“Who for?”
Ai held up her hands in a gesture of peace. “Would you believe me if I told you?”
Aviva tried to read her body language. She looked vulnerable standing there naked, but she now suspected Ai could easily overpower her. At that moment Eli walked up behind Aviva. “What the fuck is going on? You two are scaring the shit out of me.”
“Sit on the bed,” Aviva snapped. “Be careful what you say and do.”
Eli complied but Aviva could sense she was also carefully considering her options.
“Uedo has connections with yakuza,” said Ai.
Eli’s eyes grew wide with fear.
“And you?” Aviva demanded.
“No. Look, let’s take this to the living room. I’m not going to try anything. There’s no point. I’m assuming you are well resourced and can have us both silenced.”
Aviva looked at Eli who was beginning to tremble. “Do you promise to abide by the principle of makoto?”
Ai gave a quick, traditional bow. “Hai, boku wa yakasuko shimasu. But you must promise the same in return.”
“Will you two please tell me what the fuck is going on,” Eli pleaded.
“I am samurai, onna-bugeisha,” said Ai calmly. “We are sorry to involve you in this but if we tell you, you must swear by your life to keep it a secret.”
“Are you for real? Or what, you’ll kill me?”
“Not if you are happy to be bribed, or better still, to come work for me,” said Aviva, equally calmly. “And I too am sorry. I really did just want a holiday.”
Ai bowed again and reached for a simple cotton yukata. She waved for Eli to come to her. “Don’t worry, if you play it smart, you’ll profit handsomely.”
Eli stood slowly and allowed Ai to guide her to the living room. When Ai had reassured Eli she turned to Aviva. “There is a network of concerned Japanese citizens independent of the government,” said Ai without hesitation. “They believe Japanese society, the world, has been corrupted. As you may understand, my job gives me access to certain secrets…”
“Uyoku dantai?”
“Zetta ni arimasen… We are progressives. The nationalists have connections to yakuza and the corporations. But I don’t need to tell you this, do I?” Ai stared at Aviva. It was her time to talk.
“I’m head of security at Shunyata. We have vital assets it is my job to protect.”
Eli shook her head in disbelief. “The computer company?”
Ai took a deep breath. “I see. So that confirms the suspicion. Personally I did not believe it.”
“Believe what?” asked Eli, totally confused.
Ai looked at Aviva to see who would be the first to tell Eli. Aviva nodded to Ai because she wanted to hear how much she had just figured out. “It seems Shunyata is working on interstellar travel too. Of course you had no idea your news would expose our secrets,” Ai said as she smiled at Eli. “But that’s why Aviva reacted the way she did. Perhaps Shunyata is more advanced.” Ai looked back at Aviva but she remained blank. “And judging by that implacable expression I’d guess they are definitely more advanced…”
“You said Uedo had yakuza connections?” Aviva demanded.
“The yakuza have been attempting to go legitimate for some time. They have invested heavily in certain key corporations. If we do not act then the future looks bleak: a group of multinational criminal elites will control everything, and now interstellar travel. I am hoping that my other guess is correct and that Shunyata knows this and that you are part of the solution. If you are not, I will have to kill you.” Ai looked at Eli. She was asking her to choose a side.
“That won’t be necessary. You are correct. And here I must make a calculated decision to trust you both.” She looked directly at Ai and held her gaze. It was the only choice she had. She knew that in order to protect herself, Eli would likely side with Ai, and she could not hope to defend herself against them both. “Yes, Shunyata is well advanced. We already have a team on another planet. If Uedo are what you say they are, then you will understand they must be stopped.”
Ai sighed and nodded in the formal Japanese manner. “Hai, wakarimasu - I understand.”
“Sorry, did you just say there are people on another fucking planet?” Eli exclaimed, half with excitement, half with shock.
“Yes,” said Aviva. “And if you play your cards right, you might be able to join them, but you’ll have to sign a confidentiality agreement and forget about your life here on Earth.”
Eli was having trouble digesting the news but Aviva could tell she had won her over. She looked at Ai who acknowledged the sudden change in dynamics.
“Sunda, so we must become allies?” said Ai, finally deciding to sit. “I must inform my friends. You must do your security checks.”
“How far in are you?” asked Aviva as she sat.
“The CEO has hired me three times. He is overconfident and therefore lazy with security. I have helped him sleep and accessed his laptop.”
“You’re a hooker and a spy?” Eli asked, still in a state of shock.
Ai was offended and reacted with angry pride. “Iee, zettai ni nai - no. I am onna-bugeisha, samurai.”
“What, like a ninja or something?” Eli asked innocently. Ai frowned.
“No, the samurai and ninja did not get on,” Aviva explained.
Ai sighed and gave a faint smile and a nod of resignation. “Hai - although she is partially correct in that we have been reduced to the level of kunoichi. A samurai would not normally engage in espionage. They were trained for direct confrontation. So, perhaps now is the time for me to unpack the tokutei meishõ-shu. I had planned it for our last day. It is appropriate for us to toast our alliance, Shinto style.”
“Toku… What?” asked Eli, still confused.
