Changes Announced, Changes Made…
Francos worried that he might be moving too fast. He had not discussed this with Megal and Sarita. Ser Path had agreed that reminding everyone of the laws from Terra was important but getting them to follow them might be difficult. The feudal system had a long history in human civilization, and it was popular. Francos regretted he would not be the one enforcing it, but the healers had been correct. The poison had weakened him. His son and his son’s very capable wife would have that burden.
As the day of the meeting arrived, the food was generous, but the day was hot. Marta warned Francos that he should keep his speech short, and the meeting part should begin in the evening. She had noticed during the women’s rebellion that a breeze off the hills to the west had chilled them in the spring but would cool them in this summer heat.
Francos had struggled with his speech. He wrote speech after speech and discarded each in frustration. Finally, Marta insisted, just use the notes he had rather than trying to read something. She pointed out that he must speak from his heart as his father and his grandfather taught him.
Francos made a list of the main points and hoped he could project his voice for as long as it would take to cover the list. As with any of the psy powers, you expended energy projecting your voice to a crowd and he was not sure how long he could talk.
***
As Francos watched the people arriving, he was pleased. He acknowledged many of his close relatives and was embarrassed to realize how correct Marta had been. His family had produced many women who were married into many families, both Council and Unspoken. As everyone got settled, he saw his chaplain bow to the Poh who stepped to the dais and led them in a short prayer asking the Three in One to guide them.
Francos joined the young head of the church and thanked him. He stood quietly for a few moments and then told of the man who had come to him about the theft of the bread meal. He told of how the man had been ordered to kill carnivores attacking the grazing animal but the pain of killing something was too much, so the man ran away. He described the camp the many runaways had built in the park and how with the help of some in the city, they had found places for them. Francos made it clear they came from many families.
“But the stories they told hurt me,” Francos cried out. “I was taught by my father and by his father that as the head of the family, it was my duty to care for our people. To support them and protect them. This is my duty as the Overlord. I am not a tyrant or a king. As it says in the holy book, I am the servant of all. My son who is to be the First Successor has been taught this too.
“I have been told of family members being beaten, beaten until they joined the ancestors, when they did not do as ordered. I have been told of women forced to help manifest the power of a son of the hacienda, not a someone of her or her parent’s choosing. I have been told of those who were asked as was the man who came to me, to use their powers in ways that pained them. This is not who we are as a people. This is not how Humanos Verdaderos should act.” The audience was still, but a few were whispering, and a murmur spread through the crowd.
“To understand better our history on this, I have consulted with Ser Path about what was the practice on Terra and what had been planned for the space station operation. The laws and regulations for both are clear. Any person, especially those who have been given responsibility over others, anyone who deliberately causes the death of another will be charged with murder.” Marta could hear he was getting hoarse. She stepped up to the dais and handed him a cup of water and she sent a mental message of encouragement. A murmur of conversation began in the crowd, so Francos turned to the crowd.
“The recognition that the majority of our women were not damaged by their manifestation was hard for some to believe. It is true and it has been more difficult to learn to live with,” Francos grinned as many of the crowd laughed.
“For years men have paid a fine if they caused the death of a woman facilitating a male manifesting his power, but that too must stop. Our powers are a gift from the Three and we should hold the manifestation of that gift as precious as we hold the birth of a child. Just as we have forbidden the killing of infants, we must stop the injury and killing of family members or hired women.” Cries of support rose from the runaways on the edge of the crowd. Those in the main group joined in and Francos received a wave of agreement both mentally and with cheers.
Francos saw Ser Path in the crowd and motioned him to come up and speak. He augmented his voice so all the crowd could hear him.
“As the Overlord has said, our people did not condone murder or abuse when we were on Terra, and it was clear in the standards set for the space station. Our laws forbid one person deliberately causing harm to another.” Path said. “The House of Justice will welcome any family member who wishes to file a complaint concerning the death or injury of a family member.” He went on to mention that leaving a hacienda without permission was rude but not against the law.
“The House of Justice also fully supports the activity of women in the public workplace, businesses, and government. As has been decreed, their credits are their own. Children are not possessions, they are gifts from the Three and belong to both the mother and the father. They are to be protected until they can be independent. To facilitate this, the educational system will be expanded. Girls as well as boys will be expected to received basic education until the age of 20. As it is with the males, the final years will be training in skills to help our settlement survive. As the father of several young women, I am aware of how talented and willing they are. We need to put them to work.” His words were met with cheers and laughter.
“Those of you who have come to the city without support of your birth family need to register with the House of Justice so we can find you a place to live and something to do,” Francos took up the announcements. “I will not allow anyone to be forced to return to their family if it is not their choice. The House of Justice has excellent mediators so if you have a dispute but would like to return, again, go register with them.”
“Ser Path that is exactly what was needed,” Francos said softly as Path left the platform. “We are making progress.” Francos then asked if there were any questions, much to the surprise of most of the crowd. His reputation was still a barrier. No one wanted to be the recipient of his volatile temper. A few brave younger people spoke out about needing help on the haciendas with harvests or production of goods. Francos suggested that an appeal to other families might work.
“If your hacienda has more people than it needs, let them find work on another hacienda. Earlier, we held a meeting here with many of the families in the city and the runaways who had camped in the park. I have read that on Terra in earlier times, there were teams who would move from one hacienda to another during the harvest or shearing or slaughter time. They do something like that in Utopia to help harvest food that cannot be left when it is finally ripe. That could be organized,” Francos said. He then called out to the woman who had organized the runaway camp and asked her if she was willing to handle that task. She called out.
“We have many who prefer to move about and live in the open, Ser Morales. I will be happy to help.”
Francos again mentioned the prohibition against murder or physical damage and closed the meeting. He was exhausted. He hugged Marta and let her know he needed to sit down, and how badly he needed Megal to return.