by Shannah Jay
'Heal the bone instantly?' Met stared at him. 'That's not possible.'
'Much that isn’t possible in the Confederation is possible here. You must open your minds to the differences.' That might be hard. Met had always been a sceptic, a stickler for reason and logic. 'After all,' Davred added, 'you’ll be able to see things as they happen and test the truth of them for yourself. No one will expect you to believe in our ways otherwise.'
Met looked relieved and nodded. 'That seems reasonable enough.'
Davred realised suddenly that the three of them were delaying their exit from the womb-like lifeship and took the initiative. 'Come. Let's get out of this tin box and meet the people of Sunrise.
What do you intend to do with this lifeship?'
A disembodied voice said, 'The lifeship is programmed to go back to the satellite. It will come down to fetch you if you ever need it. You should carry your com-units at all times, in case of emergencies. '
Kerem swung round, hesitating to leave. 'But won't Robler prevent the lifeship from leaving the satellite again?'
'He'll certainly try,' Meera said. 'And he's very experienced in Confederation technology.' She touched the control panel with her thumb, so that the com-system could understand her psychological mood as she made a suggestion. 'Wouldn't it be better to find a place to station this lifeship down here, so that it could get to us quickly if we needed help? It takes so much longer to fly down from the satellite. What if we had a life-threatening emergency? There are, after all, two other lifeships on the satellite. So this one wouldn’t be missed.'
There was a silence, then, 'It makes little difference where this lifeship is stationed, but your chemical analysis shows great anxiety. ' Another pause. 'Where could it stand? Would it be safe?'
Meera looked at Davred.
'It’d be safe in the forest. There are clearings which are large enough. Our herds need this meadow land for grazing. If I take a tracer into the forest later on today, the lifeship could locate me and land quite easily.'
'Proposition accepted,' the quiet voice said.
As they stepped off the lift platform, Davred turned to Met. 'You said the diagnosis-system refused to obey Robler's order to drug Meera. How long has it been acting independently?'
'Only a short time. Robler became very irrational. There's apparently an emergency function to cater for that. You know Confex and its fail-safe approach.' He frowned. 'I'm not sure Robler's quite aware of its extent, though. It's not just the diagnosis-system. The com-system spoke to us alone as we were leaving the satellite and it hasn't put us into direct contact mode with the satellite since then.
And it's just made the decision to keep the lifeship on the planet without consulting him.' He shivered. ‘Robler’s quite insane now.'
As they approached Northwoods, a figure ran out to greet them, calling their names.
'Soo!' Meera ran forward to hug her old friend.
Behind Soo came another figure - Mak, the former medic on the satellite.
Benjan trailed behind them, keeping a careful watch on the newcomers. Davred might vouch for them, but Davred was more trusting than Benjan. These people might mean no harm, but they had different ways, different beliefs, and that could cause trouble inadvertently. There was no harm in being a bit careful. Besides, Benjan found them and their ways quite fascinating. His people from the Hashite Guild would welcome every bit of information they could garner about Those of the Confederation. And as Prime Craftsman Elect of the Third Rank, he well understood his duty.
***
Davred spent the next few days helping his former colleagues to start adjusting to life on the planet. The people of Northwoods tactfully kept their distance. 'Just one thing,' he said, as he started a tour of the town the following morning. 'Don't ever call the people of Sunrise "primitive". Not even privately to me. They aren't. They're just different.'
'I don't wish to be offensive,' Met said, 'but the way they live - surely it would be better to have machines to do the menial work?'
'Better in what way?'
'Well - it would free people to concentrate on more important activities.'
Davred just smiled. 'Did you not enjoy your meal last night?'
'Yes. It was delicious.' Met thought about it and added, 'Actually, it was the best meal I've ever eaten.'
'Lerna, the person supervising the kitchens, has a Gift for cooking. You couldn't get flavours like that with machines. Every time she cooks a dish, it's subtly different, because the contents aren’t uniform. Fruit and vegetables grow in different soils, ripen differently under various weather conditions. And we welcome the differences. Machines would try to allow for them and produce uniform tastes.' Davred grinned. 'I never enjoyed food so much until I came here.' The grin faded.
'But that's only one example of the way the people of the Twelve Claims, when allowed the time and freedom, make every aspect of life an art form.'
'But this woman will have to spend so much time preparing food and cooking it!' Kerem protested.
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'The time is spent doing something she enjoys, and sharing her Gift with others. What else should she be doing with her life?'
Met was unconvinced. 'Furthering the progress of humanity.'
'Rushing around making life more complex,' Davred countered. 'When the war is over, when we get our world back to normal and start very carefully allowing visitors to come to Sunrise, you'll see how rich a quality life here has, both on a social and on a personal level. I’ve never felt as well in the whole of my life, and Confex prides itself on the health of its staff. Nor have I felt as happy, as richly stimulated - in spite of Discord's Shadow.'
He decided that was enough philosophising for the moment and set a cracking pace as they walked around the town. When the newcomers began to look tired, he took them to the nearest group kitchen for a rest and a snack. Even the wall hangings there were a lesson in the richness of life here on Sunrise, because they were so beautiful, as was the carving on the wooden platters.
