The Mercy of Gods

Another major theme of the novel concerns the dehumanizing effects of colonization, including the methods that colonizers use to control their captives. The Carryx are like other colonizing forces in history: technologically or militarily powerful and utterly convinced of their superiority. As evident in Ekur’s statements in the epigraphs, the Carryx are certain that their views of the universe and natural order are correct, fundamental, and inescapable. For instance, in the epigraph of Part 2, Ekur states, “We did not create the logic of the universe, but we express it. […] The universe tells every being exactly the same implacable truth” (71). The Carryx believe that it’s their duty to teach this universal truth to all other species, which they view as lesser beings. Thus, the Carryx weaponize their belief that choice is an illusion, because “what is, is” (381), to rationalize their conquest, violence, and degrading treatment of other species.

The Carryx deploy a system of dehumanization on the humans of Anjiin, including demonstrations of physical domination, a disregard for basic human needs, and most importantly, treating humans like animals. The animal motif that appears throughout the novel applies not only to the humans but also to the other species the Carryx conquer. The Carryx contain each species in holding cells like pens in a farm or a zoo. As Dafyd and Urrys conclude, the Carryx wish to domesticate humans to make them willingly enslaved. As Ekur states in the epigraphs, if a species proves unusable (i.e., resists this domestication), they’re culled like animals.

The Carryx’s dehumanizing treatment leads to degradation among the human population, both on the transport vessel and while they’re in captivity. This degradation appears in several forms: physical decline and sickness, an increasing lack of self-care, mental instability, and an urge toward violence. The novel highlights the significant physical and psychological effects that captivity and dehumanization have on people. Each character on Tonner’s team displays a different kind of reaction to this trauma, such as Jessyn’s deteriorating mental health or Campar’s need to cling to jokes to keep from screaming.

However, these characters demonstrate different methods of responding to such trauma. Jessyn turns her anger outward and carves herself into a weapon, becoming increasingly violent. Though Dafyd views this transformation as merely another sign of degradation, Jessyn herself sees it as a necessary form of resistance. Meanwhile, Rickar marvels at humans’ ability to continue living by focusing on the mundane aspects of existence. The most crucial response to such treatment is, however, the mere insistence on survival, either through resistance or compliance, which leads directly to the survival ethics theme.