Jump 143: Speaker for the Dead

Jump #143: Speaker for the Dead
>Temperance (Energies dispersed through conflicts in personal, business, and spiritual matters.)
I blame the insects.
>Age: 15
>Location: God only knows
>Identity: Xenologer
>Drawbacks: 3000 Years at the Speed of Light (+300), They Lied (+600) They Lied plus one drawback. Pity I didn't get a Queen, but I have no interest in such a companion and that would be BLATANTLY gaming the system
So I start at the end of Ender's Game... and I'm going to be skipping ahead randomly. Taking direct action against the Formic diaspora is a lost cause - I'll have to do everything I can to get a small section of humanity to be dedicated to wiping them out, while the greater part of it thinks it's a tragedy. We don't want humanity to become even MORE xenophobic, after all. Fortunately, I've got the right perks, especially with Ender's Game, to try to coordinate such an effort.
>Observational Analysis (1700)
Now, this is very useful for what I'm doing. I can only imagine the repercussions if I use such an ability when coupled with the ability to follow them backward and forward in time with Clairvoyance.
>Parallel Thought (1100)
Too useful to turn away, to say the very least.
>Cultivated Mind (Free, Xenologer)
Ah! A useful perk for any jumper, let alone one who works as I do, spreading myself out to experience all of a world. Honestly, at this point I'm just on the way to become the ultimate tourist.
>Words on a Page (1000, Xenologer)
I have to wonder whether such augmentation to my writing ability would likewise apply to songwriting. Regardless, I'm going to have to start considering magnum opuses...
>Annals & Exposition (800, Xenologer)
...well, so much for needing postcognition. At least such things will be less mentally taxing on me now!
>Reconnecting (500, Xenologer)
This is basically a must for any jumper, I feel. Especially since it seems to work for myself and for others.
>Philotic Communication (400)
An interesting type of telepathy. This is not NEARLY as flexible as Philotic Thought, but it will serve my needs well.
...one could only imagine what Ender would see if it was my mind interacting with his.
>Inverse Communism (200)
Now we're talking. So they lied? That's okay - I can turn their strengths against them, at least in small part, and increasingly larger part as time passes. I wonder what effect this has, when taking into account my abilities from being part of the zerg...
>Delphiki’s Organelles (0)
Spoilers: Totally abusing the hell out of this when I hit the Spyro jump. Don't be surprised when you show up to the party when this is all over and you see a dragon bigger than the Light of Terra.

So. The long story made short? The human diaspora has to be made real, because humanity cannot afford to keep all of its eggs in one basket. Yes, there are differences in how different species' cultures exist, differences in their biology... indeed, differences in how they perceive things.

For you see, the Formic queens are nothing more than politicians. They're ruthlessly pragmatic. Those under their control don't get to enjoy the liberty of free will. Sure, when they tried to express to Ender that it was all a misunderstanding, a giant mistake, they were telling the truth... from a certain point of view. And they believed it. Like a politician belives everything they say. Because once they realized they wouldn't win, they lied to themselves, and they convinced themselves that it was true and they didn't REALLY mean to hurt humanity when they invaded the Earth twice and tried to terraform it.

When the Formic queens come back, they'll definitely be up for peaceful coexistence right up to the point that they can win the conflict - and they'll do their damnedest to convince themselves that they were never REALLY friends with humanity.

That's why there has to be a quiet and prepared segment of humanity that will do whatever it takes to deal with them. Because a mature species will deal in facts, not emotions. Fact: the Formic species will out-compete humanity if given sufficient time. Fact: it has attacked humanity repeatedly only to cry foul when faced with a counterattack. Fact: if humanity does not destroy them, they will destroy humanity.

The conclusion is as unfortunate as it is obvious. Purge the xeno. At least, that xeno. Pïggïes are okay.