Wolf Boy, Chapter 3, Part I

“Humans love their stories,” Lider said on the shuttle. “And Cubi argue that they are the inventive ones.”

Rhys grinned. He and Lider had spent the previous twenty-four hours delving into forums that promoted a morass of theories about Anthros missions, Anthros origins, Anthros secrecy, Anthros superiority, Anthros aggrievement.

Rhys and Lider knew plenty of Anthros who simply got on with life. Some, at least. A round dozen. Sandy and Gerry, the head of Demographics, for instance. They were as individual in their interests, tastes, and personalities as any two sentient beings.

Which individuality didn’t preclude the impact of culture. The entity that reached out to claim Junad and denounce his actions was a confederation of multiple kin groups led by a single queen.

Rhys said, “Did the impulse come first, then the justification?”

“Junad wanted to kill and searched for an excuse?”

“Perhaps.”

“Like I wanted to sleep with you, then decided to become corporeal.”

“Or you really wanted to become corporeal and decided to sleep with me.”

Rhys laughed when Lider did. He and Lider sat side by side despite the shuttle being nearly empty except for an Enumerator from Demographics absorbed with her plastic sheets and a snoozing Siphon resident returning to Mars after a week’s work on the station.

Sometimes, Rhys thought touch with Lider was almost a moment, second, minute away, that Lider’s shoulder would firm against his in the next breath.

The stories and wishes we tell each other indeed.

He and Lider were traveling to the planet to attend the Mars Council and report on the case. They had few facts but they had started a number of hares.

Seated in a conference room within the planet’s main hub, Rhys summarized the assassin’s apparent motives while Lider wandered around the open space behind him. Lider had always wandered, never entirely still. Now, Council members darted surprised glances past Rhys to Lider’s half-visible form.

I explain why Lider doesn't in the first book!

After all, now, humans other than Rhys could see him, and Rhys noted that Lider eventually stopped, folded his arms, and leaned against a wall. “Given” surfaces held Lider. A chair might not.

Rhys concluded, “Junad appears, as of now, to have acted alone. There are no other assassins on the station. Nevertheless, Markuu in Security is interviewing all visitors as well as residents. Luckily, the latest conference on the station ended a few months ago, and many speakers and guests are already on their way back to Earth.”

Council members nodded, either in agreement with Rhys’s statement or acceptance of the current approach. Rhys was satisfied with either reaction. The present members included Armand and Tabby Tremblay; the Council lawyer Finley Jessup, and Einar Carlson, carrying his perpetual checklists.

Bernard Wallington, PR man, was in video conference with an Earth tourism board, and the Patels were overseeing a mineral cargo export from Phobos, Mars’s larger moon. Father Hadaka was calming citizen concerns along with Sandy Zammit. He had delegated Council duties to Rhys, as he often did (“You’re the one with the political know-how”) even though these days, Rhys never visited Mars without Lider. The citizens were more comfortable with Lider since he became a canon and became more visible.  

Quin sometimes attended Council meetings. He and Allec took an earlier shuttle to visit Panfilo and deal with depot business. Allec wasn’t a member of the Council. He hated politics and considered meetings an unnecessary intrusion on the already time-consuming business of life. He caused ructions when he did attend. But Quin would likely stop in later, which meant the current Council meeting was composed of the most rational and commensical members.