***
Two days later Davred and Soo took the three newcomers to the meeting house for a Gathering.
Met was a little reluctant, for on his world religion of any kind was considered an outmoded and dangerous anachronism. Kerem and Meera were more open-minded and were quite looking forward to observing the Gathering.
'You may want to participate in it,' Davred warned them with a smile. 'And if so, please feel free to join in.' He saw their dubious expression and didn’t press the point.
Even in the few years since this Meeting House had been built, it had been lovingly adorned. A perfect stone entry arch, crafted and carved by a man from Katia's old town of Danak. A floor made from local woods, but inlaid in curving patterns that suggested foliage.
'This floor is almost too pretty to walk on,' Meera said, looking down at it in awe.
'It's too pretty not to walk on,' Davred corrected. 'Beauty in everything, not set aside to look at.'
He glanced up as a chiming chord sounded. 'I must leave you now. Katia and I will be leading this Gathering. You might feel more comfortable if you sit at the edge and watch, though don't forget, you're welcome to join in.' He vanished through a side door.
When he reappeared, he was clad in Sisterhood blue, thigh-length tunic and loose trousers in a soft silky material, with a blue headband to match. Some of the women in the group of Kindred leading the Gathering were wearing similar tunics and trousers, others the old Sisterhood robes, which fell in elegant folds nearly to the floor. It was one of the small changes that being a Kindred had brought. All of them looked radiantly happy.
Watching them, it suddenly occurred to Meera that she’d never in her whole life seen people look so relaxed and happy without the need for recreational drugs. She leaned forward a little, already fascinated.
Davred clapped his hands sharply. 'Dear friends, let us welcome the visitors from the satellite by showing them a simple round dance.'
Gentle music began to sound and people formed circles, moving slowly to the rhythm, clasping hands as they wove in and out, nodding to the strangers as they passed. Mak and Soo were in one circle, Benjan and Cheral in the front circle with Davred. Gradually, the faces of everyone in the large hall became absorbed in what they were doing, and the atmosphere in the meeting house began to change.
It was as if time slowed and flowed more gently, as if the air was filled with colour and light, as if the people were linked together in one whole. When someone caught Meera's hand and gestured to her to join them, she did so, but the two men shook their heads.
The music stopped, but the feeling only intensified.
'Let us gather,' Davred said, his voice echoing in the sudden silence.
The Kindred at the front sank down to sit cross-legged. The people in the hall followed suit.
Meera did the same simply because she couldn’t remain standing while all around her sat down.
Silence fell softly like summer rain, petals drifting, unvoiced melodies.
Even Met, trying desperately not to let this mood affect him, was caught in the mesh of minds and joy that no one could help feeling in a Gathering.
A gentle eternity later Davred's voice came again. ' Brother, look down upon us all this day.'
And his words were echoed quietly by everyone in the hall.
In ones and twos they stood up, when they were ready - smiling, happy, utterly relaxed - and left to go about their duties. When the blue-clad circle at the front broke up, last of all, Davred made his way to the three strangers at the back of the hall.
He seemed to be surrounded by a flickering nimbus. Kerem blinked his eyes, but the illusion wouldn’t vanish.
Davred stopped and smiled at them. 'Our Brother was very much with us this day. I hope you enjoyed our Gathering.'
'What exactly happened?' Meera asked. 'I've never felt anything like it before.'
'We came together for a few minutes, formed a loving whole, a sort of composite consciousness.'
Davred tried to describe the Gathering in words and images Those of the Confederation would understand. 'You saw it from outside. From inside, it's far more beautiful, believe me. It's the ability to gather fully that marks a person out for the Kindred. It's the most precious of our Gifts, I think, because it fills us with light and happiness which spill over into our days. And we share that feeling with everyone, as much as we can, at these Gatherings, which are held several times a day. There's no obligation to attend, but people seem to enjoy it.'
He let his words sink in, then looked down at himself. 'I must go and change. We still wear Sisterhood blue for our ceremonies, though such clothes aren’t practical for walking in the forests.
We're much freer in the Kindred than the Sisterhood used to be - except when it comes to developing one's inborn Gifts.'
He couldn’t help chuckling. 'Cheral's in charge of training, for anyone who cares to seek it - not just those chosen to join the Kindred, by the way, but anyone at all - and she has very firm views on how things should be done. If you'd like to exercise your bodies and minds, you're welcome to join in the physical training sessions. If you'd like to learn some of our skills, Cheral would welcome you into her classes. If you'd like to come regularly to the Gatherings, you're always welcome. But there's no obligation to do anything. You're free to do as you please. The Kindred don’t impose their beliefs on anyone.'
He left them and went away to change, still moving in a gentle rhythm, as if he could hear melodies around him. When he came back, he brought Katia with him to continue acclimatising his
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colleagues to planet ways.
Their next stop was the arena where Benjan and others from the Hashite Guild trained those who intended to fight the enemy physically if - no when, Davred amended regretfully - Sen-Sether led the attack on the High Alder.
'Swords are very primitive weapons,' Kerem said. 'And bows and arrows - surely you can develop something better than that, something which will give you an advantage over Those of the Serpent?'
