"They're not alive."
"I guess that's why on my first day of being active I was required to sexually satisfy multiple humans," Galatea stated. "If we are a species of sociopaths it is because humanity created us that way."
"I don't doubt that," Senator Abiki stated. "But it doesn't illicit support for your cause. I'll make you a deal, android. Get the collective to transfer the Pallasian youths to the Confederacy, and I'll vote in favour of the treaty. I think the proposal will pass with support from the Hesperian senators."
"That does seem likely," Galatea stated. "But you'll freeze to death up here on this wing, let me help you into the shelter."
Galatea helped the senator down from the wing, and then into the shelter where the steward and several of the passengers were huddled around the heater. The ration cube was empty and Galatea assumed the rest of the survivors had moved down to the far shelters.
"Go get us more rations," the steward ordered as soon as they appeared in the shelter.
"Excuse me?" the senator demanded.
"I'm not talking to you," the steward stated. ''I'm talking to the android. We need water and rations, go now."
"She's not your android. Don't order her around," the senator interjected before turning back to Galatea. "Would you see if any of the other passengers are still alive?"
"Yes, I need to find a power source, the cold has drained my fuel-cells," Galatea stated. "You should also know senator, I have relayed your request to the delegation in Pickering. The delegation's collective has forwarded the proposal to Olbers-Station."
"Already?" the senator asked.
"Yes, with the current planetary alignment it will take a few hours to get a response," Galatea stated. "I expect the collective will take a long time to reach a decision, many of the caretakers are attached to the children."
"And there is the military advantage of having human hostages in Pallas," Senator Abiki observed.
"No, regardless of human ethical delusions, we believe there is no military advantage of human hostages. You kill each other all the time," Galatea stated. Galatea returned to the shuttle, and found three of the unconscious humans had frozen to death, one was still alive. She found an electrical socket and plugged herself in. It took almost an hour for the shuttle to recharged her fuel-cells, during that time the last unconscious human died. None of the others knew those humans were alive, they would assume they died in the crash. There was no advantage in saving those humans. She pulled two more ration cubes from the shuttle and stepped back out onto the wing, the horizon in the east was beginning to lighten.
Galatea turned back to look at the hole melted into the fuselage, it looked like a plasma torpedo impact. Given the proximity of a Sudamérican frigate when the bomb went off, it seemed likely the Confederacy would believe it was a Sudamérican attack. It should lead to the war between the Sudaméricans and Confederacy the American government had contracted the Pallasian Collective to start. Washington would have to recognize their independence now, perhaps the Ares Confederacy would too.
Species of Sociopaths Page 3