Residency, Ciudad Centro, Refugio Settlement
Marta Morales, senior wife of the Overlord of Refugio, set out first meal on the harem patio. “Fran, the senior women are messaging me asking when we are going to get the changes moving.” The women had led a rebellion several months before. It had been triggered by the disclosure that the infanticide practiced by an arm of the national church was based not on genetic abnormalities, but family and gender. In organizing the revolt, the women also revealed they possessed the same psy powers as the men. They did not need to be confined to the harems and kept from the business of the families. “Many of them are having issues with men not being willing to accept that they run the business, not their son or some other male.”
“Can’t it wait until the trade negotiations get finished? This is something Sarita and Megal need to be involved in.” Francos Morales, Overlord of the Humanos Verdaderos, the True Humans, was still recovering from injuries suffered at his son’s wedding. He had sent his son and daughter-in-law to Utopia as his representative. The trade agreement needed to be changed and the trade was important to the settlement.
“It might be better if we could wait, but there are some issues that must be settled,” Marta said. “Several women need the public recognition that they run the family’s businesses. They have been doing it for years, but now some men won’t do business with them. The women are in charge and want that known.”
“That’s true and having Poh Juan supporting our goals has helped but there is still resistance by those who supported Pesch and Malfe. Why these men don’t see the advantages, I will never understand,” Francos said. He realized his proclamation of the women having power had not made the impact he wanted. “Talk to some of the women and work up a list of issues. It is an inconvenient time to be having a meeting, but it may be necessary.” Francos knew it had been too soon since the last Council Meeting and it was the middle of summer. Any place they wanted to hold a meeting would be hot.
“You know we really need to include all the heads of the Unspoken families as well as the Council Houses. The others are just as important as the Council families, maybe more. The Poh showed that by having them vote in the Conclave,” Marta said. “Their numbers are too high to ignore.
“I am concerned that doing this too fast is going to unsettle things more than we can adjust to. That worries me even though I know we need to do this.” Francos finished his meal and walked slowly to his office. Serept, his assistant, had warned him the morning was full of callers. Most only wanted to assure themselves that he was recovering, and the Council of Houses didn’t need to consider an election for a new Overlord. It annoyed him, but as Serept had pointed out, most left reassured.
***
The first meeting of the morning fit into what he had Marta had been discussing. “Ser Morales, as the Poh said, we are not the same people who fled Terra and we need to recognize that,” Pedro Barra was out of the group called Unspoken. When the Humanos Verdaderos had been stranded on Higgins World, the families of the corporation had been organized by family bonds. Many family heads had died in the emergency evacuation of the transport ship. Those who did not align themselves with a surviving family were called Unspoken. They were considered not as valuable but had become the majority in the community. Barra had been one of the merchants who helped write the new trade agreement with Port. He also had credits enough to move to a house in the casbah across from the Casa Malfe.
“The announcements of the rights of women to control their credits and their children that you and the Poh made are welcome but we whom you call Unspoken have a request, no a demand.” Several young men and a young woman accompanied him. The meeting request had not indicated what they wanted the meeting to cover.
“Your numbers alone require me to listen, Ser Barra,” Francos said calmly. “The size of the voting members at the conclave showed me that.”
“The system of giving privileges only to those Houses considered hidalgo on Terra must be modified, Ser Morales,” Barra said. “Either we add more houses, or the advantages must be expanded to all.”
“We have the criteria the church used for voting in the conclave for the new Poh as an example,” a young man Francos recognized as a clerk for the House of Justice spoke up. “It in effect eliminates the system of advantages by extending them to all family heads.”
“We have heard rumors you might be open to this, Ser,” the women spoke up. “Many women of the Council families are from the Unspoken houses. Some even function as the head of the family or of the family business. We have long recognized the use of the trance and have few damaged women.”
“Sera, I am still embarrassed by the amount of information I was lacking about my own family,” Francos sighed. “It was my grandmother that promoted the trance, and the men just ignored her. I freely admit, I am enjoying working with my senior wife and admire how my son’s new bride is working as his partner. What do you have in mind?”
“When we left Terra, it was to protect our genetic base, but we were a very open society there,” the young clerk said. “Ser Roblies taught us in the gymnasium that all adults had a vote when the legislative bodies were chosen. It was not just the heads of wealthy families. Now that the horrid practice of smothering infants has been banned, we all expect to see a jump in our population. We believe that representation should expand as well.”
