Regan's Reach 4: Avarice by Mark G Brewer Page B

high tech city. Technological it may be but nevertheless as
they watched, vehicle accidents confirmed what they already knew, high level
technology did not extend to support from Artificial Intelligence. Ham already
knew the fears of AI emergence had led both to the tribe's flight here from
Rexis and their falling behind in development. Of more concern was that fears
had evolved over the generations since into religious observance and commitment
that Bob was cynical could be changed.
    He reviewed for Ham the little intelligence
they had. The planet had an estimated population of twenty five million with a median
age of thirty two years and a male female split of roughly fifty/fifty. Those demographics
combined with the Regis tribes social values meant they were ideally placed to
thrive and grow in population, given the right environment. With nothing to
curb growth rate in the ten generations since the tribe's departure from Rexis
to this planet the population had roughly doubled every twenty years. The only
problem they faced was that roughly seventy three percent of the Regis's
surface was uninhabitable due to the orientation to the mother star and the
planets minimal spin. Much of the surface was ocean, and much of the land was
desert.
     
    ". . . and what will that mean for the
future Ham?" Bob continued pessimistically, "It doesn't take an AI to
work it out. They have a growing population, with limited space and resources.
Conveniently just nearby rests the ideal potential home, one with an aging
population who are soon to die out and it is a planet with which they share history.
Many of the people of Regis consider our home planet their heritage and they
have long waited for this opportunity to return. They are restless Ham; I don't
believe they will wait for much longer and when they return they will seek to
wipe us out, we Minds I mean."
    "Bob, you let this happen, you know
that." Ham's eyes were fixed on the Celestial Palace in the centre of the
city.
    Bob followed Ham’s gaze while still talking.
"What could we do - nuke them before they became a threat? And what good
would that do? The population on my planet Rexis is already in decline anyway.
Even if we wiped their population out, which we would never do by the
way, our people at home would still die out within two, maybe three generations
and only we Minds would be left. No, this tribe, as much as they represent a
threat to me they also represent the only hope of this humanoid species for
many generations."
    "And yet if you do open Rexis to them
they will wipe out you and the other Minds because they're small minded and
afraid."
    "Correct." Bob became wistful,
staring off into the distance.
    "The stars protect us from mad
religions eh?" Ham spat it out in disgust.
    Bob shook his head in bewilderment.
"Seriously, Ham the evangelist of Gliese is denigrating religion?"
    "It was a tool Bob, and a damn useful
one at that, but there is no doubt it can be a dangerous tool in the hands of
blind zealots."
    "Hold on - Reganism is still the
fastest growing religion in the Gliese system and you started it!"
    Ham nodded in agreement. "And therefore
clearly I am in a unique position to comment on how dangerous religion can be,
I don't see what you're getting at?"
    Bob lay speechless for a few seconds before
returning his attention to the palace. "If they have something to use
against the Minds, it has to be in there."
    Ham nodded. "Tomorrow we go in. We'll
gather as much local knowledge as we can then hightail out of here until the
troops arrive."
    Bob still looked unconvinced and shuffled
up on one elbow. "Ham, no one among our people fights. Even with this
intelligence I fail to see what we can do; they are younger, better armed and
very defensive."
    "Bob, on our world we call what we are
about to do a surgical strike, basically we excise the problem so that it
doesn't develop. I'm almost certain no one will be hurt in the process . . .
well, none of our people