EFFECTS OF OPENNESS / CH. 5:TENSIONS

5.25PM, 17TH AUGUST 2277, WEAPONS TRAINING AREA, ATLANTIS

As soon as Amos and Sue had left, Lara said, “You are too careful of my reputation, my suitor. I will say in my defence that I thought it was a good idea, to give the girls confidence.”

“Now you know the other side, and you can help stop it,” Harry said, “you have also had your thoughts hidden the whole time.”

“Almost.”

“That is not wise.”

“I know.”

“Are you stuck?”

“I do not know.”

“Do you fear me so?”

“Not precisely.”

“Then allow me to suggest you stop hiding and read the letter, and while you do so I will wait over on the other side of the room, where my land-man thought-hearing will not hear anything from you.”

“You have such little range?”

“About three meters. Oh! I must also give you this.” He handed her another piece of Mars-paper.

“A family tree?”

“Mine.”

“Landmen do not know them, I heard.”

“We do not normally know them, but some, such as my parents, were interested in family history, and researched it. But there is time for that later. Please do not stay hidden longer than you need.”

“I am not stuck. Ten generations, and not one cross?”

“Not that I'm aware of. Lara? Time is short, and I at least feel the letter is more urgent.”

“I do not recognise any of these names, except maybe one, ten generations back.”

“I have more names, and other data. The page was too small for more.”

“Thank you, Harry Richard York, this is very very important. But yes, it might be urgent that I read the letter before I form my own opinions of you.”

----------------------------------------

6.45PM, KARELLA AND CHRISTOPH'S HOME.

“Hi, Sathie,” Sue greeted Karella's daughter, “Is your mother busy?”

“Is it work or just family stuff?”

“Work, I'm afraid.”

“Her Majesty is trying to keep work to normal hours, unless it's an emergency.”

“Very sensible of her. Would it be possible for me to schedule a ten minute chat with her tomorrow or the next day?”

“Hello, Sue.” Karella said, from the kitchen, “If all you need is talk and can help me prepare dinner then you're welcome to sneak past my gatekeeper.”

“Mummy!” Sathie protested.

“I don't mind chatting to Sue, Sathie.”

“But it's work. Sue said it was. And you said you're not working after six any more.”

“Tell you what, why don't we let Sue tell me about it, and then we'll decide.”

“Alternatively,” Sue said, “Why don't Sathie and I discuss it, and then she can decide if it's something that's urgent enough to make an exception or not. And either way I'll help with the cooking, because I've got some family stuff to talk about too.”

“Fine by me!” Karella said, heading back into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Sathie had pronounced it OK to talk to Karella about.

“What did my gate guard decide?”

“I could check my decision with you. I want some of my sailors shot with warning darts.”

“What! Why? We don't use those on people.”

“I can't think of good reason why not, actually. They think that getting shot with relaxant is fun. Harry, the negotiator my government has just sent out was told it by his pilot and raised the issue. He reckons the idiots are training themselves to avoid getting shot or how to simulate it, as a prelude to being dangerous sharks. According to people I've asked, there's no betting, no challenge from the mermaids these days. It's the sailors themselves who are suggesting it. There's got to be some other motive, maybe a barracks suggestion that if you get to the mermaid you win far more that just a drink, or something like that. Harry is certain there's got to be sexual overtones in it. But whatever it is, I want it stopped, and stopped by both sides, the girls seeing it as sinister and the boys seeing it as dangerous. Otherwise, I can see it turning from a stupid game into a motive for a sailor to tell a girl she can't leave, and from there into a rape attempt. And I therefore want the sailors to see it as something they've been very lucky at so far, but they don't want to play any more.”

“Warning darts are nasty, Sue. We're talking like a burn from something red-hot.”

“I'd heard. My plan is to warn the sailors that there are three sorts of darts a mermaid would be carrying, and that mistakes might happen.”

“We do keep them separate.”

“Yes. I also want to tell them that 'game' marks them as sharks, and so it might not be a mistake.”

“You're sure of that?”