“I am aware of what our history has been.” With Ser Roblies guidance, Francos spent some of his recovery reviewing the history of the Humanos Verdaderos on Terra to consider what other changes might be made. “We had a representative government in the European Consortium. Do you propose returning to that system?”
“Perhaps, Ser Morales,” Barra said, “but, we also recognize that we need to do this incrementally. For now, many are willing to accept the recognition of new families, especially by using the standards set by the church.”
“We would prefer to have the voting extended to all adults as it was on Terra,” The young man said, “but we realize that much change following so closely to the changes announced by you and the Poh might be too much.”
“This has been widely discussed, Ser Morales,” Barra said. “The number of people who are not connected to one of the original Houses is, as you have said, large. We have a census that shows the Unspoken outnumber the members of the current Houses. The system designed by the church is widely accepted. If you are willing, we would like to begin implementation.”
“Once we have the population adjusted to that, we can make the change to all adults voting,” the woman said.
“These are some changes I have long wanted to make,” Francos said. Francos was amused by the stares and side glances among the group. They obviously had expected to be met with total rejection. “However, I wonder if we really need to continue the tradition of Council Houses?” Francos said. “Could we not just recognize all family groups were equal? Do away with the ancient idea of ancestral superiority? Perhaps do away with both terms, Council Families and Unspoken?”
“I don’t believe we want to go that far yet, Ser Morales,” Barra said. “The changes ordered by you and the Poh have caused some serious disruption in many of the more traditional families. While I agreed with all of those, to abolish the status of the hidalgo families, that might be a change too far. Status and privilege are important to the identity of many.”
“Very true,” Francos had pushed beyond what he expected them to want. He needed to know how revolutionary these families were. “While some of the changes came much faster than I expected, you are correct. However, you realize that some, especially some of the young women are moving more quickly than we expected. Witness, your presence Sera Castillo.”
“My father, Basilio Castillo, worked with the Residency. He observed how difficult it was to hide the lie and insisted all his children have a good education. He regrets he chose to work with Emiliano Pesch and said if I had an opportunity, to offer his apology to you,” the young woman said. “I have been working with him for some time to arrange the Residency laundry.”
“So that is how Emiliano found out about things,” Francos had had his suspicions.
“It lasted only until Ser Pesch refused to believe him and Popi turned to Ser Barra for help.”
Barra spoke up quickly to defend his friend and business associate. “Ser Morales, Basilo was furious when he came to me and has been one of the supporters of the changes we suggest. He also believes that we need to talk with the people of Port and Utopia about changes in how we govern.”
“I believe in time, we should approach both Utopia and Port to coordinate both trade and governance. What you suggest will be a start for us and our youth will finish it.” Francos turned to Serept to set up a meeting to begin a study of how to return to how they were governed on Terra. He suggested that Ser Roblies be consulted for a suggestion of membership.
“Many of the men who he trained, friends of my son Megal, will be ready to develop this change,” Francos realized that it must be the younger men to help them return the governance to how it was on Terra. The changes had been driven by necessity at the time of the stranding, and the greed for power had warped them. It was time to wipe that painful blemish off the settlement.
***
As they left the Residency, the justice clerk was alarmed. “Ser Berra, he talks as if he is dying. We have been told he is recovering well from his injury.” They walked down the steep hill towards the city center.
“He is recovering, Diego, but he will never be as strong as he was. One of my daughters is a healer and they have discussed the effect of the snake venom. They consulted with some healers in Utopia who said those who survive have problems for the rest of their lives.”
“He is preparing us to follow Ser Megal,” one of the other men spoke up. “I knew Megal in the gymnasium. He has a sharp mind and developed strong empathic psy powers. He will do well as a leader.”
***
Marta provided Francos with a list of issues the women wanted addressed. None of them were things Francos could find arguments against. He wrote up an announcement for a general meeting and began working on how it might be handled. It could not be a formal Council meeting because that had specific rules and traditions. Besides, he wanted to honor the agreement he had with Ser Barra. He wanted all the family heads to be present and vote.
***
“Fran, I saw Serept with messages. Have you heard from the children?” Marta was setting out their first meal later in the week.
“Tony sent word that the Refugio women of Trade City have embraced the changes,” Francos shook his head. “He said they were out in the markets and walking around just like the Pins.”
“Fran, you need to work on not using that nick name. It’s insulting.”
