Sussen Returns

Yesterday, Bonnie Mullen told Rome and Rei that she had been put out here in the sticks to care for and raise the children that were born with Onsira characteristics. Bonnie also had a companion named Gemen but his exact role wasn't clear. A stranger from Earthy stopped by to inspect the dwelling and the care the Onsira children were receiving. According to Bonnie, that went well enough. But then...

     “Who was gone?” Rome asked.
     “All of them. All of my babies,” she said. “Not one trace.”
     Bonnie fell back into a chair and put her face in her hands. From the way her head was bobbing, it was obviously she was crying but no sounds were emitted. She took a deep breath and looked up. The look of grief was etched in her face. “Gemen and I are still waiting, still hoping. Maybe they’ll come back some day but it’s been a year. I don’t think they’re coming back.”
     “This woman,” Rome asked. “Did she have a name?”
     “Yes,” Bonnie replied, eyes unfocused. “She said her name was Sussen.”
     “Sussen!” Rome hissed. “Her eyes! Did she have one light eye and one dark eye?”
     “Yes, as a matter of fact, she did,” Bonnie said. “How did you know?”
     Rei spoke up. “She was the spy sent to Deucado to make sure they kept the Ibbrassati oppressed until the asteroid came and wiped out the planet. She was an agent for MASAL. She left just before we did to warn MASAL that the inmates were taking over the asylum.”
     Rei turned to Rome. “I guess she made it back to Earth but then to come here? Why bother?”
     “The Onsiras,” Rome said. “It means they are not giving up. They are marshaling their forces.”
     “Still,” Rei said. “The Overmind of Earth and the regular Vuduri would never let them rise to power. They vowed to protect the mandasurte. There’s nothing to worry about.”
     “I agree with Rei,” Virga said. “When the Overmind of Earth established the static PPT tunnel to Helome, it was not just a tunnel. It was a gate as well. Its purpose was to create a world with just pure-bred Vuduri. No mandasurte were to be allowed.”
     “MASAL would have been proud of you,” Rei said sardonically.
     “No,” Virga said. “We learned our lesson. Our genetics betrayed us. Even with your magic pills, we will never segregate or discriminate again. Essessoni and mandasurte are welcome here, even if we do not need them for genetic reasons anymore.”
     Bonnie held up her wrist and waved her tracking bracelet at Virga. “Uh, welcome?”
     “The bracelets will be removed some day,” Virga said. “But first we must make sure that there are no more Erklirte hiding among you.”
     Bonnie turned to Rei. “Do you remember that day you sent me away? You asked me when I found out the principles behind Darwin, did I disagree with them?”

You will recall at the end of The Ark Lords that this was the litmus test question Rei posed to Bonnie to determine if she was to be exiled to Helome. She did not answer in a way that satisfied Rei so here she is, on Helome, on an empty ranch, missing her Onsira babies. Maybe after all this time, she gained some wisdom from her banishment.