by A. C. Katt
who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink,
but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.
―Leonardo da Vinci
The Duchy/Silver Sea Village: 11:30 tines
“The Te declared this rising a holiday. I’d like to get to know the Warriors in our new village. Meg, would you like it if we called Sara, Mark, and Juraens and had lunch at the tavern?” Tarin asked as he opened the door of Falling Waters for his Fox and his little one.
“Yes, that would be lovely.” Meg was smiling from ear to ear.
“We also need to pick out some material so the tailor can make you some dresses until you have time to make your own. You also need shoes and Sarran gowns. You might want to improve on Sarran designs. We haven’t had a dress designer for the fem on Sarran since before the Zyptz.” Tarin pulled her into his arms and gave her a hug.
“One or two things would be nice, but you can’t spend all your credits on me.”
Sam laughed. “Dearheart, we will spend our credits this rising because you are our fem, but you have credits of your own. The dress designs you uploaded to the fabricator were copied at least two-thousand times in the last half-tide. At five credits per design that gives you ten thousand credits. Certainly enough to add to the household coffers and to buy a closetful of made dresses, shoes, and small clothes. You probably have more credits than any other fem on Sarran.”
Meg’s mouth fell open in shock. “I thought everything was free.”
Tarin explained. “As I told Sam, that’s a misconception, little one. People need to be rewarded for their work. The government allocates credits to those who do creative work and place it on the fabricator for all. Food items uploaded gain no credits, nor do Sarran clothing designs. These have been here since before our fems passed. But your designs are new, the result of your agile brain; the government will compensate you for them. Just as we compensated the craftsmen for the made items at the Duchy. After about one cycle when the designs are no longer fresh and going out of style, you will receive a gradually decreasing amount of credits until they join the other common items that are fabricated daily.”
“So the government is actually paying me for my designs.” Meg’s expressive blue eyes sparkled.
“Think of it as a limited patent or copyright, as you will. Everything you hand make will still bring you credits even if you use the fabricated designs because it’s made, not fabricated, which is the ultimate cachet on Sarran.” Sam kissed her on the back of the neck. Meg’s head pivoted to face Sam.
He continued, “Falling Waters is filled with made items as a gift to Tarin because he designed the baby monitors, an essential item. Every time someone downloads his design, he gets twenty credits, just as you received twenty credits each for the gowns you made for the Ta.” Sam smiled. “The Duchy was awarded to Tarin because of the Sky Shield he designed with Bron. “I’m the freeloader here. I made some credits speculating on coffee, chocolate, and cocoa, but I won’t have more until we return to Earth to import more trade goods. So you two are going to have to support me and I have a terrible coffee habit. Coffee is expensive.”
“Oh, my fox, you will get credits in your capacity as a council Te and as the Advisor on Earthen Affairs. You will not be as you say, penniless. We can afford your coffee.”
“Let me call Sara and her Warriors. We can spend the doubletines shopping and have the midtines meal at the tavern. We’ll have Sara, her Warriors, Michael, and of course, Naffie. That will give Syn a break while she cares for bebe Nara.”
This time to call Sara, Sam used the comm. “Good midtines, femspring. Would you, your Warriors, Michael, and Naffie like to go to the tavern in Silver Sea for the midtines meal? My treat.”
“I’ll ask Mark and Juraens, you don’t mind if we bring the offspring? I’m sure Syn, Bron, and Zaron need some sleep. Bron is trying to design some things to make carrying the baby easier for the fem and their Warriors. I looked up the Babies R Us catalog on the comm and gave him some ideas.” Sara went quiet for a moment.
“Since you already had Michael, you would know. We bow to your experience.”
“I just asked about going to the tavern and they said yes. We’re going to corral the offspring and we’ll be over to you in fifteen mots.” Sara cut off the comm.
“They’ll be here in fifteen mots,” Sam announced.
“I’d better comb my hair.” Meg got up to go to her dressing room.
“Little one, would you mind if we did your hair? It’s the duty of a Sarran Warrior to dress his fem when they go out. Since you are already dressed, let us do your hair.”
