They keep livestock on some colonies. Birds, for the eggs, and some mammals for cheese and the like, but those products are expensive. Delicacies. And nobody eats those animals when they die!
I'm sure I'd feel disgusted if I read about all the killing of animals on your expedition, but if that was your intention, then where's the trouble? I don't need a censor. Words on a page can't hurt me. I already know that Earthers are brutal towards animals. How is reading about that worse than watching a man die of fever and knowing you can't help him, or holding... holding someone while she bleeds out over you and knowing that even if you had a medic right there, nothing could be done anyway, and maybe feeling grateful that you weren't standing where she was when the pirates-
[She catches herself. Frustration with the way he's talking to her doesn't excuse that.] I'm sorry. [Much more quietly.] That wasn't called for. But don't think I'm some... Company princess who can't read about anything unpleasant.
There's a difference between humans and animals. It's reason. It's why if a predatory animal kills a colonist, that's a tragedy. If another colonist does it, that's a crime. Humans, at least in my sector, have the capacity to do better. To be better. We've used our intellect and our rationality to gain our freedom and flourish among the stars. To pursue excellence, and uphold rights and values. Animals can't do any of that. We have more potential, and with it, the responsibility to shape our societies in the right ways. [Very optimistic Enlightenment thinking - but look at all they've achieved! Isn't she justified?]
L-space is a higher dimensional space that we travel through, to make our journeys in space faster. Lorentzen space. Think of it like a shortcut. Part of my job as an astrogator is to guide the ship safely through it, because it looks so different to ordinary space, and most people can't handle the perceptual distortions. [She smiles.] Timekeeping is much harder. There are 'standard years' that spacers try to use, based on the orbit of Kishar. Cardalek's year is shorter than Kishar, I think. By a little. But none of us career spacers ever really know how old we are. Even if we keep track by our homeworlds, that won't line up with subjectively experienced time. It's all estimations.
[It's such a relief to her that he doesn't start calling her a child and condemning the Tradelines that she doesn't mind explaining more.] Most Tradeline apprentices are the relatives of other Tradeliners. Not all, but it's common. So we're not exploited. Me? I stowed away on a ship, which is absolutely not the way to do things, but I had less sense back then. I knew I had to be exceptional, to avoid being put off at the next stop - so I stood in front of the captain and negotiated contract, argued for my value. That they were badly in need of a trainee astrogator - I did my research before I chose the ship! - and that I'd be the perfect candidate. I took the aptitude tests and scored practically off the scale. He was so impressed that he didn't just take me on in astrogation, but put me in for command training too.
[Impressive for a thirteen-year-old to have such confidence, certainly, but she had her advantages. The genetic ones she'll admit to, but an upper-level Cardalek upbringing and that intensive, personalised education must have helped too.]
And no, there's no violence like that towards apprentices, that would be- [she waves a hand] -initiation of aggression. A serious breach of contract. There's extra duty if you don't keep up standards. Or fines.
I think it's the individual's choice whether to study or work. [She shrugs.] If all that's on offer is bad contracts, nobody will take them. I wouldn't have complied if a government tried to force me into a school - and even if they'd gotten me into the building, they can't make a person pay attention and learn anything. [She'd have been an exceptionally disruptive student, made them think better of violating her rights.]
[Learning to read is important, of course it is! But that's so self-evident that anyone choosing not to must have their reasons for doing so. She can just about imagine a society so impoverished that children's labour is needed for a family's survival - but in that case, what does forbidding that labour do to the family? ]
[She's pleased to get into the tavern, and smiles at him as she takes the offered seat.]
Thank you - but shall I go up and get the drinks? You won't have local currency, and I don't want them taking advantage of a newcomer in barter. You can owe me one. [Another smile.] When I have them, I'll tell you all about the people here. I can pick a bottle of wine, unless you wanted something different?
no subject
I'm sure I'd feel disgusted if I read about all the killing of animals on your expedition, but if that was your intention, then where's the trouble? I don't need a censor. Words on a page can't hurt me. I already know that Earthers are brutal towards animals. How is reading about that worse than watching a man die of fever and knowing you can't help him, or holding... holding someone while she bleeds out over you and knowing that even if you had a medic right there, nothing could be done anyway, and maybe feeling grateful that you weren't standing where she was when the pirates-
[She catches herself. Frustration with the way he's talking to her doesn't excuse that.] I'm sorry. [Much more quietly.] That wasn't called for. But don't think I'm some... Company princess who can't read about anything unpleasant.
There's a difference between humans and animals. It's reason. It's why if a predatory animal kills a colonist, that's a tragedy. If another colonist does it, that's a crime. Humans, at least in my sector, have the capacity to do better. To be better. We've used our intellect and our rationality to gain our freedom and flourish among the stars. To pursue excellence, and uphold rights and values. Animals can't do any of that. We have more potential, and with it, the responsibility to shape our societies in the right ways. [Very optimistic Enlightenment thinking - but look at all they've achieved! Isn't she justified?]
L-space is a higher dimensional space that we travel through, to make our journeys in space faster. Lorentzen space. Think of it like a shortcut. Part of my job as an astrogator is to guide the ship safely through it, because it looks so different to ordinary space, and most people can't handle the perceptual distortions. [She smiles.] Timekeeping is much harder. There are 'standard years' that spacers try to use, based on the orbit of Kishar. Cardalek's year is shorter than Kishar, I think. By a little. But none of us career spacers ever really know how old we are. Even if we keep track by our homeworlds, that won't line up with subjectively experienced time. It's all estimations.
[It's such a relief to her that he doesn't start calling her a child and condemning the Tradelines that she doesn't mind explaining more.] Most Tradeline apprentices are the relatives of other Tradeliners. Not all, but it's common. So we're not exploited. Me? I stowed away on a ship, which is absolutely not the way to do things, but I had less sense back then. I knew I had to be exceptional, to avoid being put off at the next stop - so I stood in front of the captain and negotiated contract, argued for my value. That they were badly in need of a trainee astrogator - I did my research before I chose the ship! - and that I'd be the perfect candidate. I took the aptitude tests and scored practically off the scale. He was so impressed that he didn't just take me on in astrogation, but put me in for command training too.
[Impressive for a thirteen-year-old to have such confidence, certainly, but she had her advantages. The genetic ones she'll admit to, but an upper-level Cardalek upbringing and that intensive, personalised education must have helped too.]
And no, there's no violence like that towards apprentices, that would be- [she waves a hand] -initiation of aggression. A serious breach of contract. There's extra duty if you don't keep up standards. Or fines.
I think it's the individual's choice whether to study or work. [She shrugs.] If all that's on offer is bad contracts, nobody will take them. I wouldn't have complied if a government tried to force me into a school - and even if they'd gotten me into the building, they can't make a person pay attention and learn anything. [She'd have been an exceptionally disruptive student, made them think better of violating her rights.]
[Learning to read is important, of course it is! But that's so self-evident that anyone choosing not to must have their reasons for doing so. She can just about imagine a society so impoverished that children's labour is needed for a family's survival - but in that case, what does forbidding that labour do to the family? ]
[She's pleased to get into the tavern, and smiles at him as she takes the offered seat.]
Thank you - but shall I go up and get the drinks? You won't have local currency, and I don't want them taking advantage of a newcomer in barter. You can owe me one. [Another smile.] When I have them, I'll tell you all about the people here. I can pick a bottle of wine, unless you wanted something different?