With thanks to Anita Madson for her continued support and helpful inputs.

As no new crises have struck, we've devolved back to being uninteresting. I think that is a Good Thing.

Although it is technically a workday, things are pretty slow.

Juan and Wan are playing pool. Clmntr and Lnbršr are playing ping-pong. I am reading a doc detailing the new requirements for our periodic Consular Reports. It is detailed and boring, and somewhat hard to read because Kitty's very fluffy tail is lying across the com screen. The tail moves in a desultory fashion occasionally to punctuate a Kitty thought. The new requirements will mean more work to make our Embassy sound like a necessary consular post. Maybe I'll have Yaeyeia stop by for a Critical Strategy Meeting. We haven't had a Critical Strategy Meeting for a while and that will look good on a report.

Suddenly all our coms are buzzing wildly. This usually means a new crisis in the Uralian war or that our chicken nuggets delivery has arrived.

This time it's the war.

The Great and Sacred Leader of Uralia has been suffering from falling popularity. "Sacred" - maybe, "popular" - not so much. After just over five years on (new) Uralia, the residents are tired of wearing breathing masks - they want the atmospheric adjustment plants online. They are tired of running their household water through distillation units - they want the water recycling plants online. They are tired of living in plastic tents - they want housing for everyone, not just the elites. They want a variety of food, maybe something produced locally, not just the dried and canned food the Gilgot bring, paid for by SafeGuard profits.

And the Lians on Uralia want to be CITIZENS, not mere rights-less subjects of Uralia. Even an occasional Uran mumbles (softly) that Uralia should be for ALL Uralians.

Uralians are an ungrateful lot!

The Leader has purged from the elites anyone not burbling about the wonderfulness of his administration. He has made laws forbidding "unpatriotic" speech. No protest meetings are allowed. No meetings by Lians for any reason. "Disloyals" have been resettled in prison camps away from major settlements so that they will not infect the general populace. The only non-elites guaranteed adequate food and housing are the guards at these camps, and others policing the settlements to rout out dissatisfaction and dissent, which are illegal.

He has, however, managed to construct a (gold-leaf-covered) Palace for himself and his Government of fawning sycophants. This was, of course, the first building constructed on (new) Uralia.

About a Lunar month ago, a transport arrived on Lia3 carrying Lians fleeing Uralia. They report that on Uralia they are only allowed to do hard and menial jobs for poor pay. They are forced to the back of the lines for masks, purified water, food. They are only allowed a limited number of ripped and damaged tents and are permitted to live only in a separate area beyond the edge of Uran habitations. Guards also are stationed there as the Government fears Lians will steal, rape, murder, eat the pets of the elites.

It is Lians who are building the atmospheric adjustment plants and water recycling plants, planting feeding areas for livestock and caring for them. For the most part, the Lian workers have no experience or skills to do these tasks: one of the workers is a famous Lian poet, another is a Galaxy-class biologist. The refugees report doubt that the plants will actually work even if ever completed since the Lian builders do not know what they are doing.

Unfortunately, while the refugees had come to the Lian system in hopes of rejoining their families, the Lian Government cannot be certain that none of them are Uralian spies or saboteurs. We are at war, after all. The refugees are being held in a confinement facility on Lia3. I hope they feel, even so, that it is an improvement over life on Uralia.

Today, the War News setting our coms buzzing is that the Leader has issued a command that all Urans are to return to Uralia immediately. ALL Urans. Consular staff, traders, tourists, Urans stationed at missions, assassins, warriors on the one remaining Destroyer, EVERYBODY.

We theorize about what might be on his mind. (Assuming he has one...)

Clmntr suggests he wants to administer another Loyalty Test. He has done that repeatedly over the past two years.

Lnbršr suspects the Leader believes an invasion is imminent and wants as many "boots on the ground" as he can get.

I believe he just wants to show he can make EVERYONE jump to his command. If they do, he will feel he still has ultimate power, even if no one likes him.

