Chapter 43: Division

I can blame the distraction of repeatedly fucking Cassandra in our bedroom for not noticing the first new arrivals emerge from the Potiora. Makareta apologies for disturbing us, but she urges us to follow her. We do so as quickly as we can, and join the gathering of Atenex and Elf Maidens near the Potiora. Kahu and the Rangatira are busy talking to a group of the new arrivals. The newcomers are recognisable by their noticeably shorter stature. Designated Atenex females escort the other new arrivals into the Halls of Ancestors, where Ikaroa and Nyree are in charge.

We offer to help with the proceedings but we are politely turned away. Consequently, Cassandra and I return to our room and resume where we left off earlier. It’s early evening when a deputation consisting of Ikaroa, Ihapera and Makareta join us.

“Five hundred and seventy one Atenex were roused,” says Ikaroa. “Just over half of them are male. I don’t know whether Kahu planned for only the Atenex to be woken, or, as she claims, the instructions on the mural only relate to the Atenex chamber. You will need to talk to Dioxippe to find out the truth. Unfortunately, gaining access to the Potiora at the moment is impossible. The leaders of the new arrivals have taken control of the tower and the Halls of Ancestors.”

“I thought each chamber held six hundred and fifty people,” says Cassandra.

“Yes. Some of the hibernation pods failed to open,” says Ikaroa. “It’s unclear whether the occupants are alive or dead. Also, one of the sub-chambers didn’t respond to Dioxippe’s instructions. The occupants remain in hibernation for now. I’m not sure what is going to be done about them.”

“I suppose after all this time, the outcome is as good as can be expected,” I say.

“I’m not sure the leaders of the new arrivals will agree,” says Ikaroa. “They’re still very confused about the time gap between the awakening of our forebears, and now. We’ll need to wait a few days before anybody can make any serious plans.”

Accommodation is hastily prepared for the new arrivals. Fortunately the Halls of Ancestors has plenty of space for a temporary camp. The leaders of the new arrivals accept use of the vacant housing in Atene.

Ikaroa’s estimate of a few days to assimilate the new arrivals is wildly optimistic. The three week Rutting Season is over before any serious outcomes emerge from numerous meetings between the Rangatira and the leaders of the new arrivals. Nyree meets with us periodically to let us know what is happening.

“They have spent their lives living and training in a sheltered artificial environment, preparing for this event,” says Nyree. “Now they are suddenly faced with reality. All their education and training will count for nothing if they can’t make the transition into a real world that our ancient ancestors could only imagine. We are doing our best to help, but we have no common experiences.”

“Are they all shorter than us?” I ask.

“Yes, although there are a few exceptions. It seems that we have become taller as a race over the many years since our forebears emerged with the pioneer groups.”

The new arrivals are eager to merge into the Atenex society. The presence of Thurnians in their midst is initially received with barely hidden disgust. However, when Kahu explained the problem with elven male fertility, and our role in alleviating the immediate crisis, our presence is at least tolerated. Over recent weeks, Cassandra and I have had two meetings with representatives of the new arrivals. So far we have only been allowed to speak in general terms about the wider issues facing our respective races.

What starts to become clear is that Kahu is expected to step aside as leader of the Atenex at the appropriate moment, and allow Karaka, one of the new arrivals, to take charge. The Rangatira remains the leadership council, but some of its authority is to be delegated to Karaka. Four of the new arrivals, in addition to Karaka, are being added to the Rangatira, expanding its size to nine members. Now the new arrivals outnumber Kahu and her group on the Rangatira.

All the new arrivals are about eighteen years old, which was their age when they entered hibernation. Most, if not all, will have had specialist training in one discipline or another. Those with military training are easy to spot. Others, like Karaka, are excellent speakers and diplomats. Some of his closest followers are wily politicians, who must devote much of their time to scheming and plotting. They remind me of the Chief Procurator back in Thurn.

By the end of the first month since their arrival, the change the awakening will cause the Atenex becomes much clearer. I’m not sure what Kahu or the other Atenex expected from their new arrivals, but total subjugation to their rule probably wasn’t what they had in mind. But the damage is done. Within the Atene township, the new arrivals outnumber the former residents. Only if you consider the Atenex population as a whole does the relative size of the group of new arrivals become noticeable. The Atenex have always been a loose confederation of settlements, so nobody beyond Atene itself is showing any concern.

Despite their long hibernation, the new arrivals are as sexually needy as every other elf. However, the hibernation has reset their sexual cycles, so all the females come into heat at the same time. That leads to two weeks of rampant sexual activity, followed by two weeks of relative calm. At first, the new arrivals keep their intimate relationships within their own group. Gradually the males bring local Atenex into their fold, particularly those in heat during the ‘quiet’ period. The pussy den almost becomes obsolete. However, the simmering division between elves born to Atenex males, and those with Thurnian origins, widens into a huge gulf thanks to the snobbery of the new males. Drew, Seamus and I do our best to avoid getting drawn into the conflict. As far as we are concerned, both groups are equally fuckable, and we say so to whoever asks.

The newly arrived males regard any elf not fathered by an Atenex male to be an abomination, and unworthy of having sex with them. We start to hear the name ‘pokea’ ... tainted ... used to refer to Thurnian elves. The division in society becomes a bubbling volcano fuelled by the newly arrived males. That pokea are exclusively female doesn’t go without comment. More and more Atenex women look to Akenehi rather than Kahu for leadership. Even those, like Ikaroa, who were sired by Atenex fathers, are distancing themselves from the attitudes of the new males.

Fortunately, cooler heads prevail before trouble breaks out. Perhaps it’s the threat of a possible Merope invasion that helps focus Karaka’s mind on a solution. His eloquent speech convinces the Rangatira, and most of the Atenex, to adopt his plan. Atene and the surrounding villages are to be abandoned to the pokea. The parakore, or ‘pure’, Atenex are to relocate their settlements to the eastern forests where many Atenex already live.

“They want us to remain here and act as a buffer between them and the Merope,” whispers Ihapera to Cassandra and me. Due to her Thurnian sire, Ihapera is now one of the pokea, despite living in Atene for most of her young life.

“What is to become of the babies and young children born to Atenex elves from sex with Drew, Seamus and me?” I ask Karaka.

I’m not surprised by his answer. The children are pokea, so won’t be allowed to join Karaka’s ‘parakore Atenex’, as he likes to call those who will follow him to the east. Elven children are brought up in crèches, so the tie between mother and child is severed at an early age. However, not all mothers will be happy to abandon so many children into the care of relatively few Elf Maidens. Normally adolescent elves tend to the needs and education of young elven children, but that’s going to be impractical. We have very few adolescents from Thurn with us. And once they mature, it will be another decade before the pokea children grow into adolescents.