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Chapter 10 -- MARTYR
<Ender says that we're at the fulcrum of history, here on Lusitania. That in the next few months or years this will be the place where either death or understanding came to every sentient species.>
<How thoughtful of him, to bring us here just in time for our possible demise.>
<You're teasing me, of course.>
<If we knew how to tease, perhaps we'd do it to you.>
<Lusitania is the fulcrum of history in part because you're here. You carry a fulcrum with you wherever you go.>
<We discard it. We give it to you. It's yours.>
<Wherever strangers meet is the fulcrum.>
<Then let's not be strangers anymore.>
<Humans insist on making strangers of us-- it's built into their genetic material. But we can be friends.>
<This word is too strong. Say that we are fellow-citizens.>
<At least as long as our interests coincide.>
<As long as the stars shine, our interests will coincide.>
<Maybe not so long. Maybe only as long as human beings are stronger and more numerous than we are.>
<That will do for now.>
Quim came to the meeting without protest, though it might well set him back a full day in his journey. He had learned patience long ago. No matter how urgent he felt his mission to the heretics to be, he could accomplish little, in the long run, if he didn't have the support of the human colony behind him. So if Bishop Peregrino asked him to attend a meeting with Kovano Zeljezo, the mayor of Milagre and governor of Lusitania, Quim would go.
He was surprised to see that the meeting was also being attended by Ouanda Saavedra, Andrew Wiggin, and most of Quim's own family. Mother and Ela-- their presence made sense, if the meeting were being called to discuss policy concerning the heretic pequeninos. But what were