(no subject)
Word had come.
Neric had heard about it while passing by a newsinger at a branchpath intersection, on his way home from a session of the Erdling Senate. The frail old man Wassou had been deliberately injured. Attacked, to use the old and shockingly impolite word. Attacked, by followers of Axon Befal. Attacked, with the intention of killing him.
Wassou had survived, and been taken to the healers, but all the people of Green-Sky were in shock. The mood of the people Neric passed seemed to be quiet fearfulness, and worried waiting--this sort of thing had not happened for centuries, and no one knew what would happen next.
Normally, when a Kindar had been responsible for some sort of trouble--and 'trouble' was very relative--they'd be summoned to the Chamber of Justice and asked to explain their actions in relation to Peace, Love and Joy. If they were found lacking, they'd be sent to school with the children to relearn what they'd apparently forgotten. Erdling transgressors tended to be sentenced to extra work, or public reprimanding, but again, none of their crimes were ever very serious.
This sort of thing had not happened since the refugees from Earth had landed here and sworn that there should be no more violence. And yet, there it was. A group of thugs--the only people on the planet who carried any sort of weapons, ones they had made for themselves--had attacked an old man, had tried to kill him. Had fled into the forest, to avoid capture.
And so Neric, and the forty-six other members of the Joined Council, had been summoned to an emergency meeting, which had lasted for hours. It was decided that if Axon Befal and his followers were found, they would be questioned, and if they were indeed guilty, they would be sent to live in the smallest and newest of the cities on the forest floor, under guard and supervision, for at least two years. First, of course, they would have to be found.
The members of the Council went their separate ways after the meeting was over, weary and sick at heart. Neric escorted Genaa back to the Youth Hall where they both made their home, but they barely spoke, just sat beside one another and looked out the window at the evening rain.
Neric wonders how many more of their people will turn to the berry tonight, how many more will drug themselves into a comfort from which they will never recover.
Peace had been broken. Innocence was lost.
Neric had heard about it while passing by a newsinger at a branchpath intersection, on his way home from a session of the Erdling Senate. The frail old man Wassou had been deliberately injured. Attacked, to use the old and shockingly impolite word. Attacked, by followers of Axon Befal. Attacked, with the intention of killing him.
Wassou had survived, and been taken to the healers, but all the people of Green-Sky were in shock. The mood of the people Neric passed seemed to be quiet fearfulness, and worried waiting--this sort of thing had not happened for centuries, and no one knew what would happen next.
Normally, when a Kindar had been responsible for some sort of trouble--and 'trouble' was very relative--they'd be summoned to the Chamber of Justice and asked to explain their actions in relation to Peace, Love and Joy. If they were found lacking, they'd be sent to school with the children to relearn what they'd apparently forgotten. Erdling transgressors tended to be sentenced to extra work, or public reprimanding, but again, none of their crimes were ever very serious.
This sort of thing had not happened since the refugees from Earth had landed here and sworn that there should be no more violence. And yet, there it was. A group of thugs--the only people on the planet who carried any sort of weapons, ones they had made for themselves--had attacked an old man, had tried to kill him. Had fled into the forest, to avoid capture.
And so Neric, and the forty-six other members of the Joined Council, had been summoned to an emergency meeting, which had lasted for hours. It was decided that if Axon Befal and his followers were found, they would be questioned, and if they were indeed guilty, they would be sent to live in the smallest and newest of the cities on the forest floor, under guard and supervision, for at least two years. First, of course, they would have to be found.
The members of the Council went their separate ways after the meeting was over, weary and sick at heart. Neric escorted Genaa back to the Youth Hall where they both made their home, but they barely spoke, just sat beside one another and looked out the window at the evening rain.
Neric wonders how many more of their people will turn to the berry tonight, how many more will drug themselves into a comfort from which they will never recover.
Peace had been broken. Innocence was lost.