The Devolutionist and the EmancipatrixFlint, Homer Eon
Science
The Devolutionist and the Emancipatrix
Flint, Homer Eon
Life on other planets -- Fiction; Science fiction
Kinney told him, and then Van Emmon asked for details of the
herdsman, Corrus. "No more bees in my young life, either. From now
on it's up to us. What do you think?" turning to his wife, and
carefully avoiding any use of her name.
The architect knew well enough that the rest were wondering how she
would decide. She answered with deliberation:
"I'm going to stay in touch with Supreme!"
"You are!" incredulously, from her husband.
"Yes! I've got a darned sight more sympathy for those bees than for
the humans! The 'fraid-cats!" disgustedly.
"But listen," protested Van Emmon. "We can't stand by and let those
cold-blooded prisoners keep human beings, like ourselves, in rank
slavery! Not much!"
Evidently he thought he needed to explain. "A human is a human, no
matter where we find him! Why, how can those poor devils show what
they're good for if we don't give 'em a chance? That's the only way
to develop people--give 'em a chance to show what's in 'em! Let the
best man win!"
Billie only closed her mouth tighter; and Smith decided to say,
"Billie, you don't need to stand by your guns just because the
Sanusian working class happens to be insects. Besides, we're three
to one in favor of the humans!"
"Oh, well," she condescended, "if you put it that way I'll agree not
to interfere. Only, don't expect me to help you any with your
schemes; I'll just keep an eye on Supreme, that's all."
"Then we're agreed." The doctor put on his bracelets. "Suppose we go
into the trance state for about three minutes--long enough to learn
what's going on today."
Shortly Billie again using the eyes and ears of the extraordinarily
capable bee who ruled the rest, once more looked down upon Sanus.
She saw the big "city," which she now knew to be a vast collection
of hives, built by the humans at the command of the bees. At the
moment the air was thick with workers, returning with their loads of
honey from the fields which the humans had been compelled to
cultivate. What a diabolical reversal of the accepted order of
things!
The architect had time to note something very typical of the case.
On the outskirts of the city two humans were at work, erecting a new
hive. Having put it together, they proceeded to lift the big box and
place it near those already inhabited. They set it down in what
looked like a good location, but almost immediately took it up again
and shifted it a foot to one side. This was not satisfactory,
either; they moved it a few inches in another direction.
All told, it took a full minute to place that simple affair where it
was wanted; and all the while those two humans behaved as though
some one were shouting directions to them--silent directions, as it
were. Billie knew that a half-dozen soldier bees, surrounding their
two heads, were coolly and unfeelingly driving them where they
willed. And when, the work done, they left the spot, two soldiers
went along behind them to see that they did not loiter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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