Chapter 3: The Iaxan - (eye-a-x-an)

The chief watched her drive off, the wheels of his mind were spinning. He would need the right team for what he had in mind. He was going to enjoy his revenge for his daughter’s death. The chief went right to his office and made a series of calls. He would meet with the recipients tonight.

What Mary Jane had learned during her internet search was the Iaxan Nation were a proud warrior people. They had been throughout their storied history. What she did not learn was they still were today.

The Iaxan forefathers had nurtured the land they thrived on today for all of time as clearly laid out in their oral history. The Iaxan fought many enemies throughout history to protect their people and hold their valley. In their history, they had fought many red men at the beginning. They fought brown Spanish men. They had fought off a small tribe of yellow men before them who had claimed to come over the great water.

The elders saw what was happening as the white man moved west. The elders had friends among the early trappers and listened to their words. There was wisdom amongst the elders and they chose to send Iaxan warriors to help the white men against both the Comanche and Apache.

They had not fought the Americans they had allied with them. Joined them in battle and were protected today for the valour the people had shown.

They owned all the land that could be seen between the four great peaks. It had been bequeathed to them by the Spanish, been granted to them by the Mexicans, had been again awarded to them for service rendered to the early US government and was still held communally by the generations living today.

They avoided all public recognition. They sent warriors into every conflict America entered into. Always as scouts or specialists. Always extremely well paid and always sought after at any age. They were true warriors.

Not radio soldiers but proven, known in elite circles as killer warriors. They were thought to accept certain termination contracts if the reason and money were enough. No one aware of them wanted on their bad side.

The chief himself had served as a navy SEAL earning captain’s bars before being called home to serve as chief of the Nation. He had been raised to lead. He took his responsibility seriously and commanded respect from all he led.

True warrior people live within a warrior society. The rules and laws of the Iaxan were similar in philosophy to the Japanese samurai society.

Five elders provide council. The chief was responsible for everything that occurred in the people’s world. He solicits the advice of the elders on important issues. He heard the concerns of the people through the words of the elders. Those concerns were always presented with their negotiated best option to address the concern.

Negotiated was an important fact. Their recommendations were delivered after a majority agreement. As a leader, the chief knew that at times the majority was wrong. The people understood this. It was the chief who made the final decision and the people would accept his decision. Dissent was culturally discouraged.

From the chief power flowed to the warrior class. The warriors ruled the Iaxan society. Women could be warriors and hold equal rights to males but non-warriors had minimal rights. The people of the nation were taught young and early everyone’s place within Iaxan society.

The human body was treated as a vessel and vessel to transport the soul for a time. There was nothing about a creature made by the spirits that could be ugly so nakedness was not an issue. Public pools, where most swam naked throughout their lives, were accessible at multiple locations around the Rez.

Maintaining a healthy vessel was important to the people with sloth and laziness culturally frowned on. You had a responsibility to contribute to the people and you shouldn’t let the people down. There were standards to be and the warriors insured they were abided by.

Warrior males were the leaders and dictators of their society. They adhered to a strict warrior and moral code and although not allowed to kill a nation member without serious justification, a warrior could demand respect and discipline a servant.

The Iaxan warrior saw those beneath his stature as servants. Tradition encouraged warriors towards kindness and respect towards all life with an accepted responsibility to empower those beneath you. Arrogant but effective in setting priorities.

It was seldom you would see or hear of a warrior treating anyone badly without cause. Though many were blunt most had a sense of humour.

Still, corporal punishment was not unheard of for an offence and was always known to be painful. The people tended to allow the warriors plenty of room.

Complaints against warriors were taken seriously and were addressed by the available warriors on the Rez with a minimum of five. Judgements were swift and final warriors were not guaranteed a walk. Everyone was held to a standard.

All youth from the age of twelve were tested and guided toward their future. Children were equally raised to that point. The people wanted what was best for the child first, up to fourteen years old after that their lives were to be lived for the benefit of the Nation.

Because enjoyment, aptitude and self-fulfillment were believed to be the greatest motivators for contributing to the Nation all children were set on their life path by the age of fourteen based on these criteria, and few rebelled.

Rebels were dealt with and not always favourably. Some met the great spirit earlier than they would have expected. It was the Iaxan way.

Only twenty percent of the children became elevated as Iaxan Nation warriors. If one made it one was extremely good at something and very good at every other task assigned. They were all intelligent and excellent physical specimens.

The mates brought back through the centuries of the warrior nation’s existence were always of extraordinary beauty and intelligence. A warrior could be judged wanting for bringing home an ugly or fat or stupid mate. Pride was far too important It just wasn’t done.

The expansion into international conflict, first in support of US government needs and today through private contracts as well, has resulted in the addition of global bloodlines. However, except for the odd disappointment, the physical beauty and intelligence of the people seemed to continually improve each generation. They were a proud people.

Warrior females were at the top of the women’s hierarchy, wives with children of warriors next, then the concubine class who were titled Gieshen, then single women leaving married women without children.

A childless married woman had no dedicated responsibility in their society and unless their husband loved them and kept them busy they lived a life of challenging servitude to the community at large. They had little excuse to turn down a request for help and could not turn down a request from a person of higher stature without a response and often enough the response was corporal. They always had a backlog of requests. They were always helping.

Ninety percent of the Gieshen achieved married status although too high a number were barren. It was a growing concern amongst the elders. Solutions were being sought.

The community had always lived this way as it was understood. They grew up in the culture and the majority lived productive happy lives within the rules. A happiness survey would generate high results.

Children were treated with all the love and kindness of a powerful confident people. Every child hopes to become a warrior. It was not an easy path and one had to be truly dedicated.