Wan thinks a "retraining" might be planned. We point out that a retraining could be done on coms without requiring being on-planet. Juan points out that on-coms can be "faked." We take his word for it.

My Guardian suggests there might be a food shortage. The returnees might be on the menu. We assure her that Urans Just Wouldn't Do That. But, do we REALLY know that is true on (new) Uralia?

Kitty just ignores the latest insanity and settles down for a nap. She is the wisest of us all!

***

The Lunar Government is once more established in their listening post in our Offices. We had reported the Return Command (they already had heard about it) and now they want our views on What It All Means. We list the possibilities we had discussed (including my Guardian's) and sound like we have thought deeply on the subject (even though we have NO IDEA what is the Leader's intention for doing this.)

How do we think this might impact Luna?

We look at each other. We hadn't discussed that aspect of the situation.

Lnbršr suggests, "Any Uralian assassins would be returning to Uralia."

The Lunars nod sagely.

"But any non-Uralian assassins hired by the Leader would not be bound by this Command," Lnbršr adds.

The Lunars nod again. (We need to practice that wise nod they have perfected... it's a GREAT move! Looks VERY Consular.) "Is there any evidence of non-Uralian assassins in this case?" they ask.

We look at each other (not looking particularly wise.) "There appear to be none," Lnbršr asserts.

The Lunars nod again. That is such a GREAT move! "We will continue monitoring for the present."

We nod. Hopefully looking wise.

But, I am encouraged - the Return Command might mean freedom for ME! Maybe I could go to the Park! Maybe I could go Folk Dancing! Maybe I could watch the stars! Maybe I could go to the FastFood!

When could I be "certain enough" that I was safe?

***

My kids are on the com. They, too, have realized they might be safe from kidnappers. They might be able to return to their archaeological dig on Akher!

I caution patience. We don't know, probably we doubt that this is a permanent situation. But we're relishing the relief of knowing that for TODAY, if only for a short time, we aren't being hunted.

***

It has been a Lunar month since the Return Command. Our spies on Uralia report housing is bursting at the seams. Still, they have NOT placed an emergency order with the Gilgot for tents or increased food deliveries. So, this cannot be a long-term resettlement...

For years, no, actually for CENTURIES, while we all still were living together in the "original" Uralian star system, Uralians had been sent on missions, including as Ambassadors and Consular staff, to live permanently on other planets. This was, of course, because our star is expanding, and the Lian system is on borrowed time.

Lians on missions throughout the Galaxy are unanimously anti-Leader. Most are happy where they are and want to stay. They are loyal to the Lian system and happy to ignore the Command, any Command issued by the Leader.

Among most mission Urans, these categories (Leader-supporters and Leader-ignorers) have remained somewhat fluid. Clmntr and Lnbršr are two Urans who decided years ago to align themselves with the Lian system - they have no decision to make. But now, other mission Urans have to decide: do I obey the Leader? Do I follow the Return Command? Do I go to (new) Uralia or stay at my mission?

After (new) Uralia was purchased, the Leader determined who was loyal enough to him to be resettled from the old system to (new) Uralia.

Most Urans were resettled. Some, like Lnbršr, had left early on in disgust. Many did not have the resources to leave. They were forced to remain on a planet with unbreathable air, inadequate water, no food, no housing, and an increasingly erratic Government. But still, most Urans on (new) Uralia revered the Leader and insisted he was doing a good job.

Few Lians were determined to be loyal enough for resettlement to (new) Uralia and were left in what we are now calling the Lian system. Vldšng and her mate were two of the few Lians who were resettled. I occasionally spot her in pics and vids in the cheering crowd behind the Leader. I assume that, although Lians, they are wealthy enough and loyal enough to be part of the "elites." They probably live in a house, not a tent.

As our Lian Government has evolved, it has been important to them to represent both the Lians and Urans. A goal is to make the distinction obsolete - that there are only URALIANS, not two separate (and never equal) groups.

But on Uralia, it is a definite advantage to be Uran.

