The Pride of Parahumans

by Joel Kreissman

  "And you and Olga seem to have a better idea of how civilizations should be run than I do," I told Maximus.

  "And you expect them to follow us? I'm the clone of their worst enemy, and she's the progeny of one of his cronies. You, on the other hand they seem to adore as their savior."

  "Do you think I want to be worshipped? I'd much rather go back to shining light at powdered rocks."

  He drew himself towards me, sprawling over my lap and looking up at me with those pleading wide eyes. "There's nearly four thousand people out there. What's stopping another demagogue like my father from taking over? They're used to anarchic feudalism. What if another tragedy like that one just a few weeks ago occurs? So many deaths that you could help us prevent."

  "All right, all right!" I groaned, shoving him off and getting up. "Fine, I'll be your king or queen or messiah or whatever." I pointed at him with most of the fingers on my right hand, still having difficulty selectively extending them. "Just promise me that the instant you no longer need me, I can go back to the rock crushing."

  Maximus Griggs struggled to right himself in the virtually nil gravity. Once he was done, he stood up as straight as possible. "I promise."

  You know, I never did get back to that spectrophotometer.