaliza had to intervene:

“
Please, no! Don't do that. Let him keep what he's holding.”
 

The nurse hadn’t insisted. He had been warned that these customers were a bit special, but that they shouldn’t be antagonized. They paid well. On that subject, Akkaliza had learned from Ikkillu in a conversation taken in her presence, that her father had offered all his shares in Nature Foods to the vet to save Sneaky’s bov. She was deeply touched, but it bothered her and even made her feel guilty because she was certain that Akkal had made this commitment on a whim to make her happy.

Kklibab, the surgeon who was best placed to comment since he had extracted the lead shots from the bov’s neck, had met with his colleagues. At the end of their discussion, came some hope of curing the paralyzed beast, but the intervention was so expensive that Akkal couldn’t even pay a small portion of the amount requested. Even had he sold, rather than given, his shares, it wouldn’t have been enough to pay for that. Akkaliza resigned herself to this idea and also that it would be just as well to decide to let the poor animal die, because such an existence was more a burden than a gift and that to maintain this pseudo-life would cost each month more money than her father disposed of.

*

A naso-gastric probe entered the Mahisa’s nose.