While Lians on Uralia were originally those felt to be loyal to the Leader, most now want to leave. Our spies on Uralia are working with the Gilgot to arrange transports for them.

It is a huge Galactic reshuffling of Uralians!

***

I am meeting Yaeyeia and her Aide at the Park! I still have my Guardian. The Aide still sits at the farthest end of the bench away from her.

I notice I actually miss having the Xx with us.

I breathe in the (sorta) fresh air (Luna City is built in a cavern; how "fresh" can the air be? But still it's fresher than in our Offices!), sit backwards on the bench, and am happy. Not content - really HAPPY!

Yaeyeia is not. Her Government has decided that their Embassies must have TWO Ambassadors. They are sending a trainee to her. She is trying to block them in this new project. "It's not like I have SO MUCH to do that I need someone to help me." She thinks for a moment. "But I DO have TOO MUCH to do to spend time training a seedling!"

I nod. "I've seen how busy you are," I agree. Yaeyeia spends most of her time relaxing in her home-planet soil. The Oeyian Embassy is no more critical to Galactic affairs than the Lian Embassy. She doesn't even have to deal with the Lunar Government camping out in a listening post.

***

Yes, I'm finally back at the FastFood. The staff all wave happily seeing me again.

Lt. Forbes is eating one of his (disgusting vegetarian) burgers. My Guardian seems to like them, too. Go figure: a vegetarian Gilgot.

"I've missed "helping" on your cases," I tell the Lieutenant.

He glances sideways at me. "Lian humor?" he asks.

I munch a greasy fry and smile at him. He knows me well enough to recognize a Uralian smile when he sees one.

The "sun" lights dim, and the "stars" begin to be visible. "How I've missed this!" I sigh.

"No stars in the basement," he agrees.

Clmntr and Lnbršr arrive and settle onto their favorite seats. They, too, have been enjoying their freedom!

"See any good birds?" I ask.

"We saw a crow!" Clmntr announces. Sparrows and pigeons are the usual bird-watching fare in Luna City. A crow is special.

"Two crows," asserts Lnbršr.

"He has better eyes than I do," Clmntr says.

"Did they caw?" Lt. Forbes asks.

"Of course."

"I'll have to have a hunt with my kids. They've never seen a crow," he says.

"Have you?"

"Never."

We watch the stars.

***

I even enjoy going to the (interminable) Lunar Government meetings. It is a treat not to have to be picked up and conveyed in a secured Lunar Government Official vehicle, escorted by Law Enforcement. Actually, I do sorta miss being guarded by armed Lunar Military troops during the meetings - they gave us something to watch other than the Speaker.

We go to a baseball game at the Smedley Sports Center, along with everyone else in Luna City and New Harvard that is not being hospitalized. We sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and enjoy the hotdogs. I do not enquire what they are made of; I do not want to know - I want to continue enjoying them.

The Galactic Government meets, and, uncomfortably, Clmntr and I are grilled as to What the Leader Has Planned.

That's easy: he doesn't PLAN anything, although his supporters think he is a stable genius.

We replay our hypotheses (including the food supply hypothesis). The Galactic Leaders thank us gravely. I can't believe they haven't already discussed all of our ideas (maybe not my Guardian's), and probably a few more (which they don't share with us - assuming they have any.)

It is great to be folk dancing with everybody again. It was so nice that the Ambassadors came and danced with us, but a mob of dancers is always nice. And my Guardian apparently feels I am safe enough that she leaves me for a moment to join in the Gilgot fight off to the side. She returns bloody but has had a good time.

We still have the Front Door Guard, the Garage Door Guard, and the Roof Guard at the Embassy. Actually, I kinda like having them there. They not only make me feel safer, they add a sort of "tone" to the place. I'm going to ask Ambassador Heresh if we can arrange for them to become permanent.

