WARPING EFFECTS / CH. 17:CONNECTIONS 2
17TH FEB 2296, AUTOMATIC ANNOUNCEMENT FROM IHM COMPUTER, 1:25PM, ALASKA TIME.
_UN Resolution 56747, section fifty-nine, subsection eight, publication of identity of non-responsive person._ The male person in authority known as King of Alaska has failed to respond to the final warning given under subsection seven of UN
Resolution 56747.
UN Resolution 56747, section fifty-nine, subsection nine: limitation of powers.
The person known as King of Alaska has is not to be considered able to fulfil the functions of their office in a balanced or adequate manner.
UN Resolution 56747 does NOT require forceful removal from office. UN Resolution 56747 does NOT necessarily require military intervention. UN Resolution 56747 DOES require that any treaty, law, official judgement or official document issued by the person named under subsection eight and issued after the section fifty-eight interview be ratified by a subcommittee appointed by and directly accountable to the UN Security Council, and until such treaty, law, official judgement or official document has been so ratified, it shall not be considered to have any legal status.
Legal processes based on an unratified treaty, law, official judgement or official document so issued are subject to ratification before they may proceed further to the detriment of any person. Access to justice may not be denied or delayed. Competent courts may issue bail, release prisoners and/or return confiscated goods in such cases where the offence was not an offence under laws in force prior to the date of the section fifty-eight interview.
Past laws infringing UN-protected rights may also be referred to subcommittee.
UN Resolution 56747, section fifty-nine, subsection ten: transfer and restoration of powers.
In the event that the person named under subsection eight is permanently and irrevocably removed from office, the laws of the respective country shall apply to who may take their place, except that the person named under subsection eight shall have no part in that decision. Having ratified that the process has been conducted without undue influence, and that the named person shall have no ongoing influence, the sub-committee shall stand down. If the sub-committee is not convinced, the sub-committee shall continue to ratify decisions as under the following point.
In the event that the person named under subsection eight undergoes a course of psychological counselling, then from the point that they are declared mentally capable of returning to a position of power, the sub-committee shall continue to ratify the decisions taken for a period of no less than one year. The subcommittee may require further psychological testing and counselling at any point.
In the event that the person named under subsection eight fails to exercise their duties, the sub-committee shall have the right to issue any treaty, law, official judgement or official document that the person named under subsection eight would normally be duty-bound to issue.
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EMBASSY OF RUSSIA, SECURE INTERVIEW ROOM, 17TH FEB, 2296, 3PM
“Have you spoken to Kristina since yesterday?” Trevor asked.
“Not much, no,” Vasily replied.
“She has asked that I pass on that one of her nightmares involves you two getting back together and then her enacting various bloodthirsty acts of revenge she dreamed of while she was tied up. I would like to strongly recommend that if you care for her at all you don't act on any impulses you have to try to rekindle old feelings. She might well feel that the only way to escape the nightmare is to push you away forever.”
“You mean I'm supposed to hide what I feel for her?”
“It depends if you want her to imagine slowly twisting a knife in your intestines while whispering that she loves you too. Jasmine will be helping her to come to terms with those thoughts of revenge and rob them of their power over her, but a wrong word from you, now, might strengthen them. Feel free to pray for her recovery, but don't tell her you love her, ask her out on dates or anything like that.”
“But I love her.”
“Let's spend some time exploring what you actually mean by that, shall we?”
Trevor suggested.
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PRESS REPORT, ANCHORAGE, BY KEVIN STAMMERS, FRIDAY 18TH FEB 2296
Anchorage Institute cancels lease on palace
The Anchorage Institute has, after reportedly taking a significant amount of legal advice, gained permission this morning from the high court to issue a notice of termination to it's renter, His Majesty the King of Alaska. The exact legal grounds were not given after the private hearing, but the Institute's legal advisor afterwards stated that as well as failing to carry out promised renovations to the old palace, the activities of His Majesty's royal guard had also given rise to several breaches of the rental contract over the past few months. He also stated that the continued use of the Institute's building by his Majesty as a royal palace had been found to be more detrimental to the continued operation of the Institute than had been expected, and thus the Institute was not in a position where it could ignore these breaches. If His Majesty does not lodge an appeal against this order within forty-eight hours, then he must vacate the building within twenty-eight days. The current restrictions on His Majesty's activities due to his mental state and the fact that no subcommittee has yet been ratified by the Security Council, suggest that he will find it hard to issue such an appeal in the time-span available.
