Oct 08, 2026
That was interessting. Definately a unique setting/story I haven't read before.
The dilemma is concrete, not decorative. Ameranth is not arguing about sentience in the abstract. The Igni are the only practical source of Enzyme 24B, Heliconia owns the farms that supply it, and Oncidium’s fix is selective breeding plus culling. Survival, profit, and ethics are the same argument, so every line of the meeting has a stake.
Her disgust and her training pull in opposite directions. When Oncidium says they already breed animals for docility, the scientist in her agrees and her stomach does not. That split is more interesting than a clean moral stance, and it makes the coming vote feel costly instead of obvious.
Ending without resolving the vote is also quite daring. But it works because there are no easy choices.