Living With Syn

by A. C. Katt

  Mark agreed and added, “It is also possible for a human to suffer PTSD from childhood trauma, such as rape or abuse; or from the unexpected loss of a loved one. Although rape and child abuse are not common on Sarran, on Earth it exists in abundance. But emotional trauma and combat situations were common on Sarran for the past ten years.”

  “I tried to do a criminal profile on the type of man on the Elder Council who was likely to demonstrate this kind of behavior. Zaron, can you do whatever it is you do to show them what I meant. I don’t understand how the computer technology works on this world, I had a hard enough time with the oven.”

  Syn’s mild joke broke the tension in the room.

  Zaron gave everyone a picture in their mind of what she tried to convey. ::Only TeAngle and TeZuff fit the profile.::

  “Before you charge off to arrest a suspect, remember that profiling is not an exact science. It helps to identify a possible pool of suspects, but you still need hard evidence to convict.” Mark looked at the others in the room.

  “It seems that the only people we can trust are sitting in this room.”

  “In light of the fact that a member of the Elder Council could be a traitor, what do we report?” asked Juraens.

  “The bare minimum of facts would do nicely. I wish we didn’t have to include the cat’s abilities in the reports, but it was the topic of many conversations aboard Brightstar.” Mark sipped his coffee and took a piece of strudel.

  “Christ, Syn, you can cook. I’m terrible at it and it seems my Beloved isn’t much better than I am,” Mark said, munching.

  “I think we can keep a few secrets about the cats, especially their ability to detect listening devices and explosives.” Jonal took another slice of pie.

  “Yes, we had a close call today. We could have lost my offspring if it wasn’t for Duchess’ quick thinking.” Duchess jumped up to Bron’s lap and purred loudly.

  Zaron, Mark noticed, was very quiet during the proceedings.

  “Jonal and Tonas,” he stated as he took a sip of Asta, “You must have an idea that your psy has gone off the charts since your bonding. Your fem may even have untapped psychic healing abilities because of the Triad.”

  “Mark already knows the extent of his abilities from what he did on the Brightstar.”

  “Yes, Juraens taught me to move objects with my mind; very useful if someone is about to murder you with a surgical scalpel.”

  There was a bit of uncomfortable laughter.

  “I take it that Jonal, Tonas, and Anya are about to be admitted to the club.” Mark laughed.

  “What club?” Jonal and Tonas asked in unison.

  * * * *

  Zaron thought, ::How to explain?::

  Bron answered, ‘‘Just tell them all of it.’’

  “For the benefit of our fems and Mark, I need to outline a bit of Sarran history.

  “We are one of the oldest known civilizations in the galaxy. Some of our historians believe that the rapid development of civilization on Sarran had more to do with the geography of the planet than any natural tendency toward a superior genetic heritage. The planet’s landmass consisted of a single continent crisscrossed by abundant rivers, lakes and streams with a salt ocean surrounding the whole.”

  “Yet as I understand the history of the galaxy, the Sarran were preceded by the First Ones who seeded the galaxy with life on any planet in the Goldilocks zone,” Mark said as he picked up his brandy from the low table and moved from the couch to a stance leaning on the side mantel of the huge stone fireplace.

  “That’s true; however natural disasters, such as asteroid hits, tiny changes in planetary orbits, even comets and solar flares wiped out the first steps toward intelligent life on many of the Goldilocks planets.” Zaron took another sip of brandy, fortifying himself with some liquid courage.

  “Sarran’s seven moons took most of the asteroid hits that would have destroyed intelligent life. We also somehow managed the stewardship of the planet so we were not destroyed by greenhouse gases that could have turned the planet barren like your Mars.”

  “What about wars? Humans are constantly wasting resources making war on each nation state and thereby inhibiting progress toward scientific exploration,” Syn asked. She walked across the room to sit by Bron who visibly relaxed when she came near.

