Part 20

There was a moment of silence as she gazed around the crowd, then faced the reporters on the hillock. "Thus ends the conquest of the Shiva Region." she told the world in a firm voice. "I now proclaim this The White Elf Region of the Great Indian Forest, homeland of The White Elves.

"These newcomers are some of the Elf-Mothers, the mothers of my race, and their families, and other Honorary White Elves. They are the new citizens of this region. They ... They are my people."

For a moment she faltered, and for the first time that day she seemed completely to be an eight-year-old girl as she turned away from the reporters and faced her new citizens. "This is so emotionally powerful." she quietly said as she laid a palm on her chest, gazing at their expectant faces. "You are my people."

Then the moment passed, and she stood straight and proud as she firmed her resolve. "I swear that I will always fulfill my responsibility towards you to the very best of my ability. Together, we will create greatness for humanity.

"Tomorrow, we will break ground for a great facility beneath this land. It will have homes for those Elf-Mothers and their families who are technologists, and a stadium that will serve us at various times as a school, a playground, a gathering place, and a coliseum for contests and concerts, and it will have a maximum seating capacity of over eighty thousand people.

"We will also break ground for The Educational Institute of the Prodigies, where the extremely talented young of all humanity will have the chance to reach their full potential in the company of their peers, a facility that will be hosted by, but will not be part of, The White Elves.

"In creating The White Elves, I have incurred an obligation to the people of humanity, under the Population Control Laws, to create new homes and complete infrastructure for at least ten thousand people. I will fulfill this obligation by building space habitats. The first should be ready for occupation within three years, the last within twelve years.

"Our technologists are already working on these projects, just as you who will hunt the surface of our land will begin to do so tomorrow. Our technologists will not be able to live here until our facilities are built, but the rest of our hunters and their families will be here within the week, and at that time our technologists and their families will visit for a great gathering of all the Honorary White Elves. There will be almost thirty thousand of us.

"We are a wealthy People, both as individuals and as a group, and I will personally be one of the fifteen wealthiest individuals alive within the year. You will not need to contribute to the projects I have outlined, and you will not have to pay me any taxes, but if you choose to contribute additions or improvements to my plans, I welcome you to do so. You are free to build homes for yourselves beneath your territories, following the Standard Construction Code. I think that reveling in the primitiveness of dwelling in dens was an over-reaction to the choking of the world, and I have grown accustomed to the comforts available at Davdan's Elder's Enclave House. So, I am building my own home beneath my territory, and I see no valid reason why you should not do the same. The Elephant People who care for this land will also appreciate that we will cause less environmental disturbance this way, as we will not need to walk all over the Region for the sake of transportation, since we can have tube access at each of our territories. Of course, you will only be able to bring the limited technology and possessions allowed to all hunting peoples out of your homes and onto outside ground.

"Those of you who will declare yourselves to be Combatants under the laws of our People will post your intention to do so at your zone's trading post, and will bear the marking of that status before participating in any Challenges. The marking is a removable tattoo, and I have posted a list of tattoo artists from the neighboring cities that I have authorized to give you the marking; according to the uniform specification I have provided them. If three or more will be getting the marking at once, they will come here to give it to you. I expect many of you will choose to declare yourselves tomorrow, so four of the tattoo artists will be here then. I was surprised that not one of our people is a licensed tattoo artist, but perhaps one of you will choose to learn that skill, at least to the extent of being qualified to apply and remove the official marking.

"Our five zones' existing trading posts will continue to operate as they have been, under their present owners and employees. They are still tech land, and as such, violence is still illegal there. The same can be said of our meds. None of us are herbivores, so the local Elephant People will also continue their work here as they have been. Beyond the minor disturbances from our constructions, nothing significant will change for them because of us.

"Challenges will be valid within our own buildings, though it is preferred that they will take place in the standard octagons I will have built as fight facilities, and if there is any damage caused to facilities or possessions by a fight, the initiator will be responsible for immediate repair or replacement.

"Again, I must thank those of you who are Elf-Mothers for the beautiful and powerful thing you have done, agreeing to bear the children of my race. For though I am absolutely sure in my heart that they will all be White Elves like me, as you all know I have no real proof that they will not be like my father. Even my own Tira-Mother has been fertilized, and will bear me a White Elf sister or brother. You have all made a great act of faith, and I am humbled by it.

