“He is not going to enter into a ‘partnership’ with the A'jeii or anyone else!” Dev made no effort to hide his frustration or mute his impatience. “That is not the sort of being he is. What he is interested in is trying to bring peace to multiple antagonist parties on our world, on Earth.”

Momentary hopes dashed, A'jeii’s resignation returned. “I see. And you find this an objectionable aim?”

“It is not that.” Dev waved at the air between them. “He intends to do it, to bring this peace he hopes for, not through discussion or debate but by force! He is going to instruct the golem mind, this vessel’s artificial intelligence, to locate a suitable asteroid that can be acquired using the ship’s cargo-handling equipment. He plans to transmit directives to the surface ordering the belligerent parties to sign on to a permanent peace or else. Then he will have the ship send the asteroid crashing into a supposedly uninhabited corner of the affected region.” He paused for breath. “The implication being that if the parties do not agree to quickly settle all their differences, the next asteroid will strike where it will do some real damage.”

Tilenyii gestured understandingly. “It sounds like a well-thought-out plan.”

Dev took a step toward the small alien and Tilenyii immediately retreated a proportionate distance. “You have to help me stop him! What he intends is too dangerous. No matter how good the math may seem, there are too many variables. The changing weather above the target zone, the composition of the asteroid that is selected, how its internal mass is distributed, small variations in the Earth’s gravity in the area of intended impact—there is no guarantee the drop will not be off just enough to kill hundreds, maybe thousands of people.”

“All very true,” Tilenyii agreed somberly. “None of which is of any interest to me or my brethren. Jakob Zimmer can bring about this peace of which you speak, or he can slaughter the populations of whole cities.” Bright alien eyes meet Dev’s own. “We have lost that for which we worked so long and carefully. Our fate is sealed. In case you do not remember, I will repeat again: we have no interest in your primitive tribal disputes.”

Dev looked around wildly. “There must be somebody—or something—on this ship that cares! Humans are another intelligent species. The A'jeii are an intelligent species. So are the Olone and the Kaijank. Have you no sympathy for the plight of innocents, of others who are not after all so very different from you?”

“None whatsoever,” Tilenyii replied unequivocally. “In fact, it is something of a struggle for me just to stand here and listen to you. Only your bulk prevents me from passing around and past you. If it is sympathy that you seek, try speaking with Vantolos.”