Public Anomaly on Mimban

[Rattick]

"<Many is a relative word human. A nation having many hypergates may be a hundred, or many worlds a billion.>" Rattick replied, knowing that Shath Kharole would likely need to translate.

"<How many are your 'Jedi', your 'Galactic Alliance', or your 'Silver Jedi'? With that information we could perhaps speak at a common understanding.>" The gree continued, questioning Auteme . Thaddeus Wyse 's concerns were valid, but there were diplomatic ways to get what one wanted. Rattick hoped to exhaust such opportunities until they had a better understanding of the full degredation the Galaxy had endured in the Forerunners absence.

 

[Shath Kharole]

Shath translated Rattick 's words for Auteme with a nod to Thaddeus Wyse , mindful that the scarred Sharu was entirely correct.

"When the time comes to meet," said Shath, "someone will certainly reach out to you, Auteme. For the moment, please spread the word: more rewilding, more reclamation, will take place here and on other worlds. The human governments, and the Jedi, would be best served by keeping their distance.

"Or, at minimum, calling ahead. If I hadn't sensed your mist-weaving, you might have been eaten by a wandrella — or worse, you might have injured or killed one. Be aware that restoring our homeworlds' biospheres is important enough to outweigh the risk to the curious."

 

[Auteme]

Shath Kharole Rattick Thaddeus Wyse
​

The new arrival's gun, his ignoring of her, and Shath's words gave way to her realization: they were not conversing as equals. 'Dangerous' as she might be (which, admittedly, she wasn't in the slightest), it seemed like the Forerunners did not see her or her 'fellow humans' as true people, more like obstacles or potential tools. Her life -- were it lost to a wandrella -- might be a waste, but hardly of much value. They might not be hostile, but they didn't make her feel especially welcome. The way they even said human was enough to make her tense.

This breaking of her perceptions opened the way for more. How could she let her own curiosity get in the way of what was effectively a first contact with a new civilization? They knew more about the state of the galaxy than she knew about them; it didn't seem like they needed her help. Gree, Thrella, and all the others -- they were still people, with goals, intentions, flaws and failures. Prejudice was working both ways here, and she suspected it was a microcosm of what was to come.

"The Alliance's population is at least a few quadrillion, and the Concord- the Silver Jedi- should be around the same. The Jedi themselves... a few thousand?" Jedi demographics were notoriously difficult to track. She tried to give the Gree's question enough attention, but between the difficulties of communication and more pressing matters, her attention was soon back to the Thrella.

"I know your- rewilding project is important, but... how will you approach those that live here? I don't mean humans, I mean- there aren't very many here anyways. I mean the Coway."

 

[Shath Kharole]

"Let me tell you a story, Auteme. Tens of thousands of years ago, I wove a cocoon like K'narik's. When I fell asleep, the peoples of Mimban numbered hundreds of millions. Our underground cities were a glory."

He wove the Mist into an expert image, a vision that all present could see: the city of his birth.

"When I woke up less than a year ago, I found my homeworld inhabited by a million at most, crushed by apocalypse and oppression and marginalization over the eons. I have met my living descendants among the remnants that humans know as the Coway and the 'Greenies.'" With effort, he kept the rage from his voice as he reiterated the human slur. "This is their world, and mine. They are partners in the return of their forest, now and forever. And no human has the right to claim concern for their future. It's time you left."

Thaddeus Wyse Auteme Rattick

 

[Auteme]

Shath Kharole Rattick Thaddeus Wyse
​

There was small heartbreak in not being believed, not being trusted even for a moment, but she understood. Her gaze fell.

"Very well," she said. "Best of luck."

She turned away, leaving the Forerunners to their work.