I can take Kitty for her annual visit to the vet. She is not pleased. In fact, Kitty is the only one who doesn't like this return to "normalcy." Cats like every day to be like every other day. She has grown used to me being in the basement Offices all the time. When I return from being "out," she greets me with a disappointed scowl: "Where were you?? I woke up, went looking for you, and you WEREN'T THERE!!!"

We have returned our office furniture to our original Offices on the ground floor. My Guardian still insists I sleep in the basement. Clmntr has returned to her apartments.

We really are ALMOST back to normal.

If I believed the Leader actually thought about or planned anything, I might suspect he had done this just to get us off our guard so he could catch us more easily.

***

Our spies on (new) Uralia send out an emergency message: "Something BIG happening. Leaving Uralia immediately with last Lians."

We huddle in the basement, coms in hand. The Lunar Government Listeners join us.

Nothing. Nothing further.

***

The Lian NewsCom and the Galactic News both are going wild. The Leader has BOMBED Uralia! Bombed HIS OWN PLANET!! Massacred HIS OWN FOLLOWERS!!!

We are stunned. What? Why? How?

Facts trickle in.

Instead of purchasing new Destroyers for his war on SafeGuard and the Lians, the Leader, possibly suspecting his popularity was fading, used SafeGuard profits to purchase thermonuclear weapons from the Xx. He buried them under the (few) settlements on Uralia. He alone had the codes to detonate them.

As he felt his people no longer worshipped him as a sort of god, he broadcast, "After me, there will be nothing," and detonated the bombs.

In less than 6 years, he had destroyed (new) Uralia.

Megalomaniacs work faster than expanding stars.

There are a few survivors. But the planet itself remains so radioactive that it will probably kill them, too, if they don't evacuate.

As usual, the Gilgot rush to the rescue. They send bots to the surface to find survivors. They send out an emergency request to the Polarans (who are the Galaxy's best medics) for a hospital transport.

When the hospital transport arrives, the bots begin transporting survivors to the hospital in orbit around (new) Uralia. Being in a radiation-free environment is their only hope.

Most of the survivors are confused and terrified. How could their Great and Sacred Leader do this to them? But some are angry that the Leader's followers were "unworthy." They want vengeance for him.

Luckily for me, they are all in the hospital transport orbiting (new) Uralia. I am safe for now.

Uralia is under radioactive quarantine. Only bots can go there.

Bots are now burying the dead.

***

The Galaxy is shaken. No other species had destroyed their planet using nuclear weapons. Ever. Earth was avoided for a century because trace amounts of radioactive material were detected in its atmosphere, indicating they had done the unthinkable: detonated a nuclear device. Maybe by accident, but no one wanted to risk meeting such a foolish species. And now, after meeting the Lunars and hearing their history, we know it was NOT accidental. Earth was not trying to build a nuclear energy plant that went awry. They were using this technology to intentionally kill one another. Still, these weapons had been used for killing members of their own species in only one war. And NEVER were they used even on Earth to eradicate their entire species.

And now, my species, MY SPECIES - OK, only ONE member if my species... one CRAZY PSYCHOPATHIC member of my species - has done the unthinkable.

Not even chicken nuggets are helping.

***

The spies and the last transport of Lians got out safely before detonation and have returned to Lia3.

Of course, neither Vldšng nor Tfns evacuated. I cannot verify that they are on a hospital transport. They most likely did not survive. At least Vldšng was a true follower. I only hope Tfns finally got her mate.

Clmntr and Lnbršr and I are holding hands while a Special Memorial is broadcast on NewsCom.

The Lunars have sent flowers. Dr. Madison had to explain to me that that is their tradition for honoring the dead. Dr. Levine sends chicken soup - I think that is a much better way of honoring the dead than flowers. But Dr. Madison tells me they don't EAT the flowers. I don't know what they DO with them...

Wan is wearing white. He is burning incense and chanting. It reminds me of our shaman.

We eat the chicken soup. We don't sing - our tradition is to avoid music while in mourning.

Kitty senses our feelings and brings us a dead insect to cheer us up.