"If the worst should happen, and any or all of your children are seriously flawed in any way, I will assume complete responsibility for them if you wish it. None of you will be forced to parent a child who is not as you have been led to believe they will be.

"Now I will leave you to your den warmings. Welcome to the lands of The White Elves."

There was a round of happy applause, and cheering from a few as well.

Sandor stepped forward. "On behalf of the Tiger People, I welcome the People of The White Elves to the Great Indian Forest." he announced with a smile and a bow. "In recognition of the legitimacy of your government, the Council of All Tiger People have appointed the Honored Elder Davdan, one of our most prominent Council Members and most senior of the fighting judges of the Tiger People of India, to be our Ambassador to The White Elves, in addition to her present duties."

"Why thank you, Leader Sandor!" Davdan said in happy surprise as she stepped forward.

"It seemed the wise thing to do." Sandor smiled. "You will be spending time here anyway."

"Ambassador Davdan." Tika bowed, grinning.

"Great Leader Tika." Davdan returned with the bow and the grin.

A group of six Elf-Mothers approached, and waited to be recognized.

"Ah, the Elf-Mothers from the Wolf People of California!" Tika smiled. "I did not realize you six knew each other, though you have your origin in common.

"We did not meet until yesterday, when I contacted these five because I was curious about the others who would be Elf-Mothers. We in turn contacted many others, and have delighted in getting to know one another." their spokeswoman explained. "We were all chosen by you because we share a set of characteristics that you were looking for, and I think because of this we find we all have very compatible personalities. I think we will be a very close group, despite our great numbers.

"We have purchased a gift for you, and we six were nominated to present it." With that, she drew a slim case out of her pack, three inches by twelve, and an inch thick, surfaced in black silk.

She handed it to Tika, who opened it.

"Wow." she said, and whistled a little. "I will stream my headband video, so you can all see this."

It was a belt, an inch wide and an eighth of an inch thick, in fine multi-layered chain mail, composed of millions of tiny gold rings that were so small they were barely visible individually. The buckle was a narrow asymmetric oval, like a flattened egg an inch and a half wide by three inches long laying on its side, completely covered in swirling patterns of exquisite diamonds ranging from point five to three carats.

"It is astounding! It is incredibly beautiful!" Tika marveled as she lifted it from the case. "And it is hard to believe anything made of metal could ever be this supple!"

"The gold is twenty two karat, but it is a new alloy that is as wear-resistant as most twelve karat blends." the Elf-Mother commented. "And see, it has this black silk sheathing tucked into the buckle. You can easily pull it around to cover the gold and diamonds while you are wearing it with a knife sheath, and it hides their glint when you are hunting. We chose it because it is beautiful, and because it is also designed to be practical for daily wear as a hunter's knife belt."

"This is far too beautiful to accept as a personal gift for me alone." Tika said, sounding emotional. "I will wear it proudly, and I will make it the official status symbol of the Champion of The White Elves. It will hold a place of greatness in the hearts of our people for centuries to come, as it passes from Champion to Champion."

She turned and put the belt's case in her pack, and removed her gleaming ten inch fighting knife and its sheath from her weapon's case, slid the knife home in its sheath, slid the sheath onto the glittering new belt, and fastened it around her waist. She stood looking down at it for a moment, then stood proudly meeting the smiles of her people. Tears were flowing down her face.

"My people, I will try to make you proud of me. I am overcome with emotion. I think I would like a hug. From every single one of you. You will need to get used to hugging people like me anyway."

There was a round of happy cheers as the six from California were the first to share the embrace of their Leader, then the Green Band, then the rest of the Elf-kin. The next two hours were spent exchanging hugs, welcomes, congratulations and affections, as they all got to know their new People.

The last of the Shivans and reporters had drifted away by the time Sandor and Shinra took their places as the last there to hug Tika and congratulate her. The realization that this was so gave everyone there the feeling that they now had their new land to themselves, and the feeling of community strengthened.

"Well my people, I have had a very long day, and today I must still visit my father, who is the well-spring of my race." the weary but happy young Leader stated.

There was a round of chuckles at that.

"I will return tomorrow, for there is much to do." Tika said, waving. "I will see you then."

Many waved and called goodbye as they shouldered their packs and set out for their new territories. Tika led the Green Band, Sandor and Shinra, and those hunters who were bound for other zones in the White Elf Region, down the stairs to the tube platform.