“All right, I’m not very good at hair and makeup anyway. I’ve always worn a bun and no makeup. Da forbade me from going to the beauty salon and he got all my wages, so I couldn’t buy makeup.”
Sam’s blood boiled. “You can get as much makeup as you like although you are a natural beauty.”
“There is makeup in the replicator the Sarran fems who passed used to use and the Earthen fems added some of their own. Ask Sara and Syn what they think you need, they always look natural although I know both our femspring and Syn wear makeup.” Tarin took the styling brush from Sam. “Sam is new at this; I have to show him how. We had a course at the Academy on how to use the styling brush.”
Tarin brushed Meg’s hair until it shone and the ends curled slightly under. He parted the hair and placed the left side behind her ear. Going over to the fabricator, Sam watched Tarin replicate a silver filigree barrette to hold it out of her eyes. He placed her silver shoes on her feet. “You’re ready.”
The bell rang. Sara, Mark, Juraens, and the offspring were in the courtyard. Sam answered the door and invited them inside.
“This place is cool, Grandpa. I like it better than your old house.” Michael held up his arms for hugs and kisses from everyone.
::The reason Michael needs all these hugs and kisses can be traced back to Bradley and his dislike of displays of affection. Now hugs and kisses tell Michael he’s loved. Whenever I think about my former son-in-law’s outright abuse and Meg’s sire’s careless cruelty, my blood pressure goes up,:: Sam sent to Tarin.
::Easy, my fox. Meg’s Sire died a painful death—cirrhosis of the liver. As far as Bradley is concerned, be satisfied that he is being tortured every day by the other inmates who don’t like child abusers.::
They walked through the village with all six cats trailing behind them until they reached the tavern. “May we have a table for eight?” Tarin asked the owner whose nametag read Jone.
“Certainly TeTarin, TeSamuel, TaMeg, welcome and welcome to TeMark, TeJuraens, and TaSara. Are these your offspring?”
“Michael is mine, Naffie is TaSyn’s Triad’s offspring. The offspring claim a bond and refuse to be separated.” Sara laughed.
“Bonding early is a sign of hi- psy levels. You and TaSyn are fortunate in your offspring. They will serve Saran well. What would you like to eat?”
Sam spoke up. “You should try the borad steak. It tastes like pork but better.”
“Borad steak is really good,” Naffie told Michael.
“I guess it’s borad steak for everyone. Do you have a size that the offspring can eat?” Tarin asked.
“Yes, they can share a Warrior’s portion. Would the fem like a fem-sized portion?”
“I think so, for me anyway,” Meg told the tavern keeper.
“Me too,” Sara agreed.
“After last moontine, the cats eat for free,” Jone said. ::Esteemed cats, would you also like to try borad steak?::
::Yes,:: Aloysius replied. ::Large chunks for Chou, Midnight, and me, and smaller portions for Bandit, Shadow, and Snowy.::
“So, what are your plans for this rising besides the midtines meal, Daddy?”
“Meg needs to either order some made clothing or purchase material if she wants to make it herself.�
��
“You should have some things made up right away. The Ta go to Syn’s next rising for coffee. Bring your own teabags because everyone else sent their tea to you!” Sara’s laugh tinkled through the tavern and Meg giggled.
Jone came back to the table. “I’ve brought Tierest juice for the fems and offspring and lagger for the Warriors.”
“That’s fine, Jone. Did you bond last rising?”
“No, my Tyer and I bonded with Kate when she came in with TaSyn on Brightstar’s first voyage. Kate makes jewelry. She has a shop down the square.”
“We’ll be sure to visit when we finish our meal,” Tarin said, then he took a large swallow of lagger.
“Try this, Mark, it’s better than beer,” Sam said.
Mark took a swallow. “You’re right, it is.”
Juraens turned to Tarin and said, “The Sky Shield worked.”
“It would have worked better had we not had a traitor planet side.”
“No one expected Hilnut to be a traitor. He’d been with Zaron and Bron for years.”
