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Huh, Dolphy and Hands said in unison.
It is a Chinese expression meaning we do nothing. We have
our mission.
I agree, Mariko said. But many people will die. We cannot save
even some?
While the others discussed that, Jy-ying turned the laptop back to-
ward her, copied and pasted the disaster figures into a spreadsheet, and
added up the total. Her eyebrows shot up and she let out a little gasp.
She waved at John to get his attention, and pointed to the total. I ex-
cluded disasters due to war or revolution, as in Russia.
John s mouth fell open and his eyebrows rose to hide beneath the
blond curls falling over his forehead. He leaned toward Jy-ying to get a
better look at the total, as though needing to verify it. Finally he said in
a low voice, About forty-two million people are destined to die in
natural disasters, famines, and epidemics. This is almost twice the
twenty-four million combat dead of World Wars I and II together in the
First Universe.
John s mouth curved down, as did his eyebrows. He squinted as
though in pain, vigorously massaging his left arm. I agree with Jy-
ying. His voice rose for emphasis. We cannot compromise our mis-
sion. It may save the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Then there
is Abul Sabah, whose son bombed the democracies and took over the
world. If Abul survives the changes in this universe . . . we will also
have to deal with him. Doing so could save nearly two billion lives.
Jy-ying waited, but no one asked what their plans were for Sabah.
She and John had discussed it often. When she d been the dedicated
assassin and Sabahite, she would have done anything to save him. She
was no longer a Sabahite, or Muslim, for that matter, but she still in-
tended to save him. He had been rather, would be, in the future a
great man. She had persuaded John that if he was born in this new uni-
verse, they should travel to Uighuristan and buy the infant Abul from
his parents nothing new, in that culture and adopt him.
Genocide Never Again 71
John continued in a lower voice. While keeping to our mission,
what can we do? We are now a team of six
John! Jy-ying exclaimed. How could you forget Prince Wei, our
savior and best warrior? She lifted the surprised dog and held him out
to the group. Legs dangling, he looked over his shoulder at his mistress
as though to say, I do not blame you for showing me off.
John looked sheepish. Oops, of course. Team of seven.
What do savior mean? Mariko asked Sal next to her, since
Dolphy had turned the laptop toward him and seemed lost in the list
of disasters.
Sal answered, I don t know. But I guess it means something like
save your. You know, like the dog save your life.
Thank you, Mariko responded.
John was too wound up to notice Sal s humor. He went on. And
when Hands marries his love, we will be eight. We surely will have to
tell her about our mission. Then one of these days, some spirited gal
will finally chain Sal down, and we will be nine.
Jy-ying looked askance at Sal. Is that right?
He shook his head. No skirt chains Sal Garcia down.
Dolphy looked up from the chronology. Of course not, Sal, he re-
sponded. Women don t chain their men down, they just pull them
around by their
Dolphy! Hands yelled at him, and shook his finger everyone
had picked up John s favorite habit of finger-shaking for emphasis.
All laughed, except Mariko. When Dolphy explained the joke, she
said, Honto ni Really, and gave them a big grin.
Jy-ying had to say it. And my sister Joy s spirit will make ten. A
team of ten for our mission.
She was surprised that her mention of Joy s spirit in this context
seemed to cheer them all, except for Mariko. She seemed to avoid Jy-
ying s eyes as she traced a fold of her dress across her knee.
Maybe Joy and nine of us could save many lives from disasters,
Mariko said.
John seemed to sense the impending conflict. He looked around the
table and said, Thanks, folks. You all have raised a possibility that,
given the lives at stake, we just can t drop.
We will see, Jy-ying thought.
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