The Institute has never been particularly in favour with his Majesty, and the legal firm that normally represents him in civil matters has stated that they view the Institute's move as underhand and certain to cause considerable problems for Institute in the future.
The Institute's lawyer, when asked to comment, replied that there was a place to discuss the legality of such statements, and it was not in the press. He also refused to comment on the connection of the King's impending eviction and recent rumours — unconfirmed by any government official — that suggest guards have been holding some palace visitors incommunicado until they sign a document that proclaims His Majesty as the only and absolute source of authority in Alaska, which could be taken as saying that Alaskais ruled by his whim, with no balances as defined in the constitution.
Such a false imprisonment would of course be contrary to various human rights and any declaration made under such conditions would not hold any value in an unbiased and free court of law.
It is understood that while the Institute's UN-granted rights and privileges, including absolute freedom from political interference, have traditionally been defended by Alaskan security forces, the ultimate defender is the UN security council, and under the ever-newsworthy resolution 56747, foreign troops may use whatever force necessary in defending the Anchorage Institute, and its independence.
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RUSSIAN EMBASSY, ANCHORAGE, 1PM, FRIDAY
“Kristina, Tatyana, have you seen this article by my recent friend Kevin?”
“Your recent friend?” Kristina asked.
“I met him a couple of times at the church I went to. Seems like a good guy, insightful. Actually... he told me I probably needed professional help.”
“You do,” Tatyana pointed out.
“Like I said, insightful.”
“What's the article about?”
“The Anchorage Institute reclaiming its building,” Vasily said. “He carefully doesn't say that it was because the King's been holding people prisoner there.”
“Hmm, that's a fine line to walk. Shame about the discount I got out of them,” Tatyana added.
“It's almost certainly another month before his Majesty gets evicted. Anyway, Kevin was saying that he's going to the Restored Kingdom, or I'd recommend you recommend him for the sub-committee.”
“On what grounds? He's a journalist, not a lawyer.”
“On the grounds that he's Alaskan, part of an oppressed minority who were going to be in trouble with the same law the ethnic Russians were, and has good contacts in that community too, since his parents worked for that educational foundation the king closed down roughly the same time that he was getting told he seriously needed professional help.”
“You don't think that an Alaskan citizen who is an ethnic Russian would be better?” Tatyana asked.
“I know quite a few who I'd be able to recommend if you needed contacts in the informal import-export business world, cousin, but not any I'd trust to have a say in how to run a country.”
“That's not so much a comment on the community as the parts of it you were mixing with.”
“Of course it is, cousin. I spent very little time with the ordinary folks, the house-wives, the teachers, the loggers, and so on. I was only mixing in the business community at the time.” He shrugged, “You know, trying to look after my own interests solve my own problems, as though I could.”
“Are you saying that most of the ethnic-Russian businessmen and women that get invited to embassy functions are smugglers?”
“Most? I don't know. But if your list of regular invitees have only been business people, then I would suggest you ought to think of inviting a different cross section of the community next time, cousin,” Vasily said.
“And this reporter friend of yours from church has contacts in the educational world?” Tatyana mused.
“He has,” Vasily confirmed. “Oh, he managed to get an interview with the Restored Kingdom ambassador before he and his beloved fled the country, too, if that makes a difference.”
“You're suggesting that he's got good contacts in the Restored Kingdom?”