“I've told people that getting a needle stuck in them is not a game, that there are all sorts of risks. They persist, saying it's just fun, it doesn't hurt anyone. The other night there in just one bar there were five people recovering from being shot. That's a quarter of the advance party! I could ban it, but that just means it stops happening in public, doesn't it? And so the risks are even greater.”

“You don't fear a backlash? The sailor screaming for revenge and starting a fight?”

“Not if there are enough people around, not if Lara's the one who shoots the sailor. I didn't know, but it seems Harry has just been transferred from diplomatic protection to diplomatic corp. Somehow, I expect that he'd be there making sure things don't get out of hand.”

“How did she react to meeting a land-man? I think she'd avoided them mostly.”

“One highlight was when she drew her knife on him, and he entirely failed to blink. Another one was when he asked that Amos and I not speak about what else happened, in order to protect Lara's reputation.”

“Oh come on, you're not saying they fought are you?”

“Only verbally. What I think I'm allowed to say is that he didn't budge and in the end she admitted that Amos had beaten her in a debate.”

“Is she ill? She never does that.”

“It might become more frequent. He gave her a letter, apparently you warned her about it.”

“Oh! I'd forgotten his name. Yes, so, anything you can tell without breaking confidences?”

“Apparently he's utterly convinced they're going to marry, some decade, seems quite capable of running rings around her in an argument, and also of not budging, if I can mix those metaphors.”

“You mean she's met her match?”

“Sort of. Mostly he was playing judge between her and Amos. Amos admits he pretty much provoked the argument. And her response worries me. He said she'd seemed really depressed when we first met her, and he said something like 'it's nice to have you back' after the debate, where she did seem to be brighting up a bit. She said something about finding it hard to believe he'd started a debate to cheer her up, and when he said not everyone hates her, she replied along the lines of the 'only reason you don't hate me is you don't know me well enough'.

“She has problems with self esteem, yes. I wonder what caused her to be upset. I'll ask her sometime.”

----------------------------------------

8PM, RED REEF TAVERN

“I've never been here before,” Lara said, looking around at the interior of the tavern. The sailors had headed to one end of the room, the mer exclusively to other. She found herself suddenly uncertain about which end she thought they should sit. She didn't see any other mixed couples.

“Thank you for bringing me here, it will certainly help me judge the situation. And I hope you will let me buy you something to eat.”

“I am confused about the prices I see. Are they high or low to your eyes?”

“I've been on Mars a long time, and I don't normally go to places like this. I think they look.. mixed. The imported drinks seem quite expensive, and the food cheep. The exchange rate is not consistent, either.”

“I'd noticed that. To me the food is expensive, and the imported drinks look like random numbers.”

“Are all the local drinks alcoholic?”

“No. And the land-man drinks?”

“Most, but not all.” Harry said, scanning the price list. It showed everything from tea and coffee, to home made lemonade to spirits. There was food available too. Fish seemed ridiculously cheap, vegetables (except things he didn't recognise) expensive.

“And the symbol with the two circles and a line?”

“The percentage sign? That is the alcohol content, parts per hundred.”

“I thought that's what it meant, but forty percent?”

“Served in small measures, I hope.” He scanned the menu some more.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“Can I take your order?” the mer-woman behind the counter asked in English.

“Still thinking, sorry.” Harry replied.

Lara said something in a language Harry guessed was Mer, and the mer-woman grinned, and went away.

“What did you say?”

“I said you'd never tasted our cucumber drink.”

“That is true. Do you have an opinion about drinking a glass of wine with a meal in the company of a strange suitor?”

“It depends how big the glass is.”

“That size.” he a glanced towards a couple on a table near by.

“I think it might be a pleasant accompaniment. Can I suggest the hake?”

“I thought it was rare.”

“Only because it is easy to herd away from your nets,” she said with a smile.

“Then certainly. I do not recognise a lot of the vegetables.”

“Then you select one, and I will select another.”

“Chips are a land-man tradition to eat with fish.”

“I've never heard of that vegetable.”

“A way of cooking potatoes, if that helps.”

“Ah, it does. Then I will choose something leafy.”

“And then we decide where to sit.”

“Yes. It does seem that there is a divide.”

“I am not in the military, so feel free to choose the other end.”

“I am military, and there are more tables at their end.”

