“Why? Why not go ahead and try my strategy? Think about it. In the same part of the world your progenitors came from, our people have been persecuted and enslaved and driven from their ancestral homes since your two tribes were spirited away by the Dahf’fiotica. You’ve been away for thousands of years, your automated visitants notwithstanding. Now chance and circumstance have brought some of you near. You can rectify the situation. Right an ancient wrong. You can fix things!”

Turning, Nehorai murmured to Maacah. Dev, of course, could not understand a word they were saying. It was somewhat comforting to see that, strain as he might to understand the conversation, it did not look as if an eager Zimmer was having much better luck. Eventually the Gadeu pair returned their attention to the terrestrials.

“You are right, Jakob Zimmer. We can fix things.”

Dev stood stunned while Zimmer’s wife slumped visibly. As it developed, their anguish was premature.

“But not in the manner you propose,” Nehorai continued.

Zimmer frowned, then brightened. “Foolish of me. You must have at your disposal even more powerful devices than those designed merely to manipulate cargo. Advanced weapons those on Earth can only imagine. Much more effective for the kind of demonstration I’m proposing.”

“We are not going to demonstrate any such thing.” Having returned behind them so silently than neither Dev nor any of his companions had noticed his arrival, the massive Yoab strove to utilize correct English, a language which until only recently had been unknown to him. “We long ago forswore the use of physical violence to accomplish goals.”

“Well,” Zimmer snapped back, “you’re not going to intimidate Israel’s enemies with any other kind of violence.”

“We don’t intend to.” Nehorai gestured at their surroundings. “We’re going to request more ships. Larger than any you have seen. Larger than our own. Though we have access to many, the transfer is still likely to require multiple journeys. And of course, preparations will have to be made at the other end. Suitable reception facilities will need to be arranged.”

Zimmer’s brows drew together. “What are you talking about? What transfer?”

“I think I know.” Both Zimmers looked at Dev in surprise. “I know because my own people, at least as far back as my great-grandparents, underwent something similar when India was broken up by the British. Millions of Muslims were shifted to the new state of Pakistan while millions of Hindus and others moved from what is now Pakistan to present-day India.” He eyed the aliens who had turned out to be not so very alien after all.

“You are talking about moving the Israelis, and by extension I would imagine any other Jews, to one of your worlds.”