  “The topography of Sarran precluded any natural barriers that could form isolated populations. Therefore, the Sarran people settled early into a four tribe system based on their geographical location. The tribes spoke a common language. The northern tribe was the LightClan, named in antiquity for the long planting evenings.

  The southern tribe became FireClan and called the high desert their home. The clans of the east and the west were Water and Air.”

  “As I understand it, we live in Castle Air yet you and Bron are Fire and Light,” Syn persisted.

  “Yes, here is the crux of the matter. The Sarran civilization flourished until the time of the first genetic manipulation. The Ministry of Science found ways to make the Sarran DNA and RNA produce proteins which made the Sarran Warriors physically larger, stronger, and more intelligent than their brethren on other worlds. The experiment became a lesson in the book of unintended consequences.”

  “Jonal and Tonas told me about it. The genetic experiment caused the population to produce fewer fem,” Anya jumped in. “Speaking as a physician, that is something that could have been studied and rectified if the science was there.”

  “Just as it took multiple generations of Earthen humans to recognize that they were killing their planet; It took three generations for the Ministry of Science to agree that statistically, the fempring birthrate diminished to a worrisome level.”

  “Yes,” Mark said to Anya. Humans, any humans are adroit at suppressing evidence they don’t want to see.”

  “That was the case here. Two additional generations wasted precious time by claiming the phenomenon represented a natural cycle that would self-correct. By the fifth generation, the civil government of the time admitted that yes, the fempring birthrate had decreased yearly since the aborted attempt at genetic manipulation. There was now only one fempring born for every two offspring. The Ministry of Science warned that the trend could continue to the point where the Sarrans would cease to be, or it could reach a plateau.”

  Bron took up the story. “Some of the ClanElders wished to import fems from other planets, others argued for further genetic engineering. While the government and the Elders debated, the individual clans took action. Brutal war came to Sarran.”

  Jonal sighed. “What Bron isn’t saying is that we practiced genocide on our own. Within each clan, fems known to have produced fempring were taken from their homes by the nobility, raped repeatedly until they were breeding, and kept in that condition until the desired fempring was produced. Any boy child born of the unions was strangled at birth.”

  “How horrible!” Syn said, shuddering at the madness of a civilization she previously saw as superior to her own. She walked across the room and refilled her brandy glass and Anya’s with Tierest juice.

  Tigger chimed in, ::Even cats overbreed. The survival instinct is strong. It takes intelligence and sentience to stop that kind of madness.::

  Duchess nodded her head in agreement. ::Sentient felines paid for the over breeding of our less gifted brethren.::

  “What happened next,” Mark asked.

  “Before this, Sarrans were already in space exploring our neighboring star systems. Because of the crisis, all Sarran space exploration ceased. The council disbanded and the planet descended into nine hundred years of barbarism. Science, except for the art of war, was lost. Art, music, and creativity ceased to be options. All Sarrans became Warriors.”

  “But what happened to end this stupid war?” Syn asked with a tone of disdain in her voice.

  “FireClan and LightClan watched as the Air and WaterClans rendered themselves extinct. All technology was lost and in the final battle, we tragically lost two of the
four Sarran Tribes.”

  “In other words, half the population,” Mark interjected.

  “Yes, the final battle between Water and Air was brought on by a singular act of brutality. In spite of the truce declared by all clans at the request of our Goddess, the reigning Prince of the Water Clan stole the much loved wife of the Prince of Air. The truce was broken and the two clans met for battle on the Taragrassa Plains.”

  “Didn’t Fire and Light try to stop the carnage?” Mark asked.

  “We managed to compel a truce until the Prince of WaterClan raped the Princess of Air on the battlefield in front of all the assembled troops.” Zaron took a breath.

  “The act, as intended, was incendiary. There was no stopping them after that. Like your General Custer the Clans fought to the last man. When they realized the battle would be to the death, Water and Air went for the women and in an act unparalleled in Sarran history began the wholesale slaughter of fem, fempring, and offspring.” Tears rolled down Zaron’s face.