“I will just ask if they are expecting more friends.”

“I'll order then.”

“As long as you let me pay.”

“Of course I'll let you pay,” Lara replied with a smile, “You think this food is cheap.”

Harry walked to the nearest table occupied by a group of sailors in uniform, and asked them if the empty tables were going to fill up.

“Who wants to know?” came back the challenge.

“Me.”

“And you're a civilian, or just out of uniform?”

“Crown officer. Used to be diplomatic protection, but his majesty assigned me to treaty negotiation last week.”

“And you're chatting up a mermaid already? What's the trick?”

“I used to work with a friend of hers.”

“Some guys get all the luck.” the sailor said, “Be welcome, most welcome. Especially if she's got any friends.”

“I expect she's got some, but you know, their idea of military isn't quite the same as ours. It includes more goofing off time,” Harry said.

“I've not seen anyone doing much goofing off around here. It's always pretty tense. Unless you get darted, of course, then it's all as relaxed as can be.”

“I'd have thought that was a pretty vulnerable feeling.”

“Yeah, it is the first time, but they don't do anything to you, except maybe laugh, and that's not much surprise. I'd have laughed if I could.”

“I was more worried about what our guys and girls'd do, really,” Another guy at the table said, “and it did wonders for my sore back.”

“Really? I hadn't thought of that,” Harry said.

“Cured mine, right away.”

“So is it tense or is it not tense? I don't get it.” Harry asked.

“They are tense. It's like, we've turned up at the Sunday School pick-nick. And then we're tense because they are.”

“Good analogy about the Sunday-school pick-nick.” Harry said, “I mean, the whole city is something like ninety-five percent committed Christian.”

“But they serve booze!” the second sailor said.

“So?” Harry asked.

“Christians don't drink!” the second sailor insisted.

“Some do, some don't.” Harry said, “Beer? A lot of the old breweries were set up by good churchmen because the water wasn't safe to drink. Wine? Jesus made barrels of the stuff in Cana.”

“And the hard stuff?” the first sailor asked.

“Nothing inherently wrong with it if you drink it in moderation.”

“That's not what my mum would say,” the second one said.

“Like I said, some Christians do, others don't. Seen anyone get drunk down the other end?”

“No. Not this end either. End of the evening, you try to order a whisky and maybe, just maybe you'll convince them to sell you a shandy. Like they don't trust us.”

“Or we don't want anyone getting drunk.” Lara said, she'd come up behind Harry and had overheard part of the conversation, “because drunk people get stupid, and stupid people go swimming, do stupid things and get dead. Harry, I've promised the barmaid that I'll personally gut you if you don't go and pay really soon.”

“I'd better do it.”

“First try this.”

“Cucumber?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He sipped it, and drank some more. It had a strange taste, but he agreed it tasted a bit like hot chocolate. “I see what the commander meant, It does taste a bit like a refreshing version of hot chocolate. Should I pay first or finish it first?”

“You're supposed to turn green when I tell you what it's made of,” Lara said.

“Various plants and sea cucumber. That's a sort of slug thing, yes?” Harry asked.

“You're no fun,” she complained.

The sailor looked at him in horror, “you knew that but still drank it?”

“Not poison, and rich in all sorts of good things. It's quite pleasant, actually. But don't just take my word for it. I'm sure the barmaid would be happy to split a portion between some whisky glasses.”

“I'll try it the once,” volunteered one of the sailors who'd been silently nursing his drink until now, “but not if I'm the only one.”

“Oh come on, true bravery doesn't need friends,” Lara challenged.

“This isn't about bravery,” he replied, “it's about being labeled as 'The slug-man who actually drank that stuff'.”

“Risking the censure of colleagues isn't bravery?” Lara asked pointedly.

“Be careful how you answer,” Harry advised, “or you might meet her knife instead of just sharp words. But I think I've got to go and pay the barmaid.”

“He was joking, wasn't he?” the sailor unwisely asked Lara.

“No,” Lara said, keeping her blade well away from his face as she drew it, “normally, it'd be a millimeter from your throat by now, but we don't want to upset anyone do we?”