“Yes, Mami, I will try,” Francos grinned at his wife. “It’s easier to say than Utopians. I need to ask Sarita if they think it’s insulting. What do you hear from Sera Pesch and the women’s council?”
“Things are moving pretty quickly. Those families where the men had not noticed or don’t accept the fact women have power are still having issues, but most of the families are relieved it has finally been recognized.” Marta said.
“I have a meeting with your brother and one of his neighbors today,” Francos sighed. “They blame me for disrupting their families. I understand some of the women have refused to return to their family harem.”
“Sophie Garza has opened a refuge for those women, but so far it is just a few who need help.” Marta said. “Most families businesses need the women too much. I saw they were on your schedule, and I am not surprised they are fighting it. My family has more damaged women than most.”
“How did you survive it,” Francos had wanted to ask but there had not been a moment when he was comfortable bringing it up. “Benitos and Marianel both learned from your brothers and nephews. How did the women of the harem escape?”
“The women who came as wives often did not. Those who were born in that harem were more fortunate. My grandmother was friends with your great-grandmother,” Marta said softly. “All of us learned the trance, but you were so kind and gentle, I didn’t need it.” Francos blushed.
“So, we are life mated as the Utopians?”
“Not completely, you need to open yourself. I can feel your emotions, but you cannot feel mine. It is frustrating for me but after all these years, I understand.”
“Mi Corazón, will you help me?” Francos said softly.
Marta leaned over and kissed him on the head.
***
“If I had known you were going to disrupt our entire people, I would never have supported you, Fran.” Javier Grado, Marta’s older brother along with his brother-in-law and neighbor, Carlos Mendoza, had come to protest the changes.
“Javier, what has been done only changes us back to the way the Humanos Verdaderos conducted things on Terra. The only difference is to recognize these psychic powers we have gained.” Francos met with them in his office. “You chose to stay away from the Council meeting, so everyone assumed you agreed.”
“You know that we are harvesting the grain now and our peons must be supervised,” Mendoza said. “I am risking a botched harvest by coming to protest.”
“Your steward or your sons cannot follow orders?” Francos was annoyed. “I am finding that if your sons are raised to understand the business of the family, the future of the family is safe. Have you not done that?”
“We are not here to discuss our sons. My nephews did not result in much safety for you,” Javier said angrily. Carlos whispered a warning to him about Francos’ temper and reminded him of his own role in the raising of the older Morales sons.
“You are correct, Javier, and it is to my shame that the son raised by my father-in-law will be the one who leads my people as they should be led.” Francos saw Marta waiting in the hall and motioned to her to come in.
“Javier, how good to see you. How is Mama? My last message from Anna said the summer heat was bothering her,” Marta smiled at her brother. “Carlos, we missed you and Juanita at the wedding, but given what happened, it was best.” The two men stared in disbelief. “Anna has asked me to send her the directions for dealing with this new fiber we have from Port. I have printed it out for you. Carlos, do you think Juanita would like to have them also?” Marta waited a few minutes as the men sat speechless.
“You will find when you return to your hacienda that the women of the harem are not the mindless children you thought them to be,” Marta’s exasperation with her brother and his friend was evident in her voice. “Anna and Juanita are both fully competent and in fact, were busy directing the gathering of the flax which you seemed to have forgotten in your haste to come bother the Overlord. Not having the linen fabric would mean you would have hemp under pants this winter.”
Marta held out the folded letter to her sister-in-law. Her brother hesitantly took it as if it were something dangerous.
“My friends, visit your harems. Don’t tell them you are coming.” Francos said softly. “I did that and have been learning the truth now for weeks. Our women have been keeping our country working for years and we didn’t see it. Now, it’s time we noticed and appreciated what they do. We need them if we are going to survive on this planet.”
“It is true then, what my newest daughter-in-law said, most women are not damaged from their manifestation?” Carlos said softly.
“Yes, it is true,” Marta said.
“We have work to do, Javier,” Carlos said. “I would appreciate a set of those directions if you please, Sera Marta. It is a distance from our hacienda to your brother’s.”
“I will have one of the girls who is training to be clerk make you one and send it to Casa Gardo. You are staying there?” The men agreed that was where they were staying and left still shaken by what they had experienced.
“This is going to be done faster than I expected but I am not certain my generation of men will ever get over the shock,” Francos said as he gave Marta a hug. “You did very well. I didn’t think they would believe me.”
Should you want to read the whole story…
Book One
Book Two
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