Chapter 44: The tainted

I’m mindful that Akenehi is the oldest Elf Maiden in our community, and that the ravages of old age are starting to show in her movements. For a member of a race that rarely reaches forty years of age, Akenehi must surely be close to that milestone. Horowai is the next senior Elf Maiden, but she is currently with the Merope. Should Akenehi be unable to continue as leader, then our fledgling community could quickly fall apart.

Despite her ailments, Akenehi is a whirlwind of activity. Ihapera becomes Akenehi’s instrument, putting her orders into effect. There are so many things that need doing, and relatively few people to do them. A week after Kahu left with the last of the parakore Atenex, we have secured our food supply, and the manufacturing of clothing and other routine essentials has resumed. Producing surplus items to trade is a low priority. We have relatively little trade, other than between Atene and our two viable Atenex settlements. A few adult elves have moved to the river settlement to enable routine daily life to resume there. The river settlement down river has been abandoned for now. Those who didn’t join the eastward exodus have moved to the up-river settlement. The small mining settlement far to the north is untouched by any of the recent events.

Cassandra and I have completed our initial assessment of the Atenex hibernation chamber, and had Dioxippe analyse the Atene Potiora’s current status. We’ve located the individual pods that failed to open, and inspected the contents through each pod’s clear viewing panel. Dioxippe confirms that those particular pod mechanisms had failed at sometime in the past three thousand years. The occupant had been instantly incinerated to avoid a lingering death. Only their ashes remain inside the pod.

The situation regarding the unopened sub-chamber is a different matter. According to Dioxippe, forty-eight of the fifty pods in there are still operational, but the mechanism to activate the re-awakening process is not responding to Dioxippe’s commands.

“What about the chambers for the other races?” asks Akenehi.

“Neither of the other two races can be reawakened unless the Atenex race is in terminal decline. We aren’t sure what criteria the Potiora use to determine that, but I don’t think it is going to be relevant for the foreseeable future. The trickery Dioxippe applied to awaken our three races’ pioneers apparently doesn’t work for the main chambers.”

“Does Dioxippe know anything about the Atenex trapped inside the chamber?”

“There are fifty pods containing twenty five males and the same number of females,” says Cassandra. “We don’t know which two pods have failed. Dioxippe has a record of their names and vocation specialities. There is a strong bias towards scientific and educational vocations.”

“So, they may be useful people to join our community,” muses Akenehi.

“Yes, although once they are awake, they may be drawn to Karaka and the parakore Atenex,” replies Cassandra. “Even if they wish to stay here, I expect Karaka will put pressure on them to join the eastern settlements.”

“That only becomes relevant if we manage to awaken them,” I say to Akenehi. “Do you wish us to try?”

“We need more males if we are going to occupy this region long term,” says Akenehi. “The chamber is the only source of Atenex males available to us, other than those who went with the Phebes. We have no idea if, or when, they will ever return. I think we need to try and awaken those still in hibernation.”

Dioxippe has identified several possible causes for the failure of the re-awakening process. Unfortunately, only a few of those causes are within our ability to effect a repair. Cassandra studies the murals again, hoping to find some tiny clue towards solving our problem.

The next morning I descend the winding steps alone. Dioxippe cannot communicate with anyone on the lower levels, although there are sensors to detect any problems. Cassandra remains near to Dioxippe to monitor any helpful analysis.

I locate the closed door to the sub-chamber that is refusing to respond to Dioxippe. I run through Dioxippe’s check-list of possible problems. The panel of lights above some machinery is showing the correct sequence of coloured lights. I try opening the door manually. I’m taken by surprise when it responds to an extra hard pull. The door was simply stuck. Why nobody thought to check it before is a mystery. Once the door is open, the sound of machinery starting up fills the chamber. I’ve no idea how long this will take, and I see no point in standing around watching. I return upstairs to find that Dioxippe is happily reporting progress to Cassandra.

After alerting Akenehi of our success, Cassandra and I wait in the Halls of Ancestors. Dioxippe estimates the awakening process will take about two hours. It gives us some time to spend with Rawiri and Renata. Since the decision by the parakore Atenex to leave, Cassandra and I have been very busy. Out of necessity, Cassandra has had to use the services of the elven crèche. However, moments like this give us an opportunity for some family time.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say that Dioxippe deliberately jammed that door,” says Cassandra to me.

“What?!? Why do you think that?” I reply, shocked at Cassandra’s assertion.

“Dioxippe has never been like the other Potiora. She ... it ... is much more independently minded. Don’t forget that it is she who chose to awaken the three sets of pioneers when other Potiora would have chosen one ... or even, none.”

“But why withhold awakening these Atenex?”

“Because she believes it’s the right thing to do,” muses Cassandra. “Now that Karaka and his followers have handed the Potiora over to Akenehi, Dioxippe considers that whatever barrier existed has now been removed.”

“I still don’t see why Dioxippe would do that,” I reply. “What’s so special about this last group of Atenex?”

“I guess we will find out soon. But the information Dioxippe holds about them suggests that these are trained scientists and educators.”

“All of whom are eighteen years old, so they aren’t going to be wise sages with years of experience.”

“Even so, they will be better trained in their specialist field than you or I ... or indeed, any of the others. And they might give us an advantage in preparing to face the Merope.”

“Even if we include Karaka’s group, the Merope outnumber us many times over,” I say.

“Yes, but if we can match their technology, we might do enough to deter them from interfering in our affairs. Don’t forget that we have far superior metalwork skills, and a plentiful supply of metal ores. Merope lacks both.”

“Which creates two good reasons for the Merope to want to subjugate us. And don’t forget that Karaka won’t be idle once he hears of these scientists.”

“Then we need to consider how we are going to keep this quiet.”

Ihapera joins us later, having been sent as Akenehi’s representative to meet with the new arrivals.