“Bron searched his room this dawntine. He found an old pamphlet advocating the cloning solution instead of the Earthen fems. He must have felt betrayed by his leaders when the fem became pregnant right away and proved to have off-the-chart psy. His comm unit contained rants about Warriors being traitors to real Sarran fem.”
“Sounds like Stoker at work to me.” Mark cut of piece of meat.
“I would say that Stoker recruited him, but who was his handler after Stoker was executed?” Juraens asked. “That’s the question of the hour.”
“Syn said we should look for Warriors with wavy auras or auras that change color. I think they learned how to suppress the red or black ones when they found us looking for them at the birthing classes.” Mark took a sip of his lagger.
“There has to have been a handler. Hilnut wasn’t that bright. The plan was brilliantly conceived. He wouldn’t have thought of it,” Mark said thoughtfully.
“Whoever it is, he must be an unbonded Warrior. If he were bonded, the other half of the pair would be distressed because he’d know his bonded was keeping secrets, either that or he’s in on it.” Juraens seemed thoughtful.
“I don’t think it was a bonded Warrior. Whomever he was, he couldn’t take the chance of detection and his bonded would have known. Besides, from what I saw most of the unbonded WarriorPairs found fems last moontine.” Sam frowned.
“Whomever it is dangerous because he’s managed to remain undetected for so long,” Juraens added. “We have to find out if there were any Warriors who didn’t attend the birth classes and didn’t attend the mixing.”
“If they felt going into Triad with an Earthen fem was wrong, they couldn’t bond to a Warrior because they would run the danger of being bond struck by a fem. I’m newly bonded and I know I’m unable to keep anything from Tarin. How much more so would that be with a pair who have been bonded for years. I think this guy is not bonded and disgruntled.”
“Did anyone take attendance at the birthing classes or the mixing?” Meg asked. “I know they kept track of us.”
“Who kept track of you? No one was assigned to keep track of the fem. We don’t spy on our fem on Sarran,” Juraens asked sharply.
“He had on the uniform of a Captain. I was late to leave the barracks because I was putting the finishing touches on my dress…and he came in. He surprised me getting dressed. The Warriors never came into the barracks, I wondered about that. He said he was in charge of seeing there were no stragglers. Snowy and Midnight were with me.”
::Bron, Zaron, convene the council at Castle Air. Have them bring the Ta. Hilnut had a co-conspirator. Have Warriors assigned to take the fems in the barracks to the field house and search the barracks for explosives. I’ll explain when we get there. We’ll transport in five mots.::
“Jone, charge this to the council account. We have to go.”
“What about our lunch?” Naffie asked.
“Bring it with you. Transport yourself and Michael to the kitchen. Tell Garlance and Emot not to leave your side and wait for further instructions,” Juraens directed.
“Come on Michael. Take your plate. We’ll return them next rising,” Naffie told him.
* * * *
The Te and Ta all transported into Castle Air’s courtyard. Syn came out the kitchen door.
“Anya, Adele, Ellen, take the bebes to the nursery with their minders. We need to go to the conference room.” Syn turned to a Garlance and said, “I’m making you personally responsible for the offspring and the bebes. If anything happens to them, I’m going after you.”
“Yes TaSyn, you can count on me.”
“Are you sure, Syn?” Adele asked nervously.
“I can see his aura, it’s clean.”
The Te and the Ta assembled in the conference room. Bron snapped, “I thought this was handled last moontine.”
“There is new information. TaMeg told us something at midtines that suggests Hilnut had a partner,” Juraens said.
“What is the new information?” Zaron asked.
“A Captain came into the fem barracks after all of the fem were supposed to have left last moontine. TaMeg was still there putting the finishing touches on her dress because she helped all of the others first. The Captain startled her and he told her he was assigned to pick up stragglers. She rushed, finished dressing, and left the barracks with Snowy and Midnight. All three said the Warrior had a wavy aura,” Mark reported.
Syn spoke up, “Meg was about ten mots late last moontine…”
Snowy jumped up to the table. “I can see him in my head. Can you look?”
“It would probably be better if you read me,” Meg said quietly.
