[Supplicant will present case.]

“I am here because I devoted my life to your service. My goal was nothing less than to bring our two races together in a spirit of cooperation and friendship. To create a harmony between us, a mutual understanding –

[Failure.]

“I was just getting started! Yours is a secretive race, and it took years of learning, living among you, before I began to understand you well enough. I know more about your society than any man alive! I can understand your language, even speak it after a fashion. But I taught you the human tongue as well, and began to introduce you to our society. It was a monumental goal, the work of a lifetime – I simply didn’t have time to complete the job.

[Failure.]

“I recognized that I could not do it all, effect such a change in both our societies, without help. As a human I simply would not have the lifespan needed to complete the project. So my plan was to recruit a body of assistants. In the hive, I found helpers, of all classes. There came a point where these assistants took over the work of teaching the hive about human society. But to work among humans, I needed human followers too.

[Fact: Subject exiled from human hive.]

“I cannot deny that. But I was accused of a crime I did not commit. I felt confident that I would be allowed back into society once my work was known.

[Elaborate.]

“I was a teacher, a healer in the human hive. I had come from another hive, far away, sent by my superiors to a smaller hive to tend to their needs. I was not well liked at the new hive. It was thought that I acted above my station, because I had come from a larger, more important hive.

“I worked hard at changing their thoughts of me, but there came a time when a girl disappeared, and I was accused of killing her. I had become friendly with her in the course of my duties, and I believe that the first accusation came from one of the girl’s rejected mates. It was untrue, of course, but no other explanation was discovered, and as I said, many in the hive were ready to believe the worst about me. I fled the society rather than be punished – killed – unjustly.

“For a time it was my goal to solve the mystery and regain my place among human society, but it was during this time that I first encountered your kind. And I took it as a sign from above that the entire experience had a purpose, and I knew very quickly what my life’s work would be from that time on.

[Proceed.]

“Your society is very different from mine. But there are areas of similarity, and I am convinced that they are compatible – more, that together we could create a society that would build on both our strengths, and serve to eliminate weaknesses. Human society, as I just mentioned, does not always function as it should. There are instances of injustice, and of lawlessness that goes unpunished. That is practically unheard of in your hive.

[False assumption. Recall.]

“I remember the incident. But my point is that human society would greatly benefit from ideas and methods used in your hives. Much suffering and hardship exists because humans desire to change their callings, their purpose. They strive to become something that they cannot be. A farmer dreams of becoming a poet. Or a general. Or a captain at sea. And this longing causes him distress. Should he ever act upon it, he will bring hardship on himself and his entire family. And should many farmers do this, the entire hive will be harmed. It was part of my plans to teach your philosophy of karmic balance to the humans, that they would then be more content. I am convinced that if humans only knew such a truth, believed it, that their lives would be immeasurably better.

[Worship?]

“I would of course introduce humans to the hive gods. Great Mother, I believe, would find a very receptive audience. But this was to be later in the grand plan. I made such progress in the hive, attained more goals than I believed possible in such a short time – yet I did not speak of the human gods. It was a deliberate decision that integration between the races would be easier with a philosophical and practical basis. A religious base would be a stronger way to cement our ties, but humans are unpredictable when it comes to religion. Witness the vast numbers of deities they worship. I deemed it prudent to introduce that subject slowly, at a later date.

“Of course, there will be humans like me, who embrace the hive gods. Great Mother herself has accepted me as her worshiper, even as her priest. I am sure there would be many humans who would believe as I do. But I had no chance to test the theory.

[Human followers needed.]

“Exactly. I had progressed far at the hive. Much further than I expected, initially. This was due solely to the logical vision of the hive structure. They were intrigued by the possibilities, and were willing to learn more about humans and human society – and they came to see, as I did, that a union of our two cultures would be of immense benefit to both.

“But I expected much slower progress among humans. And indeed, I had barely begun before my downfall occurred.

[Elaborate.]

“My work had reached a point where I felt that the continued education among the hives could be handled by my assistants. It was time to bring word of our project to the humans. But humans are not like your race. Where in the hive, all I need to is present my case to the leaders to be heard and judged, in human society leaders are not as logical or even as intelligent. This is another thing human society would gain from you. In the hive, the idea would be discussed among the leaders, good and bad points raised, risk versus gain appraised, resources and time required would be estimated, and a decision would be reached.

“In human society, there is a high probability that my project would be rejected by the leaders without proper cause. Humans, especially those in power, are not always aware of the greater good. They tend to make decisions first on how it will affect them individually. And they weigh the immediate cost and risk more heavily than the hive would. Perhaps it is due to the differences in lifespan between our races, perhaps it is due to your karmic philosophy.

“But where in the hive I went directly to the leaders, in human society I deemed it best to start with the masses. I had attracted over the years a few solitary human followers, mostly old woodsmen and wanderers. But to build a strong group of supporters, I deemed it best to gather them while young. In humans, as with your race, young minds tend to be more flexible, more open to new ideas. And young humans would have more time to devote to the project.

[. . .]

“And a golden opportunity presented itself. The humans were at war again. I know war is not unknown to your kind, but it seems to erupt with much more frequency in human society. Another thing I hoped to change. In this case, a town not far from the hive was destroyed, and a band of refugees took up residence in the abandoned dwelling above the hive. Among them were a large number of children, many of them orphans. My plan was to help these refugees, and gain their trust, introducing them to the project slowly – eventually raising the children as my assistants.

[Error?]

“It was a good plan! Only in retrospect, I should have made the initial contact in a different manner. I did not take into account the state of mind of the refugees. The town had over a thousand inhabitants, and less than a hundred survived the attack. From the talk among the refugees, many in the town were killed in horrible fashion. Many of the children saw their parents, their siblings die before their eyes. The survivors were fearful that the invaders, who were victorious so far, would continue to advance and that they were not yet out of danger.

“But as I said, I did not take this attitude into account. It was my thought to introduce a few of the children your hive, and show them its wonders, and let them spread word among the humans that they would be safe. But it went wrong from the start.

“Already in a siege mentality, the humans discovered the children missing before I was able to make the proper impression. Indeed, one of the children even became hysterical and had to be tranquilized. Would that I could have tranquilized them all! There were, among the humans, a small number of warriors who had survived. And they reacted as warriors are wont to do, with violence.

[Attacked the hive. Killed many Kittera.]

“My followers defended me, and the hive tried to help. But it was futile. These warriors were impossible to stop. Even after they had regained the children, and killed me, they continued to attack the hive.

“Yet even at that low point, the seeds I planted bore fruit. Because the hive had been taught about humans, they were able to negotiate a peace. Indeed, the humans agreed to pay restitution and helped establish a new hive colony to make up for their error. Though I did not survive, I am convinced I was right, and that my dream was possible. I stand before you now, a human before Kittera gods, as proof. I await your judgement.

[Accepted. Disposition? Preference?]

“My only wish, is to be reborn in my next life as one of you. As a Kittera, even the merest drone, my spirit would be joyous and thrive. Failing that, I would be reborn as a human, that I might start anew my project. But I accept whatever your decision may be.

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