Chapter 26

The next few days were busy even as they waited for the gathering of the clan chiefs. Each day was spent using the crystal readers absorbing the knowledge of the few crystals the Kushitic owned as well as the ones they had brought with them. Even given the very few crystals they had brought, it soon became obvious it would take many more days than they had to soak up everything that was available, so they each had to pick and choose what they thought was the most important. Jarrah and Makro concentrated on the biology and genetics texts while Nil tended to stick with more general knowledge and engineering.

It kept them busy and out of trouble, at least that was Nil's hope. Unfortunately trouble had a tendency to find them anyway.

The first hint of trouble appeared as more of the chiefs and their retinues filtered into the village and were briefed on the reason for the upcoming gathering. Nil was introduced to the clan chiefs as they arrived and for the most part they greeted him cordially although at times coolly. Their retainers were a different story. Where most mirrored their lords and avoided him and his people, there were others that were openly hostile if not downright rude. To these Nil feigned indifference and did his best to ignore them but it was obvious that wouldn't be a viable option for much longer. Xolan assured him the women were safe but still Nil forbade any of them from traveling alone, or even in small groups without some sort of escort.

The second bit of trouble came to him in the form of his sister, Jarrah. "Nil, can I have a word with you?" she asked one night. Nil and his wives were enjoying a little bit of relaxing "do nothing" time before retiring for the night and were lounging in their room when she came in.

"Of course, Jar," he said pulling up a chair for his sister. "What's on your mind?"

She sat down looking decidedly uncomfortable, even fidgeting with her hands in a most uncharacteristic manner. Finally she took a deep breath and began. "I've finished with the basic medical crystals we brought and the few on genetics the Kushitic have remaining," she began. "I can't say there is a whole lot of shockingly new material in the basic ones we brought, but..."

"Out with it, Jar," Nil prompted.

"Nil, they're killing themselves!" she blurted.

"What?" he and his wives gasped. "Who's killing themselves?"

"The Kushitic," she said looking at Lavender apologetically. "Well, all right, maybe not exactly killing themselves, but ... Damn, this is difficult. All right, how old do you think Chief Xolan is?"

"Chief Xolan?" Nil glanced over at Lavender puzzled. "I don't know; eighty, ninety seasons, maybe a hundred. I doubt it's much more than that."

"Lavender, how old is your father?" Jarrah asked gently.

"Fifty-two seasons," Lavender whispered back. Nil just stared at her.

"Fifty-two seasons, Nil," Jarrah repeated. "But to us he appears to be almost double that."

"That can't be right!" he protested.

"Yes, it can," Jarrah reiterated. "The Kushitic age much more quickly than we do ― much more quickly than anyone we know. Lav, how many of your people live to be over a hundred seasons? Ninety? Eighty?" Each time Lavender just shook her head in disbelief. "Lav, unless someone dies from an accident or violence we fully expect to live to be well over a hundred seasons."

"That cannot be!" Lavender protested.

"It's the truth," Jarrah sighed. "You've met May's mother, Nesho. She is almost fifty seasons old now. Does she look it to you?" Again Lavender could only shake her head in disbelief.

"But why, Jar? Do you know why?" Nil asked.

"No, I can't tell you exactly why it's happening, only the results," Jarrah answered with a shake of her head. "I can only speculate but I'm sure it has something to do with their breeding program. Lavender, why do the Kushitic breed for height?"

Lavender looked surprised but quickly answered, "Because The Proposal tells us to. It's one of the learning stones the ancients left us. It is our most sacred stone. But you knew that. I saw you learning from it."

"Yes, I did," Jarrah sighed. "And I was able to talk to a couple of your Geneticists about it. I know your people consider it to be instructions left by the ancients and have based a good portion of your culture on following it." She paused for a moment before continuing, "Please don't get upset with me but I believe your people have misunderstood the meaning of The Proposal and that misunderstanding has caused a considerable amount of damage."

"Damage? What damage?" Lavender demanded. "How could following the plan of the ancients have caused harm?"

"Peace, please," Nil interjected before turning to Jarrah. "Jar, we need to be very careful when we speak ill of another culture's core beliefs; nothing I can think of will turn them against you any faster."

"But, Nil, facts are facts!" Jarrah responded adamantly. "The fact is they don't live as long as we do. It's also a fact their gestation period is shorter than ours and their birth weight is much lower. Everything I see points to the fact that something is wrong. They should be told about this!"

"I'm not doubting you in the least, little sister," he sighed. "But tell them what? That the whole basis for their culture is false, that it's adversely affecting their lives? I'm not sure that's a very good idea. To begin with we don't know exactly what is causing this. You suspect their breeding program; but is that because you have some information that actually connects the two, or is it because that is the only difference we see between us? Could it be something to do with their environment? Something in the air, or maybe the water? Maybe their diet? Can you rule any of those out?"

"No," she answered slowly. "I don't suppose I could, not without a lot more study. But, Nil, I just get the feeling―"

"And you may well be right, Jar," he interrupted. "But I don't think right now would be a particularly fortuitous time to bring it up. Lav, honey, what would be the reaction of your people if we were to speculate that the matings your Geneticists require were somehow responsible for shortening your lives?"

"Disaster," Lavender gulped. She was still somewhat stunned by these revelations and was only barely conscious of his question. "At first they would want to tear you apart and then," she shrugged, "it would only get worse from there."

"I thought as much," he mused. "Jar, think what would have happened if thirty seasons ago someone had come to Jeevel and preached that slavery was evil and needed to be destroyed."

