I don’t like rules. I never have. That made me real bad at following the minister’s commandments back in the old days. I was always looking for ways around them. I always came up with explanations why I really wasn’t doing anything wrong. I talked my way out of more trouble than I care to admit. I talked myself into a lot of trouble too. Fathers really don’t like it when boys break the rules with their daughters.
When we began choosing Terran partners, we knew it would change everything. The Peloran don’t question rules by their nature. It was one of the things that made them good soldiers for the Albion. It also made them good partners for us. We have rules we follow and they never questioned them. You Terran question everything, some more than others. We figured you would question our rules. We never realized you would be so good at talking us out of them too.
I grew up on a country estate outside Philadelphia with a family of cats. They had their own place as far away from the main house as they could build it. We didn’t charge rent. They kept their distance, and they kept all the rodents away from the property. Burglars too. The cats enjoyed patrolling the grounds and informing any unauthorized guests that their presence was not wanted. Usually with a full set of claws to something exposed.
I like dogs. Some of my best friends are dogs. I love working with dogs. Seems that loyalty made it through the uplifting process, and even though they don’t think we’re gods anymore they still love to play with us. They just like being part of a pack, and they’ve decided we’re part of their pack. Not like cats. Cats thanked us for the fish and the opposable thumbs and told us to leave them alone. No big loss as far as I’m concerned.
The Terran branch of humanity is fascinating in a way we have not seen since the Albion died. The moment you had access to Albion science, you uplifted many of your most cherished friends. Dogs, cats, dolphins, and many other species on Earth and beyond are now just as intelligent as any human. And more than that, you gave them the rights of any human as well. The Albion did that too, and they died for it. I hope Terra can avoid their fate.