“Sake,” said Aviva. “The very special, ceremonial kind.”
“Before lunch?”
“Why not?” Ai protested. “I’ll teach you the correct ceremony and entertain you with a traditional song, geisha style. I always pack a shamizan, although it’s not to everyone’s taste. Then we can kiss and make up.”
120
Alice and Tshering
She was standing in front of a full-sized mirror, vainly hoping to see any hint of puberty. The first sign was usually puffiness around the nipples but they were as flat as always. She looked down at her pubic mound for a sign of even one, solitary hair, but there was nothing, not that she really thought there would be. Her family history suggested she had at least another year to wait. Of course, she had thoroughly researched the subject, especially the genetic sequences responsible for triggering puberty. Unsurprisingly it was not a high priority research area. What little research there was focused on delaying precocious puberty, not inducing it. It was damn frustrating. The Crickets had accepted her mental and emotional maturity, and Akash had finally overcome his reservations, but it was the others that concerned her now. They couldn’t seem to get past her stupid child’s body. If she were going to Eden she would expect to be treated as an equal, not indulged as some kind of precocious brat. She knew what was said behind her back, she could read the looks of condescension, the sudden change in topic, especially in regard to allegedly adult topics, most especially sex. It was ridiculous and puerile. Technically she knew more than any of them, and as for the practical side? Well, she was proving to be very competent, very competent indeed.
Yet, as frustrating as it was, it was the reality. She had to accept that many of the away team would have difficulty accepting her as an equal. To try and push things would only create tension.
She looked at her body again. She had grown and was starting to lose her earlier puppy fat. She had been told she was pretty but she couldn’t see it. What did it mean anyway? Beauty was arbitrary and changed over time. The Korean ideal had changed considerably from the feudal era to the modern, and she despised the modern obsession with a manufactured pop beauty. She was more concerned about practical issues. She would like longer, ath
letic legs like Freja, and her shoulders could be broader to enable greater upper body strength. She stretched her fingers wide - she could also do with longer fingers to help her reach on the piano. And she wasn’t at her optimal fitness; she was still a little bit soft and pudgy. Perhaps she should take up some sport, gymnastics appealed, although she didn’t exactly have a gymnast’s physique either. Maybe weight lifting? Her legs were strong and she rather liked the idea of being strong. Or something less taxing, like yoga?
She had made up her mind but her decision necessarily involved others. As primary wife Tshering would need to know first. She put on a silk robe and walked out into the living area. Tshering was putting away groceries. Silently she began to help her in the familiar domestic chore. When they had finished she took a deep breath. “I’ve made a decision.”
Tshering could tell by the tone in her voice that Alice was serious and she had learned to pay careful attention. Alice did not like to be patronised. “About?”
“I’m not going to Eden, at least, not on this jump.”
Tshering raised her eyebrows and folded her arms. This was a complete surprise. “And you have informed Akash?”
“Not yet. I thought you should know first as I plan to come to Switzerland and I understand that might create some difficulties.”
Tshering nodded. It did create difficulties. Whilst they could get away with their peculiar domestic arrangements in Bhutan, Switzerland was another matter entirely.
“Your reasoning?” She asked without emotion, knowing that Alice liked directness.
“A number of things have changed. Paloma for one. She can replace me in terms of physical labour, sharing the menial tasks. In fact she will be better than me at many things. The second reason is Akash’s contact with the Laurels. My primary interest has always been genetics and I feel I should meet them. Some might be potential candidates for the colony. And the third reason is that I am not confident everyone will accept me as an adult member, some still see me as a child. I would find that intolerable.”
“I see,” Tshering said as she turned on the kettle. “Tea?”
Alice nodded and reached for a canister of locally grown tea. “What do you think?”
“Well, those are all logically sound, but you have neglected to consider emotional reasons. Perhaps you are afraid of leaving Earth? Eden might turn out to be rather a dull place, beautiful but dull. You might get bored.”
“Well I would if I was expected to conform to prejudiced notions of how I should behave because of my chronological age…”
“But I think you have missed an important emotion, one that you are perhaps unfamiliar with.”
Alice frowned as she carefully measured the correct amount of tea into the teapot. “You have seen something I have missed?”
“Whilst you are indeed psychologically mature, your young age means you are inexperienced. There are many things that are new to you.” Alice was about to object but Tshering held up her hand to stop her. “This is a simple fact. Maturity is as much about life experience as it is intelligence. An old person is wiser because they have accumulated years of experience. There is no way around this. Yes, you will learn quicker than most, but because of your young age many experiences will still be unfamiliar…”
“Yes, but I don’t understand…”
Tshering gave a small, patient smile. “Exactly, your intelligence is out of step with your emotions. Take your time to reflect on your emotions. How strong are your feelings toward Akash, toward Pema, toward me?” The kettle stopped boiling and she poured the steaming water into the teapot. Alice was silent. “You see Alice; it is not just a matter of logic but also of emotion, of love. Things have changed between you and Akash. Perhaps you now feel a greater sense of attachment and affection? But how much of it is an infatuation, or even just an experiment to satisfy an intellectual curiosity? I know you adore Pema. But how deep do your feelings go for Akash, for me?”