As so often seemed to be the case when great Elders and Leaders were involved, there was already a car waiting at the platform to take them to Davdan's Enclave house.

"Tika, you do not really have to visit your father tonight." Jela told her with a giggle as the car doors closed behind them.

"I must." Tika sighed, hugging Slin and Tira. "When we returned there yesterday he was pacing around in loneliness, saying 'Tika comes back' over and over. The poor man probably did that all day today. He is so lonely, I cannot bear the thought of him having to go through that every day."

"Well, that is not what he did today." Jela laughed.

"And I do not think he was lonely." Jena snickered.

"You visited him without me?" Tika asked in realization.

"We did, for four hours." Jela nodded with a grin.

"And he did not try to hurt you?" Tika asked.

"No. I think he likes my walk." Jela stated mischievously. "When I reached him, he did grab me, but fighting was the last thing on his mind! We did not bring any food or anything else he might want from us that we were not willing to give him, and as long as you let him do what he wants until he is exhausted, he is easy to get along with!"

"Well, that is good." Tika nodded. "As you say, he should be fine if I do not visit him today, and I really have no energy for it anyway.

"I will retrieve my father and Agg tomorrow, and put them on the northernmost territory of the Lakeshore Zone. It is a peninsula that projects into the lake, and my father will not swim. I will leave the only territory that borders it vacant and hunt it myself, until I find one I trust to live on father's border. The Department of Health have said that they will move the devices that keep him on his territory, and we will have to keep him occupied while they do that."

They arrived home, and they paused the conversation as they disembarked and rode the elevator up.

A few minutes later Davdan emerged from the cooking area with a cart laden with snacks and their favorite hot drinks, knowing exactly how they each preferred their coffee, tea, or chocolate. "Shall I take these to the living room then?" she asked.

"Certainly, Ambassador Davdan! Off to the living room with us!" Tika laughed, rising from Slin's lap in the kitchen booth.

"Excellent, Great Leader Tika!" Davdan laughed.

"You know, I think they may be insufferable about that for a day or so." Pina laughed.

"Ah well. Both of their accomplishments have reached the heights of greatness." Tira smiled. "I think we can allow them a little self congratulation, as long as they do not get too egotistical about it."

"You know, it did not really seem real, until I stood before my people." Tika mused as they gathered in the living room, where Naz and Raz moved the couches and armchairs into a large circle. "I am a government. Now it seems real, I guess, but in a way it still feels like a dream. Soon I will have staff, and when there is too much for me to do I will appoint a Council, but for now, I am a complete government, all by myself."

Pina gestured Slin into an armchair, and she and Tika settled onto his thighs.

"And you are a very pretty and sexy government, great Leader Tika of the White Elf." Slin chuckled, caressing the back of her and Pina's necks with identical motions.

"Thank you, and I am not the only White Elf! The others are just very, very small right now!" Tika laughed.

"What will you do to top yourself?" Shinra laughed.

"Pardon me?" Tika asked.

"You are Adult at eight years old, you have two lovers and a great family life, you have created a Great People, both physically and politically, you are a Magnificent fighter who is ranked tenth among Tiger People, you are fabulously wealthy, you are a space habitat and construction magnate, a patron of higher education." Shinra listed. "You are already the most famous person alive, and I hear you yet intend to become the Grande Champion, be ranked as a Grande Master Hunter, and obtain your degrees in as many as twenty academic fields, all before another month have passed!

"I mean really, Tika! What will you do when you are nine?!"

Everyone laughed, and Tika smiled when she answered. "I do not know, beautiful Elder Shinra. But I am sure, except for the conception of the White Elves, everything I have done so far has only been minor preparations for the great destiny that awaits. I would give almost anything to know what it is."

"You have given me a new motivation to stay healthy, Tika!" Shinra laughed. "For I am now determined to stay alive until your destiny has been revealed!"

Drinks and snacks were carefully passed around from the cart, and conversation lagged for a while.

"So Davdan, were you aware that Sandor does not plan his own political strategy?" Shinra asked with a mischievous look.

"No, I was not." Davdan admitted guardedly.

"You are about to become one of the few who have ever learned the secret of his political success." Shinra teased with a little smile.

"Go on." Davdan prompted.

"In actual fact, I am his secret weapon. I make it a point to never, ever discuss politics with anyone but Sandor, so no one has realized that his strategy is mine, and so they cannot counter us. Their strategies against him are flawed because they are aimed at a man, and not at a team of two. I plan, and he acts, and in this way we have triumphed over all adversaries.