“Yes. He was praying for the ambassador's girlfriend when she went to visit the coven, and also John and Sarah Williams, as in GemSmith, are going to legally adopt his fiancée, because she got chucked out of home and they were witnesses to it. I'd say he's got good connections. But like I say, he's leaving the country, tomorrow, I think.”
“Maybe he can arrange to come for dinner tonight. You say his parents worked for the Emerald foundation?”
“Yes.”
“And they're Christians?”
“They were at church on Sunday.”
“OK, fine. Invite them along too.”
“Me?”
“I am not going to do it. You want to make introductions, Vasily, you can do the dirty work.”
“What urm.. excuse do I give?”
“Minority rights, blah blah, education, etc. I'd like to pick their brains about who'd be a good people to invite since, very remiss of me, I don't have any contacts in the education scene who aren't also connected to business, and so on.”
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ROBBIE AND MADDIE'S HOME, 2PM
“Dad, are you and Mum free tonight?” Kevin asked, muting his wrist unit.
“Other than your sending off party?”
“Her excellency the Ambassador of Russia would like to pick our brains over dinner, apparently, about educators in the Russian minority. It turns out the messed-up guy I was talking to at church is a second cousin of hers.”
“Tabitha and Miriam are going to be grumpy if we leave them to finish the cooking.”
“They're invited too. Dress code is smart. Dinner jackets, ball-gowns, jewellery, etc. are not at all necessary but optional if anyone wants an excuse.”
“I see. And what does dancing at the Imperial Embassy today do to your sisters' reputations tomorrow?”
“Not much, Dad. You and mum are going to be watching over them, aren't you?”
“Go ask Mum what she thinks,” Robbie wisely decided.
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ROBBIE AND MADDIE'S HOME, 6.30PM
“Now girls,” Maddie said, once they'd finished changing into their best dresses and doing their hair. “you've never been in this level of society before, but Imperial Russia is culturally showy and ultra-conscious of rank. Expect the glitter to be real gems, expect polished gold buttons, expect elegant. Don't go gawking at people or furniture, but don't abuse it either. In some ways it's all show, to impress people with the might of the Russian empire, but it is also genuinely valuable. Basically the Russian attitude is if you've got it, wear it so people know who you are.”
“That's why you're wearing your gold, mum?”
“Exactly. And it's why you will be too.”
“Us?” Tabitha asked, confused. She was seventeen, Miriam had just had her fifteenth birthday. They were probably both going to university, and decisions about who Robbie and Maddie would approve of as suitors had not yet been made. Not fourth cousins or closer, that was certain.
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“You're dad's worked hard, and so have I, come to think of it, and it's not like we waste money unlike some. So, we've been putting stuff aside for when you come of age. But it's not every day you get to glitter for all you're worth, is it? Mirim, these are yours, Tabitha, these are yours. Look after them.” She handed each one a wooden box. Each one contained a necklace of gold coins and multi-segmented ear-rings. Close examination showed that some of the segments of Miriam's ear-rings were books, fitting her desire to study, and maybe become a teacher. Tabitha's had doves, greek letters and integral signs; she loved physics and was overjoyed at the thought of studying at Mars university. They matched their mother's except her ear-rings showed a dragon reading a book; nothing at all, Robbie had always said to his children, to do with what you could expect from her if you interrupted her reading.
“Mum, they're beautiful!” Tabitha said, with tears coming to her eyes. “I wish I knew who I'd wear them for real for, though.”
“Tonight you're wearing them for yourself, for God who made you who you are, and for your brother, who we might not see for a long long time. Let God keep the future secret, love. There's still time.”
“You knew exactly who you'd marry by my age, mum,” Tabitha said.
“Yes, exactly. Look at all the mess and confusion that caused, not to mention almost total embarrassment. And as for Kevin and Yvette.... You planning to go to university isn't very traditional, but maybe we're starting a new tradition.”
“On Mars? Still? Even with the king certified nuts?” Miriam asked.
