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a Terragen Reliability Survey white paper
Until now, we have been treating Grays as monolithic rejectionists of cosmopolitan Galactic Civilization. Of course, Gray populations vary considerably, and their relationship to Mainstream Galactic Civilization and Galactic institutions also varies along a continuum. Some groups will not so much opt for deep cover, as for maintaining a discrete distance from Galactic Civilization while attracting as little attention as possible. On the other hand, other populations will take every security precaution they can afford --and eliminate any threat to their privacy or security with extreme prejudice. Any team undertaking work in uninhabited space would do well to rapidly --but accurately --assess any contact situation, and proceed with all due caution. As a rule, patience combined with the utmost respect for privacy --and not heroics or elaborate display --must be the recommended approach.
Nor should Terragens or our allies consider Grays as a weak and irrelevant collection of has-beens. Preliminary research indicates that an unusually large proportion of the O-2 population-in-hiding corellates closely with tendencies toward instability in O-2 Galactic Civilization and times of revolution. In addition, the correlation can be somewhat causal. On at least four occasions O-2 Civilization has "fallen" to rebellions led by Gray Species. (See Eighth Client Rebellion, Third Barbarian Conquest, Fourth Barbarian Conquest, and Seventh Barbarian Conquest.) We also remind our readers there are many strong indications that the glorious Tarseuh had been hiding in the waste areas of the Galaxies when they emerged as "leaders" of the victorious Alliance against the destructive Lions. In other words, the Tarseuh were (or had recently become) a Gray species --doubtlessly due to persecution by the vandal Lions. Beyond a doubt, Gray species are members of a fraternity with a most honorable legacy.
The best estimates of the present O-2 Gray population tend to indicate that the number of O-2 species-in-hiding is above the historical mean of the last 128 (10000000 binary) megayears or so. However, there is no indication that the O-2 Gray population is remarkably high. Nevertheless, Gray species pose a subtle, but significant, threat to Terragen security. On the other hand, given the ongoing, precarious existence of Clans Terragen and Tymbrimi, Gray species also present great opportunities for trade and alliance with other groups having serious grievances with the prevailing Galactic status quo. In addition, exploration of uninhabited space and contact with Gray civilizations of all sorts will, in and of itself, go far to further existing Terragen and Alliance for Progress comparative advantages in exploration; linguistics; first contact, sensitive diplomatic negotiation, and non-Oxygen Breather contact and negotiation; and stands to considerably enhance the status of all four clans in the Galactic Institute for Progress and Novelty, and possibly the Galactic Institute for Migration. Of course, we expect Clan Terragen and the other A4P species will receive the usual perfunctory and proper thanks from the Galactic Library Institute for cross checking the reliability of published Library databases and for novel contributions to the Library's Grand Database.
Many of the threats posed by Gray Species are rather quotidian, and by no means specific to the Terragen Confederation. Among these are small scale, accidental conflicts that occur when explorers or travelers inadvertently stumble over a Gray installation, occasional acts of piracy against Confederation and Allied installations or shipping, and gene raiding. Of significantly more concern is the considerable freedom and comparative advantage that unscrupulous Gray polities would in enjoy in covert operations against Clan Terragen. One concern is that a Gray polity might opt to frame Humanity (or the Tymbrimi) as convenient patsies or "fall-guys" for criminal or anti-social operations. Because of the hatred felt toward both these patron species and their Clans in many quarters, it is highly probable that punishment would precede investigation and due process. Even more worrisome is the potential threat from subtle psycho-historical manipulation of the backwards Wolflings and their pups by the ultimate clandestine force. It is --after all --very difficult to guard against an enemy when one does not even know that the enemy exists.
Nevertheless, we must realize that the very real threat a tiny minority of Gray species may pose to Earth and its Clan pales in contrast to the threat our exploration may pose for the residents of uninhabited space. For example, at least one particularly militarized, xenophobic, and powerful Clan would gleefully --and in good conscience --use any Gray settlement they discovered for target practice and live-fire war games. It is important to remember that sapient un-species cannot be protected by Galactic Institutions unaware of the species' very existence. The genocide of any Gray species could easily be accomplished in secrecy and be an historical non-event.(1)
Happily, we expect contact with Gray species to be far more rewarding than threatening over the long term. First, in a worst case scenario, it may be necessary to set up Human or Terragen gray colonies. Prior contact with experienced residents of uninhabited space will stand any Terragen colonists in good stead.
More optimistically, the Gray Species of uninhabited space are --almost by definition --a major locus of dissent and dissatisfaction with contemporary Galactic Civilization. Since Clans Terragen and Tymbrimi are both considered highly --even dangerously --deviant members of Galactic Civilization, it follows that uninhabited space is a good place to look for much needed support. With luck, we might even find allies (or trade partners) with covert resources and advanced stealth technologies even a Synthian would admire.
More mundane, but at least as important (and far more certain), are opportunities for trade --of all varieties. While we can hardly condone what must be a widespread trade in contraband among Grays, in these trying times the Confederation must look to its own business and interests, and trust others to make their own ethical decisions. Furthermore, since most Gray species have been unjustly run out of Mainstream Civilization, it is right and proper that the Terragen Confederation do everything in its power to enhance the material well being of any reasonably peaceful and environmentally aware Gray populations, and that the Confederation encourage its allies to do likewise. If our economy should benefit from a resulting increase in trade, so much the better for all concerned.
1. The reader might object that Library units aboard attacking vessels would certainly record the genocide; however, Library regulations make it unlikely that the records would be made public before becoming academic curiosities. Other Institutions can subpoena such records under certain circumstances, but unless a valid complaint has been filed and a case opened, no subpoena is going to be issued.
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