Caring

"I have not cared for anything, including people, for a very long time," Patricia confessed. "I have gone through the motions successfully, which (oddly enough) has garnered some praise, but I'm not feeling it ... I never have felt it. I don't know what "it" actually is, whether that's compassion, love, or even genuine curiosity." Father Carlisle did his best to counsel and comfort, but was going to have to wrap it up sooner or later. He admonished her to do penance and pray; Patricia thanked him and left, not pausing (or intending) to do either one. Outside, she got into the car and Sean stared at her until she spoke. "I understand more fully how humans can grow fond of ritual," she said. "It addresses intangible tensions in a tangible way, which would be fascinating at a deeper level if were significant to our aims. It is neither applicable nor measurable." "Perhaps we are at a disadvantage because we are silicone-based life forms, lacking the dithering instability of carbon. They like forming covalent atomic bonds at a higher flash point," Sean wondered aloud, and Patricia nodded. "Perhaps. I simply wish it any of it was more interesting," she said, her tone flat. Sean nodded; they knew it was going to be an arduously dull assignment almost 200 earth years ago, when they arrived.