“His majesty is still king. And he still hates our people in general and dad and me in particular. There's a lot of prejudice here; Mars has far less and more opportunities. Not to mention idiots who'll propose to you without getting to know you first, let alone talking to us first. Don't you dare be the sort of fools who say yes, girls, we might not be very traditional, but...”
“We're not gagi either. We know, mum. No way do we want to shame you or dad.” Tabitha said.
“But don't take too long finding us husbands, mum.” Miriam chipped in. “We don't want to be tempted to think you're too busy.”
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EMBASSY OF RUSSIA, 7PM
“Thank you all for coming as such short notice,” Tatyana said, greeting Robbie, Maddiew and children, as they were ushered into the room by a guard.
“It's not often we get invited to an embassy,” Maddie said, with a smile.
“My cousin told you what it was about?”
“He said that you'd realised your contacts in the education area were a bit limited.”
“He was polite, and I was naïve. I have had a staff member checking into some of the key contacts I have built up in the two years since I've been ambassador here. They came to my attention because they seemed to be well connected, but it seems actually they are good at presenting themselves as honest businessmen, and not so good at paying their legitimate taxes. Thus I need some new, honest contacts, who will not distort the messages that they tell me.”
“And having been thoroughly tricked, you're asking for help from Gypsies?”
Maddie asked, with a twinkle in her eye.
“I understood that the word Roma was better? I'm asking for help from honest Christians. I don't care about ethnic stereotypes, they just give people who don't like thinking a reason to hate. God gave us brains and tells us to love.”
“Thank you, your excellency. Yes, the word Roma is better... you realise it means people?”
“Yes. And I heard your word for us means peasants?”
“It might have once,” Robbie said, “And its easy to think it means English speakers, but it really means the majority.”
“I heard that, I think, or I think I heard it could also mean 'the oppressors' when I studied anthropology at university. We are not the majority here, nor do we want to be oppressors anywhere. If you hear about that crime anywhere where I or my family might have influence, please pass it on to me. I don't know if you have friends or relatives in Russia, but tell them they are citizens, and any citizen has the right to appeal to a noble or via truthsayers if they are oppressed or face corruption. If they fear to pass it directly, you can tell me. I will pass it on.”
“Thank you, your excellency,” Kevin said.
“You don't need to thank me, it is a part of my vows as a noble to stamp our corruption.”
“But I think you will enjoy stamping,” Kevin said.
“Vasily said you were a perceptive young man,” Tatyana said, smiling.
“I am a truthsayer, excellency.”
“You joined during your visit to the Restored Kingdom?”
“Yes,” Kevin said, surprised she'd known about that.
Tatyana said, with an apologetic smile, “I never used to ask the intelligence services anything. After my shock this afternoon, I'm probably overcompensating. I'm therefore very happy to invite you to my country's embassy, Robert known as Robbie, Anna-Maria known as Maddie, who weren't just workers for the Emerald foundation like Vasily said, but administrators too, and your daughters, Tabitha and Miriam, the four of you thinking of going to Mars with some distant Mer relatives, and of course Kevin your son, who's not thinking of Mars because he's due to marry your boss's adopted daughter. And of course I've heard lots about John and Sarah, over the past few decades, mostly because Svetlana met them in Atlantis and I have a cousin who is a truthsayer. But I've met them too, in Restoration, and I've noticed .... that ripples emanate from where they've passed.”
“I'd noticed some ripples, too,” Kevin said.
“Hmm, yes, I thought you might have. So, do send a hello from me in the specific and the Russian intelligence services in general to your fiancée's placement supervisors if you happen to meet them. I expect the service'll be in touch with a new client sometime, but you can tell them that Prince Vasily who invited you here is getting the help he needs, but of course you can't tell them where.”
“I'll pass on the message, your excellency.”
“Thank you,” Tatyana said.
“But I didn't know about the Prince's title.”
“I don't use it much, what with being on the run from the law most of the last decade,” Vasily said, coming in. “Cousin, you did remember that you've got other guests tonight, didn't you? They've arrived.”