"And I know that you plan to challenge Sandor in the next election for Leader of the Council of All Tiger People."

For a long moment the tension was electric as the two elders held each other's gaze, revealing nothing in their expressions except the intensity of their wills.

"You have played masterfully." Davdan nodded. "I was sure Sandor would not have realized that yet, and I did not consider you, as you have been so successful at hiding your political nature. Quite likely, I would have failed to counter your influence in the election.

"Of course the question that remains is; why have you chosen to reveal yourself to me now?"

"Because of a thing you do not know, and a thing you do not realize. The thing you do not know is that Sandor and I will retire from politics at the end of his present term. The last thing we needed before announcing this was to choose who we would support as his successor."

Suddenly Shinra and Sandor grinned, and smiles grew on every face as implications were realized.

Davdan waited patiently for confirmation, her own smile warily satisfied.

"You are the spirit of Tiger People, Davdan." Shinra nodded. "You are the obvious choice on the strength of your political accomplishments and ability, even before your fame as a fighter is considered, or the accomplishments of this group that you have assisted with, or any further success you gain at the upcoming Tournament of Elders. And we like you, and you are great sex. Besides all that, with Sandor withdrawn from the election, we are sure that none of the other candidates have any serious chance against you, with or without his support. And of course it would be unseemly if the last act of his great political career were to be to lend his support to a losing effort."

Davdan nodded in return, her smile now calm and joyous. "I am honored with all of my soul. I welcome your support of course, and I am very grateful for it.

"Now I must know, what is the thing I do not realize?"

"You will never rise higher than Leader of the Council of All Tiger People." Shinra told her. "Though I am sure you plan to do so, you will never become Leader of the Council of All Peoples, or even hold the most minor post in any branch of government that is controlled by the techs.

"Sandor and I worked at this problem for ten years, and there is no solution to it. As Tiger People, we have shed the blood of our fellow humans for sport. The techs may cheer us as we do so, but most of them are deeply non-violent people who fear us. They would never even voluntarily associate with us, and they will never, ever vote to put one of us in a position of leadership over them. Your position in this is even worse than Sandor's, because you have killed, and Sandor has not.

"As I say, I like you, Davdan. I would not see you end your political career with a futile losing effort. I would spare you that disappointment."

"I see." Davdan nodded, deep in thought. "You may be right. Times are changing, though. I will not abandon the idea completely, yet."

She noticed that all of her group was considering her speculatively.

"I killed twice." she informed them absently, still considering politics with most of her attention. "Once in the round of eight the second time I took the Grande Championship, and again in the round of four in the tournament of Tiger People three years later. Neither were killed outright, they both died from wounds after the match."

There was silence after that, and they relaxed, considering what had been said, until Pina realized that she was falling asleep.

Her decision to retire was adopted by all. After saying goodnight, Sandor and Shinra joined Davdan in her bedroom. The rest chose dens at the Enclave house, since none had the inclination to walk to Tira's clearing.

May 16th, 2155

The next morning after breakfast they walked to Tika's new territory for an impromptu ground-breaking for Tika's new house. At the same moment that a boring machine began work a few hundred yards away underground for the branching of the tube line, Raz cut a slit in the turf where one of Tika's windows would be. The event was toasted with individual bottles of champagne or sparkling white grape juice, and Tika, Pina, and Slin were congratulated on their new home.

They walked back to Davdan's house and took the tube to the Lakeshore Zone's trading post for a far more elaborate ground breaking ceremony, this time for Tika's underground stadium, and for the subsurface structures of The Academy of The Prodigies and the White Elf techs' homes and communities.

Hundreds of the Prodigies attended, as did most of the White Elf Region's new hunters.

Though it was extremely short notice, several important officials and some of their staff also managed to attend. The Transit Authority, The Department of Education, The Elephant People, and The Department of Infrastructure were all well represented by their local senior personnel.

Tika soon wished some of those had not come, as they all felt compelled by the multitude of cameras to make a very impressive speech. Few are skilled at making speeches that are both composed on short notice, and impressive enough to be entertaining. Of course, Tika spoke for the White Elves, and Michael Billington spoke for the Prodigies, and they were both brief and eloquent. Still, it was a long two hours before the ceremonial spadeful of turf was turned as the ceremony concluded.