Su nombre era Jel. Sí, ella era hermosa, e inteligente, y muy
calificada. Así también lo eran cientos, si no miles de otras
personas. Después de conversar con ella por diez minutos,
ambas, Jennifer y Marisa, concluyeron que ella había sido
seleccionada sobre todos los demás por su personalidad. Ella
era astuta -- llámalo profesional si prefieres -- pero ella
era además sincera. Su nave era una versión mas pequeña de la
original, y estaba equipada con una sala de emergencia y
provisiones hospitalarias.
Her name was Jel. Yes, she was beautiful, and intelligent, and
well qualified. So were hundreds, if not thousands of other
people. After talking with her for ten minutes, both Jennifer
and Marisa both concluded that she had been chosen over all
the others on account of her personality. She was smooth--call
it professional if you prefer--but she was also sincere. Her
ship was a smaller version of the original, and it was equiped
with an emergency room and hospital supplies.
“Así que si entiendo correctamente, ustedes dos solo han tenido
contacto con los dos hombres, Paex y Thayes.”
"So if I understand correctly, you two have only had contact
with the two men, Paex, and Thayes."
“Sí.”
"Yes."
“Bueno. La Tierra dijo que querían conservar el contacto tan
limitado como fuera posible mientras aprendemos mas acerca de
esta especie. Se me había dicho que mientras fuera posible, a
ellos les gustaría la opción de tan solo volar lejos y
abandonar el planeta sin nada más que unos pocos rumores que
serian dejados de lado como locas historias.”
"Good. Earth said they wanted to keep the contact as limited as
possible while we learn more about these species. I was told
that for as long as possible, they would like the option to
just fly away, and leave the planet with nothing but a few
rumors that would be dismissed as crazy stories."
“Ya veo,” Jennifer contestó. “Los conocerás pronto. Ellos fueron
al pueblo por provisiones. Les dijimos que preferiríamos que
no le contaran a nadie sobre nosotras. Yo dije que quería más
tiempo para aprender su lenguaje, algo que podría tomar
semanas.”
"I see," Jennifer replied. You'll get to meet them soon. They
went to town for supplies. We told them we would prefer if
they didn't tell anyone about us. I said I wanted more time to
learn their language, something which could take weeks."
“Bueno. Eso nos da algo de tiempo.”
"Good. That gives us some time."
“Tenemos el programa de la computadora que conoce, creemos, al
menos ochenta por ciento del lenguaje. Hemos gastado bastante
tiempo con ellos volando a diferentes lugares y tomando
fotografías a larga distancia de cosas para que ellos las
identifiquen. Tuviste la oportunidad de observar alguna de
ellas en tu vuelo hasta aquí?”
"We've got the computer program which knows, we think, at least
eighty percent of the language. We've spent quite a bit of
time with them flying to different places and taking long
range photographs of things for them to identify. Did you get
a chance to look at any of that on your flight here."
“Sí. En cada momento de sobriedad.”
"Yes. Every waking moment."
“Oh mira. Aquí vienen ellos ahora.”
"Oh look. Here they come now."
Los dos hombres caminaron hacia dentro de la casa y se quitaron
sus embarrados zapatos justo dentro de la puerta.
The two walked into the house and took their muddy shoes off just
inside the door.
“Paex, Thayes, Me gustaría presentarles a Jel.”
"Paex, Thayes, I'd like you to meet Jel."
Jel extendió su mano. Paex y Thayes la observaron, con lo que
parecían expresiones de malestar. Nerviosamente, ellos
extendieron sus manos, para el apretón de manos. Ambos lucían
incómodos.
Jel extended her hand. Paex and Thayes looked at her, with what
appeared to be troubled expressions. Nervously they extended
their hands, for the handshake. They both appeared
uncomfortable.
“Paex, Thayes, es un placer conocerlos,” Jel dijo sonriendo,
estudiándolos. “Pasa algo malo?” Ella no perdió su sonrisa.
"Paex, Thayes, it's a pleasure to meet you," Jel said smiling,
studying them. Is there something wrong?" She didn't lose her
smile.
“Ummm...No.” Thayes balbuceó. Jennifer, Marisa, Jel, nos
podrían disculpar?”
"Ummm... No," Thayes stammered. Jennifer, Marisa, Jel, could you
excuse us?"
“Sí, por supuesto,” Jennifer contestó.
"Yes, of course," Jennifer replied.
