When cithians saved humans from a dying Earth, they gave them a place to live and food to eat. They gifted the humans with the valuable information that they are not smart enough, not strong enough, not up to the challenge of playing a role in galactic civilization. In a city where many races meet, the cithians have taught humans to know their place: in the ghetto. Out of the way. Year after year, the cithians have carefully managed a small and gradually shrinking population of humans. Moving them from place to place. Giving them different environments. Watching how they react.

When humans cured the plague called "smallpox," they didn't destroy all their examples of the virus. At least, not right away. They had to keep some on hand, just in case. Just in case somewhere out there, the disease was still lurking. In case they had to fight it again. They kept tiny examples of the virus, secreted away in very secure places, so they could study it. So they could learn what made it so deadly for so long, and how they could protect themselves against anything the disease might do in the future.

These two situations... have everything in common.

Give the podcast version a try at
https://soundcloud.com/devilstower-64...