Grendel Unit 2: Ignition Sequence Read Online Free PDF Page A

them sludgesuckers , but let's face it, that's what they are. They aren't like us, and they never will be. And if we walk around with our rosy-shade sunglasses on, thinking they'll somehow appreciate us, we're living in a fantasy.
    " Out here in the real world, these aliens are waiting to try and overrun us, son. Now, luckily, we've got control of things for the most part, but they outnumber us twenty to one, and if they all get their act together some day it's going to be all-out war. We are going to be fighting for our own survival. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
    Frank looked at his father and said , "My school was multi-species. The valedictorian of our class was a Baltricorian."
    The judge waved his hand and said , "Sure, sure, of course there are some good aliens out there. I even have friends who are aliens, son. They managed to make something of themselves and didn't ask for handouts and didn't take the easy way. But I'm telling you, I see it every day. These alien scum will gut you and eat you quick as look at you."
    " That's funny, people say the same thing about lawyers," Frank said.
    The judge folded his hands in his lap and said , "Before I go any further, let me ask you this. What would you rather do than go to law school?"
    Frank braced himself. This was the moment of truth. "I want to be a doctor," he said.
    " A doctor?" the judge said, laughing sharply. "You want to go to medical school?"
    " That's right," Frank said.
    " Well, you can forget it. Listen, the medical profession used to be something respectable. Your Uncle Michael was a pediatrician, back before the government mandated all this cross-training, multi-species nonsense. His last delivery took thirteen hours and he wound up pulling forty-two eggs out of an Arachnothoid's rear end. Can you imagine that? Having to stick your hand up the hind quarters of some enormous spider? So get this, he finally gets all of the eggs out and starts putting them into the incubator. He can see all the tiny little spider babies crawling around inside the eggs, their little faces and furry legs, pushing against the membranes trying to get out. Just when he thinks it's over, the mother goes nuts and starts eating the eggs. He's trying to pull her off to save the babies he just delivered, and when security finally shows up, guess who they restrain?"
    " Uncle Mike," Frank said.
    " Uncle Mike," the judge continued, before waiting for his son to finish speaking. "They restrain him because he's violating some sort of sovereign species birthing law and he's got to watch his own patient sit there and eat half of her own babies. They took away his license after that, Frank. They took away his livelihood. He died begging on the streets. All because of some sludgesucker who wanted to eat her babies."
    And of course , you were too embarrassed by him to help him, Frank thought. He pressed ahead, knowing it was not the time for accusations. "I thought you didn't use that word?" Frank said.
    "Oh , grow up. I thought we were having an adult conversation."
    " Dad, I know it sounds bizarre but it's completely normal for the Arachnothoid species. They're too weak to produce milk after such a long birthing process, so they consume enough of their own eggs to feed the rest of the babies. She wasn't trying to kill the eggs, she was fighting to save them. Uncle Mike should have known that before he started the procedure."
    The judge stared blankly at Frank and said , "Do you hear yourself talking? That was just the tip of the iceberg compared to what doctors have to deal with now. Forget it. End of discussion. You're going to law school, and that's final."
    Frank steeled himself , suddenly glad he was sitting down because he was sure his legs were shaking now. "No, I'm not," he said.
    The judge slammed the desk in front of him and said , "You little ungrateful son of a bitch, I paid for you to go to college so you'd have some sort of future instead of glomming off of me the rest of your