“I did remember, and I thought it wouldn't hurt to discuss things together. Since their previous ambassador has requested a role that doesn't split him up from Vivian, the Restored Kingdom have assigned a new ambassador. You might want to talk to him about Mars, since I understand he was posted there for a while. Hello again, Lara! Come in! Let me make some introductions... His excellency Harry York, and Lara Peace-singer Knifetongue, do you have all your children with you?”
“Samuel's at home, asleep,” Lara said, referring to her youngest.
“OK, well, let me see if I remember everyone's name... Edwin, Lydia, Enoch, Mabel, Yzella, and .. Boris, is that right?”
“Congratulations, all correct!” Harry said, grinning. Most people got one of his kids' names wrong.
“And this is Robbie and Maddie Stammers, and Kevin, Tabitha and Miriam.”
“Hi,” Edwin said, a little shy at meeting pretty girls roughly his own age, who seemed to be dripping in gold, when he'd expected adults and politics. He tried not to stare at them, or try to work out how many hectares the gold they were wearing represented on Mars.
“I thought landfolk didn't have much gold, Dad,” Boris, age six said.
“Well, Boris,” Tatyana said, “lots of people don't. There's a lot of gold here because Russia has lots and this place shows how rich the country is.
And I think if you asked Tabitha and Miriam's mummy then she'll tell you that you're seeing all the gold their family have, and they haven't been keeping much money in the bank.”
“Why not?” Yzella asked.
“Tradition,” Maddie said, “and bank accounts here can get frozen if the king doesn't like you. So, we're very glad we didn't have much money in the bank.”
“Good tradition,” Yzella said. “Why do we have money in the bank, Daddy?”
He smiled, “A different tradition, and the king and queen at home like us.”
“In Atlantis?” Boris asked.
“There too, Boris. There too.”
“Home is a complicated word, isn't it?” Tatyana said.
“Very,” Kevin agreed. Thinking that he wasn't sure when it would change from being near his parents or near his beloved Yvette, or if it had already.
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EMBASSY OF RUSSIA, 8.30PM
“Thank you so much for sharing all that with me,” Tatyana said. “You've been a real help. The next issue that's facing me is that Tsarina Svetlana tells me I need to suggest someone with to be what they call the local informant on the U.N. sub-committee.”
“And you'd like us to recommend someone?” Robbie asked.
“I was actually hoping that you might consider the post, Mrs Stammers.”
“Me?” Maddie asked, surprised.
“You are eloquent, you are knowledgeable, and you are not easily intimidated, I think. Plus you are not Russian, so no one will accuse us of stacking the committee in Russia's favour. Kevin would be my second choice, but I think his youth will count against him with the other nations of the committee.”
“I think you will not find Atlantis arguing against either of your suggestions, Tatyana,” Lara said, with a secretive smile.
“Nor the Restored Kingdom,” Harry said. “I was actually given quite firm instructions to try to meet Kevin and ask him if he'd be willing to serve. Blame Vivian's influence, if you wish.”
“What were your royal family thinking, letting her come here?” Tatyana asked, “Was it a deliberate ploy to drive the king mad? She leaves even more changes in her wake than John and Sarah Williams put together, sometimes. All three of them at once in the same city at the same time? Someone's going to accuse your king of planning this all.”
“I think I'd lay the planning with the King of Kings. I don't think the king of the Restored Kingdom has much input into the decisions made by the Institute, Tatyana.”
“Oh, not directly, I'm sure. But the Restored Kingdom has far more than it's share of people with the Gift, and it's gossiped that there are clusters at the Institute and your palace. Clusters when most places just have one.”
“Feel free to discuss any unequal distribution with God, your excellency,” atKevin said, smiling, “but I'm heading to the Restored Kingdom tomorrow, surely I can't....”
