Jaakko leaves before Cualli starts talking to Elu. He wonders if he really should report to Bell his concern that Cualli is a desertion risk. Elu was another circumstance. What would come to the bot if Cualli went away, or was reported as at risk for desertion?
She couldn't have known. If she would have known in advance, would there be a change in her behavior?
Jaakko mulls it over.
The bot! Elu would know. And with his childlike innocence, he would give an honest answer and wouldn't lie unless Cualli told him to. He probably remembers every minute of the last few weeks. Did he understand lying?
He reasoned it was worth a shot, but Jaakko feels he doesn't have the authority to try, because it's not in his place. Jaakko was the flight lead, not the squadron leader, the enlisted were not his responsibility. But reporting a deserter would be. He thinks some more, and reasons that it is likely, in light of the recent attack by Deltan hardliners, that if command believed a Deltan was a desertion risk, they'd be detained, rather than following conventional desertion risk procedures.
And Elu would be sent away.
And Jaakko had agreed with Gus that Cualli will not come to harm, and HiCom would likely detain her. It was worth a shot.
Poll