Quartly Lecture Group/Marina

Marina said "Zombie spy! Hahahah, really, a real live sighting of killing someone because they were a zombie spy! I feel like my experience as a human is growing richer and more interesting every day. *hops up and down excitedly*"

Marina said "*dusts off the podium for the Quartly Study Group's first-ever lecture on Zombie Spies from the Zombie Perspective*"

Marina said "Let us start with the name of your group: The Quartly Study Group. Dedicated to "retrieving all of the Quartly Library's overdue books by any means necessary," isn't that right?"

Marina said "Now, if I was looking to eat one of you, I would perhaps not start by breaking down the barricades over in Philpotts… That is just the nature of having a location-based group; no spy is needed to guess where you might be located."

Marina said "As a matter of fact, for the thoughtful zombie horde, "spies" are useless. Even with a rotted brain, you can make an educated guess as to where your dinner is."

Marina said "Break into a mall, you'll dine on trenchcoaters. Then you'll find a hospital is a delightful source of doctors and new meat. And of course the really good game holes up in places that look as if they have no value… train stations, office buildings."

Marina said "Such has always been the case. A spy could do nothing but put names to the guesses, and oh, it's not your names we care about."

Marina said "Now, let's go into the ethics and sensibility of executing suspected zombie spies..."

Marina said "First, how do you feel about the very high likelihood of error? A "zombie spy!!!" might just be some poor kid who happened to meet a zombie on his first day and spent some time with the undead before getting revived…"

Marina said " If he has not had a chance to be human, is it not cruel to send him back to the streets for his sins as a zombie?"

Marina said "Second, are those who have spent, and yes, enjoyed, their time as zombies so far gone as to be beyond redemption, in the eyes of humans? Is it inconceivable that one might sincerely want to try all that the world has to offer, with no ulterior motive?"

Marina said "Third, and finally, have you considered that by rejecting and killing the "zombie spy," you may be sealing the doom of another survivor? Many zombies find, upon first opening their eyes after revivification, that they're weak as kittens."

Marina said "I literally could not hit any of you now, even if I wanted to. But as a zombie, I could rip down barricades, call my fellows, feed the horde, and of course snack on brains. Where am I more dangerous?"

Marina said "So, in conclusion, in these times of deep trial, paranoia is good only for amusement. And believe you me, I -am- amused. Zombie spies indeed! Zombies laugh about "zombie spies," you should know. What a piece of survivor silliness."

Marina said "I should rather share a safehouse with a hundred suspected zombie spies than those who fancy themselves judge, jury and executioner, if not downright infallible."

Marina said "But… that may just be the bias of one who is, in turn, likely to be accused, killed and unceremoniously dumped onto the streets some day."

Marina said "*smiles slightly unsettlingly at the audience, bows slightly and returns to a quiet corner and her book*"