“Of course I love you, I…”
“I’m simply suggesting you consider your true feelings in your decision. I have noticed your eyes light up when Akash appears and I don’t think you have noticed that you have begun to flirt overtly with him, but what I see is a girl with a crush, nothing more, not yet.”
“I… I… No, I wasn’t aware…” Alice stammered; her face flushed with embarrassment.
Tshering reached out her hand to comfort her. “But you must be aware if you are to come to Switzerland. People most often betray secrets through their emotions: a look that is inconsistent with the words being spoken, body language that is incongruent with what the mind is telling itself. This is where your inexperience is most apparent. You are not yet aware of the ways in which your emotions might betray your reason. You naively think you are in control, but you are not, not yet. You have to understand the emotion as it arises so you can learn to control it.”
“This is another level in my training?” she asked, slightly humiliated.
“It will become much more important for you to learn control. You delude yourself if you think Switzerland will be easier. We will be keeping many secrets. Exposing just one may jeopardise everything we have worked for.”
“I understand…”
Tshering sighed and then blew on her hot tea. “That’s the thing, I am not sure you do. You will have to play a very complex game of deception. You cannot give any hint of our family arrangements. You dare not betray even a hint of unusual intimacy or raise any suspicion. Outwardly you will have to play the dependent child. We will be socialising much more. I think you may have to suppress your sexual precocity even more than you would have to on Eden, as difficult as that may be for you. You can take no one into your confidence, other than Akash and myself. At times you will feel lonely, isolated. There may be many nights you cannot share our bed. Nor will you be free to travel as you wish, especially if you want to track down the other Laurels. Very likely you will have to attend some sort of school. I have already investigated home tutoring for Nour and Pema…”
Alice looked crestfallen. “I’d rather thought…”
“They can be rather strict and bureaucratic in Switzerland. Each canton has its own rules. Of course you will continue to instruct Pema and Nour, but we will have to keep up appearances. I am told the Swiss are very communally minded and somewhat conformist.”
“But it would be absurd for me to go to a normal school…”
“I understand. In which case you will likely have to be accepted into a special university program…”
“I would think medicine…”
“If there is a program. These are all things that need to be investigated and arranged. This cannot be done in the few days left before the jump. If you decide to stay you may find that we are unable to arrange things to your liking. Swiss immigration will ask questions about both you and Nour. They will have to agree we are your legal guardians. Maybe we will have to officially adopt you. This will all take months. So, you see, you have not thought this through as thoroughly as you imagined. You must prepare for the possibility you have made an irreversible miscalculation, one where you may find yourself more constrained than on Eden.”
Alice felt tears well in her eyes. She recognised the emotion that was rising like fire. It was anger born of frustration. Her genome was a curse. It had made her a freak, an outcast. And there was hate too, hatred at the stupidity and conformity of humanity. Why were the dim witted in charge, the conformists and the unimaginative? Perhaps her task in life was to oversee a leap in human intelligence, or at least help usher in a new age where a gifted elite ruled on behalf of the genetically disadvantaged, an elite that would understand the gifted?
“Alice?”
She looked at Tshering with shock. She had let herself get distracted.
“Name the emotion.”
“What?”
“You just allowed yourself to be overcome with emotion. Can you name it?”
“Um I…” She struggled to find the words. “Frustra
tion I guess, I…”
“It looked like anger to me, anger at not getting your way. This is what concerns me, especially once you start entering puberty. We must strengthen your training. A mind that shines as brightly as yours should not be held captive by the five demons.”
Alice shook her head. It was now humiliation she was feeling, and anger at Tshering. She was speaking medieval Buddhist gibberish. “What demons?”
“You know precisely what demons. The pancha klesha: ignorance, attachment, anger, pride and jealousy. Do not allow your mind to become poisoned.”
Alice closed her eyes and bowed her head. Tshering was right. She was letting emotion cloud her mind. She took a deep breath. Perhaps there was something to mindfulness, to gaining control. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to be sorry. You are in a difficult position. Akash has told me something of his experience as a child prodigy, the constant frustration. It is his wish that Eden be a place that encourages exceptional talent. He does not want Pema or Nour to face the same difficulties that he did, of not being understood or accepted.”
Alice desperately wanted to change the topic because it always triggered emotion. “You have not talked about how you feel about the change?” She asked Tshering.
Tshering considered Alice for a moment. She knew it was a deliberate distraction but accepted Alice needed time to collect her thoughts. “I understand it is necessary. I will be sad to leave my home, but Akash is right. Bhutan cannot hope to hold off pressure from the powers that surround us. We are all too aware of what has happened to Tibet. In many ways Bhutan is the last refuge of the traditional ways, something I have vowed to protect.”
“But you will be able to return?”
“Yes, periodically, at least for a time, unless things become too difficult. I have asked Akash to consider Bhutan in the negotiations with the Europeans. We will make contingency plans. Fortunately the Tibetans have already established a network of groups in Europe that support the Tibetan community in exile. I will spend some time building on that. There may come a time when the Bhutanese will have to flee their home.”
Paradise Reclaimed Page 88