Page "Xenocide" Paragraph 4

After the rebellion of the small human colony on Lusitania in Speaker for the Dead to protect the future of the intelligent alien species, Starways Congress sends a fleet to Lusitania to regain control, which will take several decades to reach its destination.

Valentine Wiggin, under her pseudonym Demosthenes, publishes a series of articles revealing the presence of the " Little Doctor " planet-annihilating weapon on the Fleet.

Demosthenes calls it the " Second Xenocide ," as using the weapon will result in the obliteration of the only known intelligent alien life.

She also claims it to be a brutal crackdown of any colony world striving for autonomy from Starways Congress.

Public anger spreads through humanity, and rebellions nearly ensue on several colonies.