“Meg, you don’t have to do this,” Sam protested.
“Yes, I do. Sarran have given me you and Tarin, friends, and a life other than taking in other people’s wash and mending. I have to give back. Go ahead TeZaron, read me.”
“TeSamuel, TeTarin do I have your permission to read your fem?” Zaron asked.
“Meg is her own person. If she gives her consent, she has our support.” Sam glanced at Tarin who nodded his head.
“Come stand by me Meg, I’m going to put my hands around your head and touch your forehead with mine.” Zaron took a step towards Meg. She relaxed and closed her eyes.
“Vocar…he’s on the Brightstar. Mark, Juraens, transport up to the ship and have the Admirals do a thorough search. Find Vocar and any known associates. You have my permission to invade his mind. Find his associates and round them up. When you find them, space them on the spot. TaMeg and the cats were correct. He had a wavy aura.”
Meg sat down a little unsteady on her feet. Syn brought her some Tierest juice. She gulped it down. Sam disappeared for about five mots and came back with a cup of tea. Meg looked up in thanks.
::I’m broadcasting on all channels. We found a nest of five vipers. Juraens read all of them, they’re guilty. One of them said the Goddess was angry and hadn’t given him a bond with a fellow Warrior because of the Earthen fem.:: Mark’s mind voice conveyed his disgust.
::Delusional…:: Juraens added.
::The disposition?:: Bron asked.
::They’ve been spaced. Unfortunately without the cats’ rather creative help,:: Mark said bluntly.
* * * *
TeAxit walked into the conference room. “The barracks were searched. The team found explosives timed to go off as soon as all the remaining fems got back to the barracks this moontine. I think we got all of them.”
“We searched Hilnut’s quarters. He kept a list. We captured everyone on that list and they were executed on Brightstar. They were all unbonded Warriors.” Bron held up the list.
“We can’t afford to lose another Warrior to this madness. How can they possibly think that the Earthen fem are less? Every single Earthen fem that has bonded is now pregnant. We have proof that the bebes are healthy.” Zaron sighed.
“In the pamphlet they claimed t
hat the bebes won’t have psy. How can we prove that they do without waiting until they can talk?”
::I’ve been given permission by the Goddess to reveal one of the secrets in the fem archives. All of the Zinnas have been able to speak to their bebes in the womb since about nine phases into the pregnancy. They talk to us but their psy isn’t strong enough to project far. They can only speak to the person holding them. Physical contact is a condition of their ability until the can speak and they will all speak early,:: Syn announced.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Bron exclaimed.
“Because the Goddess didn’t think it was necessary for the Warriors to know until now. That’s why we needed the baby psy monitors. They can only speak to us if we’re holding them. With the psy monitor, they can call us to them without the physical contact,” Anya backed Syn up. Ellen and Adele nodded.
Juraens and Mark teleported into the conference room at the tail end of the conversation. “Do the other fems know about this?”
“Everyone who is more than nine phases pregnant,” Syn answered.
“Because of the nature of the situation, the Goddess feels it’s finally the time to let our Warriors know about the fem archives. The Sarran fem always knew. The Goddess told us when we became pregnant. That’s how we found out about the mind block to take away the pain of childbirth,” Adele said simply.
“Is there anything else we should know to help our fem?” Tarin asked.
“It is because the Goddess feels she can finally trust the Warriors to do what is necessary to aid their fem that she agreed to reveal the existence of the archives now. The bebes are all going to be HiPsy and some of them may have abilities that surpass the abilities of the first ones.” Syn sat down next to her WarriorPair.
An ethereal voice spoke, ::I have carefully picked the Ta. They are my daughters and I selected them for their intelligence, compassion, and their ability to judge right from wrong. Earth and Sarran were always meant to mix their genes when the right time came. I thought that we had time before the crises, that Earth would have achieved unity. But the Zyptz early arrival put an end to my timetable. Earthen genes are the missing quotient of the Sarran psy equation. You are now permitted entry to the fem archives, but should the Sarran slip into the ways of their forefathers, my wrath will be terrible to behold.::