“Nice knife,” the sailor said, blanching at the speed she'd drawn it.

“I like it,”

“What's it made of?”

“An alloy. All I know is it'll cut steel, not to mention bone.”

“I don't see any sharpening marks,” he noticed.

“Why would I need to sharpen it? It's only fifty years old.”

“Urm... to keep it sharp?”

“Care to test the blade? I'm sure the barmaid can get you a doctor if you hurt yourself on it too badly.”

“I don't know when you're joking,” the man said.

“Notice, it has a very thin blade. Notice it has serrations. Notice it has a lack of scratches on its mirror finish. Notice the deep notches in the sheath guard, which is only a year old. Hmm, I must get a new one soon. They never last long.”

“You're going to get people upset, Lara,” Harry said, coming back, “why don't you stop showing off?”

“If I don't live up to my name, Harry, then people will think I've gone soft.”

“Anyone think Lara's gone soft?” Harry asked the sailors, some of whom had sprung to their feet when she'd whipped out the lethal blade.

“No,” one of the sailors said.

“What I want to know is if we can get one of those knives.”

“Probably not, sorry.” Lara said, putting away her knife. “It's all about keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of unpredictable people, you know?”

“Lara here, being so predictable she got named Knifetongue,” Harry added.

“So how many people have you actually cut with that?”

“One or two minor accidental lacerations to the jugular, back when I was young.” Lara said, “and I've lost count of how many sharks.”

“Sharks with two legs or with none?” a woman sailor asked.

“You're learning,” Lara complimented her, “But does it matter?”

“Probably to their families.”

“One idiot with a speed-boat tried to chase me using his sonar, once when I was out for a swim. His outboard motor developed a fault.”

“What sort of fault?” Harry asked.

“Well, strangely, first the propeller got tangled in some fishing net, and then he found that something had cut one of the cables that connected it to the wheel, so he had the choice of going in circles next to the sonar, or going to the back and steering it by hand.”

“I take it he didn't get much of a mermaid sighting?” Harry asked.

“Not as far as I know, I didn't stay around to ask. I mean, he was using the most terrible language.”

“Where was this?”

“Bay of Biscay, I think.”

“So you didn't actually hurt him at all.”

“I really ruined his fun. If he'd not had those exposed wires he'd have probably found his boat had sprung a leak, too.”

“I suppose you're just as quick with your blow darts as your dagger, are you?” One of the sailors asked.

“Yes. But I've got a warning dart loaded, so don't try it.”

“Warning dart?” the first sailor asked.

“We normally carry three dart types. Muscle relaxant, warning, and deadly. Think of extreme pain, and then rub in some more salt and acid, with a sea urchin. It works better on big sharks, orcas, and so on.”

“Surely you can't shoot it underwater.”

“No. But if a bit of it breaks the surface it's in for a world of pain. Works pretty well as a dissuader on people too, of course.”

“And everyone carries them?” the woman sailor asked.

“They'd better. All the warriors, anyway. I don't know I'd trust a man with a blow pipe.”

“Why don't your men fight?” the woman asked.

“Traditional, gender-defined roles,” Harry said.

“Why waste all those testosterone strengthened muscles on fighters?” Lara asked, “They're much more useful bringing home the hunt. I mean, it's not like you need to bring home enemies for the cooking pot. Our men would fight if the warriors can't cope of course, but that hasn't happened in a long time. Ooh, speaking of food here's ours.”

“What are you eating?” the first sailor asked.

“Hake and chips, with urm red leafy stuff,” Harry said.

“I thought hake was an endangered species.”

“Naah,” Lara replied, “It's just fairly easy to keep them out of your nets, so you don't catch many.”

----------------------------------------

9PM, RED REEF TAVERN

[Lara?] Karella asked, [what are you doing?]

[Educating people, your majesty.]

[It looks like you've organised a dart-throwing contest.]

[I have.]

[Why is that a good thing?]

[It's educational. Most of the sailors aren't very good. They took one look at the board and decided we had to be joking. Theirs is bigger, apparently. Also, it's relieving stress.]

[Whose?]