  “Fire and Light were prepared for battle but the sheer madness of what happened before them convinced them to keep the peace. The princes Darjet and Rojay met in the cottage of the last surviving member of Castle Air, a wizened fem, Zorna, who was an acolyte of the Goddess Ulna in her youth.”

  Bron, who alternately paced and raged throughout the story began to speak again.

  “The next bit of history comes directly from the Codex, the laws by which all Sarrans are bound.”

  Zaron took an ancient scroll from a beautifully carved cabinet and read, ‘‘Zorna’s form lit up with an inner glow that pulsed with the energy of the Sarran land. ‘You cruelly used your fems and bled the land. You diverged from the path the First Ones intended you to walk. In light of these great transgressions, Sarran Warriors will forever be in thrall to their fems. Gather together what is left of your science and bring it to this plain. On the plain of the Taragrassa, named for the Goddess Moon, there will be a healing.’ The light faded and Zorna fell to the floor.

  “That evening Zorna presented the beginnings of the Codex to the Sarran Clans. It began with the Rights of Birth. They were—Shelter, guaranteed from birth, Sustenance—a Sarran would never experience hunger. Education—from birth till death a Sarran possesses the right to learn. Medical Care—from birth until death all care will be extended and all effort devoted to keep you well. For your disrespect and cruelty to your fems, each Sarran Warrior must first mate with a Warrior of his opposite clan, only after this bonding may Sarrans claim their fem. From this point on, you will share what was stolen.

  ‘‘And thus began the foundation of Sarran law, the Codex.”

  Zaron looked at the stunned faces around him. “From that point on all Sarrans were trained as Warriors to protect our fem from any outside harm. We went back to space and in our absence other space faring civilizations appeared. All Sarrans were genetically modified so that the bond between two Warriors could be created, and they together must find their fem.”

  Zaron turned to look directly at Syn, “That, Pa Chette, is why WarriorPairs will do anything to keep their fem safe and happy.”

  “Aside from the obvious ramifications of the loss of your fem, how did this play out politically?” Mark asked. When Bron went to pour him another glass of brandy, he refused.

  “I believe I want to stay sober to hear the rest of this.”

  “After the loss of our fem from the Zyptz virus there were the same arguments proposed as were proposed after the council first realized the dearth of fempring births,” Zaron continued.

  “Cloning was proposed and discarded because of the threat of potential fatal loss of our psy in the process. For the same reason we refused to take fem from the Galactic Council planets. They all experimented with genetics and we couldn’t take the risk that one of their planned mutations would collide with the two genetic manipulations that were made on Sarran. We needed to find fem from a civilization where the science didn’t possess the ability to change the original gene stock, the stock with which the First Ones peppered the galaxy; yet were prepared to accept the reality of alien life,” Jonal explained.

  “As you know, we found Earth; to our great delight Earth retained psy ability in their recessive genetic spiral. The rest is our recent history; however, something remains to be told.

  “Like people of psychic ability on Earth, the degree of that ability varies. On Sarran that variation became pronounced for certain individuals. They are the HiPsy. Before the Zyptz war there were only five individuals on the planet who possessed this ability. They were my late fempring Nerissa, Naffie, ourselves, and Juraens,” Bron said. “During the Zyptz war we found others with this ability and formed the PsyOps. Garlance and Stoker are HiPsy.

  “There may have been others outside of PsyOps, but they likely hide their ability like we did,” Juraens said, downing the rest of his brandy.

  “We have since discovered that Jonal, Tonas, and Anya possess this ability. We all were aware of their joining into Triad. Syn also has it. She heard Naffie from space. The cats have gained in ability since their exposure to the Sarrans, so too have the fem.”

  Bron went to Syn who sat in one of the chairs and pulled her into his arms.

  “In the Earthen fem we found more than we expected. Where we had resigned ourselves to an empty union with women who had no psy ability, we found a strain of psy that naturally existed in the Earthen genome.” Zaron smiled.