***

My-day-on-Luna 2859. Clmntr, Lnbršr, and I join hands and sing our first song since the Detonation. It roughly translates:

    We miss you
    The world goes on
    We go on, too
    While missing you...

Most of the survivors have died. The handful still hanging on will not be able to act as assassins to gain vengeance for their Leader, even should they have the inclination to do so.

The Galactic Courts have been busy. They rule the Botslean planet (recently renamed (new) Uralia), having been purchased when all Uralians lived in what is now the Lian system, is now the property of all surviving Uralians, and that these are represented officially by the Lian Government.

We have a planet! Of course, it is deadly to go there, but... we have a planet.

The Courts rule that SafeGuard must now pay the 70% of profits to the Lian Government, as the only Uralian Government still surviving. The Lian system is now RICH!

Last week, the Lian Government officially renamed itself the Uralian Government.

I am arranging to get new name tags made for Wan and Juan (again!)

***

The Lian system is still dangerous with an expanding star.

Uralians begin to discuss the possibility of migrating to Botslean. They are actually calling it "Botslean" rather than "Uralia" in hopes of helping to discourage the return of Uran vs. Lian dynamics.

Will we start to call ourselves "Botsleans?" "Botsleanians?" It sounds so strange! But it would be worth it to eradicate the inequality and prejudice that has so blighted our history.

Scientists from all species are interested in the science of a massive thermonuclear disaster. They send probes to Botslean to take measurements. They pore over Earth records brought to Luna. Of course, not even Earth had a thermonuclear Armageddon... they only detonated one fission weapon for a test and then two more during a war. Of course, perhaps not knowing the danger, they went on to have numerous above-ground and underground tests of both fusion and fission weapons later.

It is hard to understand how foolish they were...

In the case of Botslean, the Leader only bombed the settlements - and there were few of those. The entire southern hemisphere of the planet was uninhabited (and unbombed.)

As the result of these detonations, both the soil and the air have become radiated. The most dangerous radiation is found locally in the soil. Iodine-131 decays within a few weeks. Cesium-137 and Strontium-90 are the primary long-term soil contaminants. They can remain hazardous for centuries. It is unlikely that Uralians will be inhabiting the northern hemisphere in the foreseeable future.

Atmospheric particles are small, light, and less dangerous than particles remaining in the soil at the detonation sites. They also seem to circulate in the upper atmosphere, not down where living creatures are breathing.

Scientists report it took about an Earth year (which is the same length as a Lunar year) for atmospheric particles to reach the entire planet. And atmospheric particles in the southern hemisphere should only reach a level of about 5% of those in the north.

This sounds like the southern hemisphere might be habitable! And, maybe the atmospheric adjustment plants can be designed to test for radiation levels to reassure inhabitants that the air they are breathing is safe.

But... there is a further consideration: "nuclear winter."

In the surviving records, Earth never experienced nuclear winter. It requires a sort of nuclear apocalypse with the detonations producing a huge smoke plume. The smoke forms a dense cloud shrouding the planet. This blocks sunlight, cooling the planet and preventing photosynthesis. Scientists estimate it takes about 100 bombs, preferably on oil refineries or large cities, to produce a nuclear winter.

Bots on the surface seem to indicate only about 45 bombs were detonated, and the settlements contained little to produce a smoke plume when burned. Hopefully Botslean will avoid nuclear winter.

But if this does happen, scientists indicate up to 70% of sunlight will be blocked in the northern hemisphere leading to significant cooling within weeks or months of the detonations. The severe cooling in the north will alter atmospheric circulation, bringing the "winter" climate to the southern hemisphere, even though only about 35% of sunlight is blocked there. They estimate it will take over 10 years to dissipate.

Still, Uralians (future Botsleans?) are already making plans to build atmospheric adjustment plants and water treatment plants in the southern hemisphere.

Eventually, within a decade or so, Botslean could become the haven our species hoped it would be when it was first identified and approved by the Galactic Court for our migration.

We're Uralians; we've been living with an expanding star for millennia. We can be patient.