“You can be on that subcommittee while based anywhere on Earth, I expect.” his mother interrupted, “But even with the changes, there's too much ingrained prejudice here. The girls, Dad and I are going to be on a ship to Mars in a few weeks. Commuting is not going to be a possibility.”
“I was going to say surely I can't tell my employer 'thanks for the full-time job but I can only be there half-time.'”
“The possibility has already been raised with International News,” Harry said, “The editor said it was a great opportunity, and was sure that sort of insider-view on the committee would give you lots to write about.”
Lara said “And Robbie, Maddie, if you're really going to Mars, can we keep in touch? For some reason Edwin's hoping to go to the university there rather than study in Atlantis.”
“Oh? Not enough pretty girls who aren't relatives?” Maddie asked, looking at Edwin, who, his face flaming stuttered a denial, which turned into a gabble.
“I want to work on the comet shredder. And Dad was there before he met mum. So he's already got improved ground and a good stock of compost.”
“Just teasing, Edwin,” Maddie said, “You're not interested in the new space folding research? I know Tabitha is.”
“I'm not sure I'm good enough at physics,” he replied.
As the adult conversation moved on to why they wanted Robbie to stand, Edwin heard Tabitha decide that quantum gravity hadn't seemed that hard. She was clearly more than just a pretty face, he decided. A very pretty face. He needed to check she was a Christian.
Tabitha blushed, then said shyly, “About a hundred.”
“A hundred what?”
“You decided you wouldn't ask. Hectares, my dowry.”
“Oh! You hear thoughts too?”
“I do. You?”
“Yes,” he said, carefully not deciding they ought to compare family trees. Except he decided he would just play with that idea, and she heard.
“You should have hidden your thoughts when you decided to play with that idea.” Tabitha said. “You are not of our people, I am not of yours.” Turning to Lydia, who'd been reaching her own decisions, she said, “Lydia, crossing cultural boundaries is... rare, some say foolish, even. But it happens. My great grandmother was outer Mer; her husband had the gift. According to the story she told my mother he followed her by it as she swam, and thus she could not escape him. She then berated him for misusing his gift for chasing girls, and somehow they ended up in love. I never knew them of course; both died before Atlantis moved, but Mother keeps up her family tree. If your brother really wishes to consider such a foolish crossing of cultural barriers, your parents must talk to my parents; that is our way, and that is all I will say on the matter, I have said too much to him already.”
“I don't understand,” Lydia said, “you've barely said two sentences to each other.”
“Our cultures are different, what is said, who is spoken to, what things imply, these are all dangerous waters. Implications and assumptions. There is no totally innocent conversation between the genders at our age, none. Yet I have answered one unspoken question and two spoken ones, I even asked one in reply. None of those questions were as innocent as 'What's the time?'”
“What should he have hidden his thoughts about?”
“I am not registered as a truthsayer. The law here makes that impossible if you're a Christian. But...”
“You're not going to break his privacy? He thought about comparing family trees, didn't he? It doesn't mean anything.”
“You've done it with every boy you ever met then?”
“Every boy?” Lydia said, surprised, “No, just the ones who I thought there might be a chance ... oh.”
“You see? It does mean something.”
“Not much,” Lydia said, “only that maybe you'll be interested in each other sometime.”
“If he's maybe interested in me then our parents should talk. Get permission, that is our way. I won't shame my parents.”
“But he doesn't know if you might be interested.” Lydia protested.
Tabitha and Miriam gave her a long incredulous stare, noticed what the other was doing so and rolled their eyes at each other. There was no hope for Lydia, it seemed. Then Miriam asked, “What do you think of the weather, Lydia? Really warm isn't it?”
“Warm? It's ten below freezing! How can you call this warm?”
“Compared to last year and the year before that. My whole life, actually,” she hinted even more blatantly.
“I wasn't here last year. It's far too cold here, I'm glad Dad's just here temporarily.”
“Miriam?” Edwin asked, “You're not really talking about the weather, are you?”