  “I still don’t get the politics involved.” Mark was annoyed. “The history lesson was fascinating, however it has nothing to do with the current situation.”

  “The means to change the Earthen fem into vessels that could possibly bond with Sarran Warriors was in the Medical Lab of the Brightstar. Bane planned to pass on the technology to the Galactic Council.’’

  “I don’t understand. You are willing to share your technology with Earth, our planet that is backward, yet you’re unwilling to share psy.” Syn’s eyes shot fire.

  “This is a natural progression of the genome left to us by the First Ones. Each race must come into it naturally. We carefully selected the fem from Earth, taking only those who reacted violently to the virus. This proved they held great psychic potential which could possibly be released by mating in Triad,” Zaron explained.

  “The problem with HiPsy is that it is so limited within the population. The potential for abuse of those who possess it is massive,” Bron interjected.

  Mark said, “I know that first hand, the military took me from my parents at an early age and I grew up in what was basically a science lab.”

  “The story of the Codex is a cautionary tale. What is a scarce commodity becomes precious and humanoids will do anything to possess it,” Zaron said.

  “So, until the ability is widespread it makes sense to keep those few who have it under wraps,” Mark concluded.

  ::Exactly!:: Bron, Zaron, and Juraens chorused.

  * * * *

  Syn thought about all that was said that evening. She had insisted on cleaning up. It gave her time to clear her mind. Duchess bade Tigger goodbye and joined her in the kitchen. Although it was a long day, Syn was anticipating the night to come. She had questions, lots of them, that she didn’t want to ask in front of the others.

  She knew she was empathic, but she thought that it was due to her life experience. She accepted mind speech, after all, she communicated with Duchess and Naffie before she even left the ship. When she encountered Zaron on the ship, her head buzzed and she too heard the light stirrings of a melody. All of that made sense; as did the rules laid down in the Codex.

  After the horrors dealt to the fem during the ClanWars, she felt that future fems certainly deserved some ass kissing. What she found hard to deal with was the Goddess Ulna. Syn had no use for organized religion on Earth and felt no lack of morality for her non-participation. But Anya told her that the Goddess Ulna actually comes and blesses each Triad. Anya, with her very Catholic upbringing wouldn’t find it as hard to believ
e as I do.

  If she went into the Triad as a non-believer, would the bonding still take? She needed answers to these questions before she climbed the stairs. Duchess sat patiently waiting for Syn to finish. ::You’re worrying this to death. Does there seem to be mass worship around here? Are there churches? Temples?:: Duchess picked up her paw and began to wash her face.

  ::Really Syn, what do you have to lose?::

  ::Two wonderful men who seem to love me exactly as I am; that’s what I have to lose…::

  ::They know you and you know them. Whatever this Goddess turns out to be—your Warriors think you can cope. They’re waiting for you and Tigger’s waiting for me.::

  “Both of you have been neutered, what’s with that?”

  ::Juraens says the scientists here have ways to fix that. I’d think I’d like longhaired Tiggers.::

  With that remark Duchess lifted her tail and left the room to go up the stairs.

  * * * *

  Chapter 7

  “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

  — Anaïs Nin

  Syn gathered up her courage in two hands and climbed the stairs; her Warriors were waiting for her in the master suite. She wasn’t worried about the sex, they already saw her naked and had no complaints, it was the emotional intimacy, the actual bond that caused her distress. I’m already in love with them, I didn’t recognize it with Zaron until it hit me in the face on the tarmac. It will be devastating if their Goddess—if there is such a person—rejects me as unsuitable because of my past.

  A woman’s voice, soft yet commanding, touched her mind. ::Of all the Earthen fems I picked you, Cynthia Sinclair, to be one with Zaron and Bron. They need the support of a strong fem. A fem who knows that life isn’t always fair or pleasant; who can understand their grief by having survived her own. You will mend their hearts and your own heart will follow. You need to learn to trust and they need someone who is strong enough to shoulder some of their burden. Be not afraid, my daughter, your destiny is to be beloved by many.::