victory, or else he will pay with his own life. The generals are mostly stupid fellows, promoted because they are obedient. They cannot give him what he needs."
"So why doesn't the admiral go ashore and take command himself?"
"Hah!" Filek chuckled. "Trust my daughter to put her finger on the sensitive spot! After what happened in the north, the admiral swore never to put himself at risk again. He will not go ashore until the colony is established and the monkeys are destroyed."
"Father, they are not monkeys, they are mots, mors, brilbies. They are people like ourselves."
"So you have said, my dear, and I do not doubt you. But I cannot let myself believe it too much, or else I cannot go on with my duties. Do you see? I must blind myself to this, or else I must commit suicide."
"But, Father, you know it is the truth. You have said so yourself, their artwork, their houses, all are the work of civilized people. You met Thru Gillo. Did he seem like a stupid animal to you?"
"We must destroy them or be destroyed ourselves."
Simona sighed deeply, but made no reply. Filek would only get angry if she argued with him over this.
"You have been reading Gallin?"
"Yes, Father, he is so wise."
"Indeed. I wish the world could be ordered according to Gallin's teachings."
"Oh, so do I. There would be no purdah. Women would be allowed to go out without fear of men."
Filek chuckled again. As always, Simona found the one spot that was too sensitive to be touched.
"Well, my dear, for that we would need more than just the teachings of Gallin."
"Father, Gallin says that men do not need the protection of purdah to stem their lust."
"Yes, dear," Filek was feeling uncomfortable with this turn in the conversation.
"He says they can control themselves. He says the 'conscious man' is capable of great things, including the ability to restrain himself in the presence of women."
"Yes, dear, but Gallin wrote that many centuries ago, the men of Shasht are more potent now than they were then, perhaps."
"More potent than the men of Kadawak's time?"
"Well, I don't know about that, but the laws of purdah govern our lives now, and we must remember that. Or else the powers that be will notice us, and that will not be good."
Simona sensed that her father was eager to escape this topic. Since Chiknulba had died in the plague, Filek had been turning away slowly from some of the more daring and open-minded things that Chiknulba had taught him.
Simona was sensible enough to know when to change the subject, but not sensible enough to change it to something harmless.
"Father, have you asked about Rukkh for me, as you promised?"
Filek pursed his lips. From one area of discomfort to another. Ah, this daughter of his, he loved her, but sometimes she drove him to distraction.
"Rukkh has survived. He was involved in the battle, but he was not even wounded. He is now ashore."
"Father, did you think about the things I spoke of?"
"Yes, dear, but I do not want to talk of those things now."
"When, Father, when can we talk about them?"
"I do not know, but not now."
There was an edge to his voice, and Simona knew not to push any further. Her father was torn between the gentle, well-read medical man he had been and the new leading figure of the colony that he was becoming.
If she pushed he would get huffy and start talking about what a peasant Rukkh was, and how unsuitable he was as a match for the daughter of the colony's leading surgeon.
It was unacceptable in Shashti society for a woman to remain unwed. Unwed women could only be slaves or whores. Simona had to be wed, and soon, for she was well into young womanhood.
But, alas for her, she had the strawberry birthmark on her left breast. No young man of her own social class would take her. It was seen as the mark of a witch.
"Red-mark girl..." Those were the cruel words she had heard all her life.
So the only "suitable" match that Filek could arrange for her would be with some withered old man who
"So why doesn't the admiral go ashore and take command himself?"
"Hah!" Filek chuckled. "Trust my daughter to put her finger on the sensitive spot! After what happened in the north, the admiral swore never to put himself at risk again. He will not go ashore until the colony is established and the monkeys are destroyed."
"Father, they are not monkeys, they are mots, mors, brilbies. They are people like ourselves."
"So you have said, my dear, and I do not doubt you. But I cannot let myself believe it too much, or else I cannot go on with my duties. Do you see? I must blind myself to this, or else I must commit suicide."
"But, Father, you know it is the truth. You have said so yourself, their artwork, their houses, all are the work of civilized people. You met Thru Gillo. Did he seem like a stupid animal to you?"
"We must destroy them or be destroyed ourselves."
Simona sighed deeply, but made no reply. Filek would only get angry if she argued with him over this.
"You have been reading Gallin?"
"Yes, Father, he is so wise."
"Indeed. I wish the world could be ordered according to Gallin's teachings."
"Oh, so do I. There would be no purdah. Women would be allowed to go out without fear of men."
Filek chuckled again. As always, Simona found the one spot that was too sensitive to be touched.
"Well, my dear, for that we would need more than just the teachings of Gallin."
"Father, Gallin says that men do not need the protection of purdah to stem their lust."
"Yes, dear," Filek was feeling uncomfortable with this turn in the conversation.
"He says they can control themselves. He says the 'conscious man' is capable of great things, including the ability to restrain himself in the presence of women."
"Yes, dear, but Gallin wrote that many centuries ago, the men of Shasht are more potent now than they were then, perhaps."
"More potent than the men of Kadawak's time?"
"Well, I don't know about that, but the laws of purdah govern our lives now, and we must remember that. Or else the powers that be will notice us, and that will not be good."
Simona sensed that her father was eager to escape this topic. Since Chiknulba had died in the plague, Filek had been turning away slowly from some of the more daring and open-minded things that Chiknulba had taught him.
Simona was sensible enough to know when to change the subject, but not sensible enough to change it to something harmless.
"Father, have you asked about Rukkh for me, as you promised?"
Filek pursed his lips. From one area of discomfort to another. Ah, this daughter of his, he loved her, but sometimes she drove him to distraction.
"Rukkh has survived. He was involved in the battle, but he was not even wounded. He is now ashore."
"Father, did you think about the things I spoke of?"
"Yes, dear, but I do not want to talk of those things now."
"When, Father, when can we talk about them?"
"I do not know, but not now."
There was an edge to his voice, and Simona knew not to push any further. Her father was torn between the gentle, well-read medical man he had been and the new leading figure of the colony that he was becoming.
If she pushed he would get huffy and start talking about what a peasant Rukkh was, and how unsuitable he was as a match for the daughter of the colony's leading surgeon.
It was unacceptable in Shashti society for a woman to remain unwed. Unwed women could only be slaves or whores. Simona had to be wed, and soon, for she was well into young womanhood.
But, alas for her, she had the strawberry birthmark on her left breast. No young man of her own social class would take her. It was seen as the mark of a witch.
"Red-mark girl..." Those were the cruel words she had heard all her life.
So the only "suitable" match that Filek could arrange for her would be with some withered old man who
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