“Lydia,” Miriam said, “I don't want to be impolite, but find a culturally appropriate way to tell your brother its incredibly rude to ask questions like that, please, and also that girls our age don't have any discussions with boys unless they're brothers or cousins, or it's something like a Bible study.”
“Was that a suggestion? It'd pass the time,” Enoch, Lydia's 12 year old brother said.
“The book of Ruth? One Samuel twenty-five? Genesis two verse eighteen, maybe?” Miriam suggested with a wicked glint in her eyes.
“Miriam! Stop it!” Tabitha said, face flaming, “You can't say that, it's scandalous!”
“Would you prefer Judges 4:21?” Miriam suggested. “Is that where the woman invites her enemy into her tent?” Enoch asked.
“Don't you know anything?” Yzella, the ten-year old expert on all the most gory bits of scripture asked, “It's where she sticks him to the ground with a tent-peg, because he was a dangerous shark, and she didn't have a proper knife.”
“Some people prefer verses which speak about God's character,” Edwin said.
“Some people are strange,” Mabel said. “Are you strange, 'Zella?”
“I like the bit where Jesus tells the storm to shut up and calm down.” Yzella replied. “I wish he'd tell Samuel to shut up and calm down when he's screaming. But maybe that's too hard.”
“Nothing's to hard for God. You keep praying and wait, and God'll answer your prayer.” Edwin said.
“How old is Samuel?” Tabitha asked Lydia.
“He's two, and is in the tantrum phase.”
“Yep,” Enoch agreed. “Keep praying and I guarantee he won't be screaming like a toddler throwing a tantrum in ten years' time.”
“Be careful with pronouncements like that,” Miriam said, “You're not God, and He might decide to make you eat your words.”
“Please, no! Anything but that!” Mabel begged.
“Anything?” Tabitha probed. “What if it costs you a leg?”
“Why would it?” Mabel asked, confused.
“You're the one who said 'anything' “, Tabitha replied, “Be careful what you wish for around here. There are lots of evil forces active in this country.”
“Let your yes be yes and your no be no, and think before you speak. That's what our pastor says,” Miriam added.
“But...”
“The king here has set himself above God; the king here has actively worshiped demons, and called truth lies and lies truth,” Kevin said, coming over. “Expect trouble on all fronts, even from careless words and figures of speech. Tabitha, Mum wants to talk.”
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“Tabitha, I overheard snatches, tell me. Everything.”
“He's Christian, he's a thought hearer, decided I'm pretty and clever and wants to compare family trees. I said his parents needed to talk to you and dad. Lydia was being dense, saying he had no idea what I felt, even after I said that, and Miriam said the only time discussions were OK was in a Bible study, then suggested a whole heap of embarrassing references, but apparently Yzella likes Jael's tent-peg, and other bloodthirsty bits.”
“And you like Edwin?”
“I don't know, mum. He's some kind of Christian and he's a thought reader, he's not ugly. I don't know yet if he's annoying, or what would make me marry out, but the only other Christian thought hearer I know is Kevin, so he's in a pretty rare category so far.”
“Lots in that category among the Mer. And lots of Mer on Mars.”
“That was another of the thoughts I had, yes. Not many amongst us.”
“OK, Tabitha. We're on the look-out, but if guys start chasing you, and they will on Mars, I hear, then the rule's simple. We meet the parents, explain some things, and then if he wants to talk, it happens at home or maybe at Church. If not...”
“Then I ask Yzella to teach me shark whittling?”
“I'd recommend Lara. She's on leave from her role of trainer-in-chief of Mer warriors, or something.”
“But she's going to be here.”
“Yes, most of the time. She also said something interesting to me.”
“Yes?”
“Mer genetics tends to be dominant, so she wonders how much you like swimming, how good your hand-eye coordination is, not to mention if you can hear decisions under water.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That she was welcome to ask you and test you out herself, and that you'd be happy to show her and her girls to the best pools in the city.”
“The best ones?”
“Your favourite ones, anyway.”
“Not necessarily the same thing.”