'I could,' Davred said, 'if I thought it would help. But the Archives say that at the time of the Ingress, it was decided to abandon weapons of mass destruction. You must see the enemy you intend to kill, know that you're taking a life. And I think the people who chose that path were right.'
'But what if Those of the Serpent develop mass weapons?'
'How could they? Theirs isn’t a technological culture, either.'
'Robler might give them such weapons.'
Davred frowned. 'Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't our weapons made only for self-defence?'
Met nodded.
'I've been worried about that, in case he tried to modify them, I must admit. But you brought me another sort of hope. Tell me - do you think the com-system would allow Robler to fire on the people of the planet?'
'Ah!' Kerem stared at Davred. 'No. I don't think so. Not after what we've experienced.'
Davred was smiling now. 'Our Brother is very kind.'
Met looked disapproving. 'Do you really believe in - in all that stuff?'
'I do. And when you see things happening here that you’d once have considered impossible, it'll make you wonder what the truth is. How could it not?'
They walked in silence for a while, then Meera asked, 'Has there been much difficulty changing the Sisterhood into a Kindred?'
'Very little. Apart from men now being chosen to serve the God, our inborn skills are the same and need the same careful development. And it's not just the Kindred. We're finding that most people have some Gift or other, so why should they not develop them? I think the will to fight is the main difference nowadays, really. It's not good enough to abjure evil. You have to fight it, root it out, destroy it utterly. There can be no freedom allowed to the forces of evil. That we have learned to our cost.'
'The difficult thing is to decide what is and is not evil,' Kerem commented.
'Not that difficult,' Davred replied. 'Evil seems to betray itself, in the end.' But there was a sadness behind his words. He knew, as did every senior person in the Kindred, that the Sisterhood had failed to act, failed to stem the evil of the Serpent in time. They all bore a burden of guilt for that.
***
At noon there was a commotion at the northern edge of town and a large wagon came rumbling towards the meeting house complex, drawn by draft nerids. 'Fetch a Sister-Healer!' the man on it yelled. 'There's been an accident.'
'Ah,' said Davred softly. 'Come and watch this, my friends. You wanted to judge things with your own eyes, did you not, Met?'
Katia, who was the nearest Healer, ran across to the wagon and swung lightly on board.
'Can those people do nothing ungracefully?' Meera wondered aloud.
In the wagon were two men with bloody heads and arms.
'What happened?' Katia asked.
'Tree fell the wrong way. It was rotten inside,' the driver said. 'Shall we lift them down?'
She shook her head and turned to Davred. 'Link with me!' she commanded imperiously. Thanks to Herra's training, she was now one of the most skilful Healers. She raised her voice. 'I need others to link with me in a Healing Circle.'
Alaran ran out of one of the houses. Two women rushed across the town field. No one asked what to do, they simply linked hands and let their life energy flow freely at Katia's bidding. No longer did Sister Healers spend all their energy in healing the major cases alone. The Kindred way was to work together.
Met positively gaped as the air around the wagon began to flicker. He took a few cautious steps forward, suddenly eager to see what was happening.
One man's arm was cruelly crushed and his face white from loss of blood. Him Katia healed first.
The flesh knitted slowly together as her words came softly to focus her will, 'Flesh be healed. Whole and new. Let flesh be healed and new blood flow.'
Met might have dismissed this as a primitive incantation had he no
t seen the flesh start to knit together, the man's face grow pink again, the wound vanish under shiny new skin. He opened his mouth, shut it, and reminded himself angrily to observe more carefully next time. He must have missed something.
The second man had a broken arm and a badly bruised head. The broken bone was showing through the flesh of his arm and he was obviously in acute pain.
Again as the Healing Circle focused on him. Katia applied their joint energies to the injuries and the jagged edges of broken bone vanished under pink new flesh. The head wound went rapidly through the bruising cycles, becoming purple, a faint greenish yellow and then vanishing entirely.
The man sighed and opened his eyes.
Katia smiled down at both men, broke the Healing Circle and began to give orders for the two to be taken to a guest house and left to rest.
Davred turned and smiled at the trio from the satellite, and joy was a living presence in his face.
'Isn’t it wonderful to be able to help one another like this?'
Met swallowed and allowed the thought to creep into his mind that perhaps the Confederation way wasn’t the only way to go, not if they could do this.
'I think I shall like living here,' Meera said from beside him. 'Such beautiful things happen here.'
She took hold of Kerem's arm and hugged it warmly, smiling up at him.
He stared down at her. The only thing about which he was sure was that he cared for this woman, that he was glad to have her out of Robler's clutches. As for the rest, time would tell. But that healing couldn’t have been trickery. And it couldn’t have been done in the Confederation.
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CHAPTER 15 IN THE NAME OF THE SERPENT
There was a swelling of uneasiness as that year moved on, uneasiness which spread from one end of the Twelve Claims to the other. It was stronger in the south, weaker in the north. There seemed to be a darkness, a threat, a hovering grimness that took all joy from life. And daily life became a never-ending nightmare of endurance that brought cold sweat to the brow and churning terror to the guts, even for people who thought they believed in that cult's ways.