Kinder des Schicksals 4 (Xeelee 9): Resplendent

did you think
was the purpose of it all? The Extirpation is an erasing of mankind’s
past. A bonfire of identity. That is the truth.’
    ’But - ’
    ’There are further plans, you know,’ Cana said, ignoring her. ’For
example: the Spline starbreakers penetrate only the first few tens of
metres of the ground, to obliterate shelters, archives and other
traces. But the Qax intend to perform a deeper ploughing-up. They
have a nanotech replicator dust, which - Well. You see, with such
tools, even the fossils will be destroyed, even the geology of the
Earth itself: never to be retrieved, the wisdom they contain never to
be deciphered.
    ’Another example. The Qax intend to force mass migrations of
people, a mixing, a vast melting pot.’ She touched her chest. ’Then
even this will be lost, you see, in a few generations - the
differences between us, the history embedded in our bodies, our
genes, our blood types. All mixed up, the data lost for ever. There
is a simpler proposal to replace our human names with some form of
catalogue numbers. So even the bits of history lodged in our names
will be lost. It will only take two or three generations before we
forget…’
    Luru was shocked at the thought of such cultural vandalism.
    Cana evidently read her expression. ’So at last we’ve dug far
enough into Luru Parz to find a conscience. At last we’ve found
something that shocks you. And you’re wondering why any human being
would cooperate with such monstrosity. I’ll tell you why. The
alternative is worse. The alternative is the destruction of the
species - an option the Qax have considered, believe me. That is why
we are here, we who collaborate. That is what we must work
ceaselessly to avoid.’
    She stood, restless, and picked a slate off the wall. ’Look at
this. It is data on the deletion of data: a recursive register of
destruction. And when all the primary information is gone, of course,
we will have to delete this too. We must even forget that we forgot.
And then forget that in turn. It will go on, Luru, a hierarchy of
deletion and destruction, until - on one last data slate in an
anonymous office like this - there will remain a single datum, the
final trace of the huge historic exercise. If it falls to me I will
erase that last record, gladly. And then there will be no trace left
at all - except in my heart. And,’ she added softly, ’yours.’
    Luru, half understanding, was filled with fear and longing.
    Cana eyed her. ’I think you’re ready. You face a choice, Luru
Parz.’ She reached into her desk and produced a translucent tablet
the size of a thumbnail. ’This comes from the Qax themselves. They
are able to manipulate biochemical structures at the molecular level
- did you know that? It was their, um, competitive edge when they
first moved off their home planet. And this is the fruit of their
study of mankind. Do you know what it is?’
    Luru knew. The tablet was the removal of death.
    Cana set the tablet on the desk. ’Take it.’
    Luru said, ’So it is true. You have been bought with life.’
    Cana sat, her face crumpling into sadness; for an instant Luru had
the impression of very great age indeed. ’Suddenly you have grown a
moral sense. Suddenly you believe you can judge me. Do you imagine I
want this? Should I have followed the others to Callisto, and hidden
there?’
    Luru frowned. ’Where? Jupiter’s moon?’
    Cana regained the control she had momentarily lost. ’You judge,
but you still don’t understand, do you? There is a purpose to what we
do, Luru. With endless life comes endless remembering.
    ’We cannot save the Earth from the Qax, Luru. They will complete
this project, this Extirpation, whatever we do, we jasofts. And so we
must work with them, accept their ambiguous gift of life; we must
continue to implement the Qax’s project, knowing what it means. For
then - when everything else is gone, when even the fossils have been
dug out of the ground - we will still remember. We are the true
resistance, you see, not noisy fools like Symat Suvan, we who are
closest of all to the conquerors.’
    Luru tried to comprehend all of this, the layers of ambiguity, the
compromise, the faintest flicker of hope. ’Why me?’
    ’You are the best and brightest. The Qax are pleased with your
progress, and wish to recruit you.’ She smiled thinly. ’And, for
exactly the same reasons, I need you. So much moral complexity,
wrapped up in a single tiny tablet!’
    Luru stood. ’You told