[Everyone's We're all having a good laugh, merfolk and the sailors are socially interacting with one another and not looking at each other as enemies. I hope that tomorrow there won't be a great gulf between the ends of the room with wary glances from one end to the other.]

[Oh. Well done.]

[It is a better idea than darting people, I think. I apologise.]

[It was your idea?]

[Not entirely, but I encouraged it, as a way to demonstrate to the girls that they could do it. Some of the sailors decided it was better to be darted than looked on with suspicion. I do not think all are sharks. One also told Harry that it helped with back pain. A drastic cure, and the wrong environment.]

[Indeed.]

[And thus I complete my task, your majesty. I apologise that I caused trouble.]

[What do you mean, complete your task?]

[You asked for me to prepare our people before Harry arrived. He has arrived.]

[And now you resign? You hate it so much?]

[No, your majesty, I love the task you set me, but...]

[I can't remember exactly what I said, Lara. My intention was that you prepare people as well as possible before we are met with an influx of landfolk, I did not expect Harry to be one of the first. And I only realised he was the one I spoke of to you when Sue reminded me. You have more work to do, I am sure.]

[A lifetime's.]

[Less, because I expect you will move on to another role at some point, it would not be good to personally engage in combat when pregnant, for instance. But the task is yours as long as you want it, Lara. Is that what you were upset about? Amos said you seemed depressed.]

[That was... part of it, yes.]

[And?]

[He was not what I expected. I don't really know what I expected, but he wasn't it.]

[Ah. So, what is he like?]

[He is very very courteous, and stubborn, and unswerving, and principled. But also risk-taking. He drank cucumber, even knowing what it was. The sailors have not been that brave yet.]

[Is that a good point?]

[I don't doubt his bravery. He was been wounded protecting others.]

[That was part of his job.]

[Yes. But it was before he went to Mars, he was there four years.]

[I don't understand what you're saying.]

[I wasn't just once. He was shot, he recovered, he was stabbed, he recovered, he was stabbed again, he recovered, he was shot again. The first time was before he'd even finished his training. Then after barely a year, he had a different set of threats on Mars, and now he's in Atlantis and I was upset and resentful that he had come so early, because I like my task and thought his being here ended it.]

[Not the best introduction.]

[So he has met my moodiness and my knife and reproved me for arguing like a teenager, and then asked Sue and Amos not to tell he'd said that.]

[And won an apology from you.]

[Yes.]

[A rare man, then. Enjoy your evening, with him.]

[He said he wanted us to get to know each other before we married, so we had no fear that our marriage would turn into no more than dislike and duty. He scares me, he is so perfect, but if he asks me to marry him I will call for witnesses immediately. Or I will run and hide.]

[You fear your emotions, you mean?]

[I fear how much I trust him already. But I know he was wrong about the sailors. He agrees, he misjudged the situation. What if he misjudges me, and I accept it? I know I'm not a very good judge of people's intentions, I always drive them away.]

[I don't think you'll drive him away, if he's convinced you'll marry.]

[Yes. That scares me.]

[That you won't be able to drive him away?]

[That he'll change his mind and I lose him, or that he won't change his mind, but I'll try to drive him away rather than open up to him.]

[I think you need to pray.]

[Yes.]

----------------------------------------

“Your turn, Lara,” Pete, the first sailor said.

“I think skip her turn,” Harry said, “she's been deep in silent conversation the past few minutes. I presume with her majesty.”

“Don't you dare skip me,” Lara objected.

“Sorry, Lara,” Harry said.

“Who, me, competitive?”

“No competition from my point of view,” Harry pointed out.

“No. You need a lot more practice.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“Oh, really?” Lara asked, brightly.

“Within reason.”

“Hmm. Whose reason? I seem to remember you weren't very reasonable this afternoon.”

“I was very reasonable. And you're keeping people waiting.”

“You did hear him say he'd do whatever I asked, didn't you Pete?”

“Yes, Lara,” Pete said, grinning widely.

“Then if I hit the bullseye, Harry, you're going to sing Amazing Grace.”

“And if you don't, then you'll sing it?”

“I might join in.”

“What'll the rest of the clientele think of us having a song time?”

“No wonder things are tense round here. You're visitors. You have to sing first.”