"Oh!" she sounded surprised. "Yes, that would have been bad, very bad. But what can we do? We can't just sit back and do nothing. That's not right."

"Maybe not right, but prudent," he sighed again. "Whatever we do must be done very carefully. These people aren't stupid; they just don't have all the same information you do. Maybe some of the crystals we brought might enlighten them, or maybe ones we can bring in the future. Let them find out for themselves. That might be the safest way, and to be honest, may be the only way. Let them discover it for themselves. I don't know if that would work or not but I think it would be best if we did nothing right now. Maybe Father and our mothers will have better ideas. Just promise me you won't say anything outside this room. This is important, Jar."

"Fine, I won't," she agreed with a frown. "I don't like it, but I'll agree to it."

"Thank you."

"What did you mean by saying The Proposal wasn't what we thought it was?" Lavender interrupted. "Everyone knows that The Proposal is instructions on how to improve the human race. You learned it; you know that now."

"Yes, I did," Jarrah admitted. "And I have to admit I didn't understand very much of it either. There was so much background information that it assumed the learner already had which I didn't. The title itself caused me some doubt right at first: A Proposal for Eugenic Improvement of the Human Race Using Non-Intrusive Genetic Manipulation.

"To begin with it didn't sound like any text I've ever read. In fact it felt like someone was putting forth a theory and was asking for permission to try it. Kind of like somebody who has a new design for a ship and wants to try it out. I noticed it used a lot of phrases like intend to show and will demonstrate. Not something I would expect if what it contained was a proven fact. Also it was created at something called the Kushitic Genetic Research Center. I'm sure I don't know exactly what that means but if research meant the same back then that it does now, could it be there was a village here dedicated to studying genetics?"

"We are told our ancestors were here before the Change to guide and direct the improvement of life, including humans," Lavender agreed with a nod. "We believe many wonderful things were created from before but now we have only our shiakye and ourselves." She paused for a moment and then continued more slowly, "I understand what you are saying about The Proposal but I have difficulty believing. The Proposal is the most important thing in our lives; it is our reason for being, for doing what we do ... why we are here. Even if what you say is true it will not be well accepted."

"I think 'not well accepted' is a masterpiece of understatement," Makro commented dryly. "To begin with, the best we could expect would be disbelief if not outright animosity. Nil, we aren't here to change their culture; we're here for the readers. I think this is something else we need to keep quiet about."

"I agree, May," Nil nodded. "We can have our own opinions about whether or not they are right or wrong but now is not the time to voice them. Do you agree, Jar?"

"But, Nil," Jarrah protested, "they have based their whole culture on a misunderstanding and it's hurting them!"

"Maybe that's true, but maybe not," Nil responded. "Your interpretation indicates they may have misunderstood but can you say for certain you're correct? And even if you're right does that mean we have to tell them, or even should? I don't think so, certainly not without a lot more study. There's too much at stake here for 'might be'. We have at least the start of a decent relationship with the Kushitic; I don't want to jeopardize that with what would happen if even a hint of this got out. Jar, will you promise me you won't say anything about this either?"

"I think it's wrong to keep this quiet," Jarrah fumed. "But I'll do this for you, for now, at least until we can talk to Mothers and Father,"

"That's all I ask, sister dear."

Over the next few days more of the clan chiefs trickled in. Nil was introduced, usually at a dinner hosted by Chief Xolan but other times it was wherever he happened to be during the day. To a man they were polite but where some greeted him with open curiosity others did so with thinly veiled disdain. Again the problems didn't come from the leaders themselves, overtly, but from their retainers. They were able to ignore it for the most part but it soon became evident they weren't going to be allowed to do so forever. It finally came to a head one day while Nil and Lavender were at practice.

As had become their routine they were practicing with their guard contingent and a very few of the Zagwci clan members who were curious enough to join them when Chief Xolan introduced them to a newly arrived clan chief. Right away Nil could tell this wasn't one from the "curious" crowd. The chief barely hid a sneer and didn't even bother to offer the customary handshake in greeting. After a few perfunctory words the new chief turned his back and studiously ignored Nil and his group. With a shrug Nil turned back to practice when they were interrupted by an almost shrill scream.

"Cull bitch!" Moving with a speed that surprised all but those Kushitic who were familiar with his fighting, Nil rounded, identified the belligerent one and interposed himself between Lavender and the advancing warrior.

"Should be dead, cull!" the warrior growled looking at Lavender while barely glancing at Nil. "Resolve, now."

"No, you won't," Nil said loudly enough that everybody in the area heard him without it having been shouted.

""Leave be, little man," the warrior growled again this time looking at Nil with a dismissive sneer. "Bitch is mine. I challenge!"

"Actually, she is mine," Nil answered as he tossed the blunted practice sword to the side and slipped his battle sword from its sheath, his ever-present sword-breaker already in his other hand. "You challenge any of mine, you challenge me."

"Not the law!" the warrior protested halting his advance.

"I have great respect for your laws," Nil said almost amiably, his soft voice belying his stance and slight motions. Those told his own men and those others who could guess that death was only seconds and maybe two meters away from the confounded aggressor. "On this I will not yield: you come for one of mine you come through me first."

The befuddled warrior looked to his own chief silently asking for direction. The visiting chief shrugged and motioned towards Xolan. "Zagwci clan land. Decision his."

Xolan raised his eyebrows slightly, paused for a moment and then said, "Nilsen of Jeevel claim Lavender Mist as mate and property. People differ, customs differ. Acceptable for him accept challenge for his people." The visiting chief and the warrior both grunted in unison.