Chapter 19

“So, how are we going to match a person to a family?” Felix asked.

“Not easily, and I doubt we will satisfy everyone whatever we decide,” Boyd replied broodily.

“Maybe we are looking at this all wrong. On Earth, when a group of people decide to immigrate, they tend to form small groups or enclaves in the nearest city to where they come ashore.”

“The first thing these people do is look for somewhere to live and then a job. They learn how the new society works through their jobs and the schools their kids go to. As they work out how things work, they tend to spread out more. Some find love with a local, and some don’t or won’t.”

“Their kids tend to bring these people into the new society as they adapt faster than the older people do. However, you are an aging population. Waiting for my people to have kids and then them growing up causes a lot of new issues. Most teenagers don’t tend to go looking for someone their grandparents’ age to have sex with.”

This statement earnt Boyd some giggles. He grinned and then focused on the map again. He noted the major cities and their locations.

“Even so, maybe we can go that way and split my people up into small units. You have twenty major cities if you include the one on Hai Island. Five thousand people between twenty cities mean about two hundred and fifty people to an enclave.”

“That’s about a hundred men and a hundred and fifty women. You could even split them into two or, even better, three groups within that city. Eighty odd people in a group should be easier to house and monitor.”

“So, we would need at least sixty to a hundred and eighty people to be the monitors for the groups, and we need to make the place they are living safe for them.”

“They will need time to settle in and education on how your society works, commerce and money. They need to learn what jobs are available and what other training they can be provided with.”

“You could even give them the option to sell their services to the highest bidder. Although I would recommend, they have a contract, and the bidders know the expectations of the person and what exemptions they will make.”

“Could we just go to the last option first?” Tullia asked.

“I mean, they need to know about how our society works, but if we explain why they were brought here, and they are given an option similar to what was first proposed but with a contract and they get the money offered rather than the Senate would we get more takers?”

Patrina offered, “We could bring them out of stasis in small groups, and those who wish to go to a family can be matched, and those who prefer the enclave can go that way.”

Boyd’s next question was, “What about the ones who are already in the communities?”

Antonia answered, “Well, we have relocated six hundred people. At least a hundred have already been auctioned here. Milii, Herba, Ostia, Portus and Villon were all sent a hundred.”

“Those sent to Ostia should be there by this evening. Those going to Herba or Portus should be there in the next two days. Those being sent to Milii or Verona were sent overland in two flatbeds. They are like one of your trucks and have electric motors.”

“It’s a 700km overland journey and normally takes three days to get over the mountain ranges. They should get there tomorrow night. The ones going to Verona will then be put on a ship. That should take another two days to get them to their destination.”

“How do you get a hundred people on a truck?” Boyd asked incredulously.

Hadi smiled and then explained, “Oh, we made special containers that act like stasis rooms for the flatbeds and the ships. Basically, you get the people to walk in, and we close the door. For the people inside, no real-time seems to pass. Walk in one minute, walk out the next.”

“Okay, that is creepy but very cool. You must have packed them in like sardines,” Boyd commented and was then surprised when they all laughed.

Catia said, “Boyd, while the container they are in looks like a box about 2.5m cubed, inside is a dimensional space. We can make them near any size from any space, even inside a pack or small box.”

“For the containers, we made the inside space into two rooms. They are both 10m by 12.5m. The ceiling height is still 2.5m high. We put rows of bench seats in them and then guide the people to a seat.”

“Most people are not really cognizant when we move them. That is why you still felt dazed when you were put on the stage. The rest of your people are in rooms just like them, but they are on beds. It is only when the door is left open does that time passes for the people inside.”

“So, what was planned for them once they did arrive?” Boyd asked to shift the conversation along.

“They will be kept in stasis until the auctions are held. It is also a requirement that the High Mage for that island must be in attendance for their auctions as only they can open the doors. That was why Flavia was running the show here,” Antonia answered.

“Okay, that is good. So, except for the hundred people here that have been sold, the rest are safe until you release them. I recommend they be left in stasis until we sort this out,” Boyd stated.

The others all agreed, even though they knew this decision wouldn’t be well received by other people.

For the next four hours, they debated the future of their two races.

By then, they had been through two servings of tea and pastries and a sumptuous lunch. They had argued, stated their cases and were still, for the most part, in disagreement.

It didn’t take long for Boyd to work out that while they agreed that his people shouldn’t be called slaves, these people considered that the auctions were still the best way to distribute them. Boyd couldn’t get it through to most of them that this was still a bad idea.