Freedom is Like a Box of Chocolates
"Amazing…isn't it?"
Six year old Klineman Haplen blinked, not sure how to answer such a question. "Amazing" was a word that was often used in the late 41st century. Despite the human race having detailed knowledge of over 67,000 sentient species and sub-species, and familiarity with at least 42,000 languages, 47,000 types of weapon and 56,000 vehicles, there was always something left to surprise the sons and daughters of Earth. Or, considering the rate of expansion of the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire, it was more often than not that humanity was the one doing the surprising.
Whether such surprises were pleasant or not were none of his business.
Yet for everything that the universe had presented, Klineman doubted that anyone had ever seen something like this. And although he didn't fully understand the intricacies and secrets of Ood Operations, he did know that it was meant to stay that way. After all, knowing that the secret to your company's success was a giant brain imprisoned by a telepathic barrier wouldn't be good for business.
Why should we care though? Klineman wondered. The smell is enough to deter anyone.
Simply put, warehouse 15 stank.
Yet for all the repulsiveness that his senses of sight and smell bombarded Klineman with, his father seemed immune to it. At least that seemed to be the case when he turned to face him, somehow able to avert his gaze from the pulsating thing below them.
"Well Kline?" he asked. "What do you think?"
The boy swallowed, trying to balance the different urges to breathe through his mouth and to keep his breakfast down. "It's…well, not what I expected."
"Of course not!" exclaimed his father, snapping his fingers like someone on a sugar high. "Who could have expected to find such a thing in this wasteland? Who could expect to find a race so willing to serve?" He slapped Klineman on the shoulder, the boy immediately wishing he hadn't.
Considering the half digested food that landed on the Ood Brain, he suspected the organism wished the same thing.
"Expectation leads to stagnation, remember that," said Kline's father, choosing to ignore his son's sudden lack of stomach content. "Operate without expectation and you're free to react to whatever changes the market throws at you."
Kline nodded, wishing he hadn't had seconds. "Duly noted," he said, mustering as much dignity as one in his position could. He just wanted to get this part of the tour over with as soon as possible. Yet there was something that held him back. Something that made him want to stay, to ask more questions. And as ridiculous as the idea sounded, it was as if the brain was the one prompting such thoughts.
"What about the ood though?" Klineman asked. "What opportunities do they get?"
His father raised an eyebrow. "What makes you ask that?"
The boy shrugged. "I dunno. It just seems…strange, though. That they're so willing to serve us, that they welcomed it. It's just not…human."
A laugh echoed throughout the warehouse, overshadowing the constant humming of the brain's telepathic barrier.
"Well, what did you expect?" Klineman's father exclaimed. "They're dumb creatures who did nothing but roam this rock until we arrived. We gave them more than freedom ever could."
Klineman didn't understand. Whether this was due to his father's words, the warehouse's stench or some combination of the two, he didn't know.
"And besides, who needs true freedom?" the man continued. "Freedom can breed vanity. Freedom can bring greed. Freedom can cause destructive competition, each individual trying to express their freedom in their own way. Freedom is like chocolates, Kline. Just because you like something doesn't mean it's good for you."
"But we have freedom," protested the boy half heartedly.
"Of course we do! We're civilized, intelligent creatures. The ood however…" He gestured down to the thing below them. "Well, does that thing look like it would be able to understand the concept?"
Klineman didn't answer, nor even look back at the brain. He didn't want to. The smell, the noise…he just wanted out. He couldn't stay here any longer. He didn't want to see the truth. And following his father back outside, he was glad to have his wishes granted.
"Of course not," said his father, answering his own question. "Only intelligent species can understand what freedom means."