“Paex, hay algún problema?”
"Paex, is there a problem?"
“Bien, estabamos sorprendidos,” Paex respondió. “No habíamos
esperado ver a alguien ... como ella.”
"Well, we were surprised," Paex answered. We hadn't expected
to see someone ... like her."
“Como que?”
"Like what?"
“Una mezcla de diferentes genes.”
"A mixture of different genes."
“No entiendo, Paex. Cada uno es una mezcla de genes de su madre
y su padre.”
"I don't understand, Paex. Everyone is a mixture of the genes
of their mother and father."
“No estoy acostumbrado a ver una mezcla como esa.”
"I'm not accustomed to seeing to a mixture like that."
“Estás diciendo que gente con piel oscura como Jennifer,
y gente con piel clara como yo tienen prohibido procrear
juntos?”
"Are you saying that people with dark skin like Jennifer, and
people with light skin like myself are forbidden to procreate
together?"
“No.” Paex sacudió su cabeza. No está prohibido. Eso pasa
todo el tiempo. Es importante para los padres tener genes
fuertes. El niño tendrá los rasgos de un padre, o del otro.
La taza de nacimientos vivos está sobre el setenta por ciento.”
"No." Paex shook his head. It isn't forbidden. It happens all
the time. It's important for the parents to have strong genes.
The child will have the traits of father. Dark skin with dark
hair and brown eyes, dark skin with red hair and brown eyes,
or pale skin with dark hair and blue eyes, or pale skin with
blonde hair and blue eyes. The live birth rate is over seventy
percent."
“Entonces me estás diciendo que la taza de mortalidad es
casi, treinta por ciento?”
"Then you're telling me that the mortality rate is almost, thirty
percent?"
“Cual sería la taza de mortalidad para los niños que fueron
no mezclados?”
"What would the mortality rate be for children who were not--mixed?"
“Es un poco menos del 10 por ciento.”
"It's a little less than 10 per cent."
“Esa taza de mortalidad es bastante más alta de lo que yo
hubiese esperado.”
"That mortality rate is quite higher than I would have
expected."
“Bien, hay algo de lo que nunca hablamos. Cuando un certificado
de nacimiento dice nacido muerto, eso no significa
necesariamente que el niño estaba muerto cuando nació.
Entiendes?”
"Well, there is something we never talk about. When a birth
certificate reads born dead, it doesn't necessarily mean that
the child was dead when born. Do you understand?"
“Sí, infanticidio.” Marisa se sentó.
"Yes, infanticide." Marisa sat down.
“Marisa, entiendo como te sientes. En nuestro mundo, una
persona que nació con menos de los rasgos estándar va a ser
siempre la víctima de discriminación. Siempre. Nadie los
querrá contratar para un trabajo amenos que este sea algo que
nadie mas quiera hacer. Nunca tendrán una oportunidad. Es
aceptable darle la vida a alguien quien nunca tendrá una
oportunidad?”
"Marisa, I understand how you feel. In our world, a person who
was born with less than standard traits is going to always be
the victim of discrimination. Always. No one will want to hire
them for a job unless it is something no one else wants to do.
They will never have a chance. Is it acceptable to give life
to someone who is never going to have a chance?"
Marisa esperó unos pocos segundos antes de responder. “Cuando
tomamos todas las fotografías, me di cuenta de que toda tu
gente era hermosa según nuestros estándares.”
Marisa waited a few seconds before answering. "When taking all
the photographs, I noticed that all your people were beautiful
by our standards."
“Creo que Jennifer y tú son hermosas.”
"I think you and Jennifer are beautiful."
“En tiempos antiguos, Jennifer habría sido llamada africana por
el color oscuro de su piel y su cabello café oscuro. Thayes
habría sido llamado nórdico por su cabello rubio y sus ojos
azules. Jennifer mataría a cualquiera, incluyendo a Thayes,
que amenazara a su niño.”
"In ancient times, Jennifer would have been called African for
her dark skin and dark brown hair. Thayes would have been
called Nordic for his blonde hair and blue eyes. Jennifer
would kill anyone, including Thayes, who would threaten her
child."
“Entiendo. Deberías contarle a todos que es una costumbre
humana dar a luz en privado en tu propio planeta, entonces ve
a casa para el nacimiento.”
"I understand. You should tell everyone it is a human custom to
give birth